WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

Among our new subscribers this week are Don Walsh and George A. Petrulakis. Welcome aboard! We have 1,454 email subscribers, plus 159 followers on Facebook, including Daniel Krustev.

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society's Internet email newsletter was launched on Friday, September 4, 1998. Now known as The E-Sylum and published each Sunday evening, it's been a blog since before the word was invented, one of the oldest on any topic on the web. To put this in perspective, in December of that year my first son Christopher was born, and now at nearly 13, he stands taller than my wife (and he's gaining on me).

The E-Sylum has inspired several other electronic newsletters, but remains something special. Its secret sauce is you, the readers, who infuse each issue with some of the most interesting numismatic commentary and discussion to be had anywhere.

It's been an honor and a privilege to edit this little journal all these years. Yeah, it's a lot of work too, but the fun and camaraderie make it all worthwhile. Thanks for sticking with me on this experiment. Now back to our regular programming.

First, I'd like to apologize to some of our readers who sent items for publication in tonight's issue. There were so many responses this week that I just ran out of time. I may be able to use a couple next week. Sorry!

This week we open with word from half a dozen numismatic literature dealers, followed by an announcement of a new book on Rosa Americana coinage. Other topics include The Register of the Confederate Debt, National Coin Albums, NASCA and Herb Melnick, and Liberty Dollars.

To learn more about the spectacular Gold Double Daric of Alexander the Great, Izzy Switt and a winner's medal from the first World Cup, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

CHARLES DAVIS NUMISMATIC LITERATURE SALE OCTOBER 1, 2011

My next Mail Bid Sale of Numismatic Literature will close on October 1. Notable lots include a long run of The Numismatist starting with Volume I, and the most comprehensive offering of Red Books including a 29 volume set signed by Yeoman to a first edition contributor, two additional signed first editions, all known interleaved editions, an interesting assortment of works and letters dealing with counterfeiting, and an early (1554) illustrated work on Roman coins.

The catalogue is usually available on vcoins, but as I write, the site is in great turmoil having been replaced by its new owners with a largely non-functional disaster. The catalogue and 150-200 photos, are however, available at www.Numisbook.com .

Charles Davis
Numismatic Literature
P.O. Box 547
Wenham, MA 01984

Tel: (978) 468 2933
Fax: (978) 468 7893

http://www.numisbook.com

LAKE BOOKS NUMISMATIC LITERATURE SALE #109 OCTOBER 4, 2011

Lake Books announces that its 109th mail-bid sale of numismatic literature is now available on their web site at www.lakebooks.com/current.html . The sale features selections from the library of Dr. Allen Axenfield and contains reference material on U. S. coins, World and Ancient coins, Paper Money, Tokens and Medals, and numismatic ephemera.

Of particular note are long runs of "The Numismatic Chronicle" from the Royal Numismatic Society and many of the "Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles". Bids may be placed via email, telephone, fax or US Mail until the closing time of 5:00 PM (EDT) on Tuesday, October 4, 2011.Remember to bid early as ties are won by the earliest bid received.

Good luck with your bidding, Fred

Lake Books
6822 22nd Ave. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33710
727-343-8055 Fax 727-345-3750

SKLOW MAIL BID SALE NO. 14 CLOSES OCTOBER 15, 2011

MAIL BID SALE NO. 14 CLOSES OCTOBER 15, 2011
FEATURING THE PAPER MONEY WORKS AND SCARCE ITEMS FROM THE LIBRARY OF MYRON XENOS ALSO PART VI OF THE Q. DAVID BOWERS LIBRARY, THE GOLD REFERENCE CATALOGS OF DONALD KAGIN, SCARCE RED BOOKS, THE WORKING LIBRARY OF MARLIN KRAVITZ AND MANY OTHER SURPRISES, 1022 LOTS, SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

Bidders may enter bids by mail, telephone, email or fax. The sale closes at 8pm mountain time, October 15, 2011, however, any bids left on our answering machines or sent by email or fax on or before midnight on closing day will be accepted. Auction catalog is viewable on our website

Catalogs have been shipped and individuals on our mailing list should be receiving their catalogs, or have them in hand. Catalogs are available upon request at no charge.

