Whitman Publishing seeks U.S. Philippine die varieties for Cherrypickers’ Guide, sixth edition, volume III

The sixth edition, volume III, of the Cherrypickers’ Guide will include a new chapter on die varieties of Philippine coins struck under U.S. sovereignty (1903–1945). Readers are invited to recommend coins for this section. Pictured here: a 1904 silver peso struck at the San Francisco Mint. (Photos courtesy of Stack’s Bowers Galleries.) Hover to zoom.

(Pelham, Alabama) — The sixth edition, volume II, of the Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties was officially launched at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, August 8–12, 2023. Whitman Publishing has announced that the final volume of the sixth edition will debut in 2024, and the book’s editors are seeking input on U.S./Philippine coins from collectors, coin dealers, and researchers.

The upcoming sixth edition, volume III, will cover die varieties among Capped Bust, Liberty Seated, and Barber half dollars, plus Liberty Walking, Franklin, and Kennedy half dollars, trade dollars, Morgan and Peace silver dollars, modern dollar coins, gold coins (dollars through double eagles), classic commemoratives, and silver, gold, and platinum bullion. Among several brand-new chapters, volume III will also include die varieties of coins struck for the Philippines under U.S. sovereignty.

The United States acquired the Philippine Islands in 1899 as part of a treaty with Spain that ended the Spanish-American War of the previous year. In 1901, the colony’s American military government was replaced with a civil administration. One of its first tasks was to sponsor a new coinage that was compatible with older Spanish issues, while being legally exchangeable for U.S. money at the rate of two Philippine pesos to one dollar. U.S./Philippine coins were produced from 1903 to 1945.

At various times, the coins were minted at the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver Mints, as well as at the Mint of the Philippine Islands (in Manila). They ranged from bronze half centavos to silver pesos and also included a set of commemoratives issued in 1936.

The Guide Book of United States Coins (the hobby’s popular “Red Book”) has long included coverage of U.S./Philippine coins as an important part of America’s numismatic history. The 77th edition includes popular die varieties including the 1917-S, 7 Over 6, one-centavo overdate; the 1909-S, S Over S, silver peso repunched mintmark; the 1934-M, Recut 1, five-centavos; and the 1928-M twenty-centavos muled with the reverse of a 1928 five-centavos.

Collectors, dealers, and researchers who would like to recommend U.S./Philippine die varieties for inclusion in the Cherrypickers’ Guide may email . The book’s editors ask that these suggestions include as much information as possible, and they advise that good, clear photographs are always helpful.

The deadline for recommendations is October 1, 2023.

Volume II of the Cherrypickers’ Guide, sixth edition, debuted in August 2023. Volume III, which will include U.S./Philippine coins, will be available in 2024.

About the Cherrypickers’ Guide

To “cherrypick” is to examine coins that appear normal at first glance, seeking those with unusual characteristics—overdates, repunched mintmarks, doubled and tripled dies, and similar features—that reveal them to be rare and valuable. The Cherrypickers’ Guide uses close-up photographs and text descriptions to show collectors what to look for. It includes rarity ratings and retail values in multiple grades.

For the latest volume, Cherrypickers’ Guide coauthor Bill Fivaz and professional numismatist Larry Briggs coordinated edits and updates. They reached out to the hobby community for advice, recommendations, research, market analysis, and photographs.

Bill Fivaz, a coin collector since 1950, has earned recognition as one of the country’s most respected authorities on numismatic errors and die varieties. Volume editor Larry Briggs is well-known to the hobby community as a dealer, author, and educator.

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