WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM JANUARY 3, 2010

Among our new subscribers this week are Mitch Mitchell, Paul Cartmill, Chris Freeman, K. E. Sims, Phil Kurjan, And Philip Blette. Welcome aboard! We now have 1,299 subscribers.

Welcome to the Future. It's 2010 - so where's my jet-pack and personal robot assistant? Seriously, though, if anyone had told me in say, 1990 that by 2010 I'd be editing a gazillion pages of numismatic content weekly I'd have looked at them like they had three heads. But I *do* have a robot army of sorts, in the various computer productivity tools that have emerged.

First is the personal computer itself, followed by the Internet. Put them together and one person can publish content to thousands of subscribers and the whole damn world with the click of a mouse. Sure beats the old days of laying out pages by hand, taking a master copy to a printer, stuffing envelopes and schlepping to the post office.

Other tools like our Flickr image archive make editing and publishing photos a snap. And having the world's newspapers online and searchable instantly gives me an army of reporters and photographers to draw from. Not to mention our readers, all available to me via email from everywhere in the world, which constitute the best collection of numismatic talent anywhere.

Combine this with the news from Amazon that on Christmas, the company sold more Kindle books than physical books, and I guess, just maybe, The Future has arrived.

This week we open with Florida travel plans and MULTIPLE great book reviews. Other topics include the Schulman coin dealer family and the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, coin replicas of Peter Rosa and Neal Sherman, medals honoring Joseph Wharton, and more.

To learn about Parisian royal agricultural society attendance medals, coin flipping in Roman times, and a million-dollar U.S. banknote, read on.

Wayne Homren
Numismatic Bibliomania Society

NUMISMATIC LITERATURE DEALER JOHN BURNS AT THE 2010 F.U.N. SHOW

Numismatic literature dealer John H. Burns writes:

Also heading to F.U.N. is Alan V. Weinberg, who writes:

REMINDER: STACK FAMILY NUMISMATIC LIBRARY SALE JANUARY 9, 2010

On January 9th, 2010, George Frederick Kolbe/Fine Numismatic Books will offer for sale at public auction highlights from the remarkable numismatic library carefully assembled over seven decades by the New York numismatic firm founded by brothers Morton and Joseph and ably carried on by Norman, Benjamin, Harvey, Susan, and Lawrence Stack.

For over fifty years, the fabled American portion of the library has resided in antique bookcases lining one wall of Harvey Stack's office, and along the opposite wall as well. Other portions of the library were, for many years, located throughout the main floor of the firm's New York City retail location at 123 West 57th Street and many of the great classic works on ancient and foreign coins and medals were carefully arranged on the second floor in the Coin Galleries offices.

Covering virtually all aspects of numismatics and replete with rarities, it is one of the finest working libraries on numismatics ever formed in the United States.

Key works from this magnificent library will be sold at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City in conjunction with the New York International Numismatic Convention this coming January. The profusely illustrated catalogue will be arranged in two parts: 190 lots of rare and classic works on American coins, medals, and tokens, and 210 key works on ancient, medieval, and modern numismatics.

Lot viewing will be held at the American Numismatic Society, 75 Varick Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10013. On Thursday, January 7th, lot viewing will be from 8 AM until 7 PM and on Friday, January 8th, from 8 AM to 8 PM. The auction itself, as previously mentioned, will be held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 301 Park Avenue between East 49th & 50th Streets, New York, NY 10022.

Some American highlights include: the Stack firm's own complete bound set of their auction sale catalogues, comprising an unparalleled source of data on rare American coins, medals, tokens, and paper money; a photographic record of the fabled collection of $2.50, $5.00, and $10.00 United States gold coins from the collection of Colonel E. H. R. Green, housed in three handsome leather-bound volumes and original inventories and financial details of the collection; inventories of the incomparable Louis Eliasberg collection; most of the Chapman brothers auction sale catalogues issued with original photographic plates; classic works on large cents from the library of legendary collector Henry Hines, often filled with letters and research notes assembled by the "Big Three of the Big Cents": Hines, Howard Newcomb, and George Clapp.

BOOK REVIEW: THE AUTHORITATIVE REFERENCE ON LINCOLN CENTS, SECOND EDITION

Every once in awhile, a numismatic book is written with the audience clearly in mind, and this is that tome. The Authoritative Reference on Lincoln Cents by John Wexler and Kevin Flynn was first written in 1996. This second edition picks up nicely where that first edition left off and adds an immense amount of valuable material. The information presented encompasses a wide range of topics on the subject written by the authors and includes several additional articles contributed by well respected numismatists Jason Cuvelier, Michael Fahey, Jamie Hernandez, J.P. Martin, and B.J. Neff.

