By the 40th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Oregon Trail was carrying settlers to the West. By the 40th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, a web of rail traffic crisscrossed the continent. By the 40th anniversary of Lindbergh's epic transatlantic flight, thousands of people in jetliners retraced his route in comfort and safety every day. And on the 40th anniversary of Sputnik, hundreds of satellites were orbiting the Earth.

Only in human spaceflight do we celebrate the anniversary of an achievement that seems more difficult to repeat than to accomplish the first time. Only in human spaceflight can we find in museums things that most of us in the space business wish we still had today.

The United States spent eight years and $21 billion -- around $150 billion today -- to develop a transportation system to take people to the moon. We then spent less than four years and $4 billion using it, after which we threw it away. Not mothballed, or assigned to caretaker status for possible later use. Destroyed. Just as the Chinese, having explored the world in the early 15th century and found nothing better than what they had at home, burned their fleet of ships.

Our NBS Symposium is at 11:30 am on August 6th. Our speaker, Dave Bowers, will be talking on his latest book, the Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins.

He will be telling us how he researched the book and brought it to such a successful fruition. The field of colonials has been so heavily researched that adding value to the subject was a special challenge. Dave will be assisted by Dennis Tucker of Whitman.

Jeff Ambio will be available for a book signing at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, August 8th from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Ambio will be debuting and signing copies of his latest book, Collecting & Investing Strategies for Barber Dimes.

I posted this on the Collector's Universe forum last week. E-Sylumers might have some opinions one way or the other! (The CU poll is evenly split between "It's frustrating" and "It's both frustrating and fun.")

"After the 2007 move, George Frederick Kolbe / Fine Numismatic Books discovered thousands of excess numismatic publications put aside over the past quarter century. Some are offered for sale here. . . . Items are listed as they were encountered; there is no index." [emphasis added]

Our numismatic book sales are a by-product of our coin and banknote sales - it often happens that a numismatist has a serious library and, when we sell the collection, we buy the library.

What is missing in our working library goes there, what is a duplicate or not a working book goes to our e-bookshop. This explains the variety of titles, languages, periods, topics - it reflects the various interests of tens of collectors who sold us their libraries. We very seldom auction books and we advise sellers to consign to the e-shop.

We also publish books, some for the general public such as the standard reference for modern French coins and the standard reference for Euro coins and banknotes. We also publish some highly specialised works, for instance a catalog of Merovingian rings. We also have a program of fundamental French numismatic reference book reprints. In addition we issue a monthly Bulletin, a free .pdf in which we of course present the most important new books we have included during the month in the e-book-shop.

We feel the most important for a coin and banknote dealer is to spread numismatic information to the public; if the public doesn't know about numismatics, the public will never collect coins or banknotes, and professional numismatists will starve, at best.

I have Volume II and recently bought the 2001 reprint of Volume I, but it turns out the bindings are different. Does anyone know why?

As a NBS member who did not respond to the survey, I did not respond because I did not feel qualified as my knowledge of numismatic books is mostly based on my reading of and work on The E-Sylum. While I have a number of numismatic books I do not possess the library that many of our readers do, nor am I familiar with the majority of works listed... certainly not enough to make my input in my mind valuable... so I stepped aside and looked to the experts.

Charlie's right about its rarity - outside of the Coin World library in Sidney, OH (and perhaps the ANA library in Colorado Springs), I don't know where to find a complete set.

My memory may be flawed on this, but I remember doing some research years ago that required access to old Coin World articles. As I recall, Coin World is available on Microfilm or Microfiche at the American Numismatic Society. I believe the company was University Microfilms. I would assume Amos Press also has a photographic copy at their offices in Sidney, OH.

I am sorry to say that I cannot remember the name of either one, but I have known two collectors who as of a few years ago had complete sets of Coin World. Only subscribers to a collector's newspaper would collect so many. I think that the comments in The E-Sylum might well unearth some sets.

When Frank Katen sold my library, he reluctantly put in my complete set of Coin World, lots 404 to 420. It sold as a complete set as lot 420A at $300-- I think it brought the highest price of any item in the sale of November 27-28, 1971. Of course, it only covered up to 1969 because of the 1971 offering date.

