Whitman expands 2023 ‘Red Book’ in its new 76th edition

The expanded 76th edition of “A Guide Book of United States Coins” will be released at the end of March in several versions, including hardcover and spiralbound softcover.

Original images courtesy of Whitman Publishing

Visitors to the March 31 to April 2 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo in Baltimore will have early access to the 2023 (76th) edition of the Guide Book of United States Coins (known to collectors as the “Red Book”).

After its expo debut, this newest edition of the hobby’s best-selling reference will be available from booksellers and hobby shops nationwide, according to the publisher.

The 76th edition has been expanded to 472 pages, Whitman states. It prices nearly 8,000 entries in up to nine grades each, with more than 32,000 retail valuations in total. It includes many new features and updated research, plus additions to the book’s 1,900-plus color photographs.

Senior Editor Jeff Garrett said, “Today’s rare-coin market is dominated by collectors, with an emphasis on quality. Auction records continue to be set for outstanding coins and ultra-rarities. Renewed interest in collectibles, financially flush consumers, and fear of inflation have all combined to spark demand across the board for most United States coinage. The 76th edition of the Red Book has more price increases than any in recent years.”

Editor Emeritus Kenneth Bressett has worked on the Red Book since 1959. He wrote about the first 75 years of its history in his memoir A Penny Saved: R.S. Yeoman and His Remarkable Red Book. “I pity anyone looking for auction bargains today!” Bressett said about the current coin market. “Choice coins seem to be high on everyone’s wish list. Condition and rarity prompt the most active bidding, and shocking prices. The stimulated activity has also caused price increases in many lower-grade pieces. Are prices too high? Probably not, even though the expanded competition might not last forever. Markets and collector interests have a habit of changing over the years, but seemingly always in an upward direction over any reasonable period of time. The old adage ‘The time to buy is when the piece you want becomes available’ is as true today as it has ever been. I see nothing but good times ahead.”

Research Editor Q. David Bowers calls the Red Book “the most useful single-volume reference a coin collector can add to their library.”

“Our print runs for the Red Book have sold out faster than normal in recent years,” said Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker. “We see this increased demand as a measure of the hobby’s growth. The 25 millionth copy of the Red Book was sold in 2021, and strong demand continues in 2022.”

The 76th edition, with a cover date of 2023, will be available in formats including the classic red hardcover; the convenient spiralbound softcover that lies flat when opened; and the large print edition.

Based on annual sales, A Guide Book of United States Coins is the world’s most popular annual retail price guide for U.S. coins, tokens, and other numismatic items. More than 25 million copies have been purchased since 1946, making it one of the best-selling nonfiction titles in the history of U.S. book publishing, according to Whitman.

For the 76th edition, more than 120 professional coin dealers, scholars, and other numismatic experts contributed their knowledge under the direction of Garrett, Bowers, and Bressett.

The 76th edition of the Red Book is available online and at bookstores and hobby shops nationwide. Whitman Publishing offers a large print edition and two formats of the regular edition (hardcover and spiralbound softcover).

Details about the eighth edition of the 1,504-page expanded Deluxe Edition, popularly known as “MEGA RED,” will be available soon.

For more information and to order any of the editions, visit Whitman Publishing at www.Whitman.com.

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