The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 45, November 5, 2006, Article 6

NEWMAN MONEY MUSEUM OPENING

[My apologies for not publishing this last week - Peter's
email to me managed to goes astray.  -Editor]

Peter Gaspar (proud E-Sylum subscriber #1) writes: "Due to the
generosity of Eric and Evelyn Newman, 3,000 square feet of the
beautiful new Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum are devoted to the
Newman Money Museum.  The initial exhibits offer a cultural history
extending from barter in ancient times to today's electronic fund
transfers.

Artifacts have been carefully chosen to illustrate every facet of
the production, use, and even counterfeiting of money, objects
presented in a way that will appeal to the general public as well
as to seasoned numismatists. Eric Newman's unrivaled knowledge and
the depth and breadth of his collections have combined to produce
a unique educational resource that will provide pleasure as well
as understanding to everyone who crosses the threshold of his museum.

A dramatic section of the museum presents Eric Newman's long-term
interest in Benjamin Franklin the man and his spectrum of contributions,
many of which relate to currency.  There is a full-size talking figure
of Franklin that will appeal to younger visitors.  The wall behind
Franklin features sayings about money spanning the centuries, but
quite up to the moment.  Bob Dylan is quoted: "Money doesn't talk,
it swears."

Every facet of the Money Museum reflects the unerring good taste
of Evelyn and Eric Newman and their willingness to work very hard
and very long to bring their dream to life.  There is a wonderfully
warm and comfortable room in the museum whose tall shelves house but
a small fraction of Eric's numismatic library.  I can't wait to come
and spend hours, and more probably days in this idyllic setting,
happily furthering my own pet research projects.

Numismatists will be enthusiastic about the displays - let me mention
just one, featuring the unique gold striking, Breen 1233, of the 1792
private patterns from dies engraved by John Gregory Hancock and
submitted by Obediah Westwood of Birmingham.  Eric Newman regards
this piece as the most significant single American numismatic object,
because its long pedigree takes it back to the Washington family, and
it is believed to have been George Washington's own pocket piece.
How appropriate that its first public display is at Washington University
in St. Louis, in a museum established by the city's and the country's
foremost numismatic scholar.

The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum housing the money museum is always
free and will be open Monday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 11 to 6,
Fridays, 11 to 8, and Saturdays and Sundays 11 to 6.  Closed Tuesdays
and University holidays."

[I'm glad to hear all went well with the opening, and I'm sure all
involved are as exhausted as they are happy with the outcome.  Our
readers are encouraged to make plans to visit the new museum and
library, a wonderful resource for the "numismatic bibliophiles,
researchers, and just plain numismatists" who make up our E-Sylum
readership. -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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