The Half Cent Handbook – Classic Head & Braided Hair Varieties
By Ed Fuhrman
Released in September 2021, this book is part of a four-volume set covering U.S. Half Cents. This second book in the series is hardcover, full color, and focuses on the Classic Head and Braided Hair varieties from 1809-1857. The 157-page book provides fully updated information on die varieties, die states, and current rarity estimates. A user-friendly attribution guide for each die variety will allow collectors to quickly & easily identify any Classic Head or Braided Hair variety. Valuable information on pricing, grading, and net grading is also included. The book is filled with several personal anecdotes as well as tips on cherry-picking the rarest die varieties. Books are available directly from the author: Guitarman68@optonline.net
The Half Cent Handbook – Draped Bust Varieties 1800-1808
By Ed Fuhrman
Released in January 2021, this book is part of a four-volume set covering U.S. Half Cents. This first book in the series is hardcover, full color, and focuses on the Draped Bust varieties. The 177-page book provides fully updated information on die varieties, die states, and current rarity estimates. Collectors of all levels will find valuable information on pricing, grading, and net grading. A user-friendly attribution guide for each die variety will allow even the most novice collector to quickly & easily identify any Draped Bust Half Cent. Ed’s unique “Cherry Picking” section offers some personal anecdotes as well as tips for cherry-picking the rarest die varieties. Books are only available directly from the author: Guitarman68@optonline.net
The Half Cent Handbook – Liberty Cap Varieties 1793-1797
By Ed Fuhrman
THIS BOOK IS PART OF A FOUR-VOLUME SET COVERING U.S. HALF CENTS. THIS third BOOK IN THE SERIES IS HARDCOVER, FULL COLOR, AND FOCUSES ON THE Liberty Cap VARIETIES. THE massive 250-page BOOK PROVIDES FULLY UPDATED INFORMATION ON DIE VARIETIES, DIE STATES, AND CURRENT RARITY ESTIMATES. COLLECTORS OF ALL LEVELS WILL FIND VALUABLE INFORMATION ON PRICING, GRADING, AND NET GRADING. A USER-FRIENDLY ATTRIBUTION GUIDE FOR EACH DIE VARIETY WILL ALLOW EVEN THE MOST NOVICE COLLECTOR TO QUICKLY & EASILY IDENTIFY ANY liberty cap HALF CENT. ED’S UNIQUE “CHERRY PICKING” SECTION OFFERS SOME PERSONAL ANECDOTES AS WELL AS TIPS OF CHERRY-PICKING THE RAREST DIE VARIETIES. BOOKS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE AUTHOR: GUITARMAN68@OPTONLINE.NET
The Half Cent Handbook – Errors and Oddities
By Ed Fuhrman
Released in September 2022, This book is part of a four-volume set covering U.S. Half Cents.
This fourth book in the series is over 180 pages and covers all types of Half Cent mint errors. Everything from minor planchet errors to major striking errors are covered in great detail. Examples of some of the
most spectacular mint errors are shown. There are even some surprises in store as a number of these coins have never been seen before by the public. Each mint error is broken down by category and full explanations are given describing how each error occurs. There is even a new type of
mint error that will make its debut in this book! Everything is laid out in a clear and concise manner with full-color photos. The book is hardcover, full color, smyth sewn binding, and top
quality in every way. To my knowledge, this is the first book ever written and dedicated exclusively to the study of Half Cent mint errors. A must-have for novice, advanced, and expert-level collectors.
Books are only available directly from the author: Guitarman68@optonline.net
The Ultimate Grading Guide
by Ed Fuhrman
The fifth book in the Half Cent Handbook series; The Ultimate Grading Guide. This new book has a soft cover with a spiral binding. It is designed as an affordable and lightweight pocket-sized guide (6″X9″ format) that collectors can carry. It will help collectors of all levels quickly and easily grade any Half Cent they come across using the EAC (Early American Coppers) method of grading. The guide uses photos from the grading sections in the Handbook series and takes you step by step through the process of how to arrive at a proper grade for any Half Cent. The book contains over 500 clear full-color photos to assist you in learning to grade. This is the first of two new books containing supplementary material related to the Half Cent Handbook series.
I am pleased to announce the release of my sixth and final book in the Half Cent Handbook series; The Ultimate Attribution Guide. This new book has a soft cover with a spiral binding. It is designed as an affordable and lightweight pocket-sized guide (6″X9″ format) that collectors can carry. It will help collectors of all levels quickly and easily attribute the die variety of any United States Half Cent minted from 1793-1857. Why is attribution important? Very simply it allows you to determine if your coin is a common, scarce, or rare variety. And since rarity is one of the primary factors that will determine the value of your coin, proper attribution is very important!
This book uses photos and specific descriptions to guide you step by step through the process of attributing any Half Cent. The book contains hundreds of clear full-color photos to assist you in the attribution process. This is the second of two new books containing supplementary material related to the Half Cent Handbook hardcover series. This is a limited print run so don’t delay in ordering. Copies are $50 shipped. Copies are available directly from the author.
The Half Cent, 1793-1857; America’s Greatest Little Coin
By W.R. Eckberg, 2019
Early American Coppers, Inc. West Palm Beach, FL
This newest contribution to the half cent literature is the only half cent book to illustrate all obverses and reverses in large, full-color images. This book explores the history and artistry of the half cents from their origins in 1793 to their end in 1857. Much recent research that came from the study of the coins and original government documents is highlighted that has changed our understanding of how and by whom the half cents were made. It also provides updated analyses of rarities, giving us a clear idea of how many of them have survived to this day and why the survivorships vary by type and in a few cases appear to vary by date.
This book is currently sold out, but available from book dealers
The Half Cent Die State Book 1793-1857
by R.P. Manley, 1998
Privately published
Currently, the “definitive” reference on half cent die states and their relative availabilities, and containing the most up-to-date emission sequence, this 300-page book is illustrated with large black and white photos of each non-proof variety; it supplants the Cohen reference. Out of print, copies are frequently available from numismatic literature dealers.
Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States Half Cents 1793-1857
by W. Breen, 1983
American Institute of Numismatic Research, South Gate, CA
Like his large cent book, Breen’s 501-page (plus color plates) book was in development for about 30 years. This magnum opus on half cents is the only half cent book to feature color photos of a choice example from each date. Though its die state, condition census, and rarity information are obsolete, the book is still useful for all of the collateral information it provides on the history of half cent collecting and the early Mint and the technical information about the manufacture of these coins. This now out-of-print book did much to popularize half cent collecting. It is available from numismatic literature dealers.
American Half Cents, the “Little Half Sisters,”
by R.A. Cohen, Jr. 1982
Wigglesworth & Ghatt, Arlington, VA.
An updating of Cohen’s first edition, published in 1971, this 131-page book was hugely influential in its time, giving the variety of nomenclature that is still used. However, its usefulness has been replaced by Manley’s book, below. “Wigglesworth and Ghatt” were the names of Cohen’s dog and cat, respectively.
A Quickfinder for Attributing Varieties of United States Half Cents, 1793-1857. Second Edition
by G.S. Heim, 2013
Privately published.
Exactly what its title claims, this 44-page book offers keys to identifying the varieties of half cents. It is an update to his earlier edition with much-improved color images.
Available from the author: halfcent1@verizon.net.