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About Us The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit association devoted to the study and enjoyment of numismatic literature. For more information please see our web site at coinbooks.org Subscriptions Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers (or wishing to Unsubscribe) can go to the following web page link Membership There is a membership application available on the web site Membership Application To join, print the application and return it with your check to the address printed on the application. Print/Digital membership is $40 to addresses in the U.S., and $60 elsewhere. A digital-only membership is available for $25. For those without web access, write to: Jeff Dickerson, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 578, Weatherford, TX 76086 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Jeff at this email address: treasurer@coinbooks.org Submissions To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com BUY THE BOOK BEFORE THE COIN Sale Calendar Watch here for updates!

 

Content presented in The E-Sylum is not necessarily researched or independently fact-checked, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.

WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM FEBRUARY 23, 2025

Thank you for reading The E-Sylum. If you enjoy it, please send me the email addresses of friends you think may enjoy it as well and I'll send them a subscription. Contact me at whomren@gmail.com anytime regarding your subscription, or questions, comments or suggestions about our content.

This week we open with two new books, a periodical, one book review, two obituaries, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, and more.

Other topics this week include Buffalo Nickel proofs, Bust dimes, money of the Civil War, Doc Brown tokens, regulated gold, Ed Quagliana, fixed price and auction selections, my numismatic diaries, the Korean mint, and the Memphis Coin Club show.

To learn more about the 2026 Red Book, the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists, Bill Cross, Steve Duckor, the Lincoln plaque in the Oval Office, Angilina Arsena, the Arsinoe Mnaieion, the Scarcity of Living Space medal, the the National Stock Certificate, Bond & Paper Money Show, the Military Order of the Serpent, California small denomination gold recovered from the wreck of the steamship Winfield Scott, how coins make you stupid, eBay's most expensive gold and silver coins, and Jefferson's "Notes on the Establisment of a Money Unit, and of a Coinage for the United States", read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

NEW BOOK: 2026 GUIDE BOOK OF U.S. COINS

Whitman Brands™ proudly announces the return of A Guide Book of United States Coins, the world's #1 best-selling price guide and numismatic reference, now enhanced in its completely-redesigned 79th edition. Since 1946, collectors worldwide have trusted this guide for its grade-by-grade coin values, historical insights, detailed specifications, high-resolution photographs, and accurate mintage data. Wholesale shipments begin late March 2025.

The 2026 edition has been meticulously redesigned with the collector in mind. It features a larger 6" x 9" format, an intuitive layout, and over 32,500 market values in up to nine grades for more than 12,000 coins, tokens, medals, sets, and other collectibles. It also includes new market insights, updated research, and the latest mint data. For the first time, pricing is based on Collector's Price Guide (CPG®) retail pricing, and Greysheet Identification (GSID?) catalog numbers are integrated for seamless identification across Whitman's family of products.

“I am truly honored to have been part of this year's transformation, working closely with the extremely talented and professional staff at Whitman and the invaluable Red Book Advisory Panel of more than 70 numismatic industry leaders, experts, and supporters,” said Jeff Garrett, Editor and President of Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries. “Every change, from the book's physical size to its presentation order, was carefully chosen and implemented with a single goal—to enhance the collector's experience.” Key Enhancements In terms of layout, collectors will notice several key improvements, with certain major sections now arranged by collector preference rather than strict technical definitions.

• The Private and Territorial Gold chapter has been significantly expanded, now including BG (Breen-Gillio) attribution numbers. Previously covering about 100 listings in two-and-a-half pages, this section now spans more than five pages with approximately 580 total listings.
• Commemoratives chapter has been reorganized to better align with market conventions. They are now grouped by denomination and listed by the familiar names collectors use. Classic commemoratives are arranged alphabetically, while modern commemoratives remain listed by date.
• Circulation and Proof-strike value charts have been separated throughout the book, making it easier for collectors to assess market values. Type-coin value charts have been added for each coin type, where applicable, including qualities of surface (e.g., Deep Cameo, DMPL), strike (e.g., Full Bands for dimes, Full Bell Lines for half dollars), and color (Brown, Red Brown, and Red). Coins known in all three levels of the relevant quality may have as many as 27 price points, ranging from G-4 to MS-65RD.
• New data organization consolidates coin type information at the beginning of each section, allowing readers to compare multiple types without flipping back and forth, improving readability and accessibility.

Additional enhancements include:

• Fun-fact spotlights throughout the book.
• A regular, fully illustrated case study in the “Grading U.S. Coins” section (this edition's focus: Morgan Dollars).
• A new “Collector's Notebook” covering timely topics in numismatics (this edition's subject: Misinformation in Numismatics).

With over 25 million copies sold, the Red Book remains one of the best-selling nonfiction books in American publishing history—an invaluable resource for collectors at all levels. “Our commitment remains strong, not only to preserving its legacy but also to expanding its reach,” said John Feigenbaum, Publisher and President/CEO of Whitman Brands. “From the Red Book to Red Book Quarterly (formerly CPG Coin & Currency Market Review) to the Red Book Podcast (now in its sixth episode and quickly growing in popularity), we are building something truly special and enduring for the collecting community.”

In addition to the larger 6x9” format, the 2026 Red Book will be available in four different print bindings: hardcover, perfect bound softcover, spiral-bound, and large print spiral-bound. Pre-order purchases can be made now at Whitman.com and Amazon; regular purchases can be made through Whitman's Ebay Store, Walmart.com, bookstores, hobby shops, and other retailers nationwide beginning April 8, 2025.

For more information, visit whitman.com.

For all episodes of the The Red Book Podcast or to subscribe to the Greysheet & Red Book YouTube channel, visit https://www.youtube.com/@greysheet-redbook/playlists.

NEW BOOK: BUFFALO NICKEL PROOFS

The Buffalo Nickel Proof book by Kevin Flynn is now at the printers. This book is 8 ½ by 11, 123 pages.

The primary purpose of this book is to present detailed die diagnostic descriptions and photographs to be used to identify and authenticate Buffalo nickel proofs, including matte, satin, and brilliant proofs. This book contains many photographs of diagnostics not published before and a few new die combinations which were not previously listed.

Another objective of this book was to present an analysis of the striking characteristics for Buffalo nickel proofs. Buffalo nickel proofs were struck on a hydraulic press which could strike coins at a much greater pressure than was used for business strikes. Side by side comparisons and photographs were done between proofs and business strikes showing the details of the primary design elements and the rims, edges, and corners. In studying Buffalo nickel proofs side by side against EDS business strikes of the same year, different striking characteristics were found for each year. Normally, only small differences were found on the design elements. The rims, edges, and corners were the primary where differences were seen. The rim and edges on the proofs were normally wider with flat surfaces. The corners were knife-like on the proofs where they were rounded on the business strikes.

A date-by-date analysis for the proof series is presented. Included for each year is an analysis of striking characteristics, surface characteristics, scarcity analysis, general comments, prices realized from Heritage auctions, current values, and certified population counts. All of this information being useful in collecting and understanding Buffalo nickel proofs.

A detailed analysis is presented on all of the silver and minor proofs counts between 1909 and 1916. This includes all delivery dates for each series. This information is extremely important in determining exactly how many coins were struck. This information is also helpful in determining how proof coins were distributed, whether in minor sets, silver sets, or individually.

National Archive letters and articles published at the time provide information on the proofs and the creation of the Buffalo nickel. A history section is included in the front of the book as well as sections on the 1913 Type 1 and 2, investing in Buffalo nickel proofs, the proofing process, matte proof creation process, and other sections. For example, learn how the Mint figured out how to create the 1936 Type 2 Brilliant proofs.

A special section and analysis is included on the 1927 experimental coins. There are 3 known specimens. They were struck from three separate die pairs. See the detailed photographs of the diagnostics that clearly shows this.

Only a limited number of softcovers will be printed, softcover $39.95. Add $5.00 for shipping and handling via media rate shipping. Send check or money order to Kevin Flynn, P.O. Box 1043, Troy, VA 22974, or pay by Venmo. Write to me at kevinjflynn88@yahoo.com.

PERIODICAL: THE CLARION WINTER 2025

Table of Contents

• President's Message
• Editor's Desk
• How Three Steel Pennies Helped Me Pay It Forward by Rob Throckmorton
• Rarity ? Cost by Paul Schultz
• Norway's Unique Siege Coin by Lawrence C. Korchnak, Ph.D.
• Iceland's Althing Commemoratives by Malcolm Johnson
• On the Road: Combining a Love of Coins, Photography, and Travel by Dave Lombardo
• PAN Kidzone May 2025 auction lots
• The Lure of Early Copper by Mark Borckardt
• Canada's Real Silver Dollars 1935-1966 by Mark Benvenuto
• San Francisco Women Quarters—The Secret to Getting Rich? An eBay Analysis by Matt Campbell
• Can I Get Your “John Hancock”? Autographed Bank Notes Add a Unique Touch by Michael V. Hicks
• PAN News
• PAN Member Club News

A Message from the President

The past year was very good for PAN. We saw increased membership. Our Fall 2024 Coin Show was a blockbuster with record attendance and a sold-out bourse floor. Our KidZone as always saw many budding young numismatists. The Richard C. Jewell Lecture Series sponsored by Stack's Bowers Galleries was very well attended with a great group of lecturers. The series was hosted by our past PAN and current ANA President Tom Uram. Our Competitive Exhibit Area had a nice group of highly qualified exhibits competing for the top spots in their categories. Security reported no major incidents. The team of uniformed and plain clothes folks have been working PAN shows for many years. We have been very fortunate to have this group stay together to protect our shows!

As many have noticed, this Winter Clarion issue has arrived later than usual. Editor Matt Campbell put together a beautiful issue. The fault lies with myself since I am responsible for the member mail list. I unfortunately had a medical set back with weeks in the hospital and enduring chemotherapy. It has been a bit of a rough ride. February seems to be a little bit better and should allow me time to catch up. A heartfelt thanks to all who have e-mailed and sent cards and prayers for my recovery. I am hoping for a better February.

Starting with the spring show May 29-31, keep in mind that our shows will now occupy both sides of the Monroeville Convention Center moving forward. Parking has been a constant challenge in the past and our intent is to have all the parking slots available for our attendees and dealers. This has added a significant expense to our show budget but the numbers seem to work. We had to slightly increase our bourse fees. I am also asking for our show attendees to help by placing a couple bucks into our donation jug at the registration table. Please make an effort to go to the other side (South Gallery) and walk through the lecture, club, exhibit, and living history areas plus any other special displays we provide.

