Fred Reed

Fred Reed has been a journalist for more than 40 years, employed on the staffs of daily, weekly, monthly and annual publications in five states and the Republic of Korea. His positions have ranged from compositor and proof reader to Editorial Director and Vice President of Publishing. He is the author or co-author of eight books and editor of eight more.

His most recent book Abraham Lincoln, the Image of His Greatness (Whitman Publishing, 2009) was issued for the bicentennial of Old Abe's birth. It culminates Reed's 50 years collecting and studying Lincolniana, and dozens of published articles on the topic. The 280-page book has nearly 1,000 full color illustrations from Fred's incomparable collection, museums, archives and other collections. Fred's "AbeBook" has received three "Book(s) of the Year" awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, and the Professional Currency Dealers Association. Reed's "AbeBook" was also an Invited Candidate for The Lincoln Group of New York’s annual Award of Achievement—a rare honor highly prized in Lincoln-research circles.

He authored Show Me the Money! The Standard Catalog of Motion Picture, Television, Stage and Advertising Prop Money (McFarland, 2005) after viewing more than 1,200 motion pictures. The nearly 800-page work catalogs 1,800+ different varieties of prop money, and chronicles their use in 600+ films and television programs. According to the publisher's count, the volume has 2,071 illustrations of prop money, and the notes in use through movie stills and movie posters. The book won the "Best Worldwide Paper Money Book" award from the Numismatic Literary Guild, and a Society of Paper Money Collectors "Award of Merit."

Reed's 1995 tome, Civil War Encased Stamps, the Issuers and Their Times tells the story of the Civil War financial panic in an entirely fresh way based on exhaustive research in archives and university libraries in many states. In mid-1862 excessive government borrowing and military spending had created severe inflation. Public hoarding had sapped coinage from circulation. Congress responded by monetizing postage stamps. John Gault solved part of their problem by devising his new metallic currency, a metal and mica case to protect the sticky gumbacks while in circulation. This critically acclaimed 560-page book received seven awards, including the Numismatic Literary Guild "Best Tokens and Medals Book" and the Society of Paper Money Collector's "Nathan Gold Lifetime Achievement Award," one of two such awards he's received from that organization. The volume was selected for permanent recording by the LDS Intellectual Reserve Inc., and the United States Post Office reprinted part of it in a bicentennial history of the Cincinnati Post Office. The Numismatic Bibliomania Society recently selected it as the 106th greatest numismatic book or catalog of all time. It was the first numismatic book also released on CD-ROM. A revised, second edition is in preparation.

Fred is Editor/​Publisher of the award-winning, bimonthly journal Paper Money. Since December 1999 when Fred was named Editor, that publication has won four firsts, four seconds, and a third place award in the American Numismatic Association's annual "Best Specialty Club" publication contest, and five "Best Issue" awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild. For many years he has been a weekly columnist for Coin World (since January 17, 2005), and a monthly columnist for Bank Note Reporter (since October 2004) and Coins magazine (since April 2006). He has published several thousand news/​feature/​research articles in periodicals such as The Numismatist, Lincoln Herald, Numismatic News, Coin World, Bank Note Reporter, Coins magazine, Legacy, Journal of the Civil War Token Society, Heritage Insider, Charisma, Post Card Collector, Beckett Monthly, Eternity, Soldiers, Pacific Stars and Stripes, Spiritual Fitness in Business, Linn's Weekly Stamp News, Paper Money Values, Ministries Today, Beanie Collector, Christian Psychology for Today, Collector's Confidential, The Blue and the Grey, Beckett Vintage Sports, MPC Gram, Petersen's Photographic, Lucky Times, The Gauntlet, Sidney Daily News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Ararat Report. He has created website content for a variety of clients including www.collectorsuniverse.com, www.pcgs.com, www.ha.com, www.wikicoins.com, www.numismaster.com, www.collect.com, www.psestamp.com, www.psadna.com/​www.psacard.com, www.papermoneyworld.com, www.coinnews.tv, www.countryfamily.com and auction catalog content for Heritage Auctions, Bowers & Merena, Stack's, Kagin's, and Presidential Coin & Antique Company.

His various numismatic writings have earned him 30 awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild since 1996, and additional major awards from the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, the World Philatelic Congress Pacifica '97, Print & Production Design magazine, Chicago Philatelic Society, Dallas Press Club and other organizations. Fred received a U.S. Army Commendation Medal for his news journalism, columns, and "contributions to the modern volunteer Army." He was also honored by Continental Army Command, Army Times, and the joint services Defense Information School. The American Numismatic Association and the Society of Paper Money Collectors have awarded Reed various grants to further his research. From the ANA, Fred has received a First Place Heath Literary Award (2008) as the outstanding article in the previous year's The Numismatist, a Wayte and Olga Raymond Award (2008) for original and comprehensive research in U.S. numismatics, and three consecutive Catherine Sheehan Literary Awards for Paper Money Studies (2008-2010). From the Society of Paper Money Collectors, Reed has earned two Nathan Gold Lifetime Achievement Awards (1996 and 2001) for concrete/​scientific contributions to the hobby, two Awards of Merit (2000 and 2006), the first Forrest Daniel Literary Award (2007), the D.C. Wismer Memorial Award for "Book of the Year" (2010), and two literary awards for articles in Paper Money. He has also won dozens of exhibit awards at local and national level, including the Bank Note Reporter "Most Inspirational" Award at Memphis International Paper Money Show. Fred has been a featured speaker at conventions of the American Numismatic Association, Texas Numismatic Association, Memphis International Paper Money Show, Metropolitan Washington D.C. Numismatic Convention, and local coin clubs.

Fred's other books include co-authoring the Coin World Price Guide for Collectors [of] Paper Money Errors (3rd ed. and 4th ed., Amos Press, 1977, 1978), Coin World Almanac (2nd and 3rd ed., Amos Press, 1977, 1978) Basic Knowledge for the Coin Collector and Investor (Amos Press, 1981), Patriotic Civil War Tokens (4th ed., Civil War Token Society, 1984). He has also written a novel, The Apple and the Coke (Innovative Designs, 1974). Fred has edited books on Proof coins, fractional currency, Canadian dollars, U.S. commemorative coins, U.S. silver dollars, obsolete currency, and Civil War tokens. Fred is a contributor to Paper Money of the United States, the Whitman Encyclopedia of United States Paper Money, the Standard Catalog of United States Tokens, 1700-1900, and other works.

"Fred writes right" (TM) has been Reed's calling card since 1986. He is the owner of a specialty publications company, enthusiast-media.com ltd, which assists other authors to achieve their publishing goals whether they be in the form of brochures, newsletters, website content, periodicals or books. The goal is creating "publications that connect with readers." (TM) In recent years Fred has assisted authors in achieving publication of award-winning books on Florida paper money and Kansas paper money. He can be contracted for consulting, editorial, ghost-writing, co-writing, design, production, and book-packaging projects. Complete confidentiality assured. Contact him directly at fred@​spmc.org. He is a member of the Authors Guild; mention "Authors Guild" when you do.

Fred has been a Board Member of the Society of Paper Money Collectors since 1998. He has also been administrator of the Society's "George W. Wait Memorial Award," presented annually to the author of a book-length work on numismatics, banking or related subjects, since the award was inaugurated in 2000. Fred was the co-originator and has been the organizer of the annual SPMC Authors Forum since 2004. Additionally he is a member of the American Numismatic Society, American Numismatic Association, a charter member of the Civil War Token Society, and member of the Token and Medal Society, Numismatic Bibliomania Society, International Bank Note Society, Numismatic Literary Guild, and Fractional Currency Collectors Board.