Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 7, Number 07, February 15, 2004:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2004, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


SUBSCRIBER UPDATE

  Among recent new subscribers is Clifford Mishler.  He writes:
  "This afternoon I was spending some time reading the contents
  of The Asylum quarterly journal of the NBS for the Fall of 2003,
  which arrived in today's mail. When I happened upon the "Get
  on Board" notice relative to E-Sylum subscriptions, as I've
  never previously reacted to related notifications, I thought I
  should do so at this time.  While I certainly do not consider
  myself an active bibliophile in any sense of the word, now that
  I'm retired from Krause, and somewhat on the outside looking
  in where active interaction with the numismatic field is concerned,
  I guess I should establish this contact point to help me keep in
  the swim of things. If you'll add me to the subscription list I'll
  appreciate it."

  Welcome aboard!   We now  have 628  subscribers.


CENTRAL STATES NBS MEETING

  Numismatic Bibliomania Society President Pete Smith
  writes: "There will be an NBS meeting during the Central States
  convention in Milwaukee.  The meeting is scheduled
  for Saturday, May 8, at 1 PM in room 202E."


CANADIAN NUMISMATIC BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATE

  [The following update has been delayed in publishing because
  of email difficulties between Darryl Atchison and myself.  I'm
  sorry for any inconvenience this has caused the committee or
  those awaiting the book's publication.  -Editor]

  Dear Friends:

  On behalf of the Canadian Numismatic Bibliography Committee
  I am pleased to provide you with some current news on the
  project's progress. We have been appreciative of the wide
  support this project has received in the form of inquiries,
  advanced sales and the volunteer efforts of many individuals.

  Most importantly, as the proofreaders correct incomplete,
  missing and erroneous citations, the text of the document
  continues to be revised and improved. Those readers who
  had the opportunity to review the sample Bibliography at the
  C.N.A. 2003 Convention will be impressed with how it has
  evolved in detail and graphic design.

  A second aspect of the Bibliography is its commitment to fine
  illustrations.  We are gratified and in debt to many individuals
  and institutions as they willingly opened their picture archives
  to us.  These pictures are being converted to digital form and
  are being enhanced in preparation for publication.

  It has come as a surprise to all committee members at
  how much work is involved in bringing the manuscript to a
  print-ready state. As we work at greater levels of detail, the
  scope and magnitude of the task increases.  Original estimates
  for publication in 2003 have proved unrealistic. A revised
  objective for release at the C.N.A. 2004 Convention is now
  thought to be similarly optimistic. That being said, it is now our
  objective to achieve print production of the Canadian
  Numismatic Bibliography before the end of 2004.

  Should any pre-publication subscribers find this arrangement
  to be unacceptable, we are, of course, prepared to make a full
  refund upon request.  The Committee is confident, however, of
  how well received and indispensable a volume the Bibliography
  will prove to be. Pre-publication sales are now closed, but
  remainder copies will be offered at publication price as soon as
  the initial distribution is complete.

  Should you have questions or comments, please contact either
  Ron Greene at ragreene at telus.net or Darryl Atchison at
  tchisondf at hotmail.com and we will do our best to address all
  concerns.

  The C.N.B. Committee
 --------------------------

  I would like to add the following personal comments to the
  statement above.

  First of all, I would like to apologize for the inconvenience that
  this delay may cause anyone.  While we have all worked as
  hard as possible to get the text completed, we really had no
  conception of just what sort of difficulties we might encounter
  along the way or just how long it was going to take to proofread
  the manuscript.  Nonetheless, the proofreaders are progressing
  and - as stated above - their work is adding immensely to the
  finished text.

  However, there is one area specifically that will cause us the
  biggest delay overall and that is in regards to the illustrations
  mentioned above.  Yes, we have been incredibly fortunate that
  many individuals and institutions have provided us with a superb
  range of illustrations.  Unfortunately, however, the vast majority
  of these were not - and still are not - in a digital (i.e. printable)
  format.  Without counting, we estimate that we currently have
  approximately 300 photographs, etc. that must be converted to
  a usable digital format (i.e. the images must be scanned,
  cleaned-up and ready for cropping, editing and insertion into
  the manuscript).

  On behalf of he review committee, I would like to ask if there is
  anyone out there in the E-Sylum readership who can offer us
  assistance in converting these pictures to good quality digital
  images.  Ideally we need someone who has the equipment (i.e.
  a good-quality high-speed scanner) and the time and ability
  to do this work.  I feel it necessary to state up front that such
  assistance would have to be provided on a strictly voluntary
  basis as this project is both non-funded and non-commercial
  (i.e. none of the authors and contributors are being paid to
  either produce the text or to publish it).

  I am very confident that if there is someone out there who is
  willing and able to provide us with this assistance we can
  greatly reduce the delay and get the finished text out much
  sooner than the "end of 2004".

  I can only ask for everyone's patience and understanding as
  we continue to work towards producing a text of which we
  all will be proud.

  Should you wish to contact Ron Greene or myself about
  anything whatsoever connected to this project our email
  addresses are included above.

  Yours very sincerely,

  Darryl Atchison
  Editor
  Canadian Numismatic Bibliography


COAC ON BETTS MEDALS

  From the ANS Press Release:
  "The Stack Family Coinage of the Americas Conference,
  May 14-15, 2004 "Medals Illustrating American Colonial
  History, the Work of C. W. Betts Revisited"

  The American Numismatic Society is pleased to present the
  2004 Stack Family COAC. This conference reviews the
  theme of "American Colonial History Illustrated by
  Contemporary Medals," the famous classic reference by
  C. Wyllys Betts on this important subject. The speakers
  and their presentations will explore the content of this work
  and these medals, including updates to Betts' 19th century
  inventory and new research on some of the many series it
  incorporated.  This field was both pioneered and
  well-explored by Betts, but ongoing research contributes
  much to our current understanding.


  Friday, May 14, 2004

  6:30pm  Reception and Opening Lecture (free of charge)
  at 140 William Street

  Lecture by John W. Adams and Ann Bentley:
  "An International Survey of the Comitia Americana Medals"

  8:00pm  Dinner to follow at Fraunces Tavern, 54 Pearl Street
  (corner of Broad and Pearl) - $40 per person

  Saturday, May 15, 2004
  Conference fee (including lunch): $35

  8:00 am Coffee

  9:00 am
  David T. Alexander: "The Enigmatic John Stewart Comitia
   Americana Medal"

  Eric Goldstein: "Exonumia of the British Armed Forces,
  1740-1780"

  Robert W. Hoge: "A Survey of the Betts series of Medals
  in the Collection of the American Numismatic Society"

  D. Wayne Johnson: "How Many Betts Medals Are
  America American?"

  12:30 pm  Buffet Lunch

  1:30 pm
  John Kraljevich: "Thomas Jefferson, Medal Collector"
  Richard Margolis: "Benjamin Franklin in Terra Cotta, Portrait
     Medallions by Jean-Baptiste Nini and Jean Martin Renaud"
  David Menchell: "Betts Medals Not Included in his Canon"
  Vicken Yegparian: "The King's College (Columbia University)
      Medal of 1760"

  The 2004 Stack Family COAC will take place at our new
  building at 140 William St (at Fulton). Parking is available at
  William St./Beekman St. (two blocks north of Fulton).  By
  subway, take the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C to the Broadway-Nassau
  St./Fulton stop.

  To reserve for opening lecture, dinner and conference, please
  contact Juliette Pelletier at 212-234-3130 x230 or
  pelletier at numismatics.org by May 12, 2004


ROYAL MINT TOKENS

  Neil Shafer writes: "I can give you some details on the British
  Mint tokens you mentioned a few weeks ago.  They are paper
  laminated in plastic, and the set consists of 6 values: Face sides
  are 1/2p printed in green, 1p in brown, 2p in black, 5p in blue,
  10p in orange, and 50p in lilac.  All have background color of
  a very light lavender.  Backs have black text and a serial number
  on white without any background tint or anything else.  Sizes:
  plastic dimensions for all except the 50p are 73 x 47mm, with
  rounded corners.  The 50p is square, 47 x 47mm.  All have
  heading "Royal Mint Token" at top, value at center, and text at
  bottom "Valid only within the Royal Mint Llantrisant."  Back text
  on all: (serial no. at upper right) "THIS TOKEN WILL BE
  ACCEPTED AS PAYMENT OR PART PAYMENT FOR
  ARTICLES PURCHASED WITHIN THE ROYAL MINT
  ONLY."   The face value of the token is shown on the back only
  as a number preceding the serial number.  That's the whole story
  - I think they were used in the 1970s, but not sure.  Never were
  easily available. "


SIXTEEN CENTS

  Tom DeLorey quotes the following from a letter in the
  Ford Sale lots:

         Two 1853 California Gold Rush Letters, one reading in part:
         Enclosed I send you a Gold 1/4 Dollar, another: get all
         the 16¢ pieces and the French one franc pieces and send
         them out here and I can get 25¢ for all"

  He writes: "What, pray tell, are "the 16c pieces?" My best
  guess would be Spanish Pistareens, but I have never heard
  them referred to as 16c pieces. Schilke and Solomon in
  "America's Foreign Coins" (p. 73) quote a Mint report of 1827
  valuing them at 17c, but goes on to say that by 1843 they had
  quite disappeared from circulation. If they were around in
  1853 I could see them passing at six to the dollar with
  individual coins rounded down to 16c, but can anybody cite
  a reference to this usage?"


THE UNIVERSITY OF ERIC NEWMAN

  The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently interviewed Evelyn
  Newman, wife of numismatist Eric Newman, about her
  life, her work, and her charitable endeavors.  Here are a
  few excerpts from an article published February 12th:

  "Evelyn Edison Newman, 83, has focused her
  considerable energy and imagination on St. Louis
  philanthropic causes for more than 60 years. A member
  of the family that founded the Edison Brothers Stores Co.,
  she used her retail smarts to invent the Greater St. Louis
  Book Fair, the largest of its kind in the nation; the
  Scholarshop; the Wishing Well shop for Barnes-Jewish
  Hospital and countless other enterprises that help to
  support nonprofit institutions, including the Little Shop
  Around the Corner, slated to open today and benefit the
  Missouri Botanical Garden.

  You married young. Did you consider going to college?

  I went to Goucher (College) for a year. I came home for
  Christmas, and I met Eric, and we got married. My family
  said, "You've got to finish college."

  I tried to go a little bit to Washington University for a
  semester, and I had a child, and then I had the books, so
  I don't have a degree.

  My degree is in the university of Eric Newman, I say,
  because I married a very interesting person who brought
  a lot to my marriage in terms of excitement, in terms of
  his interests. And his interest in travel, which was profound.

  Give a thumbnail sketch of your husband.

  He went to MIT and then Washington University law
  school. So, he's an engineer and a lawyer. His main
  interest is numismatics, the history of coins. He is the
  guru of early American coinage.

  A tremendous interest of his was travel, so together
  we've been to maybe over 200 countries. I feel so much
  about what travel has done, in terms of exciting me and
  giving me creative ideas."

  To read the full article, see:
  http://tinyurl.com/2kqsx


THE NUMISMATIC AUCTION LTD

  John Cadorini writes: "While collating a copy of  volume 1  of
  "The Numismatic Auction Ltd."; "Ancient Coins";  of December
  13, 1982; the following questions arise:

  1) After page 16 of the items for sale listings, an unnumbered
       Plate 3 and Plate 4 follow; then follows the next numbered
       pages; being page numbers 81 - 96 , taking the place of
       pages 17 - 32.  The same pages 81-96 also repeat in their
       proper sequence leaving this copy missing entirely pages
      17-32. The reverse of the title page states that 3,525 copies
      of the catalog were printed. Do any other list members have
      copies of this catalog with the correct pages in sequence?