The reference begins with the history of the ubiquitous and highly collected Lincoln cent, from Victor David Brenner's iconic wheat back, up to and continuing with the words of Frank Gasparro; the man who designed the memorial cent. The history of the Lincoln cent is very interesting and Flynn and Wexler have not wasted any pages in the discussion. The history is followed by a very valuable section on how to use the book and the reader will need to come back to this reference often. The die variety reference system, cross referencing, identifying characteristics, and pricing guide are explained.

The next section contains important information on hub and transitional design changes, and a cross referencing section to help the novice as well as the advanced collector. The amount of changes within the Lincoln cent series could lend itself to a small type collection in and of itself. Speaking of collecting the there is also a detailed description of Lincoln cent grading with photographs and example specimen for both hub and transitional design changes.

The next two hundred or so pages of the volume will become the tomes pièce de résistance and encompass for die variety collectors what amounts to an almost complete study of the hobby. The Lincoln cent variety collector would be less effective without this reference and therefore The Authoritative Reference on Lincolns Cents Second Edition is a must have for the die variety collector. In the past this level of detail and study was left to a small branch of folks within the hobby. It had been the endeavor of very serious and meticulous individuals. However over the past few years this sector has become a very popular pastime for new and re- invigorated collectors. The possibility that a couple of hundred dollar Lincoln cent may be retrieved from pocket change can't hurt either.

In the next section is a well written article on "Trial Dies" by B.J. Neff. What is a trial die you might ask? Well if you must know they are a die variety much like a doubled die and more which is explained in detail by the authors. The articles that follow explain Lincoln cent authentication, doubled dies, repunched mintmarks, over mint marks, as well as transitional varieties and even give the reader an advance knowledge of where the hobby may be headed in the next few years. This is very well written for the advanced collector with an eye on the future of the coin market.

The authors have hit the bull's eye with this volume, it is fascinating and informative, and presents hundreds of photographs. Flynn and Wexler capitalize on the importance of die varieties in this volume and they do so in a methodical manner. The explanation of the die hub process is spot on and the section which explains the various types of hub issues affecting the planchet are detailed to a fine degree. This is one of the most fascinating aspects of the volume and enlightens the reader on the coin production process. This background material is the perfect way to lead into the subject of die varieties for which this volume might well just stake its claim as the seminal work to date on that subject. For my two cents this book is a must for the Lincoln cent collector. It is an easy book to find your way around and yet the amount of information presented is encyclopedic but more than often to the point.

The Authoritative Reference on Lincoln Cents Second Edition by John Wexler and Kevin Flynn can be found at either kevinjflynn.com or doubleddie.com/120501.html .

BOOK REVIEW: ALASKA AND YUKON TOKENS BY RON BENICE

The third edition of Ron Benice's Alaska and Yukon Tokens has been released. It was published by McFarland & Company, the price is $49.95 and can be purchased from them at www.mcfarlandpub.com or 1-336-246-4460.

I have received a review copy and cannot express how pleased I am. Primarily, this reference lists pre-statehood Alaska tokens (some exceptions are noted). Added to this edition for the first time are tokens from Canada's Yukon Territory. As with all catalogues of this nature, they are never complete. New tokens will continue to appear. This is a great update on the previous edition.

It has been about 15 years since the second edition. Understandably, there are 55 new issuers and 239 previously unlisted tokens. Rather than re-number the entire catalogue as was done in the second edition, the use of decimals allows new issuers to be placed in alphabetical order. New tokens from previously known issuers are placed at the end of the series with a new letter designation.

The catalogue is profusely illustrated. While not all tokens are illustrated, the number of illustrations is more than sufficient. Major rarities are illustrated, as are most of the new issuers' tokens. When there are varieties, the tokens are illustrated, or at least described in such a manner that it is easy to distinguish between them.

The descriptions of token issuers are expanded and more period photos are used. This allows the reader to better grasp the historic value of the token.

Mavericks can be a problem area. When a maverick is generally accepted, because of overwhelming evidence to be from a certain location, it is included without special note. Others are shown as "attribution tentative" or "attribution speculative." When a token has a possible alternative attribution, Mr. Benice goes into detail to justify its inclusion or omission (Juneau comes to mind).

While the general scope of the catalogue is pre-statehood, all military tokens are included as they are still truly tokens. In the past 15 years, many previously unreported chits have surfaced. Most are of modest value, but there are exceptions.

Commercial fishing has played a huge role in the development of Alaska. Many of the rarest Alaska tokens are from these companies, and quite a number have come to light since the last edition. As with the military tokens, many chits used by these companies are now just becoming known and these are included.

Transportation tokens is another area where tokens from the statehood era are also listed. Most are common, but there are some rarities, and these are listed and illustrated. Food Stamp tokens are listed, but not illustrated. Prison tokens are included for the first time. Since Alaska is a small state, only a few are known. Mr. Benice feels this is a trial listing, and that perhaps more are out there. Rounding out the Alaska section are the Metallic Identification Chits, many issued by companies that also issued tokens. For others, it is the only metallic numismatic item from the company.