From the Editor's Desk

I am delighted to start off my second year as editor of The Clarion with an issue bursting with meticulously researched articles as well as inspiring narratives of journeys in numismatics. The issue contains informative academic articles such as Lawrence Korchnak's “Norway's Unique Siege Coin,” Malcolm Johnson's “Iceland's Althing Commemoratives,” and Clarion regular Mark Benvenuto's “Canada's Real Silver Dollars 1935- 1966.” Michael V. Hicks gives us the cover story, “Can I Get Your ‘John Hancock?' Autographed Bank Notes Add a Unique Touch.” Many of us collect banknotes, but Hicks has upped the challenge and the reward by collecting ink autographs to complement the facsimile signatures of all of those Treasury secretaries and others.

On the general numismatic interest but no less engaging side, Paul Schultz shares an ingenious idea for a rewarding collection based on his genealogy that proved to be very difficult to assemble, but surprisingly not at great cost in “Rarity ? Cost.” For those who have just finished up a collection or typically collect US coins by series, date, and mint and are looking for the next numismatic thread to start weaving, Paul's article is perfect food for thought.

Similarly, Dave Lombardo writes in “On the Road: Combining a Love of Coins, Photography, and Travel” about how the America the Beautiful quarters paired perfectly with his long love of travel and photography, and sent him and his camera to a memorable destination he would not have visited otherwise. Rob Throckmorton recounts his childhood introduction to coin collecting with charm rivaling Ralphie in A Christmas Story. Many of us invite kids and young people to club meetings and give out buffalo nickels and steel pennies, and sometimes that little effort will create a numismatist like Rob, who encourages us to keep up that effort in “How Three Steel Pennies Helped Me Pay It Forward.”

The Spring PAN show is months away, but the Early American Coppers Society (EAC) will hold its convention in Pittsburgh May 14-18. Mark Borckardt, the EAC's historian, contributed an article, “The Lure of Early Copper.” Many collectors start off with modern series such as the Morgans, Peace dollars, and Lincolns. Early copper 1793-1857 invites collectors into a world of endless subtypes and varieties. Instead of buying the same Peace dollar but with a different date and mint mark over and over again, collectors must look for numerous varieties, many attainable, of early half cents and cents.

For more information on PAN, see:
https://pancoins.org/

BOOK REVIEW: U.S. CLASSIC GOLD COINS OF 1834-1839

Hi Folks, What are the qualifications of being a Coin Geek? Well there are likely many types of qualifications. Overall it is folks like us who like to spend a lot of time looking at old coins, reading about old coins, and learning the history that they bring, that are considered to be Coin Geeks. Over the past 6 months, I met those qualifications.

The Classic Head Quarter Eagles and Half Eagles have always been two of my most favorite series in US coins. A friend of mine spent the last two decades building a full die marriage set of both series. That includes examples that are R7 and R8 – meaning just a few coins exist for those die marriages. Both series saw a limited production time from 1834 to 1839 for the Quarter Eagles and 1834 to 1838 for the Half Eagles. They were then closed down in favor of the long duration Liberty Head series. Even though short lived, there are 28 and 34 die marriages in the Quarter Eagle and Half Eagle series, respectively. Most of the production occurred at the main, Philadelphia Mint. However, in the Classic Head Quarter Eagles, the Charlotte mint produced these in 1838 and 1839, and both Dahlonega and New Orleans got into the action at the tail end in 1839. For the Classic Head Half Eagles Charlotte and Dahlonega were in production in 1838.

My friend building the die marriage sets nicely sent me two things related to these series in 2011. First was a small book called America's Gold Coinage published in 1990 by the American Numismatic Society. In it was a chapter by John McCloskey - ‘A Study of Classic Half Eagles, 1834-1838'. The second item was an attribution guide for Classic Head Half Eagles that my friend had constructed based on this chapter and new die marriages identified since. I never had the tenacity to build complete die marriage sets of either series, but managed to get some nice examples including a complete set of branch mint Classic Head Quarter Eagles in XF-AU and CACed prior to selling them off in 2019 to help finance building our retirement home. My friend's set was recently put up for sale by Doug Winter Numismatics and few are still available at DWN. It was quite an impressive feat to build but he said it was complete so on to other adventures.

When Doug told me this was coming up, my interest on these series inspired me to have a look at the book Classic Gold Coins of 1834-1839 by Daryl Haynor published in 2020. I had purchased the book when issued but had barely opened it. So I started at Page 1. The first few chapters are historical about various topics related to these series, very informative and Mr. Haynor writes in a style that keeps the reader interested. By Chapter 10 Mr. Haynor delves into die identification methodology. By Page 79 and Chapter Eleven, the book finally started with descriptions of dies and die marriages of the Quarter Eagles, including attribution information for each die and marriage, finest known examples of each date, and all with high quality images of the coins being written about. By that point I thought, okay, the first 78 pages were very interesting and I learned a lot. Do I really want to read all this stuff about die marriages, bleh…. Well, it turns out, yes, yes I did! I read this book from cover to cover, even though most of it was technical information on dies and die marriages! Yup, 252 pages of die marriage information. The way Mr. Haynor presented this information was fascinating (really!) and I learned more about these series than I could possibly remember but hey, truly enjoyable, give it a read. But this was clear proof - I am a Coin Geek.

I did manage to snag one coin for my collection from the DWN sale of my friend's collection – the Seattle Collection Concierge Sale. This is shown above and is one of the rarest die marriages (R6 – 13-30 known), and was also part of the original John McCloskey collection auctioned by Heritage in 2022 so lot's there for my passion and context within these series.

To read the complete article, see:
DESERT MOON NEWSLETTER, ISSUE 4, December 15, 2024 (https://www.desertmoonnm.com/post/desert-moon-newsletter-issue-4-december-15-2024)

To visit the Desert Moon Numismatics website, see:
https://www.desertmoonnm.com/

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NEW BOOK: U.S. CLASSIC GOLD COINS OF 1834-1839 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n12a02.html)
BOOK REVIEW: U.S. CLASSIC GOLD COINS OF 1834-1839 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n26a07.html)
BOOK REVIEW: U.S. CLASSIC GOLD COINS OF 1834-1839 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n28a04.html)

WILLIAM CROSS (1934-2025)

William “Bill” Cross, widely regarded as a mentor, visionary, and pillar of Canadian numismatics, passed away on Jan. 31, 2025, at the age of 90.

While no public details on his passing have been released, he is survived by his long-time partner, Jean Dale, and his children: William Cross Jr., Mary, Janet, Susan, and Joel.

Michael Findlay, president of the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND), described his longtime friend as instrumental in shaping Canada's numismatic industry.

In his upcoming personal column in Canadian Coin News, Findlay reflects on Bill Cross's unconventional journey into numismatics. Trained as a chemical engineer, he worked for DuPont selling rubber products, travelling regularly to Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. During his spare time, he developed a deep passion for coin collecting, frequently stopping at coin shops along his route. While still working full-time at DuPont, he began buying and selling coins on the side.

When his manager issued an ultimatum, Cross made a life-changing decision—he chose numismatics. In 1964, he left DuPont and founded the Red Cent Coin Company in Toronto. Initially focused on numismatic coins, the business shifted toward gold and silver bullion, as well as bullion-related numismatic coins, following the downturn in the coin market in the mid-1960s.

In 1972, Cross expanded his business by purchasing a coin and stamp supply company from Jack Forbes of Dartmouth, N.S. Forbes had acquired the company from Jim Charlton in 1969, and as part of the transaction, Cross secured the rights to the “Charlton” name, including all copyrights and publishing rights to the renowned Charlton catalogues. With this acquisition, he established Charlton International Publishing and later founded Charlton Numismatics, which grew to become Canada's largest numismatic company.

His influence extended beyond publishing. In 1975, he played a key role in founding the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND).

To read the complete article, see:
Bill Cross: a legacy of leadership in Canadian numismatics (https://canadiancoinnews.com/bill-cross-a-legacy-of-leadership-in-canadian-numismatics/)

STEVEN L. DUCKOR (1945-2025)

In the past four decades, Duckor has formed finest-known collections in at least half a dozen series. His Barber half dollar collection – selected to Professional Coin Grading Service's Hall of Fame in 2003 and sold in 2010 – is widely acclaimed as the all-time finest collection of circulation strike Barber halves ever assembled. And his collections of Saint-Gaudens double eagles and $1 gold coins have equally dazzled the collecting world.

“Collect rare and the best quality,” he advises. “If it doesn't come gem, other than the few $1 gold coins that are the finest known, I won't buy it. I'm looking for the very best. Remember my mantra: Buy the very best, stretch to buy it. It means if you can't afford to buy it, buy it anyway.”

Legendary collector John Pittman, Duckor points out, took a second mortgage out on his home to acquire coins at the 1954 sale of the King Farouk collection. “I've done that actually. I've taken a second out on my house, borrowed money from my brother 20 years ago to buy coins. It's worth it,” Duckor says, “if you know what you are doing.”

A native of Indiana, Duckor began collecting coins shortly after his family moved to Miami Beach, Fla., when he was 10 years old. The young Steven collected by series and obtained most of his coins by sorting through change from his father's business. He was 11 when he bought for $8 his first coin – a 1914-D Lincoln cent in “very good” condition. His father thought it was a lot of money for a penny.

“You've got to be kidding!” Duckor recalls his dad saying.

Nevertheless, his father (who was not a collector) trusted his son's knowledge, was supportive and encouraged his pursuits. “In 1960,” Duckor says, “my father took me to the local bank in Florida. They let me go through all their rolls of silver dollars. My dad said, ‘You can have only one of each date.' So that's how I started in silver dollars.”

In his early collecting years, Duckor followed the more traditional path of collecting coins by date and mint mark, filling in albums. But his approach to collecting changed dramatically in the early 1970s. “Really, I didn't seriously start collecting until I graduated from medical school in 1971 and came to California,” Duckor says.

Shortly after beginning his internship at the University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles, he met a coin dealer who was collecting gem coins. “Gem” is not a grade or description of a coin's state of preservation. Rather, it is a term that refers to the top tier of grades, generally Mint State or Proof 67 to 70. In some early series, gem also encompasses the 65 and 66 numeric levels because so few are known to have survived at those grades or beyond.

