The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 20, May 12, 2002, Article 11

ROBERT HEATH'S VALUABLE MEDAL RESEARCH

  Dick Johnson writes; "Robert Heath was quoted in last week's
  E-Sylum.  I am a great admirer of Bob Heath and his lifetime
  work on the commemorative medals of New England cities
  and towns.

  He has developed one of the best numbering systems in the
  field of numismatics, honed by many year's experience.  It is
  universal, uniform for all states, expandable to accommodate
  new issues as well as new-found discoveries from the past.
  Referencing is fast and easy by his number system.

  He uses the two-letter state designation (from the Post Office)
  and then assigns a serial number for every town and city in that
  state arranged alphabetically.  Then a chronological serial
  number for each medal issue, then a letter suffix for varieties
  of composition or content where necessary.  Not all cities and
  towns have issued medals, but the number is there when they
  do!

  He has issued separate catalogs for each New England state
  and gone through a number of editions:  Connecticut (5),
  Maine (3), Massachusetts (8), New Hampshire (5), Rhode
  Island (4), Vermont (4).  He devotes a page to each medal.

  The shortcoming, however, is that his catalogs are looseleaf.
  The pages are half lettersize (8 1/2 x 5 1/2) and he punches
  them for your 3-ring binders.  Unfortunately I had only two
  binders that size, so all the other state catalogs are in boxes.

  He retired last August, so now he tells me he has the time to
  devote to this project, adding new items he discovers on
  eBay and elsewhere.  But he still continues to issue his
  catalogs only in looseleaf format. He states this is a dynamic
  area where changes can only be made by revising a single
  page at a time. (And prints only on demand.)

  Bob, we would like to see your total work in a book.
  Between covers.  The information you have gathered is that
  valuable to numismatics.  You can still keep YOUR records
  on looseleaf format to revise future editions.

  Please, won't some numismatic book publisher come forward
  and offer to publish Bob's work?  It deserves it."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization 
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor 
at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com

To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum