NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: AUGUST 22, 2010

I attended the ANA in Boston working at the F.U.N. table. On Friday I went to the Boston Public Library and saw the Evacuation of Boston Gold medal that was presented to George Washington. This was the first showing of the medal in 130 years. It was not easy to find.

I asked at the information desk and they told me to take the elevator to the third floor and look for the rare books room. So after taking several wrong turns, I finally found the room. It was through a maze of other rooms.

The room was about 25' X 25', dark, and with one attendant at a computer. There in the middle of the room was a case about 5' X 3' and 4 foot tall with a glass top. In the bottom left of the case was the medal in a purple velvet box. Next to it was an 81/2� X 11� sheet with the pedigree of the medal. A novice looking at the medal would not know the significance of it. My best guess of the value is $1 to $2 million.

They also had a booklet for sale 31/2� X 81/2� with the medal on the front in gold on blue. The booklet was only $3 but you had to find the business office to buy the book. That was another adventure.

Above is the image by Nathan Markowitz of Dave Perkins and Alan Weinberg in front of the exhibit case. It looks like a copy of the booklet Tony mentions in displayed in the case. As difficult as it is to find and purchase, it will likely be rare in numismatic circles - the perfect sort of ephemera to add to one's numismatic library NOW while the opportunity remains. -Editor

Tony Hine forwarded this link to the blog of bookdealer Brian Cassidy. Tony refered to him as a "Blogging bibliophile". See www.briancassidy.net .

You have a birthday coming up. Happy Birthday, and check out my The Week That Was column in the upcoming August 23rd issue of COIN WORLD.

My birthday is coming up August 24th. My son Tyler's 10th birthday was Friday, August 20th. We've been celebrating with family dinners, cake, and a coincidental family trip this weekend to Virginia Beach. I published this week's issue from our hotel.

Happy Birthday! Wow, I saw Fred Reed's list of memorable events in the current Coin World for August 24th. Your birth rates right up there with the Confederate government establishing an assay office at the mint in Georgia. Nineteen Fifty-Eight was a very good year. I may be away next week and I wanted to be the first to wish you well.

Have you read the news from the day you were born? The BBC has a good news archive and the World Book Encyclopedia used to publish annual supplements each year.