Numismatic Reference Books We Like

Coin & Currency Books

RR Coins & Currency maintains an extensive library of numismatic reference and research materials consisting with over 5,500 books, auction catalogs, newsletters and numismatic articles.

If you are researching your collection, updating values, checking trends on hot items, or trying to find values for inherited collections, then magazines and books, local coin clubs, and coin dealers in your area all are invaluable aids in your study.

Our favorite and most often used reference books and publications are listed below. You can often find these at your local library for free or for purchase at a local book store. Online retailers such as Amazon also list most of these references for sale as well.

Our favorite coin & paper money magazines:

  • Coin World
  • Coin Price
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Numismatic News

With books, we understand that not everyone is interested in the entire field of numismatics so we'll break it down into basic categories on our top choices.

Coins

  • The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of U.S. Coins (Guide Book of United States Coins)
  • The Official Blue Book: A Handbook of U.S. Coins (Handbook of United States Coins (Paper)
  • Standard Catalog of World Coins 1701-1800
  • Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801-1900
  • Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000

Currency

  • A Guidebook of Modern Federal Reserve Notes (Official Whitman Guidebooks) Azpiazu
  • Paper Money of the United States: A Complete Illustrated Guide with Valuations
  • Standard Catalog of World Paper Money General Issues 1368-1960
  • Standard Catalog of World Paper Money 13th edition: General Issues
  • Standard Catalog of World Paper Money - Modern Issues: 1961-Present
  • Standard Catalog of World Paper Money - Specialized Issues
  • Standard Guide to Small-Size U.S. Paper Money - 1928-Date
  • Standard Catalog of United States Paper Money: National Bank Notes, Large & Small Size by Series, Fractional Currency, Error Notes, M.P.C., Postage Stamp Envelopes, Encased Postage, Philippine Islands, Commonwealth Issues, Pre-Civil War U.S. Notes ...
  • Guide Book of Southern States Currency (Official Red Books)
  • The Comprehensive Catalog of U.S. Paper Money
  • Comprehensive Catalog of Military Payment Cerificates
  • The Standard Handbook of $1 Web-Fed Test Notes - 1988A, 1993, 1995
  • World War II Remembered: History in Your Hands, a Numismatic Study

Tokens

  • A Guide Book of United States Tokens and Medals (Official Red Book)

Casino Chips

  • The Chip Rack - A Price Guide to the Casino Chips and Checks of Nevada
  • The Official U.S. Casino Chip Price Guide

There are a lot more books that go even deeper into numismatics. Some of these include U.S. Small Size Currency, Small Size U.S. Federal Reserve Notes, Federal Reserve Web Notes, Various Medals, Tokens, Military Payment Certificates and many other titles. Most of these books can be purchased online, but some are available only through a coin club or the author.