Bowers is the author of over three dozen books on various historical subjects, including the following:
- Muriel Ostriche: Princess of Silent Films, (1987) ISBN 0911572643
- Nickelodeon Theatres and Their Music, (1999) ISBN 0911572503
- The History of U.S. Coinage (for Johns Hopkins University)
- The Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments, Vestal Press (1973)
He has authored other works which have become standard references in their fields.
He is highly regarded as a very prolific numismatic author too, having produced 50 works, mostly written in the field of rare coins, including the following:
- American Numismatic Association Centennial History, Bowers & Merena Galleries, Incorporated (August 1, 1991) ISBN 0943161290
- Adventures with Rare Coins, Bowers & Ruddy Galleries (March 1996) ISBN 0914490001
- Silver Dollars and Trade Dollars of the United States (two volumes) Bowers & Merena Galleries, Incorporated (July 1993) ISBN 0943161487
- A California Gold Rush History He has also written hundreds of auction and other catalogues, and several thousand articles.
Bowers serves as Numismatic Director of Whitman Publishing LLC, where he has produced another group of books including the
Red Book series. His latest books,
The Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins, was expected to be released in 2008.