New to this edition are the listings for Yukon tokens. This is divided into two sections: metallic and modern plastic. Several Alaska issuers will also be found in the Yukon section. The history of the two territories was so intermeshed in the gold rush days that the Fourth of July was actually celebrated in Dawson, Yukon.

The addition of 239 new tokens is an achievement, but the changes in pricing since the last edition is really the significant change.

Pricing is always a controversial area. The values shown in the catalogue are based on sales records. Because of very limited sales records on the rarest items, this is not an easy task. Sellers will think values are too low, while buyers will think they are too high. In the 15 years since the second edition, prices have escalated dramatically. While I might have disagreement with Mr. Benice on individual items, overall, I believe he has done a good job balancing the real world with the hype.

Many rare tokens have been bringing astounding prices, but if another shows up, is that price going to hold? As Mr. Benice mentions, eBay has shown how common or scarce a token might really be. Those tokens from known hoards find their prices reduced in this edition. Truly scarce and rare tokens have seen significant increases in catalogue price. Common tokens remain inexpensive. Mid-range tokens have generally stayed the same, with a few moving up or down in value.

Mr. Benice has expressed a prejudice against cardboard tokens. Most of these tokens are priced at lower levels than a comparably rare metal token (composition is one of his criteria for establishing value). This is unfortunate because they are more subject to deterioration than metal tokens. It is good to see that the rarer of these have enjoyed a reasonable price increase.

A 14 page index caps off an excellent reference, making it simple to locate that token without a place name.

On the negative side, I have a few minor points.

The third edition is soft bound. Having grown accustomed to hard bound, and worn out a couple copies of the second edition, it seems that I will have to keep sufficient copies on hand just to replace those that I abuse.

Missing from this edition are the short, geographical descriptions of the cities, towns and villages. I think this will be missed. Many without an intimate knowledge of Alaska geography will be scrambling to a map to see where the tokens are from.

Food stamp tokens got a brief mention in the second edition. There is a complete listing in the third edition. However, there were more illustrated tokens in the previous edition. It would have been nice to have an obverse photo from each issuer for reference.

Catalogues like this are more than just a list of tokens. If you go beyond the tokens, and examine the issuers, you get an idea of the people who came to Alaska, rushed from gold rush to gold rush, and settled in the last frontier. Failure to recognize this as a commercial or mercantile history would be a mistake. While this catalogue is a must for token collectors, it also provides a look into the history of the territories as expressed by the merchants, hoteliers and saloon keepers.

Dick adds:

BOOK REVIEW: CHECK LIST AND RECORD BOOK OF UNITED STATES PAPER MONEY

We were very pleased to see that Whitman Publishing, LLC has published a very nice check list and record book for United States paper money from 1861 to present. This soft bound book contains 248 pages and allows you to catalog your U. S. paper money collection utilizing the Friedberg and Whitman numbering systems. Each entry has a place for a check mark, as well as a space to list the grade and make other comments. This extra space for comments will be a great place to put important information regarding the notes in our (and your collection). You can list in the comment space: price paid, dealer name or auction purchase, serial number, date purchased, or other information such as a graded note.

This check list and record book covers all federal issues from $1 to $10,000, fractional currency (including regular issues, specimen issues and shields), postage currency, encased postage stamps, mule notes (with many star numbers listed) and one page to list your errors. One page is also available for you to list your miscellaneous items such as War of 1812 issues, or other U. S. paper that might not be listed in this book. We especially liked seeing the printages of the notes along with rarity and extant of issues known. To say the least this is invaluable information and can actually be used when you are looking at auction catalogs, dealer stocks at their stores, coin shows or even the Internet.

Over the past 15 years we have seen many more dealers and collectors come into the market place for U. S. paper money. This reference has all the information you need regarding all issues and will assist you with your buying and selling of them. This will be another best seller for Whitman and is available from them for $9.95. For information on purchasing this check list and record book they may be contacted at: Whitman Publishing, LLC, 3101 Clairmont Road, Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329 Phone No. (800) 546 – 2995 or visit their web page at www.whitmanbooks.com.

BOOK REVIEW: AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY MEDALS OF THE U.S.

In a recent E-Sylum I reported the just-printed book by Andrew Harkness "Agricultural and Mechanical Society Award Medals of the United States" published by and available on only www.lulu.com At the time I had not yet received my copy and the book was almost completely unknown except for Joe Levine's advance copy from author Harkness.

Well, I received it today and here are my comments. I was concerned that the book would arrived battered in the mail, all the way from New York City publisher lulu.com Not so. The Post Office-shipped large hard cardboard box with the book itself stabilized in the interior with sealed plastic wrap arrived in impeccable condition. The notoriously picky bibliophile John J. Ford, Jr. would have been pleased. I ordered it online a week ago and here it is in my hands.

