Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 4, Number 47, November 18, 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:  Robert D. Evans of   
  Ohio, and Bryan Sonnier of Lafayette, Louisiana. Welcome   
  aboard!   Our subscriber count is now  428.   

JEAN-CLAUDE BAUDEY NUMISMATIC LIBRARY    

  The current auction catalogue of Dix, Noonan, Webb of   
  London (28-29 November, 2001) includes many lots of   
  numismatic literature.  "The numismatic library formed by   
  the late Jean-Claude Baudey (1934-2001), the dealer in   
  historical and art medals who had been DNW's European   
  representative since our first coin auction in 1993, is a   
  specialist offering which includes a number of titles now   
  difficult to obtain, particularly outside the French market."   
  The firm's web address is: http://www.dnw.co.uk/   

CANADIAN NUMISMATIC BIBLIOGRAPHY PROJECT    

  Darryl Atchison writes: "I am pleased to announce that after   
  several months of semi-concentrated effort, the new Canadian   
  Numismatic Bibliography Project website is finally  live. The   
  address is  http://www.julaine.ca/canbiblio/   From the web   
  site:    

  At the 1995 Canadian Numismatic Association convention   
  in Calgary, Alberta a proposal was put forth at the meeting   
  convened by the Canadian Numismatic Research Society to   
  compile a new Canadian numismatic bibliography which   
  would be the most complete reference of its type yet   
  published. A team of interested numismatists from across   
  Canada and the United States was established to take on this   
  incredibly difficult and time-consuming task.    

  Any project of this magnitude requires the dedication and   
  cooperation of many individuals, organizations and   
  institutions. To date we have had assistance from many of   
  the finest numismatists from Canada, the United States,   
  England, Ireland, France and Australia. No matter how large or   
  small their contributions have been, the end result is that our   
  text is both more accurate and more complete and we   
  sincerely thank each and every individual who assisted us in   
  any way whatsoever.    

  In fact, we would never turn down any offer of assistance   
  from any seriously interested individual.  For example, there   
  are many publications containing articles on Canadian   
  numismatics that have been published by specific local,   
  regional and specialist organizations. Some of these   
  publications have not been reviewed yet. We hope to be   
  able to review the majority of these publications as thoroughly   
  as possible without unduly delaying publication of our text -   
  however in some cases we do not have access to these   
  publications ourselves. If you think you can assist us, or if you   
  have complete sets of any publications that you think may not   
  have been reviewed please do not hesitate to contact us.  

EUREKA INGOT FACTS    

  Regarding the recently-sold gold ingot from the S.S. Central   
  America discussed in last week's E-Sylum, Bob Evans,   
  co-discoverer and curator of the S.S. Central America   
  treasure, writes: "The public media, and for that matter the   
  numismatic media as well, seldom get all the facts straight.   
  The treasure was in fact loaded onto the Central America   
  on September 3, 1857, but it was at the American port   
  of Aspinwall in Panama, not in San Francisco as stated in   
  the AP release quoted by you.  The treasure,  passengers   
  and mail left San Francisco on August 20.    

  I am personally thrilled that the Eureka ingot has found a   
  new home. It is quite an artifact!"  

BAILLY'S LINCOLN.    

  Dick Johnson writes: "In answer to Andy Lustig's inquiry   
  in last week's E-Sylum:  Joseph Alexis Bailly (1825-1883),   
  French-American wood carver and sculptor did create a   
  Lincoln statuette (if not a Lincoln bust).  This was exhibited   
  at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1865 (number   
  811 in the catalog for that year), where he was offering it   
  for sale. Later Bailly was an instructor at this Philadelphia   
  art institution.    

  Bailly also created a Lincoln Monument, he exhibited the   
  design in 1865 (330) and the model in 1866 (525) at the   
  Pennsylvania Academy. Bailly is listed in my upcoming   
  directory of American artists of coins and medals.  I have   
  record of six bas-reliefs he created.  The books listed in   
  the reference section at the end of his entry provided the   
  data to answer Andy's inquiry above."    