Greatly influenced by the coin dealer, Duckor began collecting circulation-strike gem Buffalo nickels, Standing Liberty quarters, Walking Liberty half dollars and Morgan dollars. By 1976, he turned his attention to gem 20th century gold coins, primarily quarter eagles, half eagles and double eagles. “That was when gold was about $105 an ounce,” he notes.

It was also a time when coins were bought and sold in small, brown envelopes – before independent third-party grading and encapsulation. He made it a priority to become knowledgeable by reading reference books about the series he was collecting, viewing coin lots in order to understand grading, studying auction catalogs and reading stories in Coin World about collections coming to market.

He looks back at the advent of third-party grading as an important milestone and takes pride in the role his collection played.

“In 1985, I received a call from David Hall,” Duckor remembers. “He asked if he and Gordon Wrubel could look at my 20th century gold collection. He said they had a ‘new idea.'”

Hall and Wrubel met Duckor at his bank to examine the entire collection. “They each graded the coins separately,” Duckor explains. Later they provided him with copies of their grading sheets. He was amazed at how accurately and how close their grades were. He describes that exercise as a “founding experiment,” noting that Hall and Wrubel went on to launch Professional Coin Grading Service in February 1986.

Three years later, PCGS graded and encapsulated his entire 20th century gold collection. Since that time, experts agree that third-party grading has helped propel rare coins into a $5 billion market today.

To read the complete article, see:
Doctor Amazing (https://intelligentcollector.com/doctor-amazing/)

By 1980, Duckor was not entirely satisfied with the dealer who had been representing him at auction in the 1970s. One morning in October 1982, just prior to the Eliasberg gold sale, Akers and Duckor had breakfast at the same hotel in New York City. Duckor then asked Akers if Akers would represent Duckor at the Bowers & Ruddy auction of Louis Eliasberg's U.S. gold coins. Akers agreed. Akers was the foremost expert in U.S. gold coins. Louis Eliasberg formed the all-time best collection of U.S. coins.

“For nearly thirty years, Dave Akers has been a great teacher. Now that Akers is semi-retired, Todd Imhof has been a trusted dealer for the last seven or eight years,” Duckor reveals. “If I did not meet Dave Akers, I would not have continued collecting coins.”

Although he was spending thousands of dollars annually on coins by the mid 1970s, Dr. Duckor “never thought of coins as an investment. Collecting coins is a hobby. It grew into a passion when I started collecting gold. It turned out to be a tremendous investment. I never had the intention of making money from coins. From the beginning, I bought coins that I liked. I sought to complete sets of the [series] that I like,” Duckor explains.

To read the complete article, see:
Coin Rarities & Related Topics: The Dazzling Collecting Journey of Dr. Steven Duckor (https://coinweek.com/coin-rarities-related-topics-the-dazzling-collecting-journey-of-dr-steven-duckor/)

I was introduced to Steve Duckor by David Akers, sometime around the time of the Pittman sales (1997-1998). I learned that Steve was working on a very high-quality set of Indian Head eagles and St. Gaudens double eagles. This has never been a market that I've been an active participant in, so I was unable to sell him any coins at that time. However, we became friendly, and Steve made certain to show me his new purchases and to further our relationship.

If you knew Steve at all, you knew that he was a relationships guy. He was humble to a fault and he realized that as well-versed on coins as he might become, he needed a dealer working with him in order to find the great coins he sought.

David Akers always would display his stunning personal collection at shows. I discussed buying them at various times but I thought his prices were too aggressive. But Steve saw an opportunity, and in 2012, he bought around seven or eight of the Akers gold dollars including such amazing coins as a PCGS MS68 1851, a PCGS MS68+ 1856 Slant 5, an incredible PCGS MS68 1863, a PCGS MS68+ 1864, and others. With this purchase, Steve became a gold dollar specialist and I became his go-to dealer.

Steve was a sponge and he quickly learned about his new area of specialization. He had a remarkable eye and people realized that if a coin was worthy of a Duckor pedigree, it was clearly nice enough for their collection. He understood the concept of branding before he even realized that he was consciously doing this with every collection he formed. And he was incredibly versatile as a collector, having also assembled the finest sets of Barber dimes and half dollars ever assembled. I think he would have succeeded on any numismatic project he set out to do, given his sophistication and his level of knowledge.

I began going to see Steve for lunch every few months. We would meet at his bank where he would show me his remarkable gold dollars. Each and every coin he had was CAC approved, and this included an 1865 that I had sold him as a PCGS MS65 but which he had upgraded to MS66. He had also persuaded CAC to approve it.

Steve made more money on a single coin than any other collector I'm aware of. He was the owner of an amazing 1920-S $10 Indian—the finest known example of the rarest date of this design. He bought it 1979 for $85,000, which was a ton of money for this coin at that time; especially for a younger collector with two small kids. I sat with him at the auction in 2007 when he sold this coin. At the time, I told him it could bring $750,000 or maybe even a bit more. I'll never forget the look on his face when it quickly broke the $1 million dollar barrier, not stopping until it realized a record-smashing $1,725,000. We went out for a celebratory dinner that night and he gladly paid.

I think Steve was the greatest collector of his generation. Unlike other collectors of his level, he wasn't operating with an essentially unlimited budget. Steve was a gastroenterologist who was competing against titans of industry, professional sports team owners, and hedge fund managers. Despite their limitless budgets, they lacked the knowledge that Steve cultivated, and they played right into his hands when he sold his coins.

Steve understood the mechanics of the market better than any collector I have ever known. He bought series when they were out of favor, and sold his coins when there were two or more very wealthy collectors who he knew would go head-to-head when Heritage conducted a Duckor sale. He sold his gold dollars at the exact point in time that Bob Simpson and Tom Bender were hungriest for coins, and they set numerous price records in brutal bidding competitions.

After he completed the sale of his gold dollars, Steve moved on to Walking Liberty half dollars and Lincoln Cents; two series he had collected when he was young. He had become friends with Stewart Blay, a New York City sculptor and an accomplished numismatist who had assembled the single greatest set of Lincolns (and Indian Cents) ever. With Stewart's help, Steve assembled a set in less than two years. For anyone other than Steve, this would have been a recipe for disaster. But as I said above, a Duckor pedigree was a force of nature, and the set sold for a profit despite virtually all the coins having come out of recent auction sales.

Steve probably saved my life. In 2013, after I had passed a painful kidney stone, I was sent home from the hospital. I slept much of the next day and when I woke up on the second day, I was burning up. My wife took my temperature and it read 105. She called Steve and told him, and he urged her to get me back to the hospital quickly as I could be potentially extremely sick from possible Sepsis. The emergency doctor agreed, and after a round of antibiotics, my temperature was close to normal.

Steve was a founder of the US Gold Club. He hadn't attended any meetings since before Covid, but his presence was felt at every gathering.

Steve, I learned a lot from you and I will miss you tremendously. You were a great husband and father/grandfather, and a great friend to me and many other dealers.

To read the complete article, see:
Steve Duckor: A Tribute (https://raregoldcoins.com/blog/2025/2/17/steve-duckor-a-tribute)

NNP ADDS JIM MATTHEWS BUST DIME PHOTOS

Newman Portal Adds Jim Matthews Bust Dime Collection Images

Courtesy of photographer Steve Herrman, images of the Jim Matthews early U.S. dime collection are now available on Newman Portal. The Capped Bust portion of the collection is nearly complete by JR variety and features several examples with late state die cuds. The collection represents a 45-year quest for Matthews, who began collecting the series around the time of the publication Early United States Dimes 1796-1837 (1984) by David J. Davis, Russell J. Logan, Allen F. Lovejoy, John W. McCloskey and William L. Subjack. The majority of the Matthews collection is currently imaged, with the remainder to be posted shortly.

Image: 1825 10c, JR-4, PCGS F12 CAC, with obverse cud

Link to Jim Matthews Early U.S. Dimes on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/imagecollection/518211

Garrett Ziss adds:

VIDEO: MONEY OF THE CIVIL WAR

The Money Museum's Civil War exhibit opened to great reviews in October 2008. Join the curator as he talks about some of the interesting pieces, including fractional currency, National Bank notes, medals, and counterfeit currency made in both the north and south during the war.

Speaker(s): Douglas Mudd, ANA Curator.

To watch the complete video, see:
Money of the Civil War: A House Divided (https://youtu.be/yqpxEc5efyQ)
Money of the Civil War: A House Divided (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/557315)

DOC BROWN TOKENS

John Mutch responded to our article last week on H. G. “Doc” Brown. He provided links to four tokens listed on tokencatalog.com.

DOC. BROWN / THE OWL / SPOKANE, WASH. // 12 ½ C

The first token is aluminum and 29 mm diameter. The 12 ½ cent denomination is common for saloon tokens where drinks were two for a quarter.

COMPLIMENTS OF DOC. BROWN SPOKANE WASH / THE OWL / MERRY XMAS //

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE U. S. GOVERNMENT HAS DELIVERED TO / THE W. F. DOLL MFG. CO. N. Y. THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF STEEL / SAVED FROM THE WRECK OF THE BATTLESHIP MAINE / A MAINE STEEL / SOUVENIR / W. F. DOLL / MFG. . N. Y. / SIGNED BY / W. C. GIBSON / COMMANDER U. S. N. / IN CHARGE GENERAL / DELIVERY OF STORES

The token is 38mm with a steel horseshoe imbedded in aluminum. The catalog attributes the token to Howard G. Brown.

This probably should be designated as a medal since no trade value is stated. It is a relic medal with metal from the Maine attached. The reverse also appears on other tokens.

DOC. BROWN / THE / OWL / COR 5 TH & ALDER STS // GOOD FOR 6¼ / CENTS / IN TRADE

The third token is from Portland, Bronze, 21 mm, Henry G. Brown, proprietor.

DOC. BROWN / THE / OWL / COR 6 TH & ALDER STS // GOOD FOR 6¼ / CENTS / IN TRADE

The fourth token has an error in the address, Bronze 21mm.

After learning of these four tokens, I found another on eBay.

THE OWL / 126 N. HOWARD ST. // GOOD FOR / 5 / ¢ / IN TRADE

This token does not mention Brown but is for his Spokane saloon, Brass, 21mm.