The book is truly "eye-candy" . Only available in soft cover (I would have paid extra for a hard cover if there was one), this is the color version at $85. + $3.99 shipping + NY sales tax if shipped there. A quality book with quality paper, it is 198 pages of the most beautiful color U.S. medal photography you could hope for. There are 483 medals pictured obverse and reverse, all depicted actual diameter - totaling almost 1000 plates. Sharp, crisp & colorful, a 5x glass magnifies any detail without any intrusive dot pattern.

According to the Preface, author Andy Harkness started collecting this challenging series in 1969 and he's still going strong at 75 yrs. He has indisputably built the largest and finest collection of these local, state and federal mostly-handheld or "table " medals ever assembled and makes my smaller (but perhaps more select) collection of these (see www.neocollect.com for my collection) seem anemic by comparison. There are so many medals depicted in this reference that I'd give my eye-teeth for...so many pre-1900 large silver and gold medals totally hand-engraved and necessarily unique.

The subject matter and plated contents of the book will appeal to a broad spectrum of serious medal or diesinking collectors: U.S. mint medals, pre-1900 gold and silver medals, totally engraved medals, medals designed and die-sunk by specific firms or diesinkers like Lovett, Barber, Furst, etc, medals depicting famous people or animals like horses, livestock or machinery, medals from California, Utah or South Carolina or a collector's particular region or state. In my opinion collecting for 55 yrs, after seeing these medals, no reasonably astute collector can ever return to slabbed Morgan dollars or Saint-Gaudens double eagles.

Yes, the book - buy the color version and not the $35 b & w version - is fairly expensive at $85. I would have preferred to pay $50-$60 myself but lulu.com didn't plan on selling many books and the book, I understand, is literally assembled as orders come in- but promptly so and shipped . Yes, it would have been easy to designate the metal of each medal pictured and the millimeter diameter but there are very few where the reader is in doubt about whether the medal is silver or white metal and all medals are reportedly depicted actual size.

All things considered, this is a must-have for any serious collector of American medals or diesinkers and the only way to order it is on line through www.lulu.com in NYC. They don't even have an 800 number.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: NEW BOOK: AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY MEDALS OF THE U.S. (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n51a05.html)

MORE ON COINAGE OF THE ANGLO-HANNOVERIAN PERSONAL UNION 1714-1837

The last issue of The E-Sylum mentioned a new book, "Coinage of the Anglo-Hannoverian Personal Union 1714-1837" by Richard B. Smith. A just-received auction catalog from Fritz Rudolph Kuenker includes an ad with some additional info.

The book is in English, is 659 pages, ISBN 978-3-941357-01-03, and lists at 98 euros. Neither Amazon nor Abebooks listed the book today. I have a 1970 book "The Anglo-Hannoverian Coinage". by the same author. I hope the American Numismatic Association library gets the book so I can borrow it and determine whether it matches my interests enough to buy a copy and find bookshelf space, and pay the usually-expensive postage from Europe.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: NEW BOOK: COINAGE OF THE ANGLO-HANNOVERIAN PERSONAL UNION 1714-1837 (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n52a03.html)

STEVEN A. MIDDLETON 1952-2009

I learned of the recent death of Steven Middleton through the 1-4-10 issue of Coin World. I knew him through his active involvement as an exhibitor and exhibit judge.

Steve was born on April 5, 1952, in Orange, New Jersey. He died on December 10, 2009, at the age of 57. He taught chemistry and physics at Orange High School and later Mount Olive. He occasionally wore a magician's cape as he demonstrated experiments. His dedication to teaching earned a teacher-of-the-year award.

In recent years Steve exhibited "Medals of the First Ferris Wheel". He won first place awards at FUN, Central States and the ANA. He won third place for best-of-show at the ANA in 2008. Selected items from his library are included in David Sklow's sale of 2-13-10.

The last time I saw Steve was at the 2009 Central States show. He gave me an elongated token with the invitation to the "Middleton Cocktail Party" at the ANA convention August 5, 2009, at the ANA Convention. I am sorry I could not attend.

THE SCHULMANS AND THE NAZI OCCUPATION OF THE NETHERLANDS

Alan adds:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: REVIEW: KOLBE STACK FAMILY LIBRARY AUCTION CATALOG (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n52a06.html)

AUSTRALIA'S MUSEUM VICTORIA MOUNTS ONLINE TOKEN EXHIBIT

Dick forwarded the following note from John Sharples:

To view a sample page, see: Token - 1 Penny, James Wallace, Grocer, Wellington, New Zealand, 1859 (museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/52067/token-1-
penny-robison-bros-co-victoria-copper-works-melbourne-victoria-australia-1862)

THE ASSOCIATION OF COLLECTING CLUBS

As we move into a new decade, it seems like a good time to take a look at collecting groups and the role they play in the antiques, art and collectibles industry.

