Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 2, Number 45:  November 7, 1999: 
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
   

SUBSCRIBER UPDATES  

   Just one new subscriber this week:  H. Douglas Owens of Utah, 
   Welcome aboard!    Issues sent to subscribers Tim Cooper and 
   Lance Ward have been bouncing back, so we've had to remove 
   them from the subscription list.  This brings our net subscriber 
   count to 246. 
   

ASYLUM ON THE WAY (REALLY)  

   We were premature in predicting two weeks ago that our print 
   journal, The Asylum, was on its way to members' mailboxes. 
   Due to a problem with ad copy, there was a delay in completing 
   the printing.  The hurdle is behind us now - the issue has been 
   printed and should be in the mail tomorrow.   We apologize for 
   any inconvenience. 
   

BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATED  

   NBS bibliographer Larry Mitchell has provided several 
   updates to the NBS General Numismatic Bibliography. 
   The updates are now incorporated into the NBS web 
   site:  http://www.coinbooks.org/ 
   

WARNER CATALOGUE HELPS RESEARCHER  

   Jan Monroe writes: "I would like to publicly thank David 
   Bowers for sharing the Wm. H. Warner & Brother catalogue. 
   This catalogue provided me with the source of two obscure 
   medals that are included in my book on state anniversary 
   medals that had previously been a mystery (at least to me). 
   Finding a new fact is like finding water in the desert. It gives 
   you encouragement to go on." 
   

GREAT DEBATE TAPES AVAILABLE  

   Gail Baker, ANA Education Director writes: "Tapes of the 
   "Great Debate" are available thru the ANA Library. They can 
   be borrowed -- free (except postage) to ANA members, or 
   purchased ($50).  These tapes cannot be copied - and I don't 
   just mean we don't want them copied - I mean it is not possible 
   to copy them.  

   The Numismatic Theater John Ford presented (on the same 
   subject) the next day was also taped - and is very interesting." 
   

CASE OF THE MISSING SERIAL NUMBERS  

   Having displayed an exhibit of printing errors on one dollar 
   notes at the P.A.N. show last week, I was naturally curious 
   when I noticed an ad which showed a U.S. dollar bill that 
   did NOT have any serial numbers.  Even more curious was 
   the fact that the Treasury Seal WAS present, an impossibility 
   since both the seal and the serial numbers are printed together 
   in the overprinting process.   The company is a new internet 
   firm called BuyerWeb, so I went to their web site and emailed 
   them my question:  

   "Is there a reason why the dollar bill atop the stack of cash in 
    your latest ads does not have the serial numbers printed on it? 
    Just curious... "  

   The response came one business day later: "Thanks for your 
   interest in our recent ad campaign. In response to your question, 
   it's my understanding that U.S. currency can not be reproduced 
   photographically without certain alterations.  Otherwise, it could 
   be considered counterfeiting.  

   Congratulations on your clever observation. The ad was 
   produced by our agency and no one here noticed the missing 
   serial numbers until you pointed it out."  

   I don't think erasing the serial numbers is one of the "certain 
   alterations" called for by the Treasury, but it's the thought that 
   counts... 
   

HIGLEY HISTORY BOOK  

   Back in the September 27, 1999 issue of COIN World, a 
   letter to the Editor by Christopher S. Riley, Chief Guide at the 
   Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine Museum in East 
   Granby, CT, mentioned a book which should be of interest 
   to collectors of U.S. Colonial coinage.   The letter commented 
   favorably on subscriber Dan Friedus' August 23rd article on 
   Higley coppers.   The museum honors America's first chartered 
   copper mine (1707), and Connecticut's first colonial prison 
   (1773),  used by the Continental Congress.  

   "We also carry copies of William Donovel's 1998 history of 
   "New Gate," which has an informative chapter on Dr. Samuel 
   Higley, his mine, and his tokens."  

   According to a Connecticut tourism web site, the address of 
   the museum is Newgate Road , East Granby, CT  06026. 
   Telephone:  (860) 653-3563. 
   

FEATURED WEB SITE  

   In honor of the upcoming Bowers & Merena sale of the Lucien 
   LaRiviere collection of Washingtonia, and the November 20th 
   Coinage of the Americas Conference (COAC) at the American 
   Numismatic Society (where a featured speaker is subscriber 
   George Fuld, "the doyen of scholars of Washingtonia."),  this 
   week's featured web site is a new section of the University of 
   Notre Dame Coin and Currency collections site, devoted to 
   Washington tokens.  

      http://www.coins.nd.edu/WashToken/  

  Wayne Homren 
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society 
   

  The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a 
  non-profit organization promoting numismatic 
  literature.   For more information please see 
  our web site at http://www.coinbooks.org/ 
  There is a membership application available on 
  the web site.  To join, print the application and 
  return it with your check to the address printed 
  on the application.   For those without web access, 
  contact Dave Hirt, NBS Secretary-Treasurer, 
  5911 Quinn Orchard Road, Frederick, MD 21701  

  (To be removed from this mailing list 
   write to me at whomren@coinlibrary.com)