Identifying Whitman Coin Folders

The most popular coin folder produced in the United States is the blue Whitman Coin Folder 9000 Series. In 1940 the company that had been producing coin boards, started manufacturing the coin folder, which is essentially three smaller coin boards bound together. You can unfold it and lay it flat as you fill your holes, and then fold it up and stand it on a bookshelf.

Whitman folders are so prolific that it made me wonder what the production was and how many different types were produced each year. I collected the folders from 1940 – 1960. After looking at tens-of-thousands of these folders at coin shops and coin shows, you start to realize which ones are harder to find. Every time Marie and I went to a coin shop, I would ask if they had any old folders, and most dealers would point them out on a shelf or in large boxes piled in the corner in the back of the store or in the basement where they would let me help myself.

The largest collection we bought at one time was 1034 folders from one coin shop. They were stacked in large boxes in the basement. They had been there for a long time, as the boxes were covered in dust and cobwebs. They asked if we would make an offer on the whole lot instead of spending a day sorting them out. We thought about it and made the offer. We came home with the van full! We backed up to the garage and unloaded, then proceeded to figure out what we had bought. We set up six 8’ x 30” tables and made a stack of each catalog number. Then we separated all the folders that had print on the spine, which meant they were a newer version. We packed the newer versions, with one of each denomination in a brown paper bag and sold some at coin shows for next to nothing, and we offered every child we saw a free folder of their choice. We sold the rest to an antique shop.

These days, when Marie and I go to a coin shop, we take our time and look at Whitman folders that do not have any printing on the spine, then we open them and inspect for damage. When we arrive home from our travels, in my spare time, I start sorting out the treasured folders.

I have come up with a system for identifying each folder, it took a lot of trial runs but it finally works. The Copyright dates that I know of, appear near the bottom on the front side of the information page. They are 1940, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1963. I know from my personal collection which coin folders are hard to find. They are dated 1940, the front cover has a small catalog number at the bottom on the left side with a margin 1/2" from the spine, black portholes inside, no hand drawn picture on the front of the information page, and the back of information page has what folders available that have two XX's or three stars for odd denominations. I also realize this will change in time as new discoveries are found and a better system is invented. So here are the facts in what order I identify each Whitman Coin Folder in the 9000 series with copyright dates from 1940 to 1964.

These folders are 5 ¾” wide by 7 ½” high and all have light blue or royal blue covers with the title in silver lettering and the pages have black lettering. The backing inside has various colors of black, charcoal, brown, tan, grey, blue-green and royal blue. No title on the spine and I am not sure of how many editions there are in this time frame. All catalog numbers are on the front cover, bottom left corner and are in three sizes and the left silver margin in five sizes. The information page inside the folder on the front side has six different types of information pertaining to mintmarks, designer’s initials, graphics, plus sixteen different copyright dates and two different publishing formats. The back side of the information page has eleven different pages with what types of folders are available.

NOTE: This is an example of my identifiers for a particular coin folder that reveals what edition, catalog number, margin, graphics, publication and folders available.

Example: E2, C2, M3, G1, P1 ,F6.

E2 is second edition, C2 is medium number 9022, M3 is 3/4" margin, G1 is graphics, P1 is publication, F6 is what folders are available.

EDITION - What edition is it?

E1 - first edition- small catalog number, black backing, 1940
E2 - second edition- small, medium, large catalog number, various colors, 1940-?

CATALOG NUMBER - Three version appearing at the bottom left corner on the cover:

C1 - small - 9022
C2 - medium- 9022
C3 - large- 9022

MARGIN - The front cover has a silver margin on the left from top to bottom near the spine in five versions: M1- 1/2", M2- 5/8", M3- 3/4", M4- 7/8", M5-1"

Note the small, medium, and large catalog numbers. These determine 1st or 2nd edition types. Also, note the different distance of the silver graphics from the left edge creating the different margins.

GRAPHICS - The following appears on the front side of the information page.

G1 - Information on the mintmarks and designers initials
G2 - Same as above plus lock in features of coins
G3 - Same as above plus hand drawn pictures of coins in the folder
G4 - Same as above but no lock in features of coins
G5 - Same as above plus a square box with information about continuing the series
G6 - Blank page

Examples of the front of the information page

PUBLICATION/Copyright - Appearing at the bottom front side of the information page:

P1 - WHITMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY • RACINE, WISCONSIN • No. • Made in U.S.A.
P2 - WHITMAN PUBLISHING CO • RACINE, WIS. • POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. • No. • Made in U.S.A.

Publication/Copyright graphics

FOLDERS AVAILABLE - The following appears on the back side of the information page:

F1 - COIN FOLDERS AVAILABLE IN THIS SIZE
CENTS, FIVE CENT PIECES, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALF DOLLARS, XX
F1a - Same as above, except XX is replaced by three stars
F2 - COIN FOLDERS AVAILABLE IN THIS SIZE
CENTS, FIVE CENT PIECES, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALF DOLLARS, XX Canadian CENTS
F3 - COIN FOLDERS AVAIABLE IN THIS SIZE
CENTS, 5 CENTS, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALVES, MISC., CANADIAN
F4 - Coin Folders Available in this Size
CENTS, 5 CENTS, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALVES, MISC, CANADIAN
F5 - Coin Folders Available in this Size
CENTS, 5 CENTS, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALVES, DOLLARS, MISC., CANADIAN
F6 - Coin Folders Available in this Size
CENTS, 5 CENTS, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALVES, DOLLARS, MISCELLANEOUS, CANADIAN
F7 - Coin Folders Available in this Size
CENTS, FIVE CENTS, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALVES, DOLLARS, MISCELLANEOUS, CANADA, GREAT BRITIAN
F8 - Coin Folders Available in this Size
CENTS, FIVE CENTS, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALVES, DOLLARS, MISCELLANEOUS, OTHER COUNTRIES
F9 - Coin Folders Available in this Size
CENTS, FIVE CENTS, DIMES, QUARTERS, HALVES, DOLLARS, ONE-A- YEAR, MISCELLANEOUS, CANADA + PLUS
F10 - Same as above, added recommend WHITMAN BOOKS

Examples of the back of the information page – coin folders available

(In a related matter, author David W. Lange is in the process of publishing a comprehensive book on Whitman coin folders and albums from 1940 to 1978. His book is scheduled to be released late summer of 2020 and will cover the company's history and product line in great detail. Visit his website: coincollectingboards.com, email DavidWLange@outlook.com or call 941-586-8670 for further information.)

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