APIC Announces Smithsonian Internship Program
The American Political Items Collectors (APIC) announce their 2010 Mark Jacobs Smithsonian Internship Program.

Admission to Club-Sponsored Shows
We're seeing a number of changes taking place regarding admission at club-sponsored shows. While many still offer an adult admission rate, often with discount admissions for senior citizens or students, and children allowed entrance free while accompanied by an adult, we've seen some new features regarding admissions.

ACC Club Directory
For collecting clubs which have changed officers during your conventions, or made other changes, make sure to check your information in the ACC Club Directory for possible need for updating. Go to: http://CollectingClubs.com

To read the complete letter, see: http://ACC-Update.com/

1933 SAINT-GAUDENS DOUBLE EAGLE DESTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION

Last week, Rich Mantia asked:

Roger Burdette writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: QUERY: 1933 SAINT-GAUDENS DOUBLE EAGLE DOCUMENTATION (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n52a15.html)

PHOTO: GREG STEMM AND MATT TUCKER WITH ODYSSEY MARINE TREASURE

Dave Lange, Research Director of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: BOOTY CALL: ODYSSEY MARINE'S BLACK SWAN COINS ORDERED RETURNED TO SPAIN (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n52a19.html)

MORE ON THE PITTSBURG AND MEXICAN TIN MINING COMPANY MEDAL

In the last The E-Sylum, George Fuld wrote:

Jonathan Brecher writes:

Ed Krivoniak, whose original question about the medals started this discussion writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: MORE ON THE PITTSBURG AND MEXICAN TIN MINING COMPANY MEDAL (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n52a08.html)

E-SYLUM READERS AT BINION'S HORSESHOW CASINO

Joe Boling writes:

Nick also offers this close-up of the notes he saw, but it's pretty grainy. His friend Frank Calandra of Rochester forwarded a link to this item on the exhibit.

To read the complete article, see: Binion's Horseshoe Hotel-Casino (www.lasvegasmikey.com/binions.htm)

HOW DONATED LAS VEGAS CASINO CHIPS ARE PROCESSED

A PLEA FOR GOLD MONEY

Dollars are toxic waste in the literal and fiscal sense. Literally, each dollar bill contains arsenic, cadmium, mercury, thallium, and cyanide and generates dumpster upon dumpster of hazardous waste every day. Fiscally, the dollar has lost 98.3% of its value as of January 1, 2010 since the creation of the central bank known as the Federal Reserve in 1913. (Note 1) Many Americans are unaware that the electrons and scraps of linen we trade around as currency are mere shadows of sound money.

To read the complete article, see: Chasing Gelten Shadows (libertymaven.com/2010/01/03/chasing-gelten-shadows/8486/)

U.S. COIN REPLICAS FROM NEAL SHERMAN'S MARYLAND MINT

Flip a coin. Go ahead. There's no risk because if you flip a novelty two-headed Morgan silver dollar, produced by The Maryland Mint based in Ocean Pines, you can't lose. Just remember to call "heads."

Two-headed coins are popular items sold by Maryland Mint owner Neil Sherman, who started the coin reproduction business from his home a few years ago after retiring as a Maryland detective.

For sale are exact replicas of coins, including those rare and valued at thousands of dollars, allowing numismatists to complete collections.

Sherman, a knowledgeable and soft-spoken man with a quick smile, emphasizes The Maryland Mint is not affiliated with the state of Maryland. Coins can be ordered from themarylandmint.com.

His interest in starting a coin reproduction business grew after he bought a reproduction of a coin from The Royal Oak Mint in Michigan. In a typical week, he fills about 50 orders.

Making reproductions is permitted under The Hobby Protection Act, a federal government act. All reproductions have the word "copy," but Sherman buries the word within the design on the coin so it is subtle.

Among reproductions are the rare 1915-S Panama round gold coin and rare 1915-S $50 Panama octagonal gold coin. The coins were made during construction of the Panama Canal. Only 484 were made.

Coin reproductions from 1793 to 2009 are sold, as well as reproductions of the 8-ounce gold bar, popular with collectors who put them on their desks or use them as paperweights.

Sherman, whose business was featured in Coin World magazine, sells wholesale to dealers in Sweden and German and also has dealers in Tennessee, New York City, California and Florida. His coins are in the shop at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta.

They were on the silver screen, too, used in a robbery scene in a movie filmed in Washington, D.C.

His next endeavor is selling coins with business logos on them. Locally, a bank and jewelry store are interested.

The business is enjoyable in retirement, and Sherman called it "the perfect one-man or one-woman business."

To read the complete article, see: When a close-enough coin is good enough (www.delmarvanow.com/article/20091229/OPI06/912290333)

PETER ROSA'S COIN REPLICAS

Working with Peter Rosa from 1964 until his death in 1990, I'm the last person living that knows what he created and how he made his dies, molds, and coins.

