Book Review: US Pattern Coins

[Mike Marotta]

Judd's time-honored _United States Pattern Coins_ is now out in a 2009
10th edition. Q. David Bowers is the editor-in-chief for the "Red
Book" series of special topics, but the master expert for this volume
is SAUL TEICHMAN. If QDB is the "dean of American numismatics" then
Teichman is the department chair for patterns. He is one of the
engines at the Pattern Collectors website, www.uspatterns.com.

This book is based on a 100-year old effort, first launched by Dr. J.
Hewitt Judd.

These are the coins that never were, the evolutionary stages in US
coin design, the "Sailor Head" Liberty of Barber -- is that really
Queen Victoria? -- the Schoolgirl of Morgan, the Helmeted Liberty of
Barber, the Washington 5-cent of 1866, the Seated Liberty 3-cent Piece
of 1849 ...

Sometimes a pattern would be a strking of a regular issue coin, but in
a test metal, such as aluminum, copper or lead. In fact, lead
"splashes" are a whole collecting sub-sub area of their own.

The book gives recent auction results.grades and prices.

$39.95 for 341 full color pages from the leading authorities on one of
the most rewarding little corners of American numismatics.