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V4 2001 INDEX       E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 4, Number 35, August 26, 2001, Article 9 THE WIZARD OF OZ IN NUMISMATICS Last's week's discussion of the new Schornstein book on Bryan Money raised a number of questions about the origin of the theory regarding parallels to the 1890's gold and silver question in L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. Bill Bischoff writes: "For what it's worth, I discussed with Walter Breen by telephone in the early spring of 1989 the possibility that he might be willing to talk at the forthcoming COAC on gold, which I was then involved in organizing. We talked for at least an hour, and all the allegories you mention were already part of his conceptual framework. So, unless he was in contact with Hugh Rockoff, Breen's ideas go back to "an article titled 'The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism' by Henry M. Littlefield in American Quarterly 16 (Spring 1964), pp. 47-58." I don't know if Rockoff cites Breen, but it would have been appropriate, since Breen's remarks were delivered in the late fall of 1989, before the Rockoff book came out." Mark Rabinowitz writes: "In this issue of the E-Sylum, my first via regular distribution, you have a note about the Wizard of Oz parallels which raises some interesting questions. A book I just finished, Peter L. Bernstein's "The Power of Gold: The History of an Obsession" (which, by the way, I heartily recommend to E-Sylum readers if they have not already read it), also notes the parallels and cites the same Rockoff article. In addition to the Yellow Brick Road representing the Gold Standard and the other parallels you mentioned, Bernstein also notes the following: Land of Oz (ounce) = the east, "where gold is the favorite" The cyclone which comes from the west = the movement for unlimited coinage of silver Dorothy = the plucky, kindhearted American who represents the little people against the moguls of finance Emerald City = Washington The Wizard = the personification of humbug Unfortunately I don't have the answers to the questions you raised, but thinking about this some more, I have another question: is it merely a coincidence that just a year or so after the U.S. went off gold in 1971, freeing all currencies to float, Elton John released the song, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road?" "Oh, I've finally decided my future lies / beyond the yellow brick road."

Wayne Homren, Editor

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