Free cherrypicker's guide

[liveandievarieties]

I have a duplicate copy of the Cherrypicker's Guide to Rare die Varieties that I want to give away to a deserving LCR member. It's my bible in coins, well, it's at least a reference to everything I buy and sell, as the book has quite a following and varieties listed in it garner far stronger premiums than the prices listed.

Here's how this contest will go:

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THIS BOOK: In this thread, write an essay about your collecting/cherrypicking experience. I strongly feel that everyone who wants to be a member here has a responsibility to learn and grow. When you've got some experience under your belt you can impart that knowledge onto less experienced members.

Write about anything you'd like, but be sure to mention why you think you'd benefit from having a copy of this book and why you may deserve it (honesty but no sob stories!). I want the recipient to get as much use out of it as I do (I'm on my own second copy of this volume, the first fell apart from use). This book has many, many secrets to reveal to the shrewd and perceptive enthusiast.

There is no specific end date to this contest, though the winner will be chosen with much consideration (no favorites or preferences).

So open up! Tell us all about yourself and your perspective (no butt-kissing, grounds for automatic disqualification, lol!)

Can't wait to find a new home for this reference.

[SuddenAdoration]

Cool! perfect timing!
I would love to have a Cherrypicker guide! I started collecting as a young girl when my father gave me all of his half dollar coins and two dollar bills. Ever since I have always asked the bank tellers for those coins or bills to add to my collection, which is now my sons collection I never really did anything with this coin hobby until recently. A couple of years ago my son Tanner said he wanted to collect all of the state quarters (which is now complete) and recently this past summer we started reading about Lincoln cents and wanted to start collecting the wheat pennies, different varieties and errors. It didn't take long for me to find this forum and I am so appreciative of all of the help that I have received here. I have done a lot of Internet searching but most of the education I have received is from the members here. I was even told to go and get a couple of books one being the Cherrypicker Guide. So I went on Ebay and purchased one and unfortunately never received it. After a long claim I got my money back however still need a Cherrypickers Guide. lol

My world seems to evolve around Lincoln Cents and I know this book would be in good hands and be used by both my son and I. We often visit a local coin/antique shop and there are so many coins there that my son gets excited about, and bombards the dealer with questions. (that's how I feel here lol) We do want to further our education and knowledge on the subject and do need one.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to win one in your contest!

Karah & Tanner

[papascoins]

I already have one, Chris. I wanted to say what a thoughtful gift for someone here! Truly a great educational tool to be used a long time! (Maybe after reading some of those, you may want to give about 10 of 'em away!)

[jfines69]

I do not have one but this is an incredible opportunity for one of the new or old collectors on the block... I deserve it cause I'm so cute... LOL... Seriously I will not be joining in on this contest but I do hope you get alot of takers... It is the people like you Chris that make this forum what it is... Thanks to all of you!!!

[lara4228]

Before I decide to answer and respond to this thread in Chris's outlined manner, I would like to know what year is this book?

[Coppertop]

Very good book, thats the 5th edition Vol I The one for cents to nickels . The vollume II , dimes thru dollars came out late 2011
Dec 2008

[liveandievarieties]

Beggars can't be choosers! lol. It's the exact book shown, do a little Google research. But seriously Lara- it's the most recent edition out.

[lara4228]

lmao Chris, I was only joking!

I'm sitting on the fence with this thread. I would like it, I would definitely use it, I would absolutely learn from it, but I think others could use it too.

I dunno, let me sit on this one for a little while.

Oh yes, one more question...is there a word limit on the essay? Chris, you know I can talk?

[liveandievarieties]

No limit, I like good content, but I tend to save the long, rambling, meandering almost pointless posts for bedtime so I can get some rest right away.....

[jfines69]

No limit, I like good content, but I tend to save the long, rambling, meandering almoast pointless posts for bedtime so I can get some rest right away.....

[liveandievarieties]

Just an idea- (I know I'm going to sound like a jerk-) but let's limit this thread to people writing essays about their collecting experiences... yeah, I sound like a jerk.

Just makes it easier for everyone else who's trying to keep up on unread threads. I've got ONE essay so far....

[hasfam]

"I'm a big fan of Varieties. I like them, I use them, I have a little. I keep them in a jar on top of my refrigerator. I'd like to put more in that jar. That's where you and the CPG come in."

[pman860507]

wow its 4:00 pm and i just now got to work. this is an awesome thread/gift/person. i will post something tomorrow i might get yelled at if im over here typing for the next hour when i have been gone all day

[lara4228]

Coin collecting carries many stigmas attached to it. Some people think we are nerds, while others thinks it is "cool". Then there are other people's views who feel it is a 'rich man's hobby'. Coin collecting to me is a passing time hobby that allows me to focus all my analytical energy into something where it won't affect any of my current personal relationships.

I collect coins, preferably the American cents because it challenges my intellect and my burning desire to pick apart details and learn why and how they are the way they are. My preference for the US coin over the Canadian coin is a simple answer. Information and availability to the US penny. When I first started looking more closely at coins, I naturally began with my home country, Canada. I quickly discovered that there really isn't a whole lot of solid information. Every website I visited seemed to have some sort of conflicting data on value as well as characteristics around errors on our coinage. What I did find was many sites and forums that seemed to be consistent in educational value on the American cent. I fell in love. I finally found a hobby which I could dissect in greater detail and find all the problematic possibilities, which feeds my personality perfect.