  2) Despite a lengthy preface in each volume in both French and
      English text hailing the virtues of the collector who assembled
      the items offered for sale, at no place in any of the volumes is
      that collector mentioned by name. Do any of our readers
      know who the collector in question might have been?

  3) The company T.N.A. LTD. whose name  is prominent in the
       title is listed as being at 210 5th Avenue in New York City.
       Is anyone able to direct me to information regarding this
       company?

   I thank any and all of you for your consideration in this matter."

  [John Cadorini may be reached at jcadorini at mail.com. -Editor]


IMPORTANT BANGKOK AUCTION

  Howard A. Daniel III writes: "The online catalogue for the
  Bangkok Stampex Auction was just put online and is available
  at http://www.eurseree.com.  The dates of the show are
  February 25-29, 2004.  The lots not only include many Thai
  banknotes and coins, but also NCLT, medals, tokens and other
  pieces.  There are also some pieces in it from surrounding
  Southeast Asian countries and China, and some French
  newspapers with articles about Siam (Thailand).  In several
  cases, the pieces have not been seen on the international
  numismatic marketplace in decades, so this auction is
  important to Thai specialists.  The last auction had a hardcopy
  of the catalog available but I have not yet taken the time to see
  if it can be ordered for this auction because I am traveling and
  want to get this out to The E-Sylum readers before I forget to
  type this."


PRINTING 2x2 COIN ENVELOPES

  Dave Wnuck of  Wallingford, CT writes: "Over the past 8
  months I have been looking for a company that will print my
  company name and logo on some 2x2 paper envelopes.

  I thought it would be cool to have printed envelopes of the
  type that I actually collect from famous auctions & dealers
  of the past.  I thought it would be easy to get this done, but
  it took many phone calls, internet searches and emails to
  find someone who would & could do it.

  I did find someone who would do it, and that is the purpose
  of this posting.  His name is Lance Williams, and he runs a
  small business in New York State called "Williams Stationary"

  These envelopes apparently are quite hard to print on, and it
  requires some degree of skill (and old letterpress equipment).
  Long story short -- he did a great job for us!  At the end of our
  transaction, I asked him how business was.  He said, "Pretty
  slow, actually".   I said that I would do my part to spread
  the word.  Here is his contact info:

  Williams Stationary Company
  P.O. Box 266
  Camden NY 13316-0266
  (800) 425-2338
  kadet at americu.net

  He can obtain and print on archival quality envelopes, in many
  colors, in 2 x 2 or 3x3 or several other sizes, and can sell you
  printed envelopes with built-in cotton liners, or built-in archival
  tissue, or ?

  Before you get the wrong idea, let me say that I have no
  financial interest in this.  It just seemed a good way to help
  someone out and let hobbyists know where to get this obscure
  service performed."


ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER AND ANOTHER

  Peter Koch writes:  "We're still trying to nail down a copy of
  Dr. George Hetrich's sale catalogue of Civil War and Hard
  Times tokens held by little known Pennypacker Auctions in a
  sale we thought took place in 1959. Dr. Hetrich was a
  Pennsylvania-based physician who along with Julius Guttag
  published a then definitive reference on American Civil War
  Tokens in 1924.

  When the latest edition of EAC's (Early American Coppers)
  Penny-Wise arrived last week we were delighted to see the
  name 'Kenneth W. Rendell, South Natick, MA' among a
  listing of candidates for new EAC membership. It got us thinking
  - risky business, but turning the wheels has on occasion reaped
  modicum benefit.  We never really took a close look at one of
  our winnings from the recent Kolbe 'wildfires' sale: Ken Rendell's
  "A Descriptive List of an Outstanding Collection of Hard Times
  Tokens," a Fixed Price List published, according to Kolbe, in
  1957. The nicely executed 16-page saddle-stitched booklet set
  the record straight: "the sale of the collection of Dr. Geo. F.
  Hetrich was sold in 1954."

