Red Book...

I love my "Large print edition"

Not completely true. I always recommend for approximate values to purchase a Red Book a few years old. Not exactly accurate but the Red Book prices are usually about 20+% over so a few year old version becomes fairly accurate.
And for values if you have a coin show near you, might find them cheaper than anywhere else. So far I've been able to get any of them for $10 each. Regardless of hard cover, ringed version, etc. Not sure about the large lettered one.


Not really except for prices. The basic information about all ocins is probably the most accurate anywhere. There is a large staff varifying all info at Whitman for that book. And if you find errors in that book and send to them, sometimes you get a free something or other for you efforts. I did.

The way I understand it is that the Red Book is what you (the coin buyer) will pay for. The Blue Book is what the dealer will pay if you try to sell a coin to them. Whenever I'm trying to figure out prices on what a coin is worth, I usually divide the value listed in the Red Book by two or three.

There are also errors in any book. Years ago, someone offered to pay bluebook price for any coins. I sent him a couple hundred dollars of low-grade early copper.

He honored his offer, but also mentioned that he must have bought all the g- copper in the world, and would have to rethink his strategy. :)

Whitman constantly adds all kinds of new versions to the Red Book. Might be from customers suggestions. I know I sure send them lots of suggestions and when I find an error, I let them know that too. So far I got one free book and several pages for Albums from them free.
If you go to the Whitman Web site you will see they now have the 2nd edition of the Professional version, spiral bound, 8-1/2" x 11" for $29.95. That is also the list price on the Large Print spital version too. They still list the hard cover and the standard size spiral version too. All now shown on their web site for 2012 edition. I'll still wait to see how much they cost at the coin shows.
I'd like to try that so called Professional edition too.

Of all the Red Book has to offer I find myself using it for coin prices less often than anything else. Mintage, history, reference I find to be more valuable than the list price of coins.
Like anything else its a guide. If a coin lists for $100 a dealer would probably pay $30-$50, while a collector needing to finish off a set would pay $100+. I also use the Blue Book for pricing, I feel it gives me an advantage when negotiating with dealers and even other collectors.

So other than market value how do people check prices?