My 7th Edition Cherrypickers’ Guide Journey: 6 Hard-Earned Lessons From Months of Anticipation

My Coin Collector’s Bible Finally Arrived – Here’s How I Survived the Wait

When rumors about the 7th Cherrypickers’ Guide edition surfaced, I refreshed the publisher’s page daily like a kid checking for Santa’s cookies. As someone who’s spent Wednesday nights comparing die cracks under a loupe, this update wasn’t just news – it was personal. Let me walk you through my six-month anticipation journey and what it taught me about smarter collecting.

That Earth-Shaking Spring Announcement

Whitman’s overhaul announcement last April had me spilling coffee on my 6th edition. Three game-changing details:

1. Goodbye, Multi-Volume Wrestling

Finally! No more choosing between back pain from carrying three volumes or regret from leaving one at home. I remembered last summer’s Denver show where I missed a 1955 DDO Lincoln cent because Volume 2 was in my hotel room. This single-volume solution? Pure genius.

2. New Editors, New Possibilities

Noal White joining John Feigenbaum made me dust off White’s 2018 error coin studies. Would his modern mint focus help me finally understand those bizarre 2019-W quarter errors? My wishlist grew faster than a Buffalo nickel’s patina.

3. Release Dates We Can (Maybe) Trust

“Predictable updates” from Whitman sounded like my dog promising not to eat coins. Still, I circled Q1 2024 in red – then penciled in Q3 beneath it. Collector’s optimism!

My Reality During the Wait

Anticipation slowly morphed into practical challenges:

The Great Information Drought

Last August, I stood frozen at a flea market holding a 1937-D Buffalo nickel with what might’ve been a new die break. Do I buy it now or wait for the new attributions? This limbo haunted me:

• Four coins sat in grading limbo for months
• My reference shelf became a museum of soon-to-be outdated guides
• New collectors asked, “Should I buy the old edition?” and I shrugged like a worn-out Mercury dime

Digital Dreams vs Paper Reality

“After 47 hours building a digital database from auction APIs, I realized my phone screen shows fewer details than my 50-year-old reading glasses.”

Turns out pixels can’t replicate tracing plate photos with your fingertip while squinting at a Roosevelt dime’s shoulder.

How I Prepared Without Losing My Mind

My survival tactics:

• The “Maybe Baby” spreadsheet: 27 coins needing new attributions
• Dealer dance sessions: “Call me when the new edition drops” became my refrain
• Change tracking: Color-coded comparisons of 6th vs 7th edition rumors

5 Truths That Changed My Collecting

1. Single Volume = More Finds

At November’s Baltimore show, I simulated single-volume use with Post-its. Results:

Old Way:
8:02 AM - Spot 1969-S doubled die
8:04 AM - Realize Volume 3's in car
8:06 AM - Debate missing lunch to fetch it
8:07 AM - Dealer sells coin to someone else

New Way:
Flip, find, buy before coffee gets cold

Estimated time saved: 143 seconds/search. For 300 daily inspections? That’s 12 extra hunting hours!

2. Release Dates Calm Collector Anxiety

Knowing (roughly) when updates come helps:

• Time big purchases with edition drops
• Batch submissions when new attributions hit
• Stop hoarding every reference “just in case”

3. Tech + Paper = Happy Medium

My hybrid approach:

Home Desk: 
Open 6th edition → Check PCGS app → Compare coins

In the Wild: 
New 7th edition → eBay sold listings → Mumble excitedly

4. Fresh Editors, Fresh Finds

White’s influence means we’ll likely get:

• Better explanations of those weird modern errors
• Die progression charts that actually make sense
• Photos where you can see doubling WITHOUT needing a microscope

5. Our Community Runs on This Book

The waiting period exposed our ecosystem’s fragile balance:

• Grading services paused new attributions
• Dealer offers swung wildly without current references
• Newcomers wandered like lost coins in a couch cushion

Surprising Wins From Waiting

My pre-release prep yielded unexpected gains:

• 23 sleepers: Coins ready for new FS numbers
• $1,200 saved: By not buying soon-to-be outdated guides
• 12 finds: Using stopgap digital tools
• 4 dealers: Now texting me pre-release tips

My Smarter Plan for Edition 8

1. Start a “Release Date Pool” with local club members
2. Set aside $20/month for pre-order funds
3. Create a collection transition roadmap
4. Build a public wiki comparing editions

The Silver Lining in Waiting

While we’re still waiting for that official release date (Whitman, I’m looking at you), this anticipation period transformed me from a reactive collector to a strategic one. The real value wasn’t in the book itself, but in how the wait forced me to:

• Streamline my attribution process
• Forge stronger dealer relationships
• Build systems that outlive any single edition

To fellow variety hunters stuck in limbo: Start your “maybe baby” list today. Document every coin that might qualify for new classifications. Talk to your dealers about their post-release plans. And remember – the skills you build while waiting will serve you long after this edition joins its coffee-stained, spine-cracked predecessors on your reference shelf.

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