WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM JUNE 16, 2013

No new subscribers this week. We have 1,648 email subscribers, plus 234 followers on Facebook.

Happy Father's Day, Dads! My afternoon was spent with the whole family watching the animated film Epic. After a great restaurant dinner and dessert I came home to play basketball and a couple games of Monopoly before the kids' bedtime. Now I'm working on The E-Sylum before calling it a night. It was a good day.

This week we open with a numismatic literature sale and a couple new or recent books on world numismatics. Other topics include the fires in Colorado Springs, the Drake Mercator Map medal, and Alaska's Fort Knox.

To learn more about Jim Kelly and the first editor of Coin World, the Bushnell sale of 1882, the First National Oyster Bank, Eric Newman's early U.S. dollars, the Mysterious Large Cent lady, and why it's a bad idea to wear a nylon jacket with a wool shirt, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

ARTEMIDE XXXVIII NUMISMATIC LITERATURE AUCTION

Eric Vanhove writes:

To access the online catalog, see: Artemide Aste XXXVIII - Libri (www.deamoneta.com/auctions/home/149)

NEW BOOK: ESTONIAN COINS AND BANKNOTES

Publication, “EESTI VABARIIGI RAHA” 1919 to 1940 and 1991 to 2010 complete.
By Allan Tohv. Softcover – 50 placards included
ISBN number: 978-9949-30-126-3
Estonian Language first print, 2011.

From the author of several publications focusing on the coins and banknotes of Estonia, Allan Tohv, a leading expert on the subject, has released a new informative and practical publication which includes illustrations of all the coins and paper money issued by the Republic of Estonia since independence in 1918.

Concentrating specifically on the illustrations, the collection of images are brought together in a functional tri-folder presentation whose format cleverly divides these issues from the first and second periods of Estonian nationhood. On one side of the folder, the coins and banknotes from Estonia’s first era of independence which covers the marka coins issued in 1922 right up to the last krooni & senti coins issued in 1939. The placards are cleverly printed (and exactly aligned) on both sides in full color and illustrating obverse and reverse images in clear depictions. Also included are images of Estonia’s first payment notes issued in 1919 (50 Marka) fidelity notes, treasury notes (1919 – 1923) - the pre-cursor to eventual banknotes issued by the Bank of Estonia beginning in 1928.

The second side includes both the circulation and commemorative coins issued by the Bank of Estonia since the restoration of Independence in 1991. The first coins, also dated that year are illustrated as well as the first silver commemorative coins issued for the 1992 Summer Olympics. Images for the gold and silver collector coins dated 2010 which mark the introduction the Euro are also included. Estonia’s beautiful and colorful banknotes highlighting prominent Estonian personalities were introduced in June 1992 (with notes dated the year before) in denominations from 1 to 500 Krooni. This series along with a revised series including the 25, 100 and 500 Krooni notes continued as Estonia’s legal tender until the introduction of the EURO single currency in January 2011. Images for the series of banknotes, those dated 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2007 are all comprehensively included.

To read the complete article, see: New Publication on Estonian Coins and Banknotes (news.coinupdate.com/new-publication-on-estonian-coins-and-banknotes-2025/)

NEW BOOK: NUMISMATICS OF LATE SASANIAN KINGS

Numismatics of Late Sasanian Kings written by Amin Amini makes a historical survey of currency and numismatics during the Sasanian era.

The book is organized in three chapters: “General View of Latest Sasanian Coins”, “The Last Sasanian Kings”, and “The Interregnum Period”.

The first chapter includes general issues like numismatic studies, a collection of the Sasanian mints and introduction of new ones that are discussed under the headings ‘Date Inscription in Sasanian Coins’, ‘City – The Place of Sasanian Mints’, and ‘Abridged Named of Mints in Latest Sasanian Coins’.

The second chapter offers a history of nine Sasanian kings whose reigns and spans of life are recorded on the coins, including Hurmoz V, Ardesheer III, Qobad II, Bouran, Khosrow III, Hurmoz VI, Azarmeidokht, Khosrow IV, and Yazdgerd III.

The last chapter then provides and conclusion and the events following the death of Yazdgerd that affected the functioning of mints.

The research method is based on numismatic documents and their historical context and finally the author has estimated the lifespan of each Sasanian king based on numismatic analyses. The book also features pictures of the analyzed coins.

The first print of ‘Numismatics of Late Sasanian Kings’ written by Amin Amini is published in 200 pages and 1000 copies by Pazineh Publications.

To read the complete article, see: Book on Sasanian Numismatics published (www.ibna.ir/vdcae6n6i49n0e1.tgk4.html)

COLORADO SPRINGS FIRES RETURN

Bill Rosenblum of Littleton CO writes:

Today, Ken Hallenbeck writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: COLORADO SPRINGS FIRES AFFECT LOCAL AND VISITING NUMISMATISTS (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n27a02.html)

GEORGE A. MERZ, 1939-2013

Eric Schena writes:

George Albert Merz, 73, of Bridgewater, passed away June 5, 2013 at his residence in Bridgewater.

