Forty years ago, my dream was to buy an Encyclopedia Britannica. All the knowledge was condensed there and it would be in my hands. I finally bought it and I was astonished by its size. It took a long time to be used to so much information...
Today much more information is available but most of the people don't notice it , because they take it for granted. The few, like you, that think about it, feel overwelmed.
Very wise for seeking the Encyclopedia. Now information spreads at a multiple of the speed those years.
Did you learn information about Coins & Sovereigns in those resources?
Yes, a little. Most of what I know about coins was learned in specialized literature (books and magazines about coins). I used the Encyclopedia to answer my questions and, for many times, to learn random subjects. I used to pick one of the volumes and open in a random page, reading from this page on...To me, a very fun way to learn.