DAVID SKLOW – FINE NUMISMATIC BOOKS
P.O. BOX 6321
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80934
TEL: (719) 302-5686
FAX: (719) 302-4933
www.finenumismaticbooks@aol.com

BRYCE BROWN NUMISMATIC LITERATURE WEBSITE UPDATED

I invite the E-Sylum readers to visit my Numismatic Literature website: http://brycebooks.squarespace.com . My inventory lists have been updated with many new items. Fortunately, I kept high and dry during Hurricane Irene!

KOLBE & FANNING NUMISMATIC LITERATURE WEBSITE UPDATED

Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers have been adding books for sale to their new website at www.numislit.com , where visitors can browse hundreds of books by categories or search for particular titles. Recently added works include: Hull on coins of Muhammadan India; Jack Collins's important fixed price list of Washingtonia; the Quarterman reprint of Betts; the first volume of Mason's Coin & Stamp Collectors' Magazine; a 1796 U.S. government report dealing partly with Mint expenditures; a copy of Valentine on fractional currency with annotations by Walter Breen; Vol. 7 of the Roman Provincial Coinage series; a number of volumes from the Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum series; and many others.

Information can also be found regarding Kolbe & Fanning's upcoming Sept. 15 mail-bid sale, the firm's publications and other activities. For information on consigning to the firm's January 7 New York public auction of rare numismatic literature, please contact either George Kolbe or David Fanning directly at gfk@numislit.com or df@numislit.com.

NEW BOOK: THE ROSA AMERICANA COINAGE OF WILLIAM WOOD

Earlier this week on the Yahoo Colonial Coins group Ray Williams wrote:

I checked with Charlie Davis who confirmed the rumor, provided pricing, and forwarded an image of the book's cover. He writes:

I contacted Ray Williams for more information. He writes:

MORE ON NUMISMATIC LITERATURE EXHIBITS AT THE 2011 CHICAGO ANA

Pete Smith writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: NUMISMATIC LITERATURE EXHIBITS AT THE 2011 CHICAGO ANA (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a02.html)

VISITOR NOTES ON THE BURD NUMISMATIC LIBRARY

Amanda Harvey writes:

David Fanning writes:

ARTICLE ON GOLD DOUBLE DARIC OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT SOUGHT

Anne Bentley of the Massachusetts Historical Society writes:

Howard Cohen wrote:

QUERY: REGISTER OF THE CONFEDERATE DEBT INFORMATION SOUGHT

Fred Reed writes:

QUERY: WAYTE RAYMOND NATIONAL COIN ALBUM INFORMATION SOUGHT

I've finished cataloging Wayte Raymond National Coin Album pages for my book, and I'm hoping that readers may be able to help fill some gaps in the numbering sequence. Raymond's own catalog numbers that appear on the upper back of each small-size page are complete from 330-399, aside from the following numbers: 335-339, 341-343, 345 and 361. If anyone has a Wayte Raymond album page in the small, landscape format carrying one of these missing numbers, I would like to hear from him.

David W. Lange
POB 110022
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211
941-586-8670
www.coincollectingboards.net

MORE ON NASCA AND HERB MELNICK

Alan V. Weinberg writes:

Ken Berger writes:

David Lange writes:

Richard Margolis writes:

Martin Gengerke writes:

Dave Bowers writes:

Regarding Herb Melnick, last week Paul Bosco wrote:

Dave Bowers writes:

Paul Bosco writes:

From sunny Budapest Dave Hirt writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: THE NUMISMATIC AND ANTIQUARIAN SERVICE CORPORATION OF AMERICA (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a10.html)

MORE ON THE PCGS ' GENUINE ELECTROTYPE' DESIGNATION

Regarding last week's item about PCGS' slabbing of an electrotype Type II 1804 dollar, John Dannreuther writes:

To read the complete article, see: GENUINE ELECTROTYPE: PCGS CERTIFIES UNIQUE COPY OF A UNIQUE 1804 DOLLAR (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a11.html)

1796 SIR GEORGE COOK CONDER TOKEN

Ken Bressett writes:

Peter-Preston Morley writes:

Lambeth, Prattent's Penny, [17]96, standing figure of George Cook, smoking pipe and holding a mug and a keg, rev. sr. g • cook fruiterer greengrocer & oyster merchant stangate lambeth, vegetables around, edge on demand we promise to pay one penny, 20.71g/6h (DH 1). Struck over a Penny of Mary Lambe of Bath [DH Somerset 8], metal fault in obverse field and light striking cracks, otherwise virtually as struck, original colour on obverse, reverse with rainbow patination, very rare £500-700

Provenance: Col. W. Cutting Collection, Part I, Lyman Low Auction (New York), 23-4 May 1898, lot 510; T.A. Jan Collection, Part II, Spink Auction 35, 11 April 1984, lot 69; M.Z. Gerson Collection; J.A. Bobbe Collection [from M.Z.G. September 1985]; bt J.A. Bobbe May 1998

Wayne Myers writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: MORE ON COL. WALTER CUTTING OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a09.html)

NO 'S' IN NAME MEDALLIC ART COMPANY AND OTHER TABOOS

Tom Dalrymple gave a satisfactory answer in last week's E-Sylum to a question posed earlier by Dick Hanscom about an Alaskan medal that bore a portrait of John Adams. What connection did Adams have with Alaska?

The answer was little or no connection (despite the fact it sent Anne Bentley searching the Adams papers in her institutions collections).

It appears that the medal is a factory artist's fantasy of the Metal Arts Company of Rochester, New York. That medal, and a companion, bearing the portrait of Washington bore the seals of Hawaii and Alaska on the two medal's reverses. It seems the medals were issued to capitalize on the popularity at the time the two states celebrated their statehood entry.

The designs were similar to two series issued by Medallic Art Company, the two portraits from the Presidential Series, and state seals from the State Series, both issued by Presidential Art Medals, created by sculptor Ralph Joseph Menconi and struck by Medallic Art Company in New York City at the time. The designs were similar but the quality wasn't. Imitation is not always complimentary.

Tom correctly identified the medals were struck by Metal Arts Company and not Medallic Art Company. As spokesman for Medallic Art. I faced that problem of confusion constantly of the similarity of the two firm's names. I created a Fact Sheet I sent to all writers and editors with frequent press releases that mentioned there is no "S" in the name Medallic Art Company.

In addition to the No-S rule I mentioned to use caution with the word UNIQUE as it had a numismatic meaning -- only one made -- but this word is widely used by copywriters particularly when writing advertising copy. I don't remember the other taboos.

On several occasions I have searched my files for a copy of that Fact Sheet List of Taboo Words. No luck. I would give a five dollar bill to the first person who can send me one of those from their files. (Don't laugh. I once paid $18 for a letter I wrote to a collector about a medal he had. The eBay seller wasn't impressed I was buying back my own letter. He cashed my check without comment!)

I was asked to comment about that Adams medal when it surfaced with Dick Hanscom's original inquiry. I am glad I didn't respond. It was unknown to me at that time. I had no knowledge of it.

Thanks, Tom, your reply now makes it clear. Now we all know.

BOUND VOLUME OF THE STACK'S 52 COLLECTION SALE

Michael J. Sullivan writes:

Superbly crafted presentation volume of the two 52 Collection Sales conducted by Stack's in 2010-2011. Made to order by Harcourt Bindery, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Quarto. 8.5 by 10.75 inches. 1.25 inches thick. Full black morocco with raised bands and compartments on spine. Alternating gilt spine ornaments with two color title compartments. Upper with 52/HAGEN on red leather, ornament, then STACK'S/2010-2100 on green leather. Cover and back gilt stamp perimeter lines. Gilt stamped cover titles: THE 52 COLLECTION/PART I: JUNE 29, 201/PART II; JANUARY 25, 2011/STACK'S.

Two catalogues bound into one volume with card covers. Prices realized list tipped in. Top pages gilt. The 52 Collection Part I: Art & Security on American Paper Currencies. June 29, 2011. 208 pages. 781 lots. The groundbreaking sale focusing on the Hagen collection of obsolete proofs and related items associated with geometric lathe patents and design. Emphasis on the Cyrus Durand patents highlighted by 97 plates from the unique archive record book created for Durand. Essay The Mechanical Artistry of Cyrus Durand center of catalogue. Other featured collections including Federal Proofs & Essays, Colonial American notes, engraver sheets, banknote company certificates, vignette proofs from Roger H. Durand, and several other consignors. Prices realized nearly $1,500,000.