Mr. Merz was born June 14, 1939 in Buffalo, New York, and was the son of the late Walter Merz and Elizabeth Bertsch Merz. Mr. Merz received a B.S. Degree in Pharmacology from the University of Buffalo, and attended Virginia Commonwealth University, studying accounting. He passed his CPA exam and practiced briefly. He also held a Master Gardener Certification.

To read the complete obituary, see: George A. Merz (www.kygers.com/current-obituaries-topmenu-38/92-june-2013/1981-george-a-merz)

WASHINGTON POST OBITUARY OF RICHARD G. DOTY

Richard G. Doty, a scholar of money who helped humanize coins and currency by showing how the objects might reflect the culture, values and history of a society, died June 2 at the Powhatan Nursing Home in Falls Church. He was 71.

At the time of his death, Dr. Doty was the senior numismatic curator at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. “He was really a historian, more than a numismatic,” said Ute Wartenberg Kagan, executive director of the American Numismatic Society. “He interpreted the coins, and that made him very special.”

William E. Metcalf, curator of coins and medals at the Yale University Art Gallery, called Dr. Doty “a great popularizer of the discipline” through his nine books and several hundred scholarly articles.

Dr. Doty was considered one of the top numismatists in the world because he was both a specialist in the field of minting and printing technologies and a general expert on all things coin- and currency-related, particularly the objects’ places in history.

Most numismatists specialize in a geographical area or a certain time period, but Dr. Doty’s “Renaissance personality” drove him to learn everything he could about coins and paper money and what stories they told about their time periods, said Karen Lee, a curator with the Smithsonian’s National Numismatic Collection and a colleague of Dr. Doty’s for 10 years.

“I have never seen anybody do that before,” Lee said. “You could ask him a question about anything, literally anything.”

Richard George Doty was born in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 11, 1942. His interest in coins began at 8, when he got hold of Japanese and Chinese coins brought back from World War II.

His collection grew from there. He added Indian rupees and some private Chinese bank notes from the early 20th century that he obtained from a childhood friend, but he said that he preferred coins.

“Old coins are as much antiques, works of art, as Chippendale chairs or paintings by Rubens,” Dr. Doty told the Times in 1978. “They afford us fascination and great pleasure, and they are within the reach of everyone.” He added that coins are “perhaps the easiest and best way of getting into the past, of learning about other peoples, places, and times.”

Post web site reader "HistoryRhymes" wrotes:

To read the complete article, see: Richard G. Doty, money expert and Smithsonian curator, dies at 71 (www.washingtonpost.com/national/richard-g-doty-money-expert-and-smithsonian-curator-dies-at-71/2013/06/07/973a469a-cedb-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html)

FURTHER READER REMARKS ON RICHARD G. DOTY

Harold Levi writes:

Philip Mernick writes:

Bill McKivor writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: MORE TRIBUTES TO RICHARD DOTY (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n24a07.html)

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JUNE 16, 2013

Another ANA Peter Max Print
Gar Travis writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JUNE 9, 2013: ANA Peter Max Print's Donor Identified (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n24a10.html)

The American Scale of Token Sizes
Dave Stone of Heritage writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JUNE 9, 2013 : Query: Token Size Listing Sought (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n24a10.html)

More on Action Comics #1
Gary Dunaier writes:

Source for the final price of the Action Comics #1: www.comicconnect.com/bookDetail.php?id=499550

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: GREAT FIND: FIRST SUPERMAN COMIC BOOK WAS USED AS INSULATION (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n24a15.html)

MORE ON JIM KELLY AND HIS COINS AND CHATTER

Dave Hirt writes:

Dick Johnson writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see: QUERY: KELLY'S COINS AND CHATTER SET (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n22a09.html)
MORE ON KELLY'S COINS AND CHATTER (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n24a08.html)

JUNE 2013 WHITMAN COIN EXPO PRESENTATIONS

Beth Deisher Presents “Cash in Your Coins”

Join award winning journalist and retired editor of Coin World, Beth Deisher at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 22 in room 331. She’ll speak about Cash in Your Coins: Selling the Rare Coins You’ve Inherited.

This presentation is for anyone who’s inherited a collection (or hoard) of old coins.

Deisher will show you how to identify what you own, how to create an inventory, how to pick out extra-valuable coins, how to value a large estate, and other important and valuable lessons.

Every coin collector should keep a copy of this book with their collection, to help their loved ones make smart decisions when the time comes to sell. The book will be available for sale before the program, and immediately following it Deisher will be available to autograph her book.

