Prices in a price guide are like last week's stock prices, interesting and informative but just history. Use them as a GUIDE not a Bible. Think for yourself.
And Archie is dead on as usual. You don't make a profit from the book. It is primarily to assist the hobbyist, not the coin dealer who worships the grey sheet or whatever color is in vogue. The amount of work that goes in to a book is staggering. And the prices are an OPINION by the author and nothing more. I doubt that I agree with 10 % of the prices in eitther Howdy's or Richard's or Jim Turnbow's book. But they are all excellent and help me in estimating prices