To read the complete lot description, see: Lot #5394. Colonial Notes. Stack's The 52 Collection Parts I And II. Bound Presentation Volume In Full Morocco By Harcourt Bindery. (www.stacksbowers.com/Auctions/AuctionLot.aspx?LotID=238602)

A PICTURE OF ISRAEL SWITT

To read the complete article, see: National treasure: The ultra-rare 'Double Eagle' coin pursued by the Secret Service for 70 years (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2031441/National-treasure
-The-ultra-rare-Double-Eagle-coin-pursued-Secret
-Service-70-years.html)

LIBERTY DOLLARS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SEIZURE

Liberty Dollars held by collectors may be subject to seizure as contraband by federal law enforcement, officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office and Secret Service said Aug. 24.

Statements by officials for those two federal law enforcement agencies seem to reverse the position taken in comments released from the United States Attorney's Office in Charlotte, N.C., and published in Coin World in April, that mere possession of Liberty Dollars did not constitute a violation of any federal statute.

Soon after von NotHaus' March 18 conviction, Coin World obtained and published comments from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte stating that while mere possession of Liberty Dollar medallions was not a violation of federal statutes, actual use or intent to use them in the manner for which von NotHaus was convicted would be considered a violation.

The reversal of opinion surfaced after a Michigan collector sought to display his award-winning Liberty Dollar exhibit at the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money in Rosemont, Ill. Aug. 16 to 20. ANA officials denied the collector the opportunity amid fears the exhibit's contents would be seized off the convention bourse floor by federal authorities. The collector had exhibited the collection in various venues previously.

To read the complete article, see: Liberty Dollars may be subject to seizure (www.coinworld.com/articles/liberty-dollars-may-be-subject-to-seizure/)

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

On Temporary U.S. Mint Facilities
John Mutch writes:

Gene Hessler on 'What's My Line'
Gene Hessler writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: NUMISMATIC PERSONALITIES ON "WHAT'S MY LINE" (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a07.html)

Star Wars Characters at the 2011 ANA Convention
Kerry Wetterstrom writes:

Eric Holcomb writes:

Ralph Winter did a similar double-take at the convention.

On Earthquakes and Hurricanes
Regarding the "DC Earthquake Devastation" picture, Scott Barman writes:

The other natural disaster this week was the hurricane that hit the East coast. Spink Smythe issued an email notice on August 29th announcing the postponement of their August 30th sale.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: AUGUST 28, 2011 (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a14.html)

Coin Compositions
Dave Lange writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: DICK JOHNSON: ALUMINIZED-STEEL NOT A VIABLE CENT ALLOY (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a13.html)

Coin Laundering at the St. Francis Hotel
Dave Lange adds:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL'S MONEY LAUNDERER (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n36a17.html)

HOWARD DANIEL'S 2011 CHICAGO ANA DIARY

Did David Seelye know his bride was at Howard's 2011 Chicago ANA booth?

I just manned a club booth at another ANA for NBS and other organizations like IBNS, NI, MPC Fest/Gram and others. This time it was in the Chicago area but outside the city near the airport in Rosemont's convention center. I drove in on Monday afternoon, parked at my hotel, and went to the convention center to locate my booth and start my setup. I was stopped at the door by security and told that club booth staffs were not allowed in until one hour before opening day (Tuesday) morning! I used to come to an ANA a couple of days early and help the staff set up but my time keeps being pushed back until now it is an hour before opening! I am guessing club booths will not exist in the foreseeable future!

The convention center was alright but getting back and forth with a cart full of stuff was a trying experience. I figured the loading dock was going to cost me money even if I did the work myself since the Chicago area has a lot of union labor, so I did not go to it. I parked behind the Hyatt Hotel and not in their garage. The roll from my vehicle to the convention center garage was over VERY rough asphalt! Then the skywalk to the convention center had metal connectors every 50 feet or so which required me to slow down and lift the cart over them. As a result of the trying roll, I brought over only one of my footlockers of stuff to give away. But I made sure I had my three gifts for Neil Shafer, Roger Urce and Brian Giese. Brian surprisingly did not show up from nearby Milwaukee but the other two men got their gifts.