To read the complete article, see: http://expo.whitman.com/news/beth-deisher-presents-cash-in-your-coins/

Encore Presentation: “The Private Sketchbook of George T. Morgan”

Karen M. Lee is the fifth speaker in the Maryland State Numismatic Association annual Distinguished Lecturer Series. She’s a numismatic researcher and associate curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.

Among her many numismatic activities, Karen taught a graduate course, Exhibit Planning and Evaluation, in India to Masters degree candidates in the public communication of science. She is an occasional guest contributor to Coin World, and has published a number of articles on visitor behavior in museums. She created the Smithsonian traveling coin program in which a display is brought to participating museums. Karen escorted a 1933 double eagle to seven different countries for display. She has planned numerous exhibits. She is now involved in planning a new numismatic gallery at the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution.

Karen’s book is The Private Sketchbook of George T. Morgan, America’s Silver Dollar Artist. Her talk is taken from the book and is titled “The Private Sketchbook of George T. Morgan.” It will be presented on Friday, June 21, at 2 p.m. in room 330 of the Baltimore Convention Center during the Whitman Coin & Collectible Baltimore Expo.

To read the complete article, see: http://expo.whitman.com/news/encore-presentation-the-private-sketchbook-of-george-t-morgan/

Additionally, anyone interested in ancient coins will want to attend “Introduction to Medieval Coins: From the Fall of Rome to the Renaissance” with Mike Markowitz.

The complete show schedule is here: http://expo.whitman.com/baltimore-summer-expo/schedule/

NEWMAN EARLY U.S. DOLLARS SUBJECT OF BALTIMORE TALK

Come view a presentation on the Eric P. Newman Collection of Early U.S. Silver Dollars from 1794 to 1803 in Baltimore – Members of John Reich Collectors Society (JRCS) and Non-members are welcome to attend.

W. David Perkins, JRCS Treasurer and Early Dollar Specialist will be hosting the JRCS Regional Meeting at the Whitman-Baltimore Expo. The meeting will be held from 4:00-5:00pm on Friday, June 21 in Room 330 in the Baltimore Convention Center.

Members and non-members are welcome to join JRCS and view a presentation by W. David Perkins on the extraordinary Eric P. Newman Collection of Early U.S. Silver Dollars from 1794 to 1803. This Date and Major Type Set of early dollars was hand-picked from the Col. E.H.R. Green collection in the 1940s. All of these dollars are high grade and are the majority are beautifully toned from storage in Waite Raymond holders since at least the 1940s.

The collection was studied and these photos were taken in St. Louis in December 2007 by Rory Rea (exceptional photographer and early U.S. Quarter Dollar expert and author) and W. David Perkins, early dollar specialist, researcher, author and collector. Dave and Rory presented the Newman Collection of early dollars 1794-1803 and early quarter dollars 1796-1838 at the JRCS Meeting at the 2008 Baltimore ANA Convention to a standing room only audience.

Photos of the Neman Collection of early quarter dollars 1796-1838 are not part of the JRCS meeting presentation but will be available for viewing in Baltimore. Please see W. David Perkins if you would like to view these photos during the meeting or show - on Thursday and Friday only. Dave can be contacted at wdperki@attglobal.net prior to the show if you have any questions or would like to arrange to view the photos at the show.

QUERY: V. M. HANKS AND RICHARD NELSON INFORMATION SOUGHT

1) V. M. Hanks Jr. (1921-1997) -- a photographer by trade, lived in San Francisco, wrote some articles for Numismatic News, World Coin News and Coins Magazine in the 1970's and 1980's (sometimes also with his wife's name, Nadine). Does anyone know his full name?

2) Richard Nelson -- Los Angeles area coin dealer who organized the first Hong Kong coin show in the 1980's, operated under the name Money Company. The first Money Company auction was in June 1978. His first fixed price list under the name Econo Coin was issued in 1976 or early 1977.

What was he doing before that time? The next to last Money Company auction (#26) in November 1993 is labeled his 25th anniversary sale. That would put his start in the coin business in 1968. In 1992 or 1993 he started "The Collectors Mint" to produce .999 silver rounds. Does anyone know what he has been doing the past few years? Last year I heard he was seriously ill

QUERY: INFORMATION ABOUT JANVIER'S PARTNER BERCHOT SOUGHT

Web site visitor Bill Corser writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see: WHO WAS DUVAL? (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n13a10.html)
MORE ON VICTOR JANVIER (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n41a21.html)

THE MYSTERIOUS LARGE CENT LADY OF 1954

As noted in early stories about the 1954 auction sales of large cents from the Davis Graves and Anderson Dupont collections, much excitement occurred in the collecting world at the news of these two collections.

The first sale, the David Graves Collection, took place in April 1954. Even before the catalogs were issued, large cent collectors were calling to schedule times to visit our offices for private or semi-private showings. We accommodated as many as we could and of course we offered long viewing for those who came to New York from all over to examine and make notes on the coins. Dr. Sheldon let the large cent community know what he was working on and helped attract interest that way. He had a group of collectors who were figuring out among themselves how the coins could be split between them, including pieces that Dr. Sheldon wanted for himself.

The afternoon before the sale began, while coin viewing was still going on, a charming lady came into the exhibit room and went to register to bid. She spoke to our head office manager, at the time Rose Zelman, who had been with Stack’s for close to a decade. At the time we used bidders’ initials instead of bidder numbers, as it was easier for the auctioneer to identify the bidder. The lady identified herself to Rose as Dora Nelson and Rose assigned her the bidder ID of DN. Since we did not know her, she gave us a substantial deposit against the bids she might make. She then went into the exhibit area to review the lots. Before the end of the day, Rose introduced her to me and I introduced her to my father and my uncle.

The next day, about 15 minutes before the start of the auction, DN came into the auction room and sat down on the right side, near the side door. She opened her catalog and waited patiently for the sale to begin. I went over to greet her and offer any help she might need. She smiled and said nicely, “Harvey, this is not the first sale I have ever attended.” I thanked her again for coming and went to my position at the auction block.

The room was filled with 200+ collectors, dealers and agents. Having looked at the mail order bid book earlier in the day, there were enough substantial bids received that the sale was already a success. As an auctioneer, the level of competition is important -- the more there is, the more items sell for.

As the first lot opened, the bidding was room-wide, strong not only from the “Dr. Sheldon” group, but also from all over. As the bidding slowed, all of a sudden DN raised her pen and bid, which she continued to do until she won the lot. All eyes turned her way, and you could hear the murmur of people wondering, “Who is that lady?” As often happens, applause broke out and then the sale continued. As old timers may remember, one rarely saw a woman bidding in the auction room for copper coins, with the exception of Emery May Norweb or Dorothy Pascal.

And DN continued to bid -- the rarer the lot, the choicer the coin the more actively she bid. When not bidding, she waited in her seat and recorded the prices as the sale continued. Everyone was amazed at what she bought and how she cleverly outbid the competition, including dropping out of the bidding when the price became too high. Although it was completely improper, as certain dealers left the room they managed to drop their business cards in her lap. She politely picked them up, but after the sale threw them in a waste paper can.

After the sale concluded, she went over to Rose Zelman, asked for her bill and reviewed it. She asked if she could come in and see Rose in the morning about the balance. She thanked us, said goodbye and left. The next morning she came to the shop, checked out her lots, paid Rose the amount due and said, “Thank you and have a good day.”

As expected by those who had attended the Davis Graves sale less than six months earlier, we were visited the day before the Anderson Dupont auction by Dora Nelson (DN as per her bidding initials). She sat down, viewed the lots she came to see, made her arrangements with Rose Zelman for credit and sat down and chatted a bit with me. When she returned the next day she took the same seat she had occupied at the previous sale and waited for the sale to begin.

Her arrival caused a stir in the room, as other buyers knew immediately that competition was in the room. Once he saw her, Dr. Sheldon turned to the group of buyers who had tried to work out arrangements between themselves to control the auction, and said: “It is every man for himself. Good luck to all and I hope you each capture something that you came to get.” And so the sale began. In the end the bidders in the room purchased items they wanted, those who had bid by mail captured some, and Dora Nelson went home with many of the coins she came for, forcing others to pay hefty prices to outbid her on those she did not win. This sale combined with the Davis Graves offering enhanced the lore of collecting large cents. The excitement I witnessed at these two sales has stuck with me all the years I have been in the hobby. Years ago, this excitement was termed “Copper Fever,” and the term still applies today to those who deeply appreciate the beauty of large copper cents.

Dora Nelson was acting as an agent for an important midwestern collector, who after three decades was getting older and his eyesight was failing. For a number of years he consigned coins to various sales of ours, but wished to remain anonymous, offering only parts of his collection at a time. DN came to be a friend to the firm and her attendance at the two 1954 auction sales made the events memorable to us and to all who witnessed her great skills as an auction buyer.

To read the complete articles, see: Remember When: A Mysterious Lady Appears At Two 1954 Large Cent Auctions (stacksbowers.com/Blogs/remember-when-mysterious-lady-appears.html)
Remember When: A Mysterious Lady Appears At Two 1954 Large Cent Auctions, Part II (stacksbowers.com/Blogs/remember-when-mysterious-lady-appears_13.html)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: HARVEY STACK ON CATALOGING 1954 LARGE CENT SALES (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n21a16.html)

THE BUSHNELL SALE OF 1882

Ira S. Bushnell, a New York City attorney, was a leading numismatic scholar in the 1850s. Many of his findings were published years later in 1875 by S.S. Crosby in Early Coins of America. Bushnell’s pioneering An Arrangement of Tradesmen’s Cards, Political Tokens, also Election Medals, Medalets, &c. Current in the United States of America for the Last Sixty Years, 1858, set the stage for the widespread collecting of these series.

