MORE ON FRANKLINIUM

"Franklinium" was a proprietary alloy created by the Franklin Mint as it embarked on its meteoric rise. It was a glorified copper-nickel alloy (not bronze) with an added dash of Columbium that made it possible to patent. Franklin Mint mogul Joseph Segel (not "Siegel") had hopes of selling Franklinium to the U.S. Mint, providing the Gardiner's Island Proof sets to publicize the metal. The Mint didn't bite, being unwilling to place the nation's coinage metal in the stranglehold of a private company, however aggressive.

A wonderful commentary on Segel, the Franklin Mint and Franklinium appeared in "The Numismatic Review," published by Coin Galleries in 1965. Editor, the lamented James C. Risk and Glenn Godwin wrote a satirical announcement of the release of Proof coins of "The Military Order of the Maltese Falcon, Edsel Division." These coins were to be based on a unit called the Fake, composed of 100 Bogus. "The crown sized Fake will be struck in , a new alloy of tin, zinc and baloney developed by the Franklin Mint. The crown will have a lettered edge, with the Latin motto: Sic Semper Swindlum."

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: VOCABULARY WORDS: VERMEIL AND RUBEDO (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n12a12.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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