Microfilmed records of auction catalogs dating back to 1733 are currently being made by Sotheby's, numismatic auction house in London, England, according to Dr. A. N. Munby. Dr. Munby is librarian at King's College, Cambridge, and editor-in-chief of the microfilm project. He said, "I would like to see certain collectors able to purchase certain groups of catalogs that will suit their needs. But that would be far in the future.

"We eventually hope to make this financially possible, but there are not sufficient funds at the moment," Dr. Munby concluded.

First catalogs to be microfilmed are dated between 1901 and 1945, numbering about 5,000 catalogs. Catalogs are microfilmed at a reduction of 20 on 16 millimeter film.

Before the microfilm project, the best available set of Sotheby catalogs was reportedly in the British Museum, though it is not entirely complete.

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The old scale to measure medals was based on each point representing one-sixteenth of an inch. Thus a size 22 medal had a diameter of 1-3/8 inch. One inch (size 16) is equal to 25.4 millimeters. One sixteenth of an inch is equal to 1.5875 mm. To make a conversion, just multiply the size by 1.5875. Thus size 22 is 34.925 mm. Anyone familiar with Excel could make a conversions table. There are also web sites that will convert inches to millimeters or do the reverse.

Baker used what was called the "American scale" which was in sixteenths of an inch. See page vii. Thus a "size 22" medal on the American scale would have a diameter of 22/16" or 1 and 3/8 inches. One inch is about 25 millimeters. So to convert "American scale" to metric, multiply by ~ 1.56 (if I have the arithmetic right, a big if). A size 22 medal on the American scale would thus have a diameter of about 34.32 millimeters.

There was no consistency in use of the "American scale" in this country. Low’s catalog of Hard Times tokens published in 1899 gave sizes in millimeters. Betts’s catalog of American colonial medals published in 1894 used the American scale but did not specify it. In the text descriptions of size, Baker, Betts and Low gave numbers only, without reference to scale – American or metric.

The American scale is rarely used anymore. It was used by Hibler and Kappen in their book on so-called dollars published in 1963.

My knowledge of the measurement method utilizing size 22 comes from the Hibler & Kaplan book So-Called Dollars.

In their introduction, they note: Sizes are shown throughout in sixteenths of an inch, next upper size being used if a particular piece is of interim size. Earlier in the introduction, it is noted that one of the criteria for a So-Called Dollar is that it should fall between size 21 and size 28 with exceptions noted.

So a very simple mathematical formula will convert any size to mm. Just take any size divide it by 16 and times the answer by 25.4mil.per inch and Bob's your uncle, i.e., 22/16 = 1.375 x 25.4 = 34.92mm.

This system is pretty inaccurate in the So-Called Dollar size range as the practice of rounding up to the next sixteenth of an inch can introduce an error ranging from 4.7% to 3.5% (As the size increases the possible error decreases). It is easy to see why this yardstick is rarely used. In fact, the yardstick versus meter issue caused NASA to miss Mars not too long ago. All the best, and thanks for the fine work you do turning out the E-sylum. I look forward to it every week.

For quick reference, I use the attached chart, which I created in a spreadsheet and then converted to a graphic.

Oh, if only they had placed Emperor Norton's picture on them.........

This is the only image of the California Warrant (IOU) I could find. I don't own any.

I recently found a reference to another numismatist filming the S-48 around 1922. Can any E-Sylum reader identify the numismatist or relate the story?

It seems that there were only about eight Starred Reverse cents known in 1922, owned by the following: Hines (2); Brand (2); R.D. Book; Garrett; Newcomb; and French. If we assume the producer of the film also owned the coin, my guess would be Dr. George French.

In 1986 I visited the Smithsonian Institution to study their Eagle-on-Globe pattern. After I finished, I wandered around some of the other exhibits. One that caught my attention was a large model of a submarine named the S-48. This was me first exposure to this S-48.



The S-48 was constructed between 1920 and 1921. On a trial run prior to commissioning, she sank in 60 feet of water. She was raised, repaired and commissioned on October 14, 1922. In January 1924, she was grounded in a storm near Little Harbor, New Hampshire. Damage was extensive and repairs would be costly. She was decommissioned July 7, 1925.

