The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 6, February 6, 2005, Article 26

ON ONE-COIN BOOKS

John Regitko writes: "Regarding Ralf W. Böpple's request
for one-coin books (Are there any other books that tell the
story of a unique coin?), one of the most interesting books
I have ever read is "The Fantastic 1804 Silver Dollar."

The detective work by Walter Breen is better than anything
I have ever seen on Law and Order or CSI!"

[The 1804 dollar is not unique, but the book is a great
example of a one-coin book. -Editor]

David Gladfelter writes: "What about Raymond Chandler's
book about the 1791 half disme? This was written up in
the Asylum a few years ago."

Peter Gasper sends this submission: "South Africa's First
Gold Coin - Research on the Burgers Dies and the
Burgerspond 1874" by Natthy Esterhuysen, 1976, 119
pp., hb, 1976, published by the National Cultural History
and Open-Air Museum, Pretoria, South Africa.

Len Augsberger writes: "On one-coin books - I recently
saw mention of a book being written on the 1913 Liberty
nickel, and am also aware of a 2nd book being written on
the 1933 $20 - a "two book coin" as it were! "

[So who are the authors working on these new books?
Can anyone tell us? -Editor]

Pete Smith writes: "As an example of a book on a single
coin, I would suggest "The Secret of the Good Samaritan
Shilling" by Eric Newman. Although copies are discussed,
I believe there was only one original, although I am still
not sure of the purpose for the original coin.

Another small category is books written about a single
die variety. I seem to recall someone wrote an obscure
reference on the Sheldon 48, Starred Reverse Cent a
while back."

[It shouldn't take a Quiz Question to guess who the
author of that reference is. And speaking of Pete Smith
(our NBS President), he was honored in the January issue
of the American Numismatic Association's "Numismatist"
magazine for being the only respondent who correctly
answered all ten of ANA Historian David Sklow's
questions about ANA history in his "Historian's
Challenge in the November 2004 issue. Congratulations!
Yours truly scored a 2. Can anyone answer this one?

What ANA members were both editor of The
Numismatist and ANA President? -Editor]

Alan Luedeking writes: "I can think of two right off the
bat-- the first is Carlos Jara's magnificent study of the
cast 1 Peso coin of Chiloé, the last Spanish royalist
crown in the New World, published in 2003 under the
title "The Chiloé Peso - An Important Obsidional Coin
of Chile". This excellent book, printed in a limited edition,
is now sold out. The second book is also by Carlos Jara,
titled "Chile's Coquimbo Mint: A Documented History,"
published in two editions, the first in 2001, and the greatly
expanded hardcover second edition in 2003. Also, the
last word on its subject, both are long since sold out.
Although this work is about an entire mint, it is basically
about just one coin: the rare 1828 Coquimbo Peso (of
which two varieties are known.) We might split hairs
here a bit, since a unique 1/2 Real of Coquimbo is also
known to exist and is discussed in the book, so if it
doesn't qualify under "one-coin books" it qualifies under
those that discuss truly "unique" coins!"

John F. McCullagh writes: "Technically "Illegal Tender" is
not a true one-coin book because there are at least two
known specimens of the 1933 Gold double Eagle - and
the book insinuates that there may be others. The giant
Philharmonic might qualify as a unique coin, but I don't
know if it has yet been immortalized in print. Too big for
my pockets, anyway :>)"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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