  This is our second copy of the Rendell FPL. Our first has been
  long lost in darkness, interleaved no doubt in another book.
  Here with this booklet we share a "collyeresque" moment with
  our esteemed editor. (See E-Sylum: Volume 5, Number 52,
  December 29, 2002)

  The assumption of the 1959 date was due in large part to
  Pennypacker's sale of Leonard Holland's wonderful Large Cent
  collection in 1959; a legendary sale that has been a delightful,
  favorite adventure recounted over the years within the copper
  community.

  So, to all the correspondents we've pestered, it's the 1954
  catalogue, not the 1959.

  Really, the dates, 1959 or 1954, should make little difference
  in searching for a catalogue, especially from a non-numismatic
  auction house. Evidently, Pennypacker was a country auction
  center specializing in furniture and the like.  However, we suspect
  correspondents searching our requests for the Hetrich catalogue
  may have come up with only the 1959 Holland sale and
  became frustrated not finding Hetrich and dropped out of
  correspondence, or must have felt we didn't know what the hell
  we were talking about.

  Much of this information would not be possible were it not for
  George Fuld's eloquent E-Sylum recollection in 
  Volume 4, Number 24, June 10, 2001.

  For the interested HT specialist, the Rendell 1957 FPL featured,
  indeed, an 'outstanding' collection of HT tokens.  The specimens
  were, and remain, among the finest known, captured early by
  discriminating pioneer collectors Shumway, Bird, Tilden.  A
  number of these specimens eventually appeared in the Oechsner
  collection sale held by Stack's in 1988; a catalogue whose
  appearance seldom fails to command a premium. Many of those
  specimens remain today in strong hands.

  A plea to anyone reading this: retain your original of the 1954
  Pennypacker catalogue, a photocopy of simply the front cover
  and the Hetrich listing(s) will be met with your premium ask and
  our genuine thanks."


FIRST COIN COLLECTOR?

  On Friday the 13th John M. Kleeberg published the following
  item on the Colonial Coinage email list, in response to the
  question, "Who was the FIRST documented coin collector????"

  Kleeberg writes: "Petrarch, in the fourteenth Century, is generally
  considered to have been the first coin collector in modern times.
  He was very excited by the fact that by examining Roman
  sestertii, he could see what emperors really looked like.

  I once researched the earliest printings of coin illustrations.
  They  begin in the late fifteenth century, when the Netherlands
  was using Rhenish gold gulden, and counterfeiters produced
  many false ones.  In order to warn people about the the false
  ones, Philip the Fair issued placards with woodcuts depicting
  them. It is thanks to those worthy counterfeiters that the
  modern study of numismatics began.  A pity that the
  contribution of counterfeiting to civilization is not more widely
  recognized.

  Early printed numismatic literature can be divided into two
  types: a scholarly group devoted to ancient coins, and a very
  practical, modern group for moneychangers and bankers,
  designed to warn them about counterfeits and inform them
  about coins that were no longer current but only traded at the
  value of the metal in them.  Since rulers were constantly
  changing coin types (and a change in type usually indicates a
  debasement), people brought their non-current coins to the
  moneychangers, and an Antwerp moneychanger wanted to
  know what to pay for, say, a Carlos and Juana piece struck
  in Mexico."


THE CONTROVERSIAL INGOTS

  In response to Mike Hodder's "mention that John Ford's
  collection of private and territorial gold coins and  gold ingots
  will be sold in Stack's upcoming May auction in New York ..",
  Tom DeLorey writes: "One can only hope that this sale will
  include ALL of the Western Assay Ingots found in the John J.
  Ford Collection, and not just those pieces deemed to be safely
  non-controversial, so that scholars more worthy than myself
  can study the collection in its entirety, however briefly. I, for
  one, would love to see the burning question of the controversial
  ingots laid to rest forever.


ART OF THE BOOKPLATE

  Nolan Mims published the following book review in the
  January, 2004 issue of Numismatic Views, a newsletter he
  edits for the Gulf Coast Numismatic Association. With his
  permission, we are reprinting it here. -Editor

  "THE ART OF THE BOOKPLATE" by James P. Keenan.
  Forward by George Plimpton. Barnes & Noble, 2003.
  175 pages, illustrations, black cloth, DJ. $15.

