For a nickel, a machine
called An Expression of Faith
would take your dime
and squash it.
All tubes and gears and lights,
the thing would groan, squeak,
fart, smoke, and finally drop
a little silver oval in your hands,
hot as a pistol,
with Jesus's face on one side
and the Lord's Prayer on the other.
I took my medallion
home for Grandma,
but she wouldn't keep it
because it was Catholic
and had "trespasses"
instead of "debts"
and left out the part
about the kingdom
and the power and the glory.
She gave it back
and I went downtown
and set it on the railroad track.
And after the train went by
I had a piece of silver
smooth as glass and that
says something about
power and glory, by God.

It appears to be made by engraving two silver discs with a reeded edge silver band. It is 42mm.

In keeping with the theme of the evening, I brought my small collection of medieval debased silver "multiple" dirhams from Afghanistan. There's some discussion as to what denominations these are supposed to be, either oversize dirhams or multiple dirhams, but their big claim to fame is that they are supposedly the first crown-size silver coins.

The majority of these were struck between AH 370 and AH 390 (980-1000 CE) and are between 40 and 45 mm in diameter. In my scan, the top one is Ghaznavid struck in Andaraba in AH 389 (999 CE) and is pretty much in as-struck condition. The middle one is a more typical undated Samanid/Banijurid example from Badakhshan, and the bottom one is also from Badakhshan, but was struck with two reverse dies. My understanding is that the vast majority of these came from one hoard found in the 1960s.

Based on our last dinner and seeing a sales catalog with some of the S.S. Central America ingots, I remembered to bring my copy of the sale catalog that never was, Sotheby's Treasures from the S. S. Central America, 8-9 Dec 1999. I ordered the catalog because I love reading about pioneer gold and then shortly thereafter, I got a notice saying the sale was cancelled due to a court injunction - I even saved the notice to go with the catalog. It's a fantastic catalog in its own right with a fascinating back story to boot.

I pulled the note from an old bundle of these that I have had for quite some time (it was the only one with Mr. Levinas's backstamp). I didn't recognize the language, but Google Translate (God bless Google!) identified it as Lithuanian. Fumbling along, I learned that Mr. Levinas was a merchant in Kaunas - Lithuania's second largest city.

Mesmerized by this man, I eventually came across a wonderful website - jewishgen.org - which among other things is a large database of those who lost their lives during the holocaust. It listed Mr. Levinas's marriage (including the rabbi's name who performed the ceremony), and eventual divorce in 1929. Lithuania was the first country where the German SS started murdering Jews and it's doubtful that Mr. Levinas survived beyond 1940-41.

The handwritten script below the backstamp is a puzzle. Joe Levine said that it didn't look "kosher" but Julian Leidman said that it did, and he'll try to have it translated. I'm wondering if anyone else would have a go at translating it. I feel an odd affinity for this man who owned this note, on the tiny chance that there is a descendant of Mr. Levinas out there I would gladly forward this note to them.

8/18/1929
Dear Josef,
For your return trip to the U. S. I wish you a safe and happy voyage. I am giving you a memento of 20 million German mark that translates into 5 Million dollars in American money. No (as translated) you’ll own a lot of money. Write to me and I’ll send you more medicine and money.
Be healthy and hopeful.
` Moshe
Moses Levinas

Interesting as Moses knew that the money was essentially worthless. I wonder whether this was tongue-in-cheek. Rita was impressed with the gift until I explained that the money was not what it seemed.