"Speaking of numismatic thefts, here's the 411 on a little known one I just found out about last week while researching the March sale.

I emailed my alma later, the University of Virginia, to ask about a Jefferson Inaugural listed in their Special Collections online "card" catalogue. The curator informed me that they had experienced a theft in 1973 and that this piece was among the casualties. it was given to UVa in 1922 from a descendant of the Eppes side of the Jefferson family (the branch from Jefferson's younger daughter Maria who died in 1804.) Both she and her mother-in-law received Inaugural medals from Jefferson in February 1802 and this piece was almost certainly one of these. The curator remembered the piece and said it was silver (though it could have been white metal) and couldn't confirm that pictures exist. I'll try to pass along more info if I can get it -- it would be a victory for all of us if a Jefferson-pedigreed Inaugural medal could be tracked down again.

By the way, the March sale is going to be a barnburner. We'll be offering the biggest selection of Indian Peace Medals since Raymond's 1925 Wilson sale and the largest collection of Betts medals ever to be sold at auction -- the second part of this collection will be offered in May. Get your copies early ... I expect this catalogue will be a keeper."