Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 4, Number 06, February 4, 2001: 
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
Copyright (c) 2001, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
  

SUBSCRIBER UPDATES 

   We have two new subscribers this week: Danny Dickman, and 
   Christopher Eimer of the UK, courtesy of Tom Sheehan. 
   Welcome aboard!  Our subscriber count is now 368. 
  

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 

   The Numismatic Bibliomania Society Constitution and Bylaws 
   states that the "Election of officers and trustees will occur in 
   odd calendar years for a term of two years. Nominations will 
   be accepted during the first calendar quarter of the election 
   year by written request of the President to the membership." 

   This being an odd-numbered year, it's time to plan an election. 
   If you are an NBS member, please forward nominations for 
   NBS office by March 31, 2001 to Col. Bill Murray, 7400 
   Crestway, Apt. 1423, San Antonio, TX,  78239.  His email 
   address is :  billmur13@aol.com. 

   Offices include:  President, Vice-President, and Secretary- 
   Treasurer. In addition to the officers, all six Board of Trustees 
   positions are open.  Please take a few minutes to consider the 
   best interests of  your society and nominate one or more quality 
   individuals for positions. Please do not hesitate to volunteer and 
   throw your own hat into the ring. 

   New blood is vital to any organization's long-term viability. 
   New members and junior members are encouraged to 
   participate,  as are all of our international members. 
  

SO JOIN US ALREADY 

   [Editor's note:  The Board of NBS has asked me to publish 
   the following note.  I have agreed to carry on with my NBS 
   E-Sylum and web site duties, although my term as President 
   will end later this year.  With two young children at home, I 
   must cut back, and will not run for an NBS office in 2001.] 

   The Board of NBS publicly thanks Wayne Homren for all 
   his services to NBS including: President of NBS, webmaster 
   for the NBS web site and Editor and Publisher of The E-Sylum. 
   Subscribers to The E-Sylum who are not also members of 
   NBS, might express their appreciation to Wayne by joining 
   NBS. 

   His low key plea for membership, as follows, regularly appears 
   at the end of each issue of The E-Sylum. "The Numismatic 
   Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting 
   numismatic literature.  For more information see our web site 
   at http://www.coinbooks.org/  There is a membership application 
   on the web site.  To join, print the application and return it 
   with your check to the address printed on the application." 

   The cost is only $15/year to North American addresses, 
   $20 elsewhere.  Members receive four issues of our print 
   journal, The Asylum.  So, readers of The E-Sylum, please 
   join NBS if you're not already a member. We will be glad to 
   have you on board for the year 2001. 
  

ECKFELDT NOTEBOOK TO BE PUBLISHED 

   In his "Joys of Collecting" column in the February 12, 
   2001 COIN WORLD, Dave Bowers discusses 
   "Mischief At The Mint" in 1859, concerning the 
   restriking of patterns and other rare pieces. 

   "...private records, such as those kept in a personal 
   notebook by George J. Eckfeldt, reveal that such items 
   as 1836 Gobrecht dollars were restruck at this time. 
   (The notebook is in the writer's possession and is 
   expected to be published in facsimile, with modern 
   annotations)." 
  

CRIME OF 1873 TO BE PUBLISHED 

   Speaking of shenanigans at the mint, ads by Krause 
   Publications are promoting a new book by Robert 
   R. Van Ryzin titled "Crime of 1873: The Comstock 
   Connection" 

   "Award-winning author Robert Van Ryzin sheds 
   new and illuminating light on the creation of the 
   Morgan and Silver Trade dollars.  From the mine 
   to the mint, never-before-published information 
   reveals wrongdoing at the highest levels of the 
   U.S. Mint." 

   Scheduled for publication this month (February, 2001) 
   the hardcover book has 304 pages and 300+ b&w 
   photos. 
  

MINT LEDGERS REVEAL 1894-S DIME INFO 

   A cover article by Richard Kelly and Nancy Oliver 
   in the February 5, 2001 issue of COIN WORLD 
   about the rare 1894-S dime notes "New evidence 
   concerning their purpose has been uncovered within 
   the old 19th century leather-bound ledgers of the 
   San Francisco Mint currently stored at the National 
   Archives in San Bruno, Calif." 

   "During the research for our book on the Granite 
    Lady (A Mighty Fortress - The Stories Behind the 
   2nd San Francisco Mint), we discovered evidence 
   within the federal archives that may question the 
   total minted of the 1894-S Barber dime and may 
   clarify where several of the reported 24 pieces 
   now reside." 

   Letters in the archives indicate that a total of five 
   1894-S dimes were forwarded to the Assay Commission, 
   but it is unclear if these five were part of or in addition 
   to the reported mintage of 24.  Little beyond that is 
   revealed in the article, so we may have to wait for the 
   book to learn where "several of the reported 24 pieces 
   now reside." 
  