While selling Rosa's ancient coin replicas on eBay I was contacted a number times with questions about the history Rosa's early American coins. I also received Google alerts from the forum CoinTalk, about the authenticity of early American coins that collectors and non-collectors had acquired. Some of these turned out to be Peter Rosa coin replicas.

So I'm starting this blog to document Peter Rosa's vast work of the Colonial and Early American coin reproductions and someday possibility turn it into a reference book. I'm hoping that this will be a worthwhile reference for early American coin collectors and anyone that may have questions about their America colonial coin.

After serving in the Coast Guard during world war two Peter Rosa became a Merchant Marine and would make frequent trips to England from New York on cargo ships. During these trips Peter would visit the British Museum and purchase plaster cast impressions of their ancient Greek, Roman and Early American coins. This was how he was able to amass such a large and diverse collection of beautiful and rare coin impressions.

Peter Rosa and I grew up not far from Yankee Stadium in the south Bronx. He opened Becker Reproductions on 156th street between Melrose and Cortland avenues, and I started working for him there in 1964 at the age of 13.

I have his 1960's Becker Reproductions' production molds, and I'm able to continue to make his coins using the same techniques that we used at Becker Reproductions. I have been selling some of these coins on eBay since 2003.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: MORE ON PETER ROSA COPIES (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n05a14.html)

COIN DEALER TOM NOE'S CONVICTION UPHELD

He will remain in the state's Hocking Correctional Facility in Nelsonville, Ohio, where he arrived in 2008, after he finished serving nearly two years in a federal prison in Florida after pleading guilty to making $45,400 in illegal contributions to President Bush's 2004 re-election campaign.

A jury found him guilty of 29 charges of corruption, theft, money laundering, and tampering with records. He was found not guilty on 11 other charges, and several others were dismissed or consolidated.

In April, 2005, The Blade first reported on Noe's $50 million state rare coin investment deal, triggering a multiyear state investigation that uncovered massive corruption in the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, and led to charges against more than 20 public officials and money managers, including former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft on misdemeanor ethics charges.

To read the complete article, see: Noe's '06 conviction upheld (toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100101/NEWS02/1010343)

PARISIAN ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY ATTENDANCE MEDALS

ROMAN COIN FLIPPING: HEADS OR SHIPS

I see in a rather odd article about coin-tossing the Telegraph UK mentions the ancient Roman past-time which they erroneously call Head or Ships but which was actually called Capita vel Navia, Heads or Ships because of Janus, the two headed god (yes, the one January is named after, the god of beginnings).

Janus was a very frequent image on coins throughout Roman history but the coin referred to by Macrobius was called the "As" or "Aes Grave". It was a bronze coin that featured Janus on one side and a ship's prow on another. These were typically minted around the Punic Wars (early 3rd century BC) and were replaced eventually by the silver denarius.

To read the complete article, see: Heads or Ships: Roman Coin Flipping (badlatin.wordpress.com/2009/12/31/heads-or-ships-roman-coin-flipping/)

One of the most significant coin tosses in the United State's history involved the naming of the city of Portland, Oregon in 1845. Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, who owned the claim to the land that would later become Portland, each wanted to name their new town after their respective hometowns of Boston, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine. Pettygrove prevailed in the coin flip, and the town was named Portland.

In 1903, the Wright brothers flipped a coin to see which one of them would take to the air in the first ever powered flight. Wilbur won the toss but his attempt was only partially successful. Orville's later flight was considered the first example of powered flight.

To read the complete article, see: Coin tossing through the ages (www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6911921/
Coin-tossing-through-the-ages.html)

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT STRIKES CENTENNIAL COIN

The Royal Australian Mint in Canberra has created the first coin with four heads to mark 100 years of Australian coinage.

The $1 coin design honours the four monarchs that have appeared on Australian coins over the past century.

Acting chief executive officer Graham Smith says it commemorates a significant milestone in Australian history.

"Along with the new government and Constitution, the change in 1910 from the British monetary system to our own, heralded the unity and budding independence of our young nation," he said.

"This is what we are celebrating in 2010."

The coin features portraits of King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, and bears the 'C' for Canberra mintmark.

Melbourne coin collector Bruce Mansfield lined up for 18 hours to be first person to strike the new coin.

To read the complete article, see: Heads or tails? Celebrating 100yrs of coinage (www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/01/2783905.htm?section=australia)

QUERY: JOSEPH WHARTON MEDALS

Joseph Wharton was a major 19th century industrialist credited with producing the first metallic zinc and the first metallic nickel in America. He was also was one of the founders of both the International Nickel Co. and Bethlehem Steel. He also founded the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

There are several medals featuring Wharton, including a common So-Called Dollar (HK-323) and a slightly less common award medal, both pictured in a Heritage sale a couple of years ago.

