Most self-publishing platforms have minimal barriers to book creation. Many allow copying titles, and there are no restrictions on fabricating bios, photos, or editorials. Some individuals use copyrighted photos and information, constituting plagiarism. This book lists the inaccurate statement and then presents the correct version.
After meticulously tracking "test" books for over a year, I refined the Amazon Best Seller Ranking (BSR) for books sold per/day using initial data from other sources.
At the end of April 2025, an Amazon search for error coin books returned 193 results. Factoring in page counts, selling prices, and printing costs, the average profit per book is $6.95. There is a 5% chance of creating a book that earns at least $1,251 in monthly profit, meaning 95% of books fail to reach this threshold.
In 2024, Amazon experienced a boom in self-published coin guides, with 100 new titles added, 57 of which remained in 2025. In 2025, 52 new coin guides have been released, with 18 already out of print. I theorize the 2024 surge stemmed from expectations of quick profits through internet plagiarism. As people realize the low likelihood of making money, the addition of new titles has slowed.
A single author has deceptively published coin guides under at least ten aliases, each with unique photos and bios. Additionally, numerous other authors use multiple aliases or consistent author names to publish multiple books, contributing to the proliferation of coin guides.
After a year of research, no clear factors explain why a book achieves a BSR below 35,000. As of April 2025, six books have achieved the BSR under 35,000. Only one of the top six successful books was authored by recognized experts Ken Potter and Brian Allen. The remaining five, written by unknown authors, are inaccurate and misleading.
One coin guide remarkably maintained a BSR below 7,500 for most of 2024, despite containing roughly 100 misleading statements and inaccuracies about coins and collecting. Its BSR has since dropped to an average of over 500,000.
I have dedicated my career to the study of numismatics, consistently verifying definitions and information with reputable sources. Through this rigorous process, I have identified that many books inaccurately describe error coin definitions, minting procedures, and the root causes of errors and variations. When encountering information, I believe to be incorrect, I cross-reference it with credible numismatic resources to confirm accuracy, even if I am already familiar with the correct answer.