When I discovered LCR, I further enjoyed the easiness of navigating and the visual aides provided for people, like me, who were interested in delving deeper into the guts of the Lincoln Cent. I downloaded every checklist that was provided on the site, regardless of my questioning of how 'updated' it was. I was enthralled. I then stumbled across this forum and I have never left. It is home away from home.

Over the course of the past year, I have obtained many resources in hand for education, but none on the American coin. I have heavily relied on the people and years of experience these people provided me on LCR. Their passion for this hobby and for helping others, like myself, learn and grow is endless and forever never ending. The generosity, such as the reason why I'm writing this piece of information, keeps me intrigued within this hobby. Its not just the coin itself, its the people who constantly provide help; keeps me into this hobby.

Errors on coinage seem fairly easy to detect. However, its the ever changing of designs that have eluded me from retaining every bit of information and history on the American Cent. The multitude of die varieties is so confusing to one who is just starting out in this hobby. Jargon, understanding the minting process and how these precious little tokens of money are created is overwhelming. It takes a lot of mental dedication to retain and absorb and then apply all the knowledge to what you see under magnification.

Coppercoins.com and Wexler's DoubledDie.com are wonderful assets when you or I are trying to compare what we see under the glass to what has been noted and accepted within this community. I heavily rely on written as well as visual aides to assist me on my journey to identifying what everyone else has discovered.

This is where an in hand reference material would benefit me. I have heard the Cherry Pickers Guide being referred to as "The Bible" for variety collectors. Over the past 2 weeks, I found myself searching my local coin shops here for this guide and neither one had a copy. I want this guide.

Some people may ask why don't I just go to a website and buy it? I have put limitations on my spending to practically nil, in preparation for my upcoming wedding. I want to buy it. The impulse to buy it is there, but the justification to myself doesn't contend with my reasoning power to buy something I 'want' over something I'm planning for.

I have seen many references on this forum to FS-whatever numbers follow. I remember back in my early weeks of collecting I had to ask what FS-### meant. It was the catalog reference # given for a certain die variety that is found within this guide. I admit, I felt a little awkward and embarrassed but I got the information I wanted.

This book seems to possess a number of varieties that are not particularly listed on the Coppercoins.com or Doubleddie.com. This means to me, I'm might be missing out on something. That is big no-no in my book! I detest missing out on any details. Its feeds my compulsive frenzy to 'want to know everything' insane craziness.

While I personally feel that I don't deserve this book, I still want this book. I know there are many other members, new or intermediate who could and would benefit just as much as I would, by attaining this reference guide. I feel that I have "won" several contests here in LCR and now it is time for someone else to "win". I sat and thought about this thread long and hard. Often thinking, do I enter my thoughts and hope I get this book or do I pass? Feeling guilty and selfish I have decided to post my 'essay' anyway. Not in hopes of attaining this book as an educational tool, rather as guide for others to post here in this thread.

We have a lot of new members that have joined LCR recently. Some of them have been collecting for many years and either have kept up with their passion or have allowed this hobby to fall to the wayside for whatever reasons. Other new members are brand new and completely green, like I was a year ago.

On this forum, I feel that I can be myself and not be introverted like I usually am. I would like this post to be an example for all new members to feel good enough within themselves to post a reply to Chris's generous offering. The little information I can now provide, I hope one day in the near future, you too will be able to provide in order to help other people who are like you and me, taking baby steps in educating ourselves on the American Cent.

Lara M

[copperlover]

I love your essay Lara, and both new as well as old members should find it interesting. I'm thrilled with the person that you have become. Apart from a couple typos you have a flair for writing. Chris' offer is great and he and other LCR members are always giving back something to fellow members.

I used to read a lot of articles written by John Wexler and Ken Potter and dreamed of the day
that I could find a coin worthy of being published in one of the articles written by one of these
two experts. I always collected coins but just set them aside for another day. I did collect
American Silver Eagles for the design but never knew anything about Lincoln Cent Varieties and
Errors until I became a member of LCR. My first find was an Indian Cent which was a 1907 common
date. My hope for an error coin was dashed but I was encouraged by the numerous finds from circulation found by a gentleman name Joe whose collection was outstanding. Deep in my mind I knew this was not really rocket science so I continued searching an behold I found a 1966P Lamination peel which was included in an article by Billy Crawford and this lit a fire. At this point I did not feel that I had accomplished my initial goal which was to get published by an expert in a major magazine. This did not stop me from trying and my chances really looked slim until I had a conversation with Chris from Liveanddievarieties and he gave me encouragement to search OBW rolls and bricks. He had some coins for sale which I bought and one turned out to be a 1995D Lincoln Cent Doubled Die Reverse which was attributed by Billy Crawford and subsequently by John Wexler and included in his best of Lincoln Cents Varieties as WDDR005. This is where I really became excited : someone from LCR asked me if I knew that my coin was included in an article in Coin World and I replied NO. I was doing my dance.........my reggae moves. Ever since I have been searching for the next Variety. The CPG could help me a lot. The Search must go on.
Lucien