  [A web search turned up some references to Bailly.    
  The U.S. Patterns web site has a page devoted to his    
  twenty cent pattern.  "The text was originally published in    
  the Bowers and Merena Bass I auction sale and is    
  reproduced here courtesy of David Bowers."    
  http://www.uspatterns.com/uspatterns/josalbail.html     

  The Coin Gallery Online site has an article by Michael    
  Marotta about the twenty cent piece which mentions    
  Bailly's pattern:    
  http://www.coin-gallery.com/cgmarotta.htm     

  The AskArt online database of American artists has    
  a page on Bailly, and lists nine books in which he or    
  his work are mentioned:    
  http://askart.com/artist/B/joseph_alexis_bailly.asp?ID=72175    
  -Editor]   

GROLIER CATALOGUE    

  Regarding the Grolier exhibit catalog, Tom Sheehan writes   
  that he'll be in New York December 4th and that he could   
  buy copies and send them to any subscribers who want   
  them. Send $20 and an address label to Tom at P.O. Box   
  1477, Edmonds, WA 98020.  He'll even include your   
  change in your package. Thanks, Tom.   Be sure to mail   
  your label and money in time for Tom to receive it by   
  Monday, December 3rd.   

THIEVES DON'T HAVE FORKLIFTS HANDY.    

  Dick Johnson writes: "Joe Levine tells the story of a   
  "Panamint ball" of silver in his lot description of a Nevada   
  Silver Centennial Medal (lot 501 in his current auction   
  catalog for his December 2nd Presidential Auction Sale).   
  I find this a fascinating story and would like to learn of the   
  first published  reference to Panamint balls of silver in   
  numismatic literature. He quotes Turner, but I am sure   
  this has been published much earlier than that.   
  (Howard  L. Turner wrote a series of articles published   
  in The Numismatist on Commemorative Medals Struck   
  at the U.S. Mint;  September 1977, etc.).    

  When mines shipped bars of silver from the West coast   
  they were frequently stolen enroute. Their solution was   
  brilliant:  Cast the silver into balls large enough no one   
  person could lift it.  I would like to learn when this first   
  occurred."  

THE MASON PLATE,  FELDMAN, AND THE SCRAPBOOK    

  Russell  Rulau of  Iola, Wisconsin writes: "I was pleased to see   
  this notice in E-Sylum for Nov. 11.  Lee F. Hewitt was chief   
  editor of Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine when that plate   
  was first exposed to the modern collecting public in the August,   
  1967 issue of the magazine, having then been recently   
  rediscovered by the late, lamented Aaron Feldman.    

  Aaron was a friend and a constant supplier of interesting tidbits   
  for coin magazines.    Aaron had also supplied the photo of the  
  Mason Plate to me as chief editor of World Coins, and it   
  appeared in the August, 1967 edition on page 630. In an ironic   
  twist of fate, I was to take over as chief editor of NSM in May,  
  1968  when Hewitt sold out to Amos Press in Ohio.    

  Speaking of "Scrapbook," all serious collectors miss that   
  periodical. It had only three editors:  Lee Hewitt 1935-68,   
  Russ Rulau 1968-74, and Courtney Coffing 1974-76.   
  Courtney has produced an index to the magazine, but   
  magazine copies in existence are insufficient to supply today's   
  crop of scholarly collectors and researchers.    

  In my mind I have always thought of the ending of NSM in   
  early 1974 as the "Crime of '74". NSM was a pioneer in   
  honest-to-goodness numismatic depth, which fell victim to   
  bottom-line-business journalism."  

SILVER DOLLAR RELEASE INFO SOUGHT    

  New subscriber Bryan Sonnier writes: "I'm searching for   
  information related to the release of Morgan Dollars by the   
  Treasury in the early 1960's.  I'm also interested in any articles   
  related to the sale of the Carson City silver dollars by the   
  General Services Administration (GSA) in the early 1970's   
  and again in 1980.    