The Hyatt was an OK hotel but about the same quality as the old Holiday Inn's before they refurbished them around the country into Holiday Inn Express's. One night I invited an NBS member/friend to dinner at the hotel and we were greatly disappointed with the quality of the food and the service. But the service, salads and coffee at their snack bar (called Perks) was top notch. I will write to the hotel about both the good and the bad.

The bourse layout was somewhat boot-shaped like Italy. I found the club booths were in the toe of the boot and as far away from the entrance as possible. We used to have bourse locations (I do not like being ouside the bourse because there is usually no security) so a lot of traffic went by us! The case and electricity was there as ordered. After about two hours, I was set up with what I brought on one cart. It took awhile as friends stopped by to say hello. I got breakfast/lunch, and first coffee too, around 11AM.

It was very quiet back in our area!! Over the entire convention, I gave away much less than 100 of the 400 packets of a world note and coins to YNs. I saw NO scouts, which is very unusual. As it turns out, the convention was scheduled during the opening week of school! Who scheduled this? The few YNs I had were home schooled or had skipped school. So I stopped men with wives and asked them to bring their "daughters" to me. Their wives loved it. And then I asked them if they had any kids, grand kids, neighbor kids they could give some packets to them. Most of my packets went out with these ladies. I am guessing YN activities will not exist in the forseeable future!

The Saturday morning IBNS (International Bank Note Society) meeting had about 20+ attendees. The show and tell had some interesting and new pieces, and lasted awhile, so I did not give my talk and we went into the (MPC) Mini-Fest part of the meeting with another show and tell of military monies and related items. Then there was a paycall where everyone was paid a Military Fest Certificate (instead of a Military Payment Certificate which we got in the military). The newbies were quite surprised with the MFC and we might have converted a few to collecting military monies. My NI (Numismatics International) meeting followed in the same room. Only four of us showed up so we pulled up some chairs and had a great numismatic conversation. I have a sinking feeling that some organizations will no longer have meeting rooms made available to them in the foreseeable future!

I renewed the membership of one person and signed up two new members during the entire convention! This is WAY below my normal numbers and it was all because of the non-existent flow of attendess. Most came within about five or six booths of us back in the club area and turned to another area.

But I had a few interesting people find me. One was a WWII era veteran from the Chicago area whose last name was Myers (no, not the Colonel Bill Myers who collects military and WWII monies) and he graduated from Japanese language school almost on V-J Day. He was sent to Tokyo and listened to Japanese radio broadcasts, among other things. I found an appropriate AMC 1 Yen note for him in my freebie bag of MPC/AMC for veterans and he stared at it for a LONG time. I am thinking it brought back a lot of memories. I told him about the MPC Gram/Fest and gave him the information on both. I hope he contacts us and can become a resource for the researchers among us. There were several other veterans stopping by the table but not like other shows.

I had one young (for me now 30s and 40s) man stop at the booth and stare at a sterling silver money clip with a dollar sign cut out of it. I asked him if he liked it and he told me he would feel like a rich man to have it around his paper money. I told him it was sterling silver and it would cost him only $5, which was below its bullion value. He jumped on it and slipped his paper money into it.

I buy junkbox coins and offer $6-8 per pound for them (and 10 cents each for paper money). The dealers usually sell their junkboxes to me and I pour them into a large Bank of America money bag. When I get home I go through them and often find jewelry and other non-numismatic items. If they have value, I sell them and buy more junk coins.

I asked the young man what he collected and he told me he worked for the Austrian Mint. I quickly grabbed one of my catalogs and showed him three NCLT coins for Viet Nam that are reported to have been minted by his mint but I had no confirmation of it. He said he would email them for me. The next day he told me they were not minted by his mint. Now, I have more research to do.

The most annoying part of the convention was the public announcement system! Most conventions do not realize how loud their speakers are but this time it was absolutely terrible. Most conventions do not have those speaking on their systems test their voices BEFORE opening. All professional events do these tests with everyone who is going to use them and adjust them to each person's normal speaking voice! One man who came on several times almost broke my eardrums with his shouting into the microphone! Many times, my neighbors and I had to cover our ears and completely stop talking or working on something even with the "normal" loudness. This is something that should be on the convention checklist of things to do and the speakers and sound system adjusted to a reasonable loudness!

