Reunited And It Feels So Good: Whitman® Publishes All-new Third Volume Of Cherrypickers’ Guide, Rounds Out The Award-winning Series

Whitman® announces the upcoming release of the all-new third volume of the sixth edition of Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties of United States Coins. The popular and award-winning series has long been revered as an essential tool for identifying and understanding rare coin die varieties—valuable coins potentially hidden in pocket change and dealers’ inventories—and this new edition continues that tradition of excellence, packed with updated information for 310 unique varieties, more than 1,000 high-quality images, and detailed descriptions that provide enthusiasts the knowledge needed to make smart decisions in their numismatic pursuits.

The Sixth edition, Volume 3 examines die varieties for Liberty Seated, Barber, Walking Liberty, Franklin, and Kennedy half dollars; Liberty Seated, trade, Morgan, Peace, and modern dollars; gold dollars through double eagles; classic commemoratives; bullion coinage; and the Philippines. The layout is organized and easy-to-navigate, making it accessible for both novice and experienced collectors, and features an expanded introductory narrative, detailed photo enlargements, market values in multiple grades, and for the first time ever Greysheet-based pricing and GSID numbers that identify and link a coin across the entire family of Whitman Brands products, such as the Greysheet online pricing tool, CDN Exchange, and the Greysheet mobile app.

Few books have excited the coin-collecting community like the Cherrypickers’ Guide series. Since the first edition burst onto the scene in 1990, the guide has become an indispensable reference for those passionate about coin collecting and thousands of hobbyists have been searching for the rare die varieties described inside. The series tells you how to “cherrypick”—that is, how to examine coins that look normal at first glance but have unusual characteristics such as doubled and tripled dies, overdates, repunched mintmarks, and other features that can reveal a common coin to be a rare and valuable variety. 

At 328 pages, the all-new third volume adds over 120 new varieties and gives special attention to new content covering “Long Nock” Morgan-dollar VAM varieties, additional text for Presidential dollar edge varieties, and new chapters on Draped Bust half dollars and dollars, Capped Bust half dollars, and Philippine coins. "We are thrilled to bring the latest Cherrypicker's Guide to the numismatic community," said Bill Fivaz, the guide's esteemed co-author. "The goal has always been to equip collectors with the best possible resources, and this volume is a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in numismatic literature." Volume editor Larry Briggs, who dedicated countless hours and energy to the project, recently lamented, “The second volume was bursting at the seams with so much new material, we knew early on we would need another volume.”  He cheerfully added, “Cherrypicking enthusiasts everywhere should be duly excited!” Fivaz and Briggs were joined by Ohio-based numismatist and major contributor Robert Lawson, responsible for coordinating the efforts and inputs of more than 15 die-variety specialists from around the country.

Reunited

For the first time, all three volumes of the Cherrypicker's Guide covering half cents through double eagles and everything in between, will be available to the numismatic community at the same time. A large second print run of the Sixth edition, Volume 1, originally published in 2015, will be released simultaneously which includes 680 varieties, more 1,000 images, and detailed information for some of the most popular U.S. coin series, to include Indian Head cent, Flying Eagle cent, Lincoln cent, two-cent pieces, Buffalo nickel, Jefferson nickel, Shield nickel, and Liberty Head nickel series. 

Laying the Groundwork

“Behind The Guide Book of United States Coins (Red Book) and some other select tiles, Cherrypicker’s Guide is one of the most asked-about titles we publish at Whitman,” said Whitman Brands CEO and Publisher John Feigenbaum. He added, “We are super thrilled to have all three volumes available to the collector community at the same time later this summer. But the truth is, there are always new die varieties and information surfacing, so the work is never done.” The initial groundwork for an all-new, revamped Seventh Edition is being laid.

Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties, Sixth edition, Volumes I and III can be pre-ordered for $39.95 online at whitman.com and amazon.com, and will be available in Whitman’s Ebay Store and in bookstores, hobby shops, and other online retailers nationwide August 2024. Cherrypickers’ Guide, Sixth edition, Volume II remains available for purchase at all retail outlets. All Sixth editions will also be available electronically in the Kindle Store for $14.95 per title.