This token is no longer available on eBay, I bought it.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
H. G. BROWN (1852-1911) (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n07a19.html)

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 23, 2025

Siege Coin Library offered
Author and researcher Larry Korchnak writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGZUdrUPtmt/?igsh=YXY5c3huZ2VkYnpo

A Note from Bill Rosenblum
Bill Rosenblum writes:

R.W. Julian on the Cent and Nickel
Researcher and author R.W. Julian writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
THE PENNY PURGE: COMMON CENTS OR CENTSLESS? (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n07a29.html)

Carson City Mint History
Richard Kelly writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
1871 CARSON CITY MINT DOCUMENTS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n07a20.html)

More on the Butterfield's Proof Error Coin Auction
Mike Byers writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
SAN FRANCISCO SAFE DEPOSIT BOX ERROR HOARD (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n07a15.html)

Oval Office Lincoln Plaque Query

Scott wrote:

To read the complete article, see:
White House bars AP reporter from Oval Office because of AP style policy on ‘Gulf of America' (https://apnews.com/article/trump-ap-journalism-first-amendment-8a83d8b506053249598e807f8e91e1ae)

Today's Zurich Coin Fair
Jeff Starck writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 9, 2025 : 1977 Zurich Show Photo (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n06a09.html)
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 16, 2025 : More on Zurich Coin Fairs (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n07a16.html)

Cruikshank Forgery Hanging Satirical Note

To read the collection entry, see:
print; satirical print; banknote; skit note (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1978-U-955)

THE MYHERITAGE PHOTO ENHANCER

I subscribe to the genealogy site MyHeritage.com mainly for the Photo Enhancer program. It is designed to improve family photographs, but I found it can be used to enhance and colorize all sorts of old photos, including coin collection catalog plates.

As an example of an enhancement of a photograph of a person, below is an enhanced and colorized photo of an individual from the NARA Secret Service counterfeiting file.

The October 18, 1888 New York Times reported that Angilina Arsena was sentenced to “two days and $1 fine for passing counterfeit dimes.”

And just for kicks I ran both the colorized Parmelee and Stickney catalog photos through the colorizing again and made some noticeable changes. I originally thought that it was a one-time process, but apparently, it can build on itself. The screenshots of the Parmelee and Stickney catalogs are from the Newman Numismatic Portal.

VOCABULARY TERMS: REGISTRY, REGULATED GOLD

Registry. A list of subscribers to limited issue objects recorded by serial number, or a list of owners of individual medals. Listing the names in a registry exists only as far as original purchasers or owners; obviously these people can dispose of their medals without notifying or changing the registry. Also issuers maintain a registry for items, as key tag medals, which bear a serial number on the back (often with a statement to drop the ring of keys in a mailbox, the issuer will guarantee postage). The medals are issued with a card bearing the same number as stamped on the medal with request to mail the card back to the issuer. Then lost keys can be returned to the owner by use of this registry.

Access to a registry would be useful in traceable research, or in compiling a pedigree or provenance (for more valuable medals). Registries of these medal owners have frequently been created but are usually destroyed when the issuers go out of business (these lists are so seldom archived that this research can rarely occur).

Regulated Gold. In Colonial American era a practice of identifying full weight of a gold coin by counterstamp of a private firm. The custom was short lived and existing coins with such a COUNTERSTAMP are exceedingly rare. The famed New York goldsmith Ephraim Brasher placed his EG initial punch mark on gold coins he guaranteed full weight. While this is observed only on gold coins, the practice is somewhat comparable to CHOP MARKS in the Orient where it was more prevalent on silver coins. See also PLUG, SHROFF.

To read the complete entry on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Registry (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516609)

EDWIN VINCENT PAUL QUAGLIANA (1921-2007)

The Winter 2024 edition of The Asylum had my article, “An Incomplete Listing of Coin Columnists.” I got a note mentioning one who had been overlooked.

Edwin Vincent Paul Quagliana was born in Farnham, New York, on April 19, 1921, the son of Charles Quagliana (1881-1966) and Bertha Maud Robinson (1890-1975). Charles was a canning factory foreman.

At Albion High School, class of 1939, Edwin was a football player, president of the camera club and editor of the Clarion-Echo weekly.

In 1940 he entered Hamilton College and played tackle on their football team. His schooling was interrupted when he was drafted in 1942. He served briefly in the Coast Artillery and received a medical discharge.

After military service, he was employed by Bell Aircraft Corp. In 1946 he worked for the frozen foods division of Birdseye.

He was married to Anne Marie Brunetti (1921-2004) in Albion, New York, on October 15, 1946. They had three children: Peter, Joan and Mary.

Quagliana was employed as a bacteriologist with Genesee Brewing Co. in Rochester. He returned to school part-time and received a B. S. from The University of Rochester in 1959. Later he was employed with Eastman Kodak Co as an analytical chemist in their industrial laboratory.

Ed joined the ANA in July 1962 as ANA member R-45954.

Quagliana was an active member of The Rochester Numismatic Association in the 1950s. He was elected treasurer in 1959 and president for 1962-63. He appears on one of their presidential medals. Later he was club curator 1963-66. He was an advisor for the Rochester Junior Numismatic Association and named an honorary life member.

Quagliana was hired by The Franklin Mint in 1972 as public relations and sales representative. He was named director of collector relations in 1980. He attended eastern coin shows and made many public appearances promoting the company. He retired in 1982.

Quagliana held several offices with local and regional numismatic organizations. In 1974 he was named by the ANA as Outstanding Adult Advisor of the Young Numismatists. In 1983-85 he was first vice president and in 1986-88 he was elected president of the Great Eastern Numismatic Association. He was also president of the Philadelphia Coin Club in 1985, and the Empire State club. In 1985 he was named a Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador. In the lates 1990s he was a promoter for the West Chester Coin Club.

Quagliana served on the board for the Token and Medal Society (TAMS) twice. He collected medals of distinguished Italian Americans.

In the early 1990s, Ed contributed a coin column to the Daily Local News of West Chester, Pennsylvania. He also attended the local coin club. One star-struck young numismatist attending was John Kraljevich. That column earned Ed the 1993 NLG Maurice M. Gould Memorial Award.

He wrote a weekly coin column. “Youth in Numismatics,” for Coin World beginning in 1974. He also had a column in Suburban and Wayne Times that received an NLG award in 1988.

In 2000 he was named The Outstanding Numismatist in Central Pennsylvania nominated by the West Chester Coin Club.

Ed died in Albion, New York, on May 21, 2007. He is buried with Anne in Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Albion.

Selections from his library were sold at auction by Frank and Laurese Katen on February 1, 1986.

 

ATLAS NUMISMATICS SELECTIONS: FEBRUARY 23, 2025

1081639 | GREEK. CARIA. Cos (Kos or Cys), Islands off Caria. Struck circa 280-250 BC. AR Tetradrachm. NGC AU? (About Uncirculated ?) Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5 Fine Style. Cos Island, Greece. 15.22gm. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / K-OIO-N / ?ANTI??OS. Crab above inscription and quiver within dotted square. HGC 6# 1308.

Ex. Numismatica Ars Classica 29 (11 May 2005) Lot 209.

$14,950

To read the complete item description, see:
Fine Style Cos Tetradrachm (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1081639/)

1081713 | GREEK. PTOLEMAIC KINGS OF EGYPT. Arsinoe II Philadelphos. (Wife of Ptolemy II, died 270/268 BC). Issued after c.193/2 BC. AV Mnaieion – 'Oktadrachm'. NGC MS (Mint State) Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5. Alexandria mint. 27mm. 27.62gm. Head right with ram's horn, veiled and wearing stephanos; lotus-tipped scepter in background, K to left /APSINOHS FI?A?E?FOY. Double cornucopia, grape bunches hanging at sides, bound with fillet. CPE II (forthcoming); K-48 (Obverse die 59); Svoronos 1498-1499. SNG Copenhagen 321-322. Superb lustrous surfaces.

Ex. Arthur J. Frank Collection (Nomos FPL [Winter-Spring 2009]), no. 89; Jules Furthman Collection (Reportedly Ex. Abe Kosoff FPL [1965-1966]), no. 86; Reportedly Ex. George Bauer Collection. Unfortunately the Kosoff FPL is unillustrated save for the cover coin but lot 87 is an oktodrachm of this type, weight 27.4, ex George Bauer Collection.

$69,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Mint State Arsinoe Mnaieion or Oktadrachm (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1081713/)

1081810 | FRANCE. Louis-Philippe. 1844 AR Medal. PCGS SP64. By Klagmann & Fournera. Edge: (hand) ARGENT. 68mm. Medallion containing head of Louis-Philippe facing left, wearing oak wreath; two draped allegorical female figures, with altar between and lamp upon ornate base below / Perspective interior view of the library upon an ornately decorated base. To commemorate the first stone laid for the Sainte-Geneviève Library, Paris.

$1,950

To read the complete item description, see:
Sainte-Geneviève Library Medal (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1081810/)

1080995 | GERMAN STATES. Cologne. Joseph I. (Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy, 1705-1711). 1705 AR Thaler. NGC MS64+. 29.12gm. VIDI LVNAM ADORARE ME. City view with denomination and date below /IOSEPHVS.I.D:G.ROM IMPERATOR.SEMP.AVG. Laureate and armored bust facing right. KM 402; Dav.-2183; Noss 568; Weiler 135; cf. Baur 3318. In homage to Emperor Joseph I. Superb and exceptional; conservatively graded.

$34,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Exceptional Cologne City View Thaler (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1080995/)

1081206 | GREAT BRITAIN. Victoria. (Queen, 1837-1901). 1839 AR Crown. PCGS PR64. Edge: Plain. VICTORIA DEI GRATIA. Head left / BRITANNIARUM REGIBA FID: DEF:. Crowned arms within branches. KM 741; SCBC-3882; ESC-2560 (Prev. ESC-279).

$65,000

To read the complete item description, see:
Victoria "Young Head" Proof Crown (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1081206/)

1081847 | GREAT BRITAIN. Elizabeth II. (Queen, 1952-2022). 1957 AV Sovereign. PCGS SP65. By Mary Gillick (Obv.). Laureate bust right / St. George slaying the dragon. KM 908. Proof; SCBC-4124; Marsh 297 Variant. An exceedingly rare and quite possibly unique specimen striking with a satin finish completely different from both the deep cameo proof strikings and matte circulation strikings; other satin specimen examples of different dates all came from the same A.H. Baldwin list of July 2016 (all from the basement reserve items). Unlisted in all references at present.

