The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 14, April 2, 2006, Article 21

WHY THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MARDI GRAS DOUBLOONS

Paul MacAuley writes: "I was pleasantly surprised to read your
comments about Mardi Gras doubloons, since this gives me cover
to admit that I actually collect some of these cheap ?throws?.
I?m only a tangential doubloon collector -- my specialty is
Confederate-themed coins, and so far I?ve found about 35 doubloons
that meet my criteria.  I estimate that there are 3,000 to 10,000
different doubloons out there.

This topic could really use a good book or two.  It would make
some of the most colorful reading in the entire numismatic
literature. The doubloons themselves are gaudy fun, but the stories
of the hundreds of krewes and characters who produced these doubloons
could fill a dozen books.  The only books I?ve found are basically
checklists developed by doubloon collectors and traders, and even
these are hard to get. Probably the best of these books is privately-
produced by Chuck Cox, Mardi Gras Doubloon Checklist and Swappers
Guide (2004), and I was told that the inventory was lost in Katrina.

You are partly justified in your concern that Mardi Gras doubloons
are being edged out by bead necklaces, panties, stuffed toys, poker
chips, plastics cups, etc.  In part this is because Asian-made
trinkets are cheaper than doubloons which are still American-made.
But more importantly necklaces are easier to catch, especially by
women who are often the intended recipients.  When an uncaught
doubloon hits the ground a scramble ensues, increasingly with
Darwinian results.

The heyday of the aluminum Mardi Gras doubloons was probably
from the mid-Sixties to the mid-Nineties, but they are unlikely
to disappear.  Despite Katrina, I have already seen more than 50
different 2006 doubloons on Ebay, and I?m sure there are more.
The krewes are proud of their doubloons, and the crowds will
always grab for them.  If only they would write more about 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