LAKE SALE CLOSING FEBRUARY 6TH 

   Fred Lake sends this reminder that "Lake Books sale #56 
   closes on Tuesday, February 6, 2001, at 5:00 PM (EDT). 
   If you have not placed your bids as yet, please remember 
   that the earliest bid received wins when there is a tie. 
   You can view the sale by clicking on the link below: 
   http://www.lakebooks.com/current.html " 
  

DYE DETECTOR SOLD IN HEATED BIDDING ON EBAY 

   Dave Bowers recently shared with us his notes on John S. 
   Dye and his publications.  Wendell Wolka points out that 
   one of Dye's publications sold yesterday (3-February) on 
   eBay after a furious round of bidding.   To see an illustration 
   of the item and a full auction description, go to 
   http://www.ebay.com/ and search for Item #1210799102. 

   The seller described the item as follows: "A 79 page 
   booklet entitled "Dye's/ Counterfit (sic) Detector/ 
   and Universal Bank Note Gazetteer;/ With Correct Rules 
   By Which/ Spurious And Counterfeit Notes May Be/ 
   Detected At a Glance/ Also/ A list of All Fraudulent 
   and Broken Banks and Altered Notes; and a list of all 
   the Solvent Banks, with Rates of Discount, Cincinnati:/ 
   Published by John S. Dye./ 1850/ E. Morgan and Co., 
   Stereotypers. Contains 27 pages of illustrations of 
   worldwide gold and silver coins and US value in addition 
   to material mentioned on cover. Condition is good - very 
   good, water stain on cover shows up as a few smallish 
   dots on first interior page. Still bound, but a bit loose, 
   overall interior pages are clean, and bright.  All pages are 
   present, no tears. Book starts on page 3, as they count 
   the cover as pages 1 and 2., something I've seen before 
   in early paper books." 

   The lot opened at $9.  About two hours before the sale 
   closed, the lot stood at $845.  When the dust finally 
   settled, the closing price was $1225.  There were fifteen 
   bids placed by seven distinct bidders. 

   The pamphlet was listed under the U.S. Obsolete 
   currency section. 
  

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY PATTERNS 

   Andy Lustig ordered a copy of a book he  mentioned last 
   week:  Steven P. Reti,  "Silver and Gold: The Political 
   Economy of International Monetary Conferences, 1867- 
   1892"  He sent this request:  "Please ask your readers if 
   they are aware of any international patterns resulting from 
   the 1867 International Monetary Conference in Paris, 
   other than those from the US, France and Great Britain." 
  

MATTHEW YOUNG NUMISMATIC LIBRARY 

   Eric Newman writes:   "I recently ran across a fantastic 
   1839 auction sale by Sotheby's of the library of Matthew 
   Young --- enormous quantities of early numismatic books. 
   Has this ever been written up in America? 

   The sale began on Nov. 26, 1838 and lasted for four days. 
   It took 39 pages to list all of the numismatic literature items. 
   A great quantity was naturally on Classical numismatics, but 
   there is everything.  There must have been loads of 
   collectors at the time to have that many books and articles 
   published." 

   So.. can any of you tell us more about Matthew Young 
   and his numismatic library? 
  

BILL MURRAY REMEMBERS FRANK KATEN 

   NBS Board member Bill Murray writes:  "My computer 
   crashed, but my computer guru has me back on line with 
   what he guarantees is a temporary fix.  Perhaps I am late, 
   but here's my say about Frank Katen: 
. 
   I never got to know Frank Katen well personally, but his was 
   the first  numismatic book seller to send me books through the 
   mail.  I only recall one occasion where we actually had a 
   conversation, and my memory of that reflects his reputation 
   for being one of the real gentlemen of the world.  My dealings 
   with him always resulted in prompt and accurate reaction to 
   requests.  He was, and is, revered by all who knew him, and 
   I never heard any word about Frank Katen that did not reflect 
   his knowledge of numismatic literature, honesty and integrity." 

   John Adams notes: "I attended Fuld #1, Fuld #2 and Wylie #1. 
   Frank conducted those auctions with great dignity, the more so 
   because there was so little competition and many lots went 
   begging. Frank himself never begged - he just soldiered on, 
   knowing, no doubt, that the hobby had to have a small 
   beginning before it could have a big future.  Needless to say, 
   we would never have arrived at that big future were it not for 
   Frank." 
  

NUMISMATIC HOROSCOPE 

   From the January 22, 2001 issue of The Coin Collector, 
   published by Bowers and Merena Galleries: "VIRGO: 
   A chance inquiry to Bowers and Merena Galleries brings 
   you information on the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, 
   you are tempted to join, and may do so (can't see in my 
   crystal ball whether you follow through, but if you do, 
   you'll be pleased)." 
  

FEATURED WEB SITE 

   This week's featured web site is the Russian Numismatic 
   Society (RNS).  Founded in 1978, it is "a non-profit group 
   of collectors and students interested in the field of Russian 
   numismatics." 

      http://www.russiannumismaticsociety.org/ 
  

   Wayne Homren 
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society