Augustus B. Sage, a New York schoolteacher with a sharp mind and a love for coins, contributed a series of articles in 1857 to the New-York Dispatch. An anonymous reader, “Numismatist,” took exception to certain of Sage’s comments. Not long afterward Bushnell, who used that pseudonym, became acquainted with Sage and they became friends.

In 1859, Sage, by then the founder of the American Numismatic Society and a leading rare coin dealer, commissioned George H. Lovett to create the Numismatic Gallery series of medals. The first honoree was Bushnell.

Bushnell died Sept. 17, 1880. His magnificent collection was purchased by Lorin G. Parmelee, a Boston numismatist who had a private cabinet second only to that of T. Harrison Garrett in Baltimore. Parmelee extracted pieces of interest and then sold the Bushnell coins to the Chapman brothers — S. Hudson and Henry — who created an auction catalog unlike anything ever seen. More than 140 pages in length and printed on impressively large folio sheets, it described 3,000 lots. Copies with photographic plates were available for the unheard of price of $5 (nearly a week’s wages for a factory worker at the time). Descriptions included extensive historical information.

To read the complete article, see: The Bushnell sale of 1882 (www.coinworld.com/Articles/ViewArticle/the-bushnell-sale-of-1882)

MORE ON THE DRAKE MERCATOR MAP MEDAL

I recently acquired a beautiful example of a Drake Mercator Map medal (Photo attached) from the UK. The example I have is the type with the cartouche on the eastern hemisphere declaring that Mercator made the medal in 1589.

The medal weighs 584 grains, is 68.82mm diameter including the loop, and 67.61 mm at the widest point without the loop. The construction is two soldered plates, measuring 1.4 mm width at the edge. An image of the edge is seen between the two images of the medal. This seems to be one of the later electrotypes made perhaps by Ready at the British Museum (though missing any "R" on the edge as is seen), but at a mere .7mm for each of the two halves, meticulously made.

In researching this medal, I came across numerous references to the medal in the e-sylum, including Alan Weinberg questioning the common claim seen that here are nine examples. If in fact there are hand engraved examples, then there may well be less than nine authentic examples, but The Library of Congress has two examples from the Kraus Collection, one of each type, and on their site actually has a listing of the nine known examples here (see number 58 on this web page): www.loc.gov/rr/rarebook/catalog/drake/drake-catalogue.html#MEDALSANDPORTRAITS

To quote them:

I located the Sir John Evans example; now apparently down-under at the Library of New South Wales, with this provenance:

To read the complete article, see: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemdetailpaged.aspx?itemid=825796

It is worth noting that the Library of Congress site includes a discuss the construction of the medal, with the earliest and most recent studies concluding that the medals are in fact die struck or cast and not hand engraved:

For me personally, having never seen any example of any of them other than the low-resolution images on the internet at the Library of Congress, National Maritime Museum, British Museum, and Library of New South Wales, I have no way to judge what is engraved or cast or struck.

As far as the example I have in hand, I know it has been said that that an electrotype can be precise down to a molecule - but it is impossible to make a matrix accurate to the original down to a molecule of tolerance, so electrotypes are always inferior to originals because of the matrix being only an impressed copy, usually created by hand. I have seen Ready electrotypes, and they are excellent in quality, but still notably inferior to the originals. This example at 584 grains is heavier than any of the nine examples listed above, so the weight certainly points to the possibility of an electrotype, but I have never seen any electrotype constructed out of two pieces that is this thin and detailed. From what I can tell even an electrotype is prohibitively rare, and other than electrotypes at the NMM and the ANS (and presumably the British Museum), I know of no other examples in private hands. The photo speaks for itself - this is a lovely piece - and a worthy addition to my collection!

From a cursory comparison of images I have located on the internet, I agree that they seem to be precise copies of each other, as the example I have matches all the others with a cartouche, including the electrotype at the NMM (though it is worth noting that the NMM electrotype has a smaller stated diameter of only 66mm).

Clearly more study needs to be done to see if there are in fact any engraved examples of these medals, and to sort out the method in which these were created. Without this detailed study, it is impossible to know what is authentic and what is not.

I thought this should also be added to the mix into the discussion regarding whether an engraved Drake Mercator Medal exists. On the British Museum website page showing the A.W. Franks example without the cartouche, they address this: www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects
/cm/c/cast_silver_plaque_depicting_t.aspx

The medal(s) they have are not engraved, and this is their stated conclusion about the construction of these medals:

If in fact the Mercator medals in the incredible cabinet of the British Museum are not engraved, then I am leaning towards believing that none of the medals are hand engraved as stated by both the Library of Congress and the British Museum. websites. In addition to the Stuart medals mentioned, there was also a similar struck or cast medal made of Elizabeth I (by Crispin I van de Passe) emulating an engraved medal, but it is attributed to the early 17th century. In Medallic Illustrations, however, there are other struck or cast medals shown from the same 1580's period as the Drake Mercator medal which do emulate engraved medals, including a 1586 counter for James VI of Scotland (MI I 137/94) and a 1588 counter for Sir Thomas Heneage (MI I, 151/24); so the technology to strike or cast medals emulating engraved medals did exist at this same time.

