The E-Sylum:  Volume 6, Number 52, December 7, 2003, Article 4

KUDOS FOR THE ASYLUM

  Steve Pellegrini writes: "I just received my issue of The
  Asylum and want to congratulate all involved. It is an
  outstanding issue.

  Like any other on-going publication not every issue is a hit.
  But this one is.  I hope that Pete Smith has enough material
  for another article taking us along Dick Johnson's years at
  Medallic Art Co.  This is fascinating and important numismatic
  history. While we have a great many memoirs of coin collectors
  and dealers we are sadly lacking in material on the key figures
  in the field of Medals.  You need only flip through the pages
  of any Johnson & Jenson auction catalogue and read some of
  his lot descriptions to get an inkling of just how broad is Dick's
  knowledge of this often obscure field.

  A few years back I think I mentioned in E-Sylum how important
  and immediate it is to collect and preserve the recollections of
  our major numismatists. Pete Smith's foresight in listening and
  recording Dick Johnson as he 'blue skys' is exactly the
  appropriate modal.  Couldn't we mail mini-recorders and a
  pound of Starbucks and/or a fifth to our veteran Illustrati? We
  would include a SASE to make retrieval of their memoirs all the
  more convenient.  We would certainly get more historical value,
  more bang for the buck than by contributing to yet another
  building fund created by our Numis-politicos.

  I'm sure that every subscriber of this Newsletter has a short
  list of the living people they feel has had the greatest impact
  on numismatics. Those few whose knowledge & experiences
  we can least afford to lose.  My list would include in addition
  to Dick Johnson, George Fuld, Gunther Keinast, Christopher
  Eimer, Joe Levine and Paul Bosco. I believe Dave Bowers
  would have pride of place on most lists.  It would be interesting
  to see who would appear on the short lists of other members.

  I have been selling my duplicate Numismatists and have been
  re-reading them as I go. The Fulds, father & son, had a byline
  in the 50s.   I do think that it would be very interesting to learn
  how the two managed to coordinate all their research, books
  and regular columns while living in two different cities - with only
  snail mail and a telephone."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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