  One interesting advertisement that I came across related to   
  the Carson City dollar sale.  The author of this particular   
  publication was Deane S. Jones of Reno, Nevada.  I would   
  very much like to get a copy of his publication that was   
  produced in about 1972.    

  To date, I've gathered some fairly extensive information on   
  these topics but am still lacking some of what I'd like to have.   
  I've worked extensively with issues of Coin World.  In fact,   
  within the next few months I'm actually going to travel to   
  Sidney, Ohio to conduct my research more extensively.   
  I've not yet attempted to obtain Treasury reports of that era   
  but would certainly love to have access to some.  I do have   
  a few GSA reports that were given to me but I've not had   
  any luck getting info directly from the GSA.    

  I'd appreciate any guidance you can provide on my research   
  efforts."    

  So, E-Sylum readers: Has anyone heard of the Jones   
  publication?  Any suggestions to further his research?  

S.O.U.R.C.E.    

  Nick Graver forwarded the following information about   
  an organization devoted to historical artifacts in libraries.   
  "It's non-numismatic, but our readers could have occasion   
  to direct a question to that group sometime."    

  "Several ... students got together last year and formed   
  SOURCE, the Student Organization for Unique and   
  Rare Collections Everywhere.  Since that time we have   
  been concentrating on making connections with librarians   
  and other professionals in the field.    

  I thought I would introduce ourselves ... and   
  invite all to view our new website:   
  http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~source/    

  SOURCE's membership is very broad. Since we are library   
  school students, we are essentially interested in the topics   
  relating to historical artifacts in libraries:  manuscripts, rare   
  books, prints & photographs, audio & visual materials,   
  archives, preservation & conservation issues, museum   
  collections, digital libraries, and more.    

  Our group has been very active organizing behind-the-scenes   
  tours and sponsoring talks on campus. Our listserv,   
  "paperpeople," currently has nearly 80 subscribers. Please   
  check us out - we love suggestions and comments."  

TRADE IN AFGHANI NOTES    

  An article in the November 14, 2001 Wall Street Journal   
  (pC1) discusses the hot market in trading Afghanistan's   
  currency.  "The afghani, Afghanistan's long-suffering currency,   
  has the perverse tendency to go up whenever sitting   
  governments fall."   Savvy traders who rushed to purchase   
  the currency after September 11th have seen the currency   
  rise 94%.   The article has a photo of traders in Peshawar,   
  Pakistan exchanging large bundles of afghani notes.  "One   
  day recently, trading continued even as tear-gas fumes   
  wafted over from a nearby demonstration. "They were   
  crying, but they didn't stop trading."    

  "Even more than currencies in other developing countries,   
  the market in afghanis is unusual.  For one thing, the currency   
  hasn't been printed by the Taliban government since it came   
  to power in 1996.  Instead, the afghani actually comes from   
  printing presses run by the opposition Northern Alliance,   
  and there are two varieties.  Afghanis printed under the   
  auspices of the alliance's late Tajik commander, Ahmed   
  Shaw Masood, are more widely accepted in Taliban   
  areas than those printed by the alliance's Uzbek commander,   
  Abdul Rashid Dostrum, though only by the last two digits of   
  the serial number can one tell them apart."     

  "The afghani's value has plummeted so far over the years   
  that the highest note, 10,000 afghanis, has to be carried in   
  thick stacks to be of any value."    

  Below are some web pages with more information about   
  the afghani currency:    

  http://www.tribuneindia.com/20010925/photos/pages/24photo14.htm   
  http://afg.afghanteens.net/money/   
  http://www.rediff.com/money/2001/sep/27afghan.htm   

FEATURED WEB PAGE    

  This week's featured web page is the text of the act which   
  authorized the coinage of the U.S. two-cent piece (April   
  22, 1864).    

  http://www.dispatch.com/news/features01/jan01/twcentact.html  
  

  Wayne Homren 
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society