To read an earlier E-Sylum article, see: DICK JOHNSON ON HOW THE MERCATOR MAP MEDAL COULD BE REPRODUCED (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n25a23.html)

ARTICLE REVIEWS NEW TOWER OF LONDON MINT EXHIBIT

Historic Royal Palaces in partnership with the Royal Mint Museum has launched on May 24, 2013 a new permanent exhibition at the Tower of London. Located on the historic site that was once the country’s Mint for over 500 years (c1279-1812), ‘Coins and Kings: The Royal Mint at the Tower’, will explore the long history of this institution and its connection to London’s premier fortress.

Visitors will be able to explore five pivotal ‘moments’ from the history of the Mint, including Isaac Newton’s efforts to rid London of counterfeiters, when he was Warden of the Mint. Other stories will chart Edward I’s harsh punishments for people who tampered with his coins, Elizabeth I’s restoration of the coinage following her father Henry VIII’s disastrous meddling, and Charles II’s rejection of Commonwealth money.

Star objects include a rare silver Edward I groat (1279-1307), Henry VIII gold trial plate (1542), and a Charles II petition crown (1663); a coin that was never actually in circulation but was designed by Thomas Simon, formerly Chief Engraver to Oliver Cromwell. Simon was so determined to engrave Charles II’s currency that he sent the king one of these beautiful coins to demonstrate his skills. Yet, despite his efforts, Charles gave the job to Dutchman John Roettiers. Sadly, just three years later, Simon fell victim to the plague and died.

Charles II Petition Crown and Charles II portrait punch

Megan Gooch, Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, said: ‘The Tower is widely known as a palace and a prison, and of course the home of the Crown Jewels, but it was also a hive of industry and The Mint was one of these industries, where most of the nation’s coins were made for over 500 years.

Philip Mernick writes:

To read the complete article, see: Tower of London launches new exhibition on historic Mint (www.coinsweekly.com/en/News/4?&id=2070)

LINCOLN CIPHERING BOOK LEAF DISCOVERED

Nerida Ellerton trembled as she held a page from a "ciphering book" written by a teenage Abraham Lincoln as she did research in the archives of Houghton Library at Harvard University.

However, the Illinois State University mathematics professor did not immediately recognize the significance of what she had in her hand — among the oldest manuscripts written by Lincoln known to still exist.

When Ellerton and her husband, fellow ISU mathematics professor Ken Clements, discovered the document in 2009, "we assumed that its existence was common knowledge," she said Friday at a press conference announcing their findings.

They recently determined it is a missing "leaf" from Lincoln's school workbook, from which it was previously believed only 10 leaves survived.

A "leaf" is a two-sided page and Lincoln's former law partner, William Herndon, had given away these individual leaves as gifts about 10 years after he received the book from Lincoln's stepmother, Ellerton explained.

This particular leaf is believed to be from late 1825, when Lincoln was 16 years old. According to a news release on the Illinois State University website, Lincoln attended schools in Indiana from 1820 to 1826.

Ellerton and Clements not only reconstructed the order of the pages, but also double-checked Lincoln's math, which they declared to be accurate. It showed Lincoln was much more accomplished at math than anyone — including Lincoln himself — gave him credit for, the researchers said.

Stowell said, "As to Lincoln understating his accomplishments, that was fairly Lincolnian."

Lincoln the politician emphasized his railsplitter image, working with his hands, not just sitting behind an office desk, he said.

"That was part of his appeal in 1860," Stowell said of the 16th president.

To read the complete article, see: Illinois State profs find missing page from Lincoln's 'ciphering book' (www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-abraham-lincoln-ciphering-book-illinois-state-professors,0,6687905.story)

WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: JUNE 16, 2013

Last weekend was a challenging one for The E-Sylum. Knowing I would be away over the weekend I worked hard to have a complete issue ready to publish Friday night. But our mail servers weren't working for me - there was a residual problem from the service company's move to new servers. I notified some NBS officers and frequent contributors and tried all weekend to get help from Tech Support. Their primary email technician was travelling too, and it was Wednesday before I was able to finally publish that issue.

On Tuesday evening I attended a dinner meeting of my Northern Virginia Numismatic Society club, Nummis Nova. It was a sad occasion, having just lost our frequent guest and friend Dr. Richard Doty.

Lenny Goldberg was our host at Pucinella's Italian restaurant in McLean, VA. I arrived around 6pm and people were already beginning to arrive. We had a separate dining room downstairs. I took a seat between Eric Schena and Gene Brandenburg, a wine connoisseur who clearly ended up in the wrong restaurant. As he picked selections from the printed wine list, it felt like the Monty Python Cheese Shop sketch - every item he picked was out of stock. Eventually the waiter brought out four of the bottles they DID have on hand, and Gene picked two of the least bad options. I shared one, and neither of us were impressed. Luckily we had lots of numismatic companionship to make the evening a success. Attending were me, Len, Gene, Eric, Wayne Herndon, Ron Abler, Tom Kays, Mike Packard, Jon Radel, Joe Levine, Dave Schenkman, Julian Leidman, Aaron Packard and Steve Bishop.

First National Oyster Bank note

Among the first things passed around the table were some paper items belonging to Eric Schena. He writes:

National Savings Systems 50 cent cash savings check

National Savings Systems 1 dollar cash savings check

Eric adds:

Somehow Eric and I got to talking about early computers and I recommended three books I've read recently:

• Turing’s Cathedral by George Dyson
• The Idea Factory by Jon Gertner
• Tubes by Andrew Blum

I’m partial to The Idea Factory since it's about Bell Labs and I worked there at the beginning of my career. All three are good reads. Tubes is about the hardwire connections making up the internet, their history and the people currently taking care of them. It’s actually very interesting.

Tom Kays can always by counted on for interesting exhibits. He passed around a case containing a nice group of circulated U.S. colonial coins, and a copy of Dave Bowers' Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and early American Coins. One of the more interesting pieces was a Fugio cent he'd been unable to attribute using the book. After the meeting he sent images of the coin to Mike Packard for assistance. To writes:

Tom Kays' Newman 4E Fugio

Stack's 1787 Fugio Newman 4-E

To view the complete lot description, see: Lot #6771. 1787 Fugio Copper. Club Rays. Newman 4-E, W-6685. (stacksbowers.com/auctions/AuctionLot.aspx?LotID=409927)

Tom adds:

Tom's joking about the Internet. I think. Anyway, I asked him how he assembled the collection. He writes:

Steve Bishop brought a photo mosaic of hobo nickels he admired on eBay. Tom Kays writes:

With all the activity, I somehow managed to miss a group of token passed around by Aaron Packard. So I asked him for some more information. Neat tokens, and great stories. This is why I've always loved collecting tokens. Be sure to follow the links to his articles for the full stories.

Frank B. Butler's Palace Market - St. Augustine Florida

He writes:

Here's another token issuer, with a couple interesting varieties.

Smith & Wick's Canning Co. of Baltimore, Maryland

Aaron writes:

My time at the meeting was truncated, as I had to leave at 8:30 to pick up my son from his basketball practice. But it was a great evening as always, with a great bunch of folks. Many thanks to Eric, Tom and Aaron for contributing to this article.

PITTSBURGH CHRONICLE TELEGRAPH TOKEN FOUND

For 10 consecutive years, Henry and Christina Ries have planted fruit and vegetable seeds in their backyard in the spring and reaped the harvest a few months later.

The Carrick couple picked up something unexpected near their zucchini plants while gardening in a new spot in their backyard a few weeks ago.

Henry Ries, 70, found an advertisement token for a newspaper founded in 1884. The newspaper, the Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph, was eventually purchased by publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

The text on the front of the coin says, “If presented at Office of Chronicle Telegraph.” The other side says, “Good for 25 cents on room ads.”

To read the complete article, see: Carrick couple uncovers rare coin in backyard (triblive.com/neighborhoods/alleghenyneighborhoods/
alleghenyneighborhoodsmore/4170793-74/ries-telegraph-chronicle#axzz2WIyEXr6e)

DOG WALKER FINDS 1870-CC DOUBLE EAGLE IN DIRT

Here in Northern Nevada history can abound in some of the most odd places. Over the years we have see a number of great coins that have been found around the area, literally in the dirt. Some have been found by people using metal detectors while others have been found by people who were just in the right place at the right time.

Recently a local was walking their dog up in the hills by Virginia City. As they sauntered down the road looking for rocks, one of their favorite pastimes, something caught their eye. In the dirt was a face looking back up at them. Bending down and picking up the coin it was easily discernible as gold due to the weight alone. After wiping off the dirt, which is a big no no, they discovered it was a coin minted in 1870.

Being that the coin had been minted in Carson City it truly became a treasure. It ended up being worth in the five figures. Due to the condition that coin had probably been lying there in the dirt since 1870 just waiting 140+ years for someone to find it.

Finding coins lost in the ground is not uncommon throughout the world, but in this area we have a relatively unique combination that can really spice up a find. In the late 1800′s the west was still untamed and without infrastructure, but there were thousands of people combing the hills in search of fortune and a new life. Many of these miners and explorers lived in crude or very temporary structures. Often the miner would have to find a way to store his wealth without leaving at risk of being stolen. Burying his poke was a common way to hide it from prying eyes. Another way was to sew coins into clothing or saddlery so that it would always be close by.