Attached are pictures of a different medal related to Joseph Wharton, showing his parents William Wharton and Deborah Fisher Wharton. It is 53.4 mm, 54.9 g, and unsigned. I have not been able to locate any information about this medal, and I wonder if any of the readership might have seen it before.

This medal bears some obvious similarities to a well-know-but-rare medal featuring Benjamin Franklin. That medal, produced by prolific medallist Robert Lovett Jr., is pictured at Heritage, and also in the ANS collection.

The wording on the reverse is identical to this one, but from a totally different die. Compared to the Franklin medal, parts of the William Wharton medal show high quality. The letters are nicely squared off, and it clearly had nice reflective surfaces to start with. But parts have low quality. Many of the letters on the reverse of the William Wharton medal are recut or repunched, some of them drastically. The portraits show linear dotted marks throughout that I'm going to say (waving my hands) might be un-cleaned-up evidence of using some sort of reducing machine during the production of the dies. In short, the William and Deborah Wharton medal doesn't have the feel of "Lovett quality".

In trying to find any information about this medal, I came across one reference that might be relevant -- or that might confuse the issue further. On February 18, 1895, Horatio Robinson Storer read a paper before the Newport Historical Society describing the medals of Rhode Island. Item 120 in that paper is a medal described as "Joseph Wharton, summer resident at Jamestown, R.I. Bronze. 53mm. By R. Lovett." .

That medal is probably related to this one, but is it the same piece? It seems that this medal would best be described as portraying William and Deborah Wharton. Similarly, the Franklin medal would best be described as portraying Franklin. Was Storer describing one of those, or possibly a third piece that really does portray Joseph?

Any information about this William and Deborah Wharton medal would be welcomed.

E-Sylum readers might want to take a close look at that Storer paper for a different reason. Storer documents the original recipients and current locations (as of 1895) of several gold US Mint medals, information that I have never seen before.

The Nathaniel Green medal in gold, presumably referring to Julian MI-10, was "in the possession of Mr. W. Brenton Greene, of Newport."

Storer could not locate the gold version of the Oliver Hazard Perry medal, presumably referring to Julian NA-17. One of the silver strikings, however, he documents, "was conferred on Acting Surgeon Usher Parsons, U. S. N., of Providence, and is now in the possession of his nephew, Mr. Edwin Parsons of N. Y.

A "Medal to Perry from the State of Pennsylvania", in gold, was "owned by Mr. O. H. Perry of Lowell, Mass." That was probably one of NA-18 through NA-21. Of those, Julian states that only NA-20 was struck in gold, and that it is now in the United States Naval Academy Museum at Annapolis.

"One of the silver Congressional medals for battle between the ships Hornet and Peacock was conferred on Acting Surgeon Charles Cotton, U. S. N., of Newport, and is now in the possession of his son, Mr. William H. Cotton." That presumably refers to the Captain James Lawrence medal, Julian NA-14.

The original gold versions of the medal for the wreck of the Steamer Metis (Julian LS-15) were "owned by the families of Capt. Jared S. Crandall, Albert Crandall, Daniel F. Larkin, Frank Larkin, Byron Green, John D. Harvey, Courtland Gavitt, Eugene Nash, Edwin Nash, and Wm. Nash, of Westerly, the life savers, who are all now dead." That totals ten recipients, which exactly matches the mintage reported by Julian.

...and a host of other information about additional pieces with ties to Rhode Island.

It sure would be interesting to try to track down where some of those pieces are now!

ZIMBABWE NOTES IN THE NEWS AGAIN

A local exchange shop has gotten its hands on eight hundred trillion dollars in Zimbabwe money.

"Hundred trillion dollar bank note from Zimbabwe. It's in a third issue of four and it was replaced in June," Ram Z's floor manager Chad Ramsey said.

Because of inflation, the one hundred trillion dollar note at Ram Z's Exchange might be able to buy you breakfast.

"It was at the time only worth about 33 cents," Ramsey said. "They really don't have any value. Just for the nostalgia of having a bill that is just a hundred trillion dollar bill."

Randy Ramsey said there have been many customers coming into Ram Z's to buy and invest in gold and silver because of their fear of inflation in the United States.

" In the last year, we have had people coming in, some come in on a weekly basis, to buy a piece of gold, to buy a piece of silver. And other people are able to buy larger quantities. I think it is an indication with their concerns as well for our U. S. Dollar, printing so much with out much to back it," Randy said.

To read the complete article, see: Store gets trillion dollar banknote (www.wlfi.com/dpp/on_the_money/Copy_of_local-exchange-store-gets-its-hands-on-a-trillion-dollars)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: BARBER GETS 100 TRILLION DOLLAR TIP (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n52a20.html)

GOT CHANGE FOR A MILLION SILVER DOLLARS?

