Kenneth Bressett's memoir A Penny Saved: R.S. Yeoman and His Remarkable Red Bookcelebrates the life of Bressett's mentor, hobby legend Richard S. Yeo (known as R.S.Yeoman), and the longevity of the Guide Book of United States Coins (the ), firstpublished in 1946. The 352-page hardcover volume is available from bookstores and hobbyshops and online (including at Whitman.com). Here, numismatic historian Joel J. Oroszprovides an appreciation of both Yeoman and Bressett.

Two Whitman book series, the Handbook of United States Coins and A GuideBook of United States Coins, both truly numismatic institutions, were theinspiration and dedication of two men, who first established, then refined theseseries for decades. One, Richard Yeo, was the founder, consummate salesman,and ambassador; the other, Kenneth Bressett, was the scholar and developer. Thestory of their joint achievement, annually renewed, is worthy of note andremembrance.

Richard Yeo was a son of the Badger State, blessed with a flair for design and aknack for making friends. Whitman Publishing of Racine, Wisconsin, hired Yeoin 1932 and soon put him to work selling coin boards and, later, the celebratedblue coin folders beloved by generations of young collectors. Although new tonumismatics initially, he wasn't afraid to ask specialists for guidance.

As R.S. Yeoman, Yeo continued as editor of the Red Book for nearly a quartercentury, making it into the most trusted guide for retail prices and earning him thetitle Throughout the 1960s he appeared frequently as a brandambassador for his many publications at coin shows, conventions, and clubs,where he autographed books and charmed collectors with his modest demeanorand engaging personality. By the time of his retirement in 1970, he had proven hispen name truly apt, for his benefitted not only WhitmanPublishing, but all of numismatics.

Of all of Yeoman's many achievements, perhaps the greatest was mentoring hissuccessor.

Ken Bressett of Keene, New Hampshire, became a numismatist while in his teens.He had printer's ink in his veins, as one of his early jobs was as a in the twilight years of the hot-lead printing process. In the mid-1950s Yeomanwas attending a coin show and Bressett discussed with him some questionableitems in the Guide Book. Instead of taking offense, Yeoman recognized his talentand later engaged him as a freelance editor. Whitman hired Bressett in 1959, withhis responsibilities encompassing the Blue Book and Red Book series. By 1962 hewas made assistant editor and later managing editor in 1965, giving Yeoman moreopportunities to be a roving ambassador.

Bressett's tenure as editor lasted an astonishing 53 years; even after his formalretirement in 2018, he has continued with special projects for Whitman. It wasnatural, therefore, that following Yeoman's death in 1988, Bressett inherited thetitle of

Bressett's stewardship was lengthy, and also quietly revolutionary. He enhancednot just two book series but an extraordinarily successful and truly belovednumismatic institution. A glance at the 1966- and 2019-dated editions of both theRed Book and the Blue Book shows how vastly he (often with some behind-the-scenes help from his son, Philip) improved these iconic products. They employsimilar organizational schemes, but everything from the typeface to the factualcontent was enriched. Page counts nearly doubled, incorporating new coin issues,and novel research expunged old errors and added important fresh findings.Timely special features were added.

Ken Bressett achieved the highly improbable: he supervised production of twosuccessful books and for five decades simultaneously preserved and reinventedthem-a seamless fusion of tradition and transformation.

Two men, two enduring book series, more than three-quarters of a century; oneshared sobriquet. Only the oldest coin collectors of 2023 can remembernumismatics without the Blue Book or the Red Book, all thanks to theextraordinary exertions of not one but two.