It has taken me some time (as usual) but attached is a photo of me and Jane (my wife) in front of part of the exhibits at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine here in Baltimore. The items in this exhibit are ours along with pieces in a couple other exhibits. The current exhibits portray anniversaries of the Star Spangled Banner in 1889, 1914 and 1964. Next year's exhibit will focus on the Battle of Baltimore.

It was only recently that we heard of the passing of our friend Gar Travis. He was an outstanding numismatist and worked very hard for the ANA in the Representatives Program for many years. In 1995 he received the ANAs - Outstanding Regional Coordinators Award.

In 1999 he received the ANAs Glenn Smedley Memorial Award. As President, I was honored to be able to give Gar a President's Award in March, 2003. We recall several shows where Gar had a bourse table and represented the ANA. At times we even shared an ANA table. He always promoted collecting and the numismatic hobby. We know that his knowledge and enthusiasm for collecting coins rubbed off on many of the young and old that he talked to.

As an ANA recruiter he received the Century Club award in 2004. Not long ago we heard that his health was declining, and it was a very sad day when we heard he had passed away. Gar had a great passion, love, knowledge and enthusiasm for numismatics and life which will be sorely missed by everyone who crossed this "Numismatic Luminaries" path. With condolences to the family, Rest in Peace Gar, as we will never forget you.

I absolutely loved the piece on Numismatic terms. Everything! I had a pretty challenging day before I read this and it really brought a smile to my face. I loved Lipton's excerpt. I went out and bought a few hardcover first editions (about $20 each!). One for me and others for a few Christmas gifts. What a delight to give someone!

And the Numismatic terms were brilliant.......... "a hope of submissions" ......bravