Collecting World Coins by Chester L. Krause, Clifford Mishler, Colin R. Bruce (2003, Paperback)

I had this book over 3 years and it still paying me back in information.

However, this book is outdated by today standard as it is over 4 years old now.
Anyway, here's my review:


The good:
This Krause guide should be the first book any world coin collectors/hobbyists/investors's reseach library.

It's very easy to read, pretty acculated informations and photos on the more commonly surfaced coins. Although it doesn't goes into greater details on how to grade coins or any basic care for the coin once you got it - but hey, this is a price guide, not a hobby guide.


The bad:
As I mentioned before, this book is pretty general in nature - hence a lot of info was missing on the rarer coins as well as patterns. Also, like other krause general coin guide books, it doesn't give you all the details of the coins that could you can find out if it is fake or not. (like German coins usually don't have reeds but in rare case they do.. none of that important info was on this guide.)


The ugly:
Er.. this 10th edition book is 4 years out of date - and the prices had really gone up on some coins. (European coins especially since the introduction of pure-evil euros. ^.~* )


Conclusion:
This book only cost about 30 bucks in Amazon when I got it 2 years ago. It should be lot less in ebay and due to its age.

I have to stress that this is one of those book that you shall need if you are serious on starting a coin collection hobby. (it had a large section on US coins, btw.) regardless of countries.