Werner Talso writes:

Two Germans were caught in an Austria mountain town with 500 million dollars in counterfeit banknotes. It's one of the biggest hauls of counterfeit dollars in Europe. But the culprits say they thought the 1 million dollar bills were real. Early next year an Austrian court must decide their fate.

At the end of January, Hölzen will face trial in a district court in Feldkirch, in Austria's Vorarlberg region. Austrian prosecutors have filed charges against him and his accomplice, Dietmar B., 52, for attempted fraud and possession of counterfeit banknotes.

Almost a year ago, Hölzen and B. were arrested in a bank in Austria's Kleinwalsertal ski valley. The duo stands accused of having attempted to exchange $202 million in counterfeit bills. The police also found $291 million more in counterfeit bills in a black Samsonite suitcase the men were carrying.

Technically speaking, it was one of the biggest successes that European police organizations have ever had in the fight against counterfeit US banknotes. But not even the Austrian police are willing to call it a coup. And that's because the defendants lacked both a plan and any professionalism.

Instead, the trial in Feldkirch is more likely to offer a cautionary tale about how, in greedy times, even ordinary people think there is a fast track to wealth. And about how they believed that they could get rich quick through a combination of cunning and a few printed piece of paper; And how they ruined their lives in the process.

Two men walked into his office one afternoon. One of them, Hendrik van den B., a tall, gaunt older man, was wearing a dark, expensive-looking suit and introduced himself as a Dutch businessman. He looks as though he has money, Hölzen said to himself.

The other man, short and bald, was Dietmar B., from Essen in western Germany who looked much less imposing. According to Hölzen, what B. did not tell him was that he was a machinist, who had been unemployed for a long time and that he had already served prison time for attempted fraud and for his association with a criminal gang that was involved in grand larceny.

The men told Hölzen that he had been recommended to them by a former client and that they wanted him to prepare a purchase agreement for some historic stocks, some of which were American silver certificates. They told him that these silver certificates, which closely resembled ordinary dollar bills, were never used as a conventional form of payment but were traded between banks in the past. And they remained extremely valuable.

An employee with Julius Bär, a Swiss private bank, promptly replied that the pieces of paper were worthless. But Hölzen did not want to hear this. This deal of a lifetime couldn't possibly be over before it had even begun, he thought. "This is my big chance," he kept telling himself.

That is Hölzen's side of the story anyway. "I was naïve," he admits -- and that is all he will admit too. He continues to insist that he was not the main instigator of the crime with which he is now being charged.

The eventual case, when it comes to court, will revolve around whether the two Germans believed that the banknotes were real or whether they were deliberately trying to unload counterfeit bills. The investigators claim that by the time they reached the bank in Riezlern, Hölzen and B. "had come to terms with the possibility that the banknotes could be counterfeit."

To read the complete article, see: Got Change For A Million Silver Dollars? (www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,669480,00.html)

MALAYSIAN BANKNOTE ERROR DISCOVERED

SOME avid collectors of ringgit notes with print defects would probably be interested in owning a RM50 note which was withdrawn from an ATM at the Penang International Airport.

The legal tender was found stuck among 20 pieces of RM50 notes which was withdrawn by remisier Norhazi Ismail, 45, at about noon yesterday.

Bearing the serial number, ‘PP1981485' on the back, the note had an extra flap on the front left top corner.

"This banknote is legal as it came straight from Maybank. Also the paper quality, serial number, photo of the Agung and watermark are all intact," he said.

Norhazi, a former bank worker, said this was the second time he had found such a note.

"In 1984, when I was working in the then Southern Bank in Bayan Lepas, I received the old RM100 note which had two faces of the King on it.

Norhazi said he would keep both the ringgit notes as he felt they might be collector's items one day.

To read the complete article, see: Money – and more (thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/30/nation/5384240)

AMAZON'S KINDLE MILESTONE: MORE E-BOOKS THAN REAL BOOKS SOLD ON CHRISTMAS

To read the complete article, see: Kindle Milestone: Amazon Sold More Kindle Books Than Physical Books On Xmas (www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-kindle-milestone
-amazon-sold-more-ebooks-than-physical-books-on-xmas-2009-12)

FUNKY BOOKSHELVES

To read the complete article, see: Design Porn: Bookshelves (flavorwire.com/51509/design-porn-bookshelves)

FEATURED WEB PAGE: THE NEW YORK NUMISMATIC CLUB YEAR BOOK

This week's Featured Web page is suggested by John and Nancy Wilson who write:

What they found was a digitized version of THE NEW YORK NUMISMATIC CLUB YEAR BOOK 1918-1919-1920-1921. It's a crudely OCR'd copy (in one place the club's name is spelled TMUMISMATIC), but still usable for research. Here are two excerpts.

www.archive.org/stream/yearbook05unkngoog/
yearbook05unkngoog_djvu.txt