  Although this is not a numismatic  book, it is of definite
  interest to bibliophiles everywhere.  The world is full of people
  who love books and since the fifteenth century, many collectors
  have commissioned their own bookplates. They are sometimes
  an indulgence of the rich and famous. While many bookplates
  are simple, some are quite ornate works of miniature art.

  Herein are found the bookplates of many famous people such
  as George Washington, Kaiser Wilhelm II, John D. Rockefeller
  and Walt Disney as well as unknowns like Marie Gerard
  Messenger. Other bookplates found here include John F.
  Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt and Harry
  Houdini.

  Each of the bookplates is illustrated and described so that the
  reader learns the history behind the plate. Whether plain or
  fancy, they gave the owner a sense of proprietorship and
  increased the chances of the book being returned if borrowed.
  I certainly enjoyed seeing the various plates and found THE
  ART OF THE BOOKPLATE to be a fascinating read.

  The  author, James P. Keenan, is director of the American
  Society of Bookplate Collectors and Designers as well as
  being an avid collector himself.


WHERE'S GEORGE

  Denis Loring writes: "A few months ago I found a "Where's
  George" bill on the floor of a movie theater in West Palm
  Beach.  I took it with me to London and changed it for pounds
  with an independent currency exchanger.  No sign of it yet."

  Tom DeLorey writes: "Over the years I have received a few
  "Where's George" bills in circulation, and in the original spirit
  of the game have reported the serial numbers before passing
  the bill on, in another state whenever possible.  It was fun.
  Now, however, I have in front of me a $1 bill with a large red
  stamp on the front "TRACK THIS BILL/
  www.wheresgeorge.com" and a larger red stamp on the reverse
  "CURRENCY TRACING STUDY/ ENTER SERIES AND
  SERIAL #/ AT WHERESGEORGE.COM."   In addition,
  there is a small blue www.wheresgeorge.com in the border at
  both ends of both sides of the note.

  Perhaps I am being a bit curmudeonly, but this excessive
  marking has crossed the line between fun and games and the
  deliberate mutilation of currency. I have not reported this bill,
  and I am going to tear it in half and turn it in at the bank for
  replacement. Any comments from our members?"


DELLQUEST & OTHER EARLY "RED BOOKS"

  Chris Fuccione found the following entry in the Library
  catalogue of the American Numismatic Association:

  "GA30.D4
  Dellquest, Augustus Wilfrid.
  Burt's United States coin book ...
  3rd, 6th ed. New York, Blue Ribbon Books, 1935, 1940.
  73p. scattered illus. U.S. "

  Kenneth Bressett writes: "It is always fun to start off each
  week reading your informative newsletter. They just keep
  getting better and better.

  The recent piece from Neil Shafer about his 1935 Red Book
  brought back fond memories of the many friendly one-upmanship
  contests that we have waged for decades.  I may have bested
  him this time:  I have a Red Book dated 1889 and the title is
  "Rare Coins," and it is the fifth edition. I recall that the
  publication went on for many more years after that.  It is hard
  bound with a red cover that is very similar in color to the first
  few editions of the more familiar Yeoman Red Book.

  "Rare Coins" was published by Wm. von Bergen for his
  company Numismatic Bank of Boston. It was essentially a
  buying price guide for coins that he wanted, but it also included
  information about U.S. and world coins as well as Colonial
  paper money, tokens and even a smattering of ancient coins."


DEAD PRESIDENTS AND OTHER WORTHY OFFICIALS

  A Monday, February 9th article in the Express Times of
  Pennsylvania published the following about counterfeit money
  turning up recently:

  "While the U.S. Secret Service and city police investigate the
  incidents, area cashiers should get more familiar with their
  dead presidents, said Wachovia Bank spokesman Jim Baum.

