As Dick Johnson mentioned several weeks ago, So-Called Dollars will be showcased in the Deluxe Edition "MEGA RED" Book due out in a fewweeks. This is exciting news not only for So-Called Dollar Collectors, but for the entire hobby as well because this will give exposure and educatecollectors on a historically significant and diverse segment of our hobby.

Dennis Tucker, publisher for Whitman and the Red Book said "Medals are a longtime pursuit of mine. I've studied them almost as long as I've been interested in coins. They make up a good portion of my overall collection, and these days they're the main focus of my active collecting. This year's MEGA RED includes a brand-new 18-page appendix on So-called Dollars. This is richly illustrated with more than 120 full-color images, with text by specialist Jeff Shevlin. It provides a history of So-Called Dollars, advice on collecting them, a study of rarity, and discussion of today's market".

According to Kenneth Bressett, editor for the Red Book "The growing interest in medal collecting has prompted the publishers of Whitman's Guide Book of United States Coins to acknowledge the important role medals have for today's collector community, and to include examples of these important historical documents as part of the total story of American numismatics and its many facets. It is hoped that this introduction to the world of medal collecting may be an inspiration to any who have overlooked them in the past."

The completion of the first transcontinental railroad was a major technological accomplishment. Only 20 years after the gold rush there was now an economic way to transport people and goods from coast to coast. Dies made by William Barber and struck at the Philadelphia Mint.

As Kenneth Bressett said "It is always refreshing to observe the enthusiasm shown by medal collectors for their favorite segment of numismatics. They view the artistry, history and significance of each piece as its prime importance in a way that is too often overlooked by those who simply collect coins with the objective of completeness or concern for condition."

For more information, or to order, see:
www.whitman.com

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
SO-CALLED DOLLARS COMING TO DELUXE RED BOOK (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n08a07.html)