The S-48 was repaired, rebuilt and served a second term from 1929 to 1935. After another period of activity, she was recommissioned for service during World War II 1940 to 1945. In 1946 she was sold and scrapped.

Robert I. Nesmith filmed trials of the S-48 for Fox Newsreel in 1922. He was a numismatist and authority on treasure hunting. I found the reference to S-48 in his obituary from 1972.

I had a couple of other related experiences in the week after I read about Nesmith. I acquired a medal from my home town with partial legend "AVA" I knew this had nothing to do with bus tokens. With a little research I discovered that AVA stood for American Volkssport Association. Later I examined a medal with an open book and lamp of knowledge. This did not represent the American Numismatic Association but was issued by the American Legion.

We become comfortable with certain things in numismatics, like S-48 representing the starred reverse cent. We need to keep an open mind that sometimes these familiar symbols may represent something totally different.

There are a number of medals issued commemorating the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, which devastated about 1/4 of the country and killed 25,000 people.

The new 20p mule, like all truly accidental mules, is very interesting. I write to correct Chris Hill who was quoted as saying that the previous UK mule was a 2 p piece of the 1980's. There was a more recent mule: the 1994 Bank of England proof gold two pound piece.

The normal base metal currency piece had its own obverse. For about half of the thousand or so gold proofs struck, an obverse die was mistakenly employed that was meant for a gold double sovereign with a St. George and the Dragon reverse. The standard catalog published by Spink includes this mule.

At the time of issue, the Mint sent a letter to purchasers of the gold proof version of the Bank of England two pound piece apologizing for the mistake and offering to replace the mule (not called that in the letter) with a piece with the intended obverse. I have not been able to learn how many purchasers of the mule accepted the Mint's offer to replace it.

As it is undated, how do we know the missing date is 2009? The error came to light some time ago (only the publicity is recent) and they are more likely to be missing the date 2008 - the year when both old and new styles of coin were made.

I couldn't remember when I first heard about it, but this Daily Telegraph article contains a Royal Mint statement that the error occurred in 2008 If the fellow in the pub was offered £500 he should have taken it, when the hysteria dies down I reckon they will be worth about $20.

It was to be expected. Once the word of the "dateless 20p" got out everyone in the U.K. is looking at their coins. Here is a story of a Bridgewater woman who found an error coin in her cash register some time ago, but is now looking for a buyer.

The son of the numismatist Henry Christensen, Bill was born to collect and began as a child with toy soldiers and trains. Bill graduated from The Pingry School, in New Jersey, and Colgate University, in New York. Bill’s studies were in English and History, with a strong interest in legend and myth.

Henry Christensen was perhaps the leading numismatist in the world specializing in Spanish Colonial coins, and indeed held the first sale of doubloons from a wrecked galleon. After Bill completed his bachelor’s degree at Colgate University and had a short stint in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, he joined his father’s office and they together expanded it greatly.

Bill continued the business after his father’s death, until his retirement some years ago. Focusing his collecting passion away, but not far, from their business of coins, Bill took up his father’s collection of revenue stamps, building it to encompass all quarters of the globe, and paper currency. An anglophile at heart, he developed a fascination with Sarawak and his collections tend towards Britain and its former colonies.

While Bill’s branch of the Brooke family came to Maryland in the early 18th century, Bill liked to think of himself as a distant relative of the White Rajahs of Sarawak, and collected all manner of things associated with the Brookes and Sarawak. He visited Borneo several times.

Have you seen the U.S. Mint's "Historian's Corner"?

They've begun uploading some of the source documents from their archives, including legislation for early commemorative issues, historic press releases, medal die registers, etc.

Their history of the Kennedy Half Dollar includes interesting recollections of the designers Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro.

The Historian's Corner strives to preserve our heritage by sharing pieces of our history through a body of primary source material from which the public can find new insight on the relationships among numismatics, art, design, and government—from the birth of our Nation’s coinage to the present day.

The Historian’s Corner is our corner of the United States Mint’s web site, a place where you can:

• Examine rarely seen documents of the United States Mint
• Learn about the history of the United States Mint through primary documentation, as it was happening
• Gain access to an information resource that can be used to track the history of coinage in United States and in the future, conduct research on United States Mint programs and operations.

