An Official Red Book: A Guide Book of Washington and State Quarters: Complete Source for History, Grading, and Prices (Official Red Books)

The Guide Book of Washington and State Quarters-the most recent addition to Whitman's Bowers Series of numismatic books-is an in-depth study of our nation's most popular modern coin. It features the colorful historical research that readers expect from Q. David Bowers (the "dean of American numismatics"), including a biography of America's first president, the early years of the quarter dollar, and the history of the Washington quarter series starting in 1932. Bowers shares secrets of being a smart buyer in today's market. He analyzes each coin, date by date, from 1932 to 1998, and focuses a comprehensive section on each state quarter from 1999 to date. Certified and field populations, historical and current market values, and auction records add to the book's reference value. Full color throughout; illustrated; 288 pages. Trade paperback. By Q. David Bowers; foreword by California state quarter designer Garrett Burke. Softcover

Lawrence B. Stack, M.D., Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

One of Garrett's ideas now circulates as half a billion pieces of American history. Topping 8,300 entries, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger selected Garrett's coin concept honoring John Muir in Yosemite Valley to be California's 2005 commemorative state quarter. Garrett is an active member of the numismatic community and has designed two crowd-pleasing commemorative medals for the World's Fair of Money. He is the recipient of the American Numismatic Association's prestigious Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture and the John Muir Association's John Muir Conservation Award. Garrett was featured on PBS "Between the Lines" to reveal the meanings behind America's favorite pocket change.