The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 48, November 25, 2007, Article 7

BOOK REVIEW: 100 GREATEST AMERICAN MEDALS AND TOKENS

Alan V. Weinberg writes: "Having read the E-Sylum comments
on the Bowers/Jaeger '100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens'
I thought I'd put my two cents in.

"It is a visually stunning book and an absolute bargain at
retail $29.95. One would reasonably expect this book to be
a $75- $100 book were it not for the printing source in China.

"Like Dick Johnson and numerous other book contributors I've
talked to, I do not think the OPA ration tokens and state
sales tax tokens belonged in the "100 Greatest" or, for that
matter,  anyplace in the rankings. The two types of tokens
are generally regarded as a nuisance to most exonumia
collectors and dealers  ('I've got some old rare tokens in
my grandfather's collection ...gee, what are they worth?')
and have an extremely limited collector following. These
two tokens impact the exonumia hobby largely in a negative
way. And to my knowledge, they've never brought new collectors
into the market. Selected rarities in the "2nd 100" ranking
in the book's back could have easily filled these two slots.
One prominent contributor said to me in Baltimore, the
inclusion of these two tokens - the OPA and tax tokens -
'cheapens the book'. I agree. But as with any new book,
there's going to be a weakness. And this is one of the
very few, although prominent.

"As to the respective comments by author Katie Jaeger and
our E-Sylum editor that the MicMac Washington medal had
never before been depicted in the general numismatic circulation
and that the primitive appearance of the medal was unattractive:
both are inaccurate. The MicMac medal is pictured and catalogued
in the 1999 Krause Medallic Portraits of Washington by Rulau /
Fuld page 91 and in a slightly earlier Numismatist. And at
the very least, John Kraljevich and this writer have  physically
handled the British Museum's MicMac medal and both have described
the medal as aesthetically and historically  awe-inspiring due
to its unique and well-crafted (not primitive) design, its
condition (absolute Mint), and its provenance - direct from
King George III to the British Museum in 1800."

[I stand corrected on both points about the Micmac medal.
It was indeed pictured in the 1999 Washington book.  I've
never seen one of the medals in person.  I guess I had my
chance while I was at the British Museum this summer and blew
it.  This'll be on my list should I have the opportunity to
return. -Editor]

 BOOK REVIEWS: 100 GREATEST AMERICAN MEDALS AND TOKENS BY JAEGER AND BOWERS
 esylum_v10n47a05.html

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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