  "Know your presidents and know what president goes on
  what bill. If you find a $20 bill and it's got George Washington
  on it, you know you've got a problem," he said. Andrew
  Jackson  is the president that appears on genuine $20 bills.

  People who work cash drawers should also pay attention to
  bills' serial numbers, coloration and paper quality, Baum said."

  QUIZ QUIZ:  They're all dead, but they're not all Presidents.
  Which portrait(s) on current U.S. paper money are NOT of
  U.S. Presidents?"

  To read the full article, see: Full Article



20 JULI SURVIVOR

  Last week we mentioned the medals issued to survivors of
  the July 20, 1944 attempted assassination of Adolph Hitler.
  Coincidentally, a February 9th Reuters article highlighted the
  incredible story of one of those survivors who is still around
  to tell the tale.

  "Philipp von Boeselager's sleep is troubled by furtive chats
  with conspirators, concealed bombs and a desperate
  horseback ride from the battlefield on the day he and his
  friends tried to kill Hitler.

  In his dreams, the 86-year old baron talks to friends and
  co-plotters -- high-ranking German military officials -- who
  tried to blow up Adolf Hitler with a bomb on July 20, 1944
  and who were killed or committed suicide when the attempt
  failed.

  "If you are the only one among some 100 who is still alive,
  that makes you think. I feel they are watching me and I have
  a certain responsibility toward them,"  Boeselager told
  Reuters in Paris, where he received the prestigious Legion of
  Honor medal.

 "I call on young people to get politically involved, to feel
  responsible for their country. If that's not happening and if
  someone like (Nazi propaganda minister Joseph) Goebbels
  appeared today -- as millions are unemployed -- I would be
  very scared."

  Army officer Boeselager was only 25 when he was asked to
  join a secret team of officers who planned to kill the dictator
  -- and who were ready to sacrifice their own lives."

  "In his brown leather suitcase, Boeselager smuggled several
  British bombs -- "I realized English ones were the best" -- to
  General Hellmuth Stieff at Army High Command.

  "Getting out of the plane, I was limping, because I had been
  injured in the leg. Several young soldiers came up to me,
  offering to carry my suitcase.  But I refused. I thought they
  would notice at once that the suitcase was far too heavy."

  "Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a tall German aristocrat who
  deeply opposed the Nazis' treatment of Jews, planted one of
  Boeselager's bombs in a briefcase under a table close to Hitler."

  "In the days after the attack, the Nazis killed Stieff, Stauffenberg
  and many accomplices. Relatives of the plotters were arrested
  and Tresckow, like many others, committed suicide.

  Historians say thousands were killed or sent to concentration
  camps in the purge. Though the Nazis brutally tortured the
  conspirators, no one revealed Boeselager's name."

  To read the full story, see: Full Story


RAINING MONEY IN TAIWAN

  Also from Reuters comes this story: "Relatives of a kidnap
  victim in Taiwan struck a passing motorcyclist with more
  than $600,000 in cash when they tossed the ransom money
  to the kidnappers from a highway overpass.

  The $600,000 ransom, packed into two nylon bags, landed on
  57-year-old Lu Fang-nan when he rode under the overpass
  just as a relative of the victim delivered the money according to
  kidnappers' instructions, local media said on Thursday."

  "Lu, who later sought medical attention for swelling and bruising
  of his left leg, said he rode off not realizing he had been toppled
  off his motorcycle by a small fortune."

  To read the full story, see Full Story


FEATURED WEB SITE

  This week's featured web site is recommended by Larry
  Mitchell.  It is Australia's Museum Victoria Numismatic
  Timeline.

  "This timeline of more than 180 coins and medals tells
  many stories about people, places and events in Victoria's
  history. The subjects and designs reflect the social and
  political events that were considered important at the time.

  The coins and medals are organised chronologically within
  eight key themes in Victoria's history."

  The site is very well done and includes many great images
  of coins and medals. One I personally like is Coppin's
  Balloon medal, 1858.  See
  Coppin's Balloon medal, 1858
  http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/coins/

  
  Wayne Homren
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society