This was the last ANA where I will set up a club booth because of the hassles and they are becoming less worthwhile of my time. There are additional "guidelines" put on club tables and now there is a cost of $150. This is not a problem for me because I usually donate $100 to all club shows for giving me a booth, but one possible new requirement was that I could only represent one society at the booth instead of the 5+ I represent now. The ANA also did not force FedEx to deliver/accept Ground shipments (as I requested) so my heavy footlocker(s) I ship when flying to a convention will be VERY expensive by air! And they did not tell me that FedEx would have to deliver to the Security Room instead of just to the loading dock. Leaving my footlocker at the loading dock can cost me almost another $200 for a union member to roll it a few feet to the club booth where it is left for anyone to take!

An ANA staff member also passed on to me that the ANA (who there was not said) believes people who staff club booths are freeloaders! I guess I was freeloading with my trip expenses usually between $2000-3000! But I will still be coming to ANAs to moderate the IBNS and NI meetings (as long as we can have them), meeting other collectors, spending my time attending other meetings, and actually having time to see every dealer I want to see on the bourse. I also plan to exhibit for the first time and take the judging class too.

Starting next year, I will be living in my home in Viet Nam (and traveling around Southeast Asia) from about October to March of every year. I will still be setting up a club booth at FUN but will have to switch from the January to their summertime show. I will continue doing the Memphis International Paper Money Show and probably one or more other shows like Baltimore, Central States and Blue Ridge, but I just set up my last club booth at an ANA. But I will walk the ANA bourse and work at recruiting for my organizations while I look for additions to my collection. This does not preclude any of you to setting up a club booth at an ANA to represent NBS and/or other organizations. Good luck to you.

LEGENDARY BLUE AND RED MAURITIUS STAMPS REUNITED IN BERLIN EXHIBIT

Only for three weeks and only in Berlin: This unique exhibition is the only one in the world to unite most of the legendary Blue and Red Mauritius stamps still in existence. For stamp collectors all over the world, just the thought of a Blue Mauritius is enough to set the pulse racing – and even for the casual audience, it symbolises everything that makes a stamp special: an astronomical price, rarity beyond compare, and a fascinating story that has inspired myths and legends. At the ‘The Blue Mauritius: Meeting of the Queens in Berlin' exhibition from September 2 to 25, 2011, the Museum for Communication Berlin will be presenting around two-thirds of the 27 Mauritius ‘Post Office' stamps still in existence.

In this unparalleled exhibition, the Museum for Communication Berlin, itself the proud owner of a Blue and Red Mauritius, is presenting the largest number of these philatelic gems ever shown together anywhere in the world. The exhibition is only running for a total of three weeks and tickets are limited. Tickets can be booked online at www.mauritius-in-berlin.de. Timed-entry tickets cost €8 (concessions €5), and VIP tickets with no time restrictions are available for €22.

These renowned stamps, issued more than 160 years ago in the British colony Mauritius and now on display in Berlin, are on loan from the Royal Philatelic Collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the British Library, the Postal Museums in The Hague and in Stockholm, the Blue Penny Museum (Port Louis, Mauritius), and a number of private collectors. An accompanying exhibition and a catalogue provide an insight into the historical background of the ‘Mauritius legend' and document the continuing fascination with these famous stamps. The stunning range of exhibits include the original cost estimate for the printing of the stamps, the sole remaining test print from 1847, the year the stamps were issued, and three prints produced in 1912 from the original plate, now lost.

To read the complete article, see: Exhibition in Berlin unite most of the legendary Blue and Red Mauritius stamps (www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=50212)

WINNER'S MEDAL FROM THE FIRST WORLD CUP TO BE AUCTIONED

A RARE winner's medal from the first World Cup, won against overwhelming odds by a team of North-East miners, is to go under the hammer after being found at a car boot sale.

The team from West Auckland Football Club, County Durham, won the inaugural Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy in 1909.

The players, mainly miners, are thought to have had the medals struck themselves and it is believed that only three are still known to exist.

One owned by the winning team's captain, Bob Jones, belongs to the club and another is at the National Football Museum.

The third was found in a box of football programmes bought at a car boot sale for £20 in the Newcastle area six years ago.