The second part of the uniqueness to the area is that many of the coins carried by those living out west were newly minted coins from our western mints. Carson City began in 1870 but made coins in very limited quantities. Many of these coins were used until they were worn out due to the lack of coinage available in the burgeoning westward expansion. Today that means that many of these early coins are worth a hefty price.

When coins were buried it was not likely that they would be forgotten, but many a miner did not come back due to tragedy unforeseen. Some of these treasures are still waiting to be discovered.

To read the complete article, see: Rare Coin History and stories in the dirt (www.coinweek.com/us-gold-coins/rare-coin-history-and-stories-in-the-dirt/)

FALKLANDS ISLANDS MARCH REFERENDUM COIN

The Treasury of the Falklands Islands Government has issued a new coin whose main focus is that of the March referendum when the population was asked about the status of the Islands and overwhelmingly voted to remain as a British Overseas Territory.

The turnout was 92% and 99% of ballots confirmed British Territory status.

The coin, struck at the Pobjoy Mint, UK is available in both silver and cupro-nickel. The reverse design shows the famous World Directions Signpost near Stanley on the Falkland Islands that was erected by servicemen during the Falklands War which was fought in 1982. The obverse of the coins portrays a fine effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley.

The silver crown is .925 silver, 28 grams, 38.6 mm. diameter with a mintage of 10.000 pieces. The cupro-nickel option weighs 28 grams and 38.6 mm and unlimited mintage.

To read the complete article, see: Falklands celebrates March referendum success with a new coin issue (en.mercopress.com/2013/06/12/falklands-celebrates-march-referendum-success-with-a-new-coin-issue)

WORK CONTINUES ON CELTIC COIN HOARD FOUND IN JERSEY

A hoard of coins discovered in Jersey one year ago is the "largest in the Celtic world", according to an expert on the island.

Jersey Heritage Trust Conservator Neil Maher has spent the past year creating a model of the one tonne mound of silver and copper coins, gold pieces and mud.

He said: "This is the world's biggest Celtic coin hoard ever, this was a significant part of a tribe's wealth.

"It is also one of the world's biggest coin hoards and certainly the biggest coin hoard found in Britain."

A large mound containing about 70,000 coins was discovered last year by two metal detector enthusiasts.

"Completely by chance in there we found a small gold coin and it is the first gold one we have found.

"There are about 70,000 coins in the hoard but all the ones we have found so far are a mixture of silver and copper.

"Of the ones which fell out one was a small thick gold one which is about 100 years older than the rest of the coins."

He said they had uncovered about 1% of the coins so far and five gold items had been uncovered.

To read the complete article, see: Jersey hoard is 'world's largest' Celtic coin discovery (www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-22846664)

ALASKA'S FORT KNOX GOLD MINE

Fort Knox gold mine is located about 25 miles northeast of Fairbanks in the Fish Creek drainage, which has been mined for more than a century.

It is owned by Kinross and operated by subsidiary Fairbanks Gold Mining Inc.

You won’t find any gold nuggets lying around — the gold at Fort Knox is microscopic — which requires operations on a huge scale to make it economic. Higher grade ore is run through a milling process to extract the gold.

To read the complete article, see: Unearthing treasure: Fort Knox gold mine by the numbers (www.newsminer.com/business/unearthing-treasure-fort-knox
-gold-mine-by-the-numbers/article_8da281e6-d3d2-11e2-a863-0019bb30f31a.html)

AN AUSTRALIAN MAN'S SHOCKING STATIC JACKET

An Australian man built up so much static electricity in his clothes as he walked that he burned carpets, melted plastic and sparked a mass evacuation.

Frank Clewer, of the western Victorian city of Warrnambool, was wearing a synthetic nylon jacket and a woollen shirt when he went for a job interview.

As he walked into the building, the carpet ignited from the 40,000 volts of static electricity that had built up.

"It sounded almost like a firecracker or something like that," he said.

"Within about five minutes, the carpet started to erupt," he told Australian radio.

Perplexed firemen evacuated the building and cut its electricity supply, thinking the burns could have been caused by a power surge.

"There were several scorch marks in the carpet, and we could hear a cracking noise - a bit like a whip - both inside and outside the building," said fire official Henry Barton.

Mr Clewer said that after leaving the building, he scorched a piece of plastic in his car.

His clothes were measured by firemen as carrying an electrical charge of 40,000 volts, the Reuters news agency quoted Mr Barton as saying.

To read the complete article, see: Man's static jacket sparks alert (news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4252692.stm)

FEATURED WEB PAGE: BUSHNELL BAS-RELIEF BY A. W. JONES

www.nyhistory.org/exhibit/charles-ira-bushnell-1826-1883