The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 50, December 9, 2007, Article 14

HENRY COOK'S COIN AND MEDAL CIRCULAR

I won a couple lots in George Kolbe's 104 numismatic literature
sale.  One is lot 623, a rare little pamphlet by Boston coin
dealer Henry Cook published in 1869.  COIN AND MEDAL CIRCULAR,
CONTAINING A FEW REMARKS ON THE AMERICAN SERIES OF COINS AND
MEDALS, WITH A LITTLE BRIEF ADVICE TO THE INEXPERIENCED
COLLECTOR.   The 12-page pamphlet is interleaved with lined
paper.  Kolbe describes it as "A scarce early introductory
guide with interesting tables of large cents and half cents,
giving degrees of rarity and selling prices at the time.  A
major early Boston coin dealer, Cook left little beyond
several auction sales and a similar pamphlet or two for us
to remember him."

Here is the opening passage, and it applies just as well
today as it did in 1869:

"It is quite unnecessary here to expatiate upon the pleasure
and information to be derived from the study of coins and
medals; the desire to obtain information concerning the
identity, value, etc., of such pieces as may fall into our
possession, being almost universal.

"Scarcely a day passes but calls are made upon me for a
list of prices that are paid for coins; and in a general
reply I would state that it is impossible for a coin dealer
or an experienced collector to determine upon the price of
coins without seeing each individual piece of which his
opinion is asked.  As this may appear strange to the
inexperienced in coin collecting, I will explain that
everything depends, regarding the price of a coin, upon
its rarity, and the good or bad condition in which the
piece in question may be."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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