The Reading Room
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Reading Room Audio Collection

Welcome to the Audio Room

2024

Bottoms Up!

Bottoms Up!

Duration 3 min Host Todd Sciore
A 19th-century liquor wholesaler issued a merchant token to drum up business at his Tacoma-based establishment.
Seeing Double

Seeing Double

Duration 4 min Host Ken Bressett
The now-famous 1955 doubled-die Lincoln cents, which sell for thousands of dollars, weren’t always so famous.
Roll with It

Roll with It

Duration 7 min Host Casey Hackford-Peer
Although some question its merits, coin-roll hunting is an enjoyable and profitable pastime for collectors of all ages.
The High Cost of Money

The High Cost of Money

Duration 5 min Host Ken Bressett
Purchasing a dusty old document taught the author a history lesson about the value of money—and how it doesn't go as far as it used to.
The Alchemist

The Alchemist

Duration 5 min Host Ken Bressett
The alchemists’ dream of turning lead into gold came true for the Nicaraguan rebel Sandino, but not without consequences.
Secrets to a Long and Happy Life

Secrets to a Long and Happy Life

Duration 5 min Host Ken Bressett
Challenging, entertaining, and engaging hobbies—like coin collecting— have the power to make us happier and healthier.
Tales of “Heads or Tails”

Tales of “Heads or Tails”

Duration 5 min Host Ken Bressett
Determining which side of a coin is which isn’t as easy as you might think.
Books, Books, Books

Books, Books, Books

Duration 5 min Host Ken Bressett
Collectors can never have too many books. Or can they?
The Alligator & the Pirates

The Alligator & the Pirates

Duration 6 min Host Edward C. Rochette
Enjoy this audio file on the go!
Collecting Sample Slabs

Collecting Sample Slabs

Duration 6 min Host Kellen Hoard
Enjoy this audio file on the go!
Numismatics: Let’s Call it Money

Numismatics: Let’s Call it Money

Duration 5 min Host Kenneth Bressett
Enjoy this audio file on the go!

2023

Coin Jewelry

Coin Jewelry

Duration 6 min Host William Leslie
To Clean or Not to Clean?

To Clean or Not to Clean?

Duration 3 min Host Kevin Wang
10 Budget-Friendly Collectibles

10 Budget-Friendly Collectibles

Duration 6 min Host Al Doyle
Jumpstarting Your Collection

Jumpstarting Your Collection

Duration 12 min Host Jenise Borrasso
Getting into coin collecting is as easy as looking in your pocket change. Use this guide to help you get started.
Do “Details” Reduce a Coin’s Value?

Do “Details” Reduce a Coin’s Value?

Duration 5 min Host Larry House
Back in the day, coin cleaning was common. Today, these so-called "Details" can reduce a coin's value. But should they?
AI Coin Grading

AI Coin Grading

Duration 6 min Host Ross Koenig
Coins graded by an app sound like science fiction. But artificial intelligence technology is right around the corner.
The Power of the Wheat Cent

The Power of the Wheat Cent

Duration 5 min Host Kelly Barker
The Wheat cent has icon status in the coin-collecting community, and its value extends far beyond its face value.
The “Beau Dollar” Mystery

The “Beau Dollar” Mystery

Duration 8 min Host Russell Bega
The author traces the origins of the "beau dollar," a coin-collecting term that originated in the Jim Crow-era South.