The Historian's Corner Web site currently contains a small amount of legislation, annual report excerpts, press releases, articles, and commemorative coin images from 1892 through 1954.

In 1970, eleven refined gold bars surfaced in numismatic circles that were reportedly linked to the ship. The bars bore the hallmark "U.S. Mint San Francisco" and the date of 1865. They ranged in fineness from .995 to .999. They were alleged to have been the personal property of one of her passengers and recovered by one of the many treasure hunting expeditions searching for the ship circa 1916 or 1936.

Other modern printed sources stated the bars were found in the remains of a crushed lifeboat trawled up from the ocean depths in the 1930’s off Crescent City.

In recent years a number of numismatists have questioned the authenticity of these bars, claiming that they are counterfeit for several reasons including their irregular hallmark and lack of a tax stamp. In spite of having these anomalies, I set out to prove that these bars were authentic...

John Kleeberg, Ted Buttrey, and Robert Leonard have publicly condemned these bars. In-depth research on the Bullion Tax 1864-1868, will be addressed in Fred Holabird’s standard reference work on Western Assay bars.

I brought two cases, one with French coins and another with odds and ends including charge coins and the Herr Alexander token we discussed before in The E-Sylum.

In choosing French coins I picked items mostly dating from Louis XIV through Louis XVI. Genuine and contemporary counterfeit coins, jettons, French colonial coins and a few newer items including an 1815 gold coin of Napoleon’s hundred days and an 1824 Lafayette medal filled out the case.

From Demi-Mousquetaires to counterfeit Sou Marques to the Isle du Vent 15 and 30 sols either people knew what they were right off, could not see them (as the lighting is usually set to "ambiance" in the various restaurants at which we dine), or they were afraid to ask. Book-wise I brought Coinage of France from the Dark Ages to Napoleon by Nicholas Mayhew.

In addition were some Presidential items I was researching. One was a Lincoln medal. I asked Joe Levine which one it was. He replied that it was the one with the error. So my question didn’t turn out to be as elementary as I thought it would. This was a 60 mm Lincoln medal made by Hugues Bovy of Geneva Switzerland. Hugues only began engraving in 1864 and this was a much admired medal from 1865 done in association with the Republican Club of Geneva that got him started on a long career to rival his engraver uncle.

Hugues used words from the Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln’s second inaugural address, but in abbreviating "Proclam’d" he left out an "I." Other versions of the medal corrected the spelling. Also in the case was an 1864 McClellan token, William Barber’s 1881 Lincoln / Garfield U.S. Mint medal in silver, a mechanical McKinley / Hobart jugate Goldbug and a pinback with McKinley’s picture in memoriam.

For my good friend Joe Levine, whose curiosity about West Virginia tokens will probably not take him much further than this page......

I liked your article on the Standard Grill's floor of pennies. I thought you might like to know about an older American example of using coins in a pavement.

Silver Dollar Smith, a politician and saloon owner with his bar on Essex Street, New York, had one hundred silver dollars embedded in cement as a floor pavement design. After his death his son took over the saloon and customers began stealing the silver dollars out of the floor. More than twenty-two were missing before the son had the remaining dollars removed.

See The Numismatist, Vol. XV, No. 4, April (1902) : 113-114

Kolkata’s Old Silver Mint, a landmark that has seen the city change dramatically over the past 184 years, is a crumbling symbol of the city’s rich heritage. The peeling plaster of the walls and wild growth of plants fail to veil the grandeur of the Doric columns of the mint. Because of want of proper maintenance, the mint has, for over decades, stood silently as a haunted house in the busy commercial area in Burrabazar.

The mint was of great importance since it was the only one that was producing silver coins, which were in circulation at that time. As many as 3,00,000 to 6,00,000 silver coins were manufactured here daily. Gold, copper and bronze coins were also made here, and the facility for manufacturing medals was also available.

The old yellowish Grecian structure that was once the old mint complex of Kolkata, was built on an area of 12.5 acres. Its foundation stone was laid in March, 1824, and it became operational from August 1, 1829. Silver coins were minted here till 1952.

Although a decision was taken to develop the mint, which is a heritage site, into a museum along with the development of the area for tourism under a public-private partnership (PPP) with a set deadline of September, 2011, much progress is yet to be seen.