Death certificates

Question

What is the value, if any, of obtaining hard copies of death certificates of ancestors?

Comments

I have found that the actual documents sometimes have more information than extracted records, and sometimes even the registers have more information than official extracts.

Answer 1

Well, they frequently list parents, places of birth, cause of death - and this information isn't always available online.

Answer 2

Sometimes legibility.  Occasionally, you'll get a copy that is easier to read.

Answer 3

I just discovered that I can go to the city clerk's office (Pittsfield Mass.) and ask to look at the record. To buy a copy, costs $10, but there is no charge if I look at it.