The anonymous buyer nearly threw away the medal, made of an alloy, as he did not realise what it was.

He has put it up for auction at Newcastle-based Garland and Anderson, with a list price of £3,000 to £5,000.

Steven Moore, senior specialist at Garland and Anderson, said: "He found the medal and tried to find out what it was without success.

"Twice his wife told him to throw it out, but he did more research and found one that had been listed for auction for £15,000 and realised what it was.

"This is from an iconic moment.

It's one of the rarest football medals in the world.

To read the complete article, see: World Cup medal to sell at auction (www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/9231288.
World_Cup_medal_to_sell_at_auction/)

PORTRAIT SKETCHES OF OPERATION BERNHARD COUNTERFEITERS UNVEILED

For decades his moving portraits of Jewish concentration camp prisoners who laboured alongside him have rarely been seen.

Felix Cytrin drew the men as they worked together on a top secret Nazi counterfeiting operation during World War 11.

But now his collection of 43 drawings will be seen by the public for the first time and the story of how he survived the Holocaust can be told.

The sketches - most dated 1944 and 1945 and drawn on paper in pencil, charcoal and chalk - were donated by his heirs to Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial and museum at a special ceremony yesterday in New York.

They are among the few images that exist of the young men who worked on the infamous Nazi operation to produce fake money, fictionalised in the Oscar-winning film The Counterfeiters.

The Nazis hand-picked from death camps a group of about 140 mostly skilled craftsmen at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp north of Berlin around 1942,

They gave them the dubious choice of creating bogus money for the Nazis or almost certain death. They were isolated from the rest of the camp in barracks known as Block 19, surrounded by barbed wire. Initially, the goal of Operation Bernhard (named after its lead SS officer, Bernhard Krueger) was to counterfeit millions of British pounds that could be air-dropped on England to undermine the Allied country's economy.

Cytrin was born in what is now Warsaw, Poland, in 1894, and his name appears on a list of Operation Bernhard inmates recovered from a lake in Austria, where the Nazis dumped documents about the plot. A toolmaker and engraver, Cytrin was working in Leipzig when he was recruited and made chief of the engraving section, a critical job for the men working and living in Block 19.

For many years after he had moved to the U.S. his family said he was suspicious of being watched by the government. Army intelligence documents about him remain classified at the National Archives in Maryland.

At a special handover ceremony yesterday, Marcia Friday, who was then married to Cytrin's grandson, said that about 25 years ago she discovered the disintegrating portraits in a cardboard portfolio at the family home in Pennsylvania.

To read the complete article, see: Unveiled: The portraits sketched by the Holocaust survivor forced to run a secret counterfeit money operation for the Nazis (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2032924/Moving-portraits
-sketched-Holocaust-survivor-forced-run-secret
-counterfeit-money-operation-Nazis.html)

$20,000 CASH ARTWORK SELLS FOR $21,350

AS an investment, cash is considered a conservative bet. Tonight in Melbourne, a confident buyer took a punt that sometimes, in certain company, cash is worth more as art than money in the bank.

As the opening lot of the Deutscher and Hackett auction, a single wad of $20,000 cash - an artwork called Currency - was sold for $17,500. When the 22 per cent buyer's premium is added, the total cost comes to $21,350.

The work - by Sydney artist Denis Beaubois, and brought to life with a $20,000 grant from the Australia Council - was divided into two lots of 100 uncirculated $100 banknotes.

Deutscher and Hackett had given it an estimate of $15,000-$25,000, with both extremes sending competing messages about the inflationary value of the work. The notes can still be used as legal tender, according to the artist.

Beaubois said after the sale tonight that he had no idea what to expect with the auction.

"I thought there was a strong chance it would go for below [$20,000] because there's a lot of suspicion with the work, but it's also interesting it went for above the financial worth," he said.

According to the auction notes, the piece is a conceptual artwork that "explores the tension between the economic value of the material against the cultural value of the art object".

In other words, whether banknotes are worth more as cash or art.

To read the complete article, see: $20,000 cash artwork sells for $21,350 (www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/cash-artwork
-sells-for-21350/story-fn9d3avm-1226126777761)

FEATURED WEB PAGE: THE LINCOLN CENT

Saint-Gaudens model for the cent obverse.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_cent