The E-Sylum:  Volume 6, Number 27, July 6, 2003, Article 5

MINDING YOUR B'S AND Q'S

  From the American Numismatic Association's Summer
  Seminar in Colorado Springs, Dan Gosling writes:
  "During our last class on Numismatics of the American
  Revolution Period, with instructors John Kraljevich Jr. and
  Ken Bressett, a slide was shown of a November 1709
  New York Colonial 16 dollar note. Ken mentioned that
  when he was a typesetter he lived by the motto "mind your
  p's and q's".

  Because type is backwards a typesetter can easily make a
  mistake by inserting a "p" where a "q" belongs, hence the
  expression.  Ken then pointed out a typesetting error on the
  note being discussed. The wording on the note contained the
  phrase "shall be in value equal to".  The "q" in equal was
  actually an upside down "b".  It would seem that the
  typesetter of the New York note forgot to mind his b's
  and q's."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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