The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 19, May 8, 2005, Article 29

TRACKING PRIVATE MINTS A CHORE

Dick Johnson writes: "To answer Len Augsberger's inquiry
about a mint in Kentucky may have been the Van Brook Mint,
which wasn't a mint at all but a sales agent. They advertised in
Coin World and perhaps other publications, but I believe their
products were struck elsewhere.

I faced a similar problem in my local coin club. A recent medal
was made in a nearby town according to the club president who
ordered the medal from them. I called them and began chatting
with the lady in the sales department of this advertising specialty
firm. "Oh, we made them," she insisted. "Great." I said, "what
tonnage press did you use to strike these?" She finally admitted
they had subcontracted the actual striking to Robbins Company.
In the last 30 years most advertising specialty firms have offered
medals and "coins" among their line of specialty items but have
them made by only a handful of plants in the country with the
equipment to do this special work.

Unfortunately they list themselves in business directories as
"Medals--Manufacturers." Also there is no law that says you
cannot use "Mint" in your name -- and not be an actual
manufacturer.

Pete Smith, our NBS president, is compiling a list of mints
which actually have striking facilities. Culling out these sales
agents is a major problem he is working on."

Pete Smith adds: "I have compiled a list of more than 600
private mints in North America dating from the colonial era
up to the present. I show only two in Kentucky. The McHenry
Miller Company was a nineteenth century mint at Louisville.
Holland House is a twenty-first century mint at Bowling
Green. I do not have any information on a mint at Knoxville
circa 1970.

This does not answer Len Augsberger's question. I can't
prove there was no mint in Knoxville. I can only say that I
have no listing for it."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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