Ex A. H. Baldwin & Sons list, July 2016.

$44,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Exceedingly Rare Satin Specimen Sovereign (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1081847/)

1080855 | SWISS CANTONS. Basel. 1741 I - HM (Johann Jakob Handmann I, Mintmaster) AR 1/2 Thaler. PCGS MS64. 13.07gm. City view and date below assorted shields / DOMINE · CONSERVA · NOS · IN · PACE ·. Basilisk facing right holding oval arms of Basel at lower left. KM 147; HMZ 2-100h; Dive/Tobler 756.

$4,250

To read the complete item description, see:
Superb Basel 1/2 Thaler (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1080855/)

Updates to their online inventory are issued monthly.

For more information and to sign up for the firm's monthly newsletter, visit:
atlasnumismatics.com.

NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: FEBRUARY 23, 2025

103081 | GREAT BRITAIN. England. James I with Prince Charles silver faux-engraved Jeton or Gaming Counter. Issued circa 1625-1629/30. Series 1: James I & Prince Charles (27mm, 2.30 g, 12h). By the school of Simon van der Passe. GIVE THY IVDGEMENTS O GOD UNTO T(HE) KING, ermine-mantled bust of James facing slightly right, wearing elaborate collar and hat with brim and jewel // AND THY RIGHTEOVSNESSE UNTO T(HE) KINGS SONNE, mantled bust of Charles facing slightly right, wearing elaborate collar. Mitchener 4784. Choice Very Fine. Deeply toned. Includes old dealer ticket from Robert Ball in Berlin. Compare to a similar example that realized a total of $480 in the recent 19 February 2025 CNG e-sale, lot 1018. $295.

Gambling and games of chance have served as a form of entertainment and excitement during much of recorded history in one way or another, and many of these games necessitate some form of accounting during play. In early modern Europe, jetons were commonly employed for these purposes and allowed for skilled engravers to promote their artistry. One such engraver was Simon van der Passe, born in Utrecht circa 1585.

Van der Passe worked in England from 1616–1621/2, having founded a school after being exempted from the royal monopoly given previously to Nicholas Hilliard. This exemption allowed for the "graving and imprinting medailles" and small portraits of the king, and van der Passe utilized his technique for the production of numerous series of jetons or gaming counters, initially employing portraits of the Stuarts, James I and later Charles I with his wife, Henrietta Maria. Though Simon would return to Holland in 1621/2, his London-based school continued under the management of his brother, William. Subsequent issues of these jetons would feature Gustav Adolph and his wife, Maria Eleonora, the sovereigns of England, 'classical portraits' of historical and biblical figures, 'street cries,' and the commonwealth.

Of even greater interest and debate among numismatists over the past century has been the method of manufacture of these jetons. Their appearance at first glance would lead one to believe that they have been individually engraved owing to their incuse design. It is thought that, in fact, these ornate counters were skillfully cast and polished in order to generate this 'faux-engraved' effect.

To read the complete item description, see:
103081 | GREAT BRITAIN. England. James I with Prince Charles silver Jeton. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/103081)

103087 | GERMANY. Augsburg. Engraved brass and wood Perpetual Calendar. Issued circa 1675 (80mm x 60mm x 9mm, 45.01 g). Three pieces in brass, with two disks and backing hand engraved and fully functioning; left disk: various bands with text and applicable cutout to reveal the corresponding information when spun: "FEST VNDE EVERTAG" (feasts and their days), "Monath des Jahrs" (months of the year), "Sonen lauff" (running sun sign [zodiac]), and "leng Tag / leng Nacht" (length of day/night); right disk: one band with text and applicable cutout to reveal the corresponding information when spun: "Perpetuum Calendarium", with central panel reading downward at 90º angle, the days of the week (Sont, Mont, Dingst, Mitw, Donnerst, Freyt, Sam), along with their respective symbols (¤, ?, ??, ?, ?, ??, ?); backing: below left disk, engraving pertaining to saints' days and festivals, the beginning of each zodiac sign, a depiction of the zodiac sign, and numbers pertaining to the hours of day/night; below right disk, circular band with the numbers 1 through 31, representing the day in the month in question; charming floral-like scrollwork in the margins. Cf. Numismagram item 102676 (for a similar issue from around the same period and region); cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC) accession 03.21.70 (for a similar example of Dutch origin); cf. British Museum accession 1888,1201.332 (for a similar example); cf. Christie's 3025 (27 March 2013), lot 3 (for a similar example of Dutch origin, which realized a hammer of £3,500 [~$4,300, plus buyer's fee]). Choice Very Fine. Some minor staining of the brass near the screws; otherwise quite pleasing and fully intact. A very rare survivor of the type, much more so as a one-sided dual-disked piece mounted to wood, as opposed to the many others of the type, which usually feature the disks on opposite sides from one another. $1,295.

Though manners of marking the days are seemingly ubiquitous now, with not just printed calendars on nearly every wall, but at one's fingertips in the form of smartphones and watches, this certainly wasn't always the case, especially centuries ago. As such, perpetual calendars like this example allowed the bearer the instant ability to know vital stats about that time of year, such as approximate sunrise and sunset, length of day and night, beginning of the next zodiac sign, and what day of the week it was. Similar to the various "skins" and cases for one's smartphone, these perpetual calendars also had hand engraving to make them unique for their respective owner. In the case of this example, a backing upon wood to help it further live up to the rigors of time spent in one's pocket.

On account of the first days of each zodiac sign, it becomes obvious that this example was produced in a time and region that still adhered to the Julian calendar, which steadily fell out of sync with the Gregorian calendar adopted in 1582 by decree of Pope Gregorius XIII. It is likely that this calendar dates to the latter part of the 17th century in Protestant Germany, as Prussia had already adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1610, and Catholic-leaning states in Germany had adopted it between 1583 and 1585, just after the papal decree. Augsburg also seems likely as a city of manufacture, as one of the saints' days referenced is that of Ulrich, the patron saint of Augsburg, whose feast day is 4 July, as mentioned here.

To read the complete item description, see:
103087 | GERMANY. Augsburg. Engraved brass and wood Perpetual Calendar. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/103087)

102892 | GERMANY. Scarcity of Living Space cast bronze Medal. Dated 1921. "Wohnungsnot 1921"—on the scarcity of living space following World War I (59mm, 66.18 g, 12h). By Karl Goetz in München. WAS–AUCH HIER NOCH EIN / WOHNRAUM? ("what, yet another living room?"), housing inspector standing facing, opening the door to a bathroom; disgruntled family to right // View of the typical living conditions: triple bunk bed, with each lower bunk shared by two individuals; small child sleeps in the drawers of a chest; a baby is sleeping in a wicker basket under the table; the child standing in the center of the room is urinating into a chamber pot. Edge: Plain. Kienast 280. Choice Mint State. Deeper brown surfaces. $565.

Following the ravages of World War I, the scarcity of living space allowed for a very small amount of square footage per person, and was enforced by inspectors who would record and utilize any surplus space. During this time, three to four families could be crammed into just one apartment, leading to obvious poor conditions and public outcry. Upload: 17 February 2025.

To read the complete item description, see:
102892 | GERMANY. Scarcity of Living Space cast bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102892)

103103 | GERMANY. Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin silver Medal. Issued 1929. Commemorating the world tour of the LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin (50mm, 12h). By Mayer & Wilhelm in Stuttgart. Z. ER. A. D. WELTFAHRT D. L. Z. 127 / 33737 Km. 287 Std. 36' / AUG.1929, capped bust right within inset hexagon // 15. 8. / FRIEDRICHSHAFEN 19. 8. / TOKIO 26. 8. / LOS ANGELES 29. 8. / LAKEHURST, view of the Earth from above, focused upon the North Pole, with the continents of Europe, Asia, and North America highlighted, along with the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Hans Kaiser 500.1; Button 252; Joos a.585; Bernd Kaiser V, 734a. PCGS SP-65. Deeply toned and exceptionally lustrous, with hues of cabernet, aquamarine, and cobalt enlivening it throughout. Exceedingly impressive, especially this well preserved, and the finest of three observed in the PCGS census. $895.

Zeppelin was a German general and aircraft manufacturer, who later founded the airship company Luftschiffbau Zeppelin. Following Zeppelin's death in 1917, Dr. Hugo Eckener became the head of this company and oversaw post-war fundraising to expand upon its production, even serving as commander for the LZ 127 on numerous occasions. When this airship first entered use, it was the first commercial passenger transatlantic flight service in the world, eventually making 590 flights over nearly a decade. In 1940, she was scrapped for metal for the German efforts in World War II. Here, four of the stops of the airship on its world tour are highlighted, beginning at Friedrichshafen on 15 August, and then continuing to Tokyo on the 19th, Los Angeles on the 26th, and Lakehurst, New Jersey on the 29th.

To read the complete item description, see:
103103 | GERMANY. Graf von Zeppelin silver Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/103103)

102993 | GREAT BRITAIN, IRAN & CANADA. "Hands and Grille I" cast gilt bronze openwork Plaque. Issued 2006 (92mm x 63mm, 148.88 g, 12h). By Parviz Tanavoli for the British Art Medal Society, and cast by Sarber Jewellers in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Two hands clinging to a grill // Fingertips of those same two hands on the grill bars. Edge: Plain. The Medal 50, p. 66, 2 & p. 95 (and also serving as the front and back cover art for the issue); Silich I, 392. Essentially as Made. Brassy yellow surfaces, with an intricately tactile nature. Fairly scarce and impressive, with a total output of just 60 pieces. Compare to a similar example, the aforementioned Silich specimen, which realized a total of £2,480 (˜ $3,161) in March 2024 [Noonan's], and a vastly inferior example which realized a total of £1,750 (˜ $2,160) in June 2022 [Ewbank's]. $2,095.

In "The Medal" 50, the writeup for this medal mentions that "...Parviz Tanavoli was born in Tehran in 1937. He trained at Tehran's High School for Fine Arts and the Accademia di Belle Arti, Carrara, Italy, and from 1958 to 1960 worked under Marino Marini at the Brera Academy in Milan. After a spell of teaching at the Minneapolis College of Arts and Design, USA, he returned to Iran, where he was head of sculpture at Tehran University until 1979. He is now Iran's foremost sculptor and lives in Tehran and Vancouver, Canada. Hands and Grille is one of Tanavoli's first medals. The artist explains: 'I was inspired by Shi'ite Pilgrims who grab the grilles of shrines and talk to their Imam and ask him for help.'"

A further article in the same publication written by Marcy Leavitt Bourne provides further context on the basis for this medal. "Tanavoli has worked not only on a very large scale but also on a small scale, in making jewellery, and therefore, when invited by Philip Attwood to make a medal for BAMS, he was intrigued. 'I didn't have any idea that medals had come so far. The British Museum really opened a door. The scale didn't scare me. It was not unfamiliar to me. But what I have tried to do is to reduce, to minimise, to concentrate these themes on a smaller scale. I said, 'Okay, let me do something that I have done before, but in a larger scale in bronze, and I will do these in a smaller scale.' The medal Hands and Grille, produced for BAMS, in a curious way relates to locks. At first sight of the obverse, one might identify in one's imagination with someone contained or trapped, looking to the outside. Quite the reverse is true. These small, rounded hands, with delicate digits, each gently inserted into the grid, belong to a supplicant, clinging from the outside to the grille that surrounds the tomb (emamzadeh) of an Imam, asking, hoping, that the problems they have brought to him will be unlocked in his presence. This is a theme I have been working with, inspired from the Shi'ite Muslims who go to the shrines and put their hands on the grilles. They can say their vows, and they pray, and they can talk to the Imam. They have a lively conversation with their Imam. It is very impressive, actually, to see all these hands on these grilles, hundreds of them? Within the shrine, made in the manner of a small room, is the tomb of an Imam, one usually of some historic importance. Unlike, for instance, the Catholic confessional, where one receives an answer, here the faithful worshippers must solve their own problems. 'They tie strings to the grilles. The string is symbolic of locks, as they were traditionally used in locks. With the string you lock up. You make a knot and lock it up to the grille in order to unlock your problems. The philosophy is that to touch the grille is a reminder of the holy man who is buried there. You tie something up with a lock in order to remind him of your wish, and you hope by tying it, by locking the lock, that it unlocks your problems.' In the Middle East the imagery of the grille would resonate immediately. With what Westernised eyes one looks at works of art from another culture. The medal is about neither prison nor politics, but about the life of the soul. The reverse of the medal would be the view across the tomb, seeing on the opposite side all the fingers of those praying to the Imam. One could almost see them as rows of little heads, in a different scale. From both front and back, the hands are contained within the grille framework, overlapping only where the wrist would come, were they more realistic. The thumb is faceted, starting with a slightly inclined tip, not rounded, but as if it were the beginning of a letter, written with a large downward sweep of a calligraphic brush. Multiple meanings are vested in hands, in art from the Middle East perhaps even more so than in Western art. Because depiction of the human form is proscribed by the Shi'ite faith, the human hand expresses a whole artistic language for the sculptor."

To read the complete item description, see:
102993 | GREAT BRITAIN & IRAN. "Hands and Grille I" cast gilt bronze Plaque (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102993)

 

DAVISSONS AUCTION 44 BRITISH SELECTIONS

Auction 44, our premier annual sale, is online now! Closing Wednesday, March 12th 2025. Read on as we discuss the pieces chosen for our catalog cover, plus one more.

The stars of the cover and the sale are the two queens, cousins and competitors…gold coins related to Mary Stuart and the crown from the final year of the life of Elizabeth I. These two towering figures from the 16th century now lie near each other in Westminster Abbey.

For Mary—a Lion (20 shillings) from early in her life before she was married to Francis along with a ducat from the reign of her father whose early death resulted in her becoming queen as a six-day old infant. She grew up in the French court with Francis, heir to the French throne, who became her first husband. This happy marriage ended with his premature death in 1560 when she was just 18. Her life from then on took several turns —often bad turns that were partly her own fault—ending finally in 1569 after 19 years in captivity when she was 44. Elizabeth signed the death warrant with some reluctance along with several other unrelated documents as a way of softening the significance of the act. When informed of the execution, Elizabeth was in shock and claimed that she had signed as a precaution and that the warrant was to be held, not filled.

For Elizabeth, a silver crown with a “2” mintmark reflecting the final year of her reign. She died in March 1603, aged 69, and had ruled England for 45 years. By the time of her death, Elizabeth had deteriorated physically. She regretted the death of Mary for the rest of her own life. Their kinship and relationship is a 16th century tale of tragedy. The whole story is much more complex than the relationship of these two women. Mary was cast into uncertainty and intrigue by some of her followers and accused by some of her many enemies. Elizabeth was a strong queen but not so strong as her father, Henry VIII, who kept his courtiers and consultants under control. Elizabeth was influenced by figures like William Cecil, Francis Walsingham and others concerned about their own power under Elizabeth.

Though not included on the cover, the three pound piece or portrait ryal of Mary completes the set of Scottish gold offered here. This is the only portrait struck in gold available for Mary Queen of Scots. The issue was produced while the teenaged Mary was in the French court of Henry II, betrothed to his son the Dauphin Francis. Her likeness was probably taken from a chalk drawing, now in the French Bibliotheque Nationale, by Francois Clouet, a French Renaissance miniaturist and painter most famous for his detailed portraits of the French royal family.

And there is more to see once you pass the cover! We will be back with a few select highlights from each section of the sale between now and the close on March 12th.

To browse the online and print catalogs, see:
https://davcoin.com/sale/Printed%20Auction%2044
https://davcoin.com/pdf-viewer/52964

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
DAVISSONS AUCTION 44 ANNOUNCED (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n07a23.html)

HERITAGE AUCTIONS: INDIA WORLD & ANCIENT COINS

Mughal Empire. Aurangzeb Alamgir gold Mohur AH 1098 Year 30 (1687) MS63 NGC, Shahjahanabad mint, KM315.42. Appearing almost as if dipped in buckwheat honey and bearing a crisp, easily legible strike, this admirable example eclipses the broad majority of Mohurs on the market.

To read the complete item description, see:
Mughal Empire. Aurangzeb Alamgir gold Mohur AH 1098 Year 30 (1687) MS63 NGC, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/india/mughal-empire/india-mughal-empire-aurangzeb-alamgir-gold-mohur-ah-1098-year-30-1687-ms63-ngc-/a/61480-23078.s)

British India. William IV Proof Restrike 1/2 Rupee 1835.-(c) PR64 PCGS, Calcutta mint, KM449.2, S&W-1.59. Type C/III Raised "F". Caribbean Sea blue cut by swathes of russet and tangerine. This stunner is long on eye appeal.

To read the complete item description, see:
British India. William IV Proof Restrike 1/2 Rupee 1835.-(c) PR64 PCGS, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/india/british-india/india-british-india-william-iv-proof-restrike-1-2-rupee-1835-c-pr64-pcgs-/a/61480-23101.s)

Tripura. Durga Manikya silver Tanka (Rupee) ND (1809-1821) AU55 NGC, KM475. Tripura coins are among the only in the world that consistently cite the names of both the king and queen (here, citing Queen Sumitra). Despite being struck as presentation pieces, nineteenth-century coins from Tripura-when found-often exhibit some circulation wear. This battleship-gray specimen is the only example registered at NGC and will surely elicit enthusiasm among Princely States collectors.

To read the complete item description, see:
Tripura. Durga Manikya silver Tanka (Rupee) ND (1809-1821) AU55 NGC, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/india/tripura/india-tripura-durga-manikya-silver-tanka-rupee-nd-1809-1821-au55-ngc-/a/61480-23091.s)

INDIA. Kushano-Sasanian. Ardaxsir (Ardashir) I (ca. AD 230-245). AV dinar (25mm, 12h). ANACS MS 63. Uncertain mint in Bactria, Early Series, in the name of Vasudeva I. Þ-OONONO ÞOOBO-OONO VOBANO, Vasudeva I standing facing, nimbate head left, wearing diadem with ribbons to right, jeweled triangular helmet with forehead crescent, clad in full armor with long-sleeved knee-length tunic, coils covering arms, top as chain mail, shirt of plate mail, worn over trousers and high boots, sacrificing with right hand over altar at left, grounded trident in left hand, flames emanating from right shoulder; tetraskelion between feet, pellet above W/O with three pellets in right field / OhÞO, Ithyphallic Oesho (Siva) standing facing with two arms and single head surrounded by partial halo, hair in topknot with curls outlining face, wearing ankle-length dhoti with symmetrical folds, erect lingam, diadem in right hand, trident with annulet on shaft in left; the bull Nandi standing left in background, tamgha in left field, three pellets below bull's head, dotted border. Göbl MK 680. ANS Kushan -. Donum Burns -.

To read the complete item description, see:
INDIA. Kushano-Sasanian. Ardaxsir (Ardashir) I (ca. AD 230-245). AV dinar (25mm, 12h). ANACS MS 63. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/ancient-india/ancients-india-kushano-sasanian-ardaxsir-ardashir-i-ca-ad-230-245-av-dinar-25mm-12h-anacs-ms-63/a/61480-23031.s)

2025 NATIONAL STOCK CERTIFICATE SHOW

Buffalo Bill (William F) Cody-signed stock in the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, American Bank Note Co lithograph. Extremely rare and decorative share

1887 issued cancelled stock in the M-K-T Railroad issued to and signed verso by William Astor as shareholder

Stock certificate from 1902 in the National Ship Copper Plating Co. Two are known

1909 stock in the Chicago Subway Co issued to and signed verso by Thomas F(ortune) Ryan as shareholder. Unique

LEFT: Wayne Homren
RIGHT: Show organizers Bob and Judy Schell being interviewed by Brian Hanly Collector & Dealer for tickerhistory.com .

For more information on the International Bond & Share Society, see:
https://scripophily.org/

WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: FEBRUARY 23, 2025

On Tuesday, February 18, 2025 I left work a bit early and headed toward Vienna, VA, where I would pick up Kellen Hoard at the Metro Station before continuing on to the meeting of Nummis Nova, my Northern Virginia Numismatic social group. Kellen is a student at George Washington University in D.C., and he'd been coming as my guest since arriving in the area. But we hadn't seen him while he was doing a semester abroad. He really gets around. Now working an internship at the Brookings Institution, he interviewed for the position via zoom from Istanbul.

We were the last of the gang to arrive and slid onto the end of a long bench on one side of our table. While regulars Julian Leidman, Daryl Haynor, Wayne Herndon and Roger Burdette couldn't attend, most everyone was present. We were congregated in the Outback Steakhouse in Clifton, VA.

Tom Kays was among those wedged in on that cozy bench, and he offers this Aussie take on the evening.

Tom's Take
Crikey! Nummis Nova held a piss up down under at the new Outback Steakhouse in woop woop Clifton/Centerville, Virginia at the invitation of our host Steve Bishop. Heaps of rippers floated down table aside our tucker and many a cold one at this billabong. Fair dinkum mate, there were coins/tokens/medals including an 1872, copper, Argentine Republic, Shield of Valor for the assault on Curupaity; a 1912 “Military Order of the Serpent” with actual snake drop (crikey mikey) in brass from Atlantic City, New Jersey; three War of 1898 United States decorations for service in the West Indies, Spanish, and Philippines Campaigns; a Kingdom of Paeonia silver tetradrachm of Patraus (Circa 335 – 315 BC) featuring Apollo (with void at head) and horseman brandishing a spear; beautiful U.S. Silver dollars of 1795 (small eagle in Extra Fine), 1801 (Bolender-3 in AU-55), and rainbow toner uncirculated Morgan dollars of 1879-S and 1880-S; a twelve and a half cent, J. H. Marr “Pony Saloon” Token from Tombstone, Arizona (Territory); a brass token from the Philadelphia, Chestnut Street Theatre commemorating the 100th Performance of “Charley's Aunt” on February 11, 1895 (Charley's Aunt is a farce written in 1892 by Brandon Thomas, set at Oxford University and chock full of late Victoria titillation that still plays today); and aluminum die trials of Virginia Numismatic Association membership tokens from 1965. Pictured are some bonzer items.

Also, a small wooden case of random history unfolded with old coins, medals and tokens holding tales worthy of the antiquarian breadth and depth of knowledge your typical Nummis Nova inspector likely possesses. First appears a 1650 silver Ecú à la méche longue of young King Louis XIIII from Bordeaux, France; then a 1794 Calendar Token with the Sunday Figures from “toy man” James Davies of Birmingham, England; a bronze anonymous follis (Thompson Class G) of Romanus IV (circa AD 1068 – 1071) with portraits of Christ holding the Book of Gospels on one side and his mother the Virgin Mary on the other; an 1817 Portuguese colonial 960 Reis of Bahia, Brazil overstruck on an 1800-dated, Spanish colonial eight reales; a bronze two Prutot from the Jerusalem Mint of King Herod I “the Great” (circa 40 – 4 BC) showing an open diadem (crown) and on the reverse, a table of three curved legs standing on a platform in the Jewish Temple holding a vessel with two bent palm branches to either side, [the same King Herod who commanded three Wise Men to return and bring him word of the birth of any future kings] ; a 1703 silver shilling of Queen Anne of England marked with “Vigo” below bust, made from treasure captured from the Spanish Treasure Fleet at Vigo Bay in northern Spain in 1702; a curved ship's nail from the H.M.S. Bounty (one of the first artifacts recovered); a 1614 silver Half Thaler from Brunswick Wolfen-Buttel with Wildman gripping a tree; a counterfeit Hibernia copper of George III with date 17_3 (likely 1783 a year in which no such regal Irish coppers were made and with the third digit rendered ambiguous); a Death Medal for George III in white metal (Eimer 1122, circa 1820) by Thomas Wyon the Elder (Chief Engraver of Seals); an Irish copper “love token” engraved thusly: “William Richardson - Carpenter and Swan Appraiser – Newcastle Court – Temple Bar – Funerals Performed” once owned by David Schenkman / Dr. Ben Swanson / Chris Eimer; a bronze 1756-dated, Fall of Minorca Medal (Eimer 653) with legend “Brave Blakney Reward but to be given a cord – was Minorca sold for French gold” with vignette showing the payoff; and lastly a 1761 silver ducat from the Province of Zeeland in the Netherlands.

Perhaps you have similar bundles of world history in your coin collections, I hope better curated than these incoming oddments found stuck together in the same little box awaiting sorting and filing at their respective bank vaults.

Seeing as how we are bright sparks with nary a brogan between us, Nummis Nova folks also brought paper ephemera including a State of Missouri, One-Dollar Bearer Note (Secured by Pledge of Good Health), payable at the Laboratory of Dr. J. H. McLean – Homeopathic Maker of Liver and Kidney Balm for People and Vegetable Condition Powders for Horses and Cattle at Broadway and Biddle Streets in St Louis and a $5000 (in Gold Coin) Certificate of April 1892 from the American Exchange on deposit with the Bankers Association of Buffalo, New York.

Half-handy literature included: How Money is Coined: A Visit to the United States Mint, New Orleans by Greg Lambousy, The Fugio Coppers – A Simple Method for Identifying the Varieties with Rarity, Listing, and Price Guide by Alan Kessler, Small Change – California Small Denomination Gold and the Wreck of the Winfield Scott by The Ventura County Historical Society Quarterly, Volume 48, #1, The Shenandoah Pottery by A. H. Rice, with over 100 illustrations from 1929, and Coinage of Roman Egypt by Mike Markowitz, 2025.

From our evening in the Outback I give an Australian salute (wards off bush flies) and say, ‘G'day!

Wayne's Numismatic Literature
As usual, I brought some numismatic literature to the meeting (and more than usual since I missed January). While it's not unusual to include periodicals, this issue of the MCA Advisory from the Medal Collectors of America is different - I had it printed on demand after following a link on the club's website. This is a great option for clubs saving money by distributing their publication only electronically. I was curious about the quality, and was quite pleased. Bibliophiles can continue to build and bind their periodical runs.

The remaining items reflect my evolution as a collector. After having sold much of my numismatic library through Kolbe & Fanning, I had no plans to start collecting rarities again, and had literally sworn off collecting modern numismatic ephemera. But I caved and justified the ephemera because "it won't take up much space." Then I had a chance to acquire some older ephemera and justified that because they were items I hadn't had in my collection before. So when I saw offerings of books and pamphlets I hadn't owned before, it was easy to cave on those, too. New rule! So here are some recent purchases.

This 2009 publication from the University of Louisiana includes a short essay by Greg Lambousy on the history and operations of the New Orleans Mint. The bulk of the publication is a reprint of "How Money is Coined... A Visit to the United States Mint, New Orleans," an 1897 picture book published by E. S. Gardner of Des Moines, IA. I've never seen an original, and the Newman Portal does not have one. Do any of our readers have a copy?

Periodicals, especially those from historical societies, can hold a wealth of numismatic information not always found elsewhere. This issue of The Ventura County Historical Society Quarterly examines the California small denomination gold recovered from the wreck of the steamship Winfield Scott, which wrecked in December 1853. It includes an essay by Jack Totheroh, color coin images, notes and a bibliography, plus appendices with transcriptions of relevant contemporary letters.

When my daughter asked me for a Christmas list, the first thing I told her about was this new "Money in Art" book. I love money in art and since this includes a piece by my old friend J.S.G Boggs, I could add it to my Boggs shelf. I've been reading it off and on, and it's very well done. Given some free time I might write up a review someday. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.

The last book is non-numismatic (as far as I know - Banksy has done money art, but I'm not sure if that is covered here). I was one class short of a minor in Art History in college, and I'm looking forward to reading this one.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW BOOK: MONEY IN ART (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n38a03.html)

Advertising Note: Laboratory of Dr. J. H. McLean
Dave Schenkman brought this colorful advertising note for Dr. J. H. McLean's Homeopathic Liver & Kidney Balm. Nice vignette.

1895 Charley's Aunt Performance Token
Dave also brought an interesting theatre token.

Dave writes:

Can anyone help?

Schena's Scrip
Eric Schena brought some interesting paper items I'd never seen before.

Eric writes:

Virginia Numismatic Association Tokens
Eric also passed along photos of two interesting tokens from the Virginia Numismatic Association. These and the Patent office token in the next section were brought to the meeting by Dave Schenkman.

More Tokens and Medals
Finally, Eric's show-and-tell included these items as well.

Dave Schenkman writes:

Eric writes:

Very cool.

Steve's Types and Toners
Steve brought several U.S. coins, and he provided some photos, which don't always do them justice. They look nice in hand.

Wayne's Photos
Here are some of my photos from the evening.

From left: Steve Bishop,Jon Radel, Eric Schena, Dave Schenkman, Mike Packard, Mike Markowitz, Erik Douglas, Tom Kays, Chris Neuzil, Kellen Hoard

Clockwise from bottom right: Eric Schena, Dave Schenkman, Mike Packard, Mike Markowitz, Erik Douglas

No wonder I felt something was missing last month. No month is complete without an evening of numismatic fellowship. I'm already looking forward to March.

 

ANCIENT ROME LEAD POLLUTION TIED TO COINS

Gerry writes:

Lead pollution in ancient Rome was so high that it dropped the population's IQ by around 3 points, if not more.

Elites were exposed to lead through water pipes, cooking pots, bath tubs, cosmetics and the syrups that sweetened their wine. But the most widespread exposure for Romans came from industrial pollution caused by the mining and smelting of metals used to make money.

Romans melted down galena, a lead-rich ore, to extract the silver needed for coins, and lead was a major byproduct of the process.

“For every ounce of silver you produce, you might produce thousands of ounces of lead,” said Joseph McConnell, a climate and environmental scientist at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nev. “Nobody could escape it.”

McConnell and his colleagues estimated the Romans' lead exposure and reported the drop in IQ that epidemiologists have associated with that level of exposure.

They examined airborne lead that drifted north from ancient Rome and was preserved in ice cores extracted from Greenland and the Russian Arctic. The samples dated between 2,500 and 1,400 years ago—an era that included the rise and fall of the empire.

The researchers matched the chemical fingerprint of the lead found in the cores to lead sources in the empire, according to McConnell.

The findings, published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed that lead pollution peaked during a prosperous period known as the Pax Romana, when ancient Rome spanned portions of the Middle East, Europe and North Africa.

The researchers' models showed 3,300 tons to 4,600 tons of lead were emitted annually at the time, suggesting that ancient Romans had lead levels between 2 micrograms and 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood. Other research links that amount to a decline of around 3 IQ points.

To read the complete article (subscription required), see:
Ancient Rome Was So Polluted With Lead That IQs Dropped (https://www.wsj.com/science/environment/ancient-rome-lead-pollution-health-iq-058a3235)

KOREA MINT EXPLORES COMMEMORATIVES

As the global coinage industry undergoes a paradigm shift from traditional currency to collectible and artistic pieces, South Korea's state-run minting agency is looking to integrate its coin production with K-culture to develop a new high-value industry.

The Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (KOMSCO) announced on February 12 that it participated in the 2025 World Money Fair (WMF) in Berlin from January 29 to February 1, where it explored the latest trends in the international minting industry.

With the rapid digitization of payments reducing the need for circulation coins, the WMF showcased a shift away from traditional currency like South Korea's 100-won coin. Instead, the exhibition was dominated by commemorative and artistic coins that serve as collectibles rather than means of transaction. The event drew approximately 15,000 visitors from around the world.

Notable presentations included Canada's Royal Mint unveiling a 10-kilogram silver Maple Leaf coin, limited to just 299 pieces, which drew long lines for photo opportunities.

Against this backdrop, KOMSCO is positioning itself to pivot from producing circulation coins toward manufacturing and distributing high-value artistic coins. The declining use of 10-won and 100-won coins in South Korea has reinforced the need for this transition.

As part of its strategy, the agency plans to expand commemorative coin production for national events, historical landmarks, and cultural icons. Additionally, it is exploring the introduction of artistic coin programs modeled after those implemented by other countries to enhance their national branding.

Mark writes:

To read the complete article, see:
South Korea's Minting Industry Eyes Cultural Expansion as Coin Usage Declines (http://koreabizwire.com/south-koreas-minting-industry-eyes-cultural-expansion-as-coin-usage-declines/306646)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NEW BOOK: SOUTH KOREAN COINS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v25/esylum_v25n19a03.html)
NEW BOOK: PRICE GUIDE FOR KOREAN COINS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n31a04.html)
NEW BOOK: KOREAN COINS AT THE U.S. MINT (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a05.html)

 

COLONIAL GEORGIA COLORED SEALS, PART 3

To read the complete exhibit pages, see:
The Colored Seal Notes of Colonial Georgia (https://www.money.org/howlandwood2017/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
Colonial Georgia Colored Seals, Part 1 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n06a25.html)
Colonial Georgia Colored Seals, Part 2 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n07a31.html)

EBAY'S MOST EXPENSIVE BULLION COIN LOTS

An analysis of eBay's sales data also revealed the most expensive silver coins bought on the online marketplace, going for upwards of $23,000.

Today, rare coins often sell for thousands or even millions of dollars through platforms such as Heritage Auctions, APMEX, and eBay.

SD Bullion, a leading bullion dealer, analyzed eBay's sales data to uncover the most pricey gold and silver coins sold between November 2024 and January 2025, offering a glimpse into the high demand for precious metals.

The top three silver coin listings on eBay that sold between November 2024 and January 2025 each pulled in over $23,000.

Leading the list of silver coins sold on eBay was a bag containing 4,000 90% Silver Washington Quarters.

Despite its $1,000 face value, the bag sold for a whopping $23,271.

These coins are popular among investors due to their silver content, with each pre-1965 quarter containing 0.1808 troy ounces of silver and the bag totaling 723 ounces of the metal.

They are commonly known as "junk silver" - but don't let the name fool you.

"The moniker 'junk' just relates to the massive amount of this type of material that exists and isn't a commentary on its value as a precious metal itself," said Bennick.

"Silver is silver after all, regardless of whether it is in the form of bars or coins."

To read the complete article, see:
METAL MARVELS Top three most expensive gold coins sold on eBay worth up to $59,624 – but another material can also get you $23,000 (https://www.the-sun.com/money/13581474/most-expensive-gold-silver-coins-ebay-exclusive/)

MEMPHIS COIN CLUB SHOW

The Memphis Coin Club was founded in 1936, said Ray Brown, one of the club's leaders, and the coin show has been an annual event almost every year since. More than 50 dealers from across the South and Midwest packed into the arena Saturday to sell just about any type of coin you could imagine.

You could buy a Buffalo nickel for a dollar. One dealer had a table full of somewhat-mangled coins called “large cents” because, well, they're quite large and have a face value of one cent. You could pick any of them for nine bucks. Another table had a box full of old foreign coins, and you could pick one out for a couple of bucks.

In a neat little innovation to appeal to children, show organizers gave those younger than 12 $3 in “show money” — it looks like a dollar but is printed in purple — that could be used at any dealer's table to buy something (the show reimbursed the dealers afterward). What better way to hook kids into a hobby that has seen its popularity wane than let them get a cool old coin for free?

Of course, most of the items there cost a whole lot more than three bucks. Wes Mull, a dealer from Georgia, had an 1878 gold coin with a face value of $2.50. It was a proof coin, though, meaning one that was minted for show and not circulation. Perhaps 20 of them were made, and around a dozen are still known to exist. Price: $12,000.

Steve Ellsworth, a Nashville dealer, had one of the most valuable pieces at the show: a 1795 Jefferson Head cent. Those coins were produced outside the mint system by an independent businessman named John Harper who was hoping to get a contract to supply coins for the nascent country, according to the Professional Coin Grading Service. Ellsworth had an asking price of $59,500. Another of those pennies sold for $184,000 in 2012.

And the show didn't just feature collectible money. Dealers were also selling some jewelry as well as oddities such as coins minted with the face of Batman or the T. rex from Jurassic Park. But one of the most popular items was gold in any form. Dealers were both buying and selling the stuff.

To read the complete article, see:
Collectors pay pretty penny for rare coins (https://dailymemphian.com/section/arts-culture/article/50069/memphis-coin-club-landers-center-desoto-county-collectibles)

LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 23, 2025

The Numismatic Industry of Colorado

The clicking of the bulletproof 1930s vintage Brandt Coin Sorter and Counter is both constant and unforgettable, as it spits out coin after coin while Tim Jackson is busy talking shop to a recent visitor from behind his desk at the Corner Coin and Jewelry Inc.

To read the complete article (subscription required), see:
Colorado's coin industry rivals that of just about any other state in U.S. (https://denvergazette.com/news/colorados-coin-industry-rivals-that-of-just-about-any-other-state-in-u-s/article_d1108f28-f0b1-11ef-aa00-d713e8ffde1e.html)

L. E. Bruun: A Collector in His Time

To read the complete article, see:
L. E. Bruun: A Collector in His Time (https://new.coinsweekly.com/article-of-the-week/l-e-bruun-a-collector-in-his-time/)

Drawing Numismatists at the ANS Gala

I was led down to the sitting room, where Mohammed—a fellow caricaturist from Morocco—and I were soon stationed at a table, armed with markers and a stack of round coasters upon which we were to draw cartoons of esteemed guests for the ensuing hours…

The event was a gala for the American Numismatic Society's International Convention— an annual gathering of coin obsessives that is only rivalled by that of the International Philatelic Society's Convention. Yes, these are real things, and they are very passionate people. The round coasters had the logo on one side, and were blank on the obverse— this was where Mo and I were to draw people's faces where the effigy of a monarch would usually reside.

There should be a German word for the specific dread that comes with realizing you're about to draw caricatures of wealthy people on objects specifically designed to catch condensation.

I have a wee bit of experience designing coins, having made commemorative editions with the Perth Mint and Royal Australian Mint in 2011 and 2021 to celebrate the 90th & 100th anniversaries of Ginger Meggs

The numismatists approached our little station one by one, each with the barely contained excitement of someone about to be immortalized on bar paraphernalia. "I have an 1804 Silver Dollar," one ruddy-faced gentleman told me as I sketched his remarkably coin-like face. "Only fifteen known to exist". His tone had the same reverence I'd just heard in Peter Kuper's voice discussing Saxon's line.

To read the complete article, see:
Small Circles: On Drawing Numismatists and Finding Your Own Kind (https://www.newyorkcartoons.com/p/small-circles-on-drawing-numismatists)

ABOUT THIS ISSUE: FEBRUARY 23, 2025

Wayne Homren
Wayne Homren is the founding editor of The E-Sylum and a consultant for the Newman Numismatic Portal. His collecting interests at various times included U.S. Encased Postage Stamps, merchant counterstamps, Pittsburgh Obsolete paper money, Civil War tokens and scrip, Carnegie Hero Medals, charge coins and numismatic literature. He also collects and has given presentations on the work of Money Artist J.S.G. Boggs. In the non-numismatic world he's worked in artificial intelligence, data science, and as a Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Garrett Ziss
Garrett Ziss is a numismatic collector and researcher, with a focus on American paper money and early U.S. silver and copper coins. He is also a part-time U.S. coin cataloger for Heritage Auctions. Garrett assists Editor Wayne Homren by editing and formatting a selection of articles and images each week. When he's not engaged in numismatics, Garrett is a Senior Honors student at the University of Pittsburgh.

Pete Smith
Numismatic researcher and author Pete Smith of Minnesota has written about early American coppers, Vermont coinage, numismatic literature, tokens and medals, the history of the U.S. Mint and much more. Author of American Numismatic Biographies, he contributes original articles to The E-Sylum often highlighting interesting figures in American numismatic history.

Greg Bennick
Greg Bennick (www.gregbennick.com) is a keynote speaker and long time coin collector with a focus on major mint error coins and US counterstamps. He is on the board of both CONECA and TAMS and enjoys having in-depth conversations with prominent numismatists from all areas of the hobby. Have ideas for other interviewees? Contact him anytime on the web or via instagram @minterrors.

John Nebel
Numismatist, photographer, and ANS Board member and Fellow John Nebel of Boulder, CO helped the ANA and other clubs like NBS get online in the early days of the internet, hosting websites gratis through his Computer Systems Design Co. To this day he hosts some 50 ANA member club sites along with our coinbooks.org site, making the club and our E-Sylum archive available to collectors and researchers worldwide.

Bruce Perdue
Encased coinage collector (encasedcoins.info) Bruce Perdue of Aurora, Illinois has been the volunteer NBS webmaster from its early days and works each week to add the latest E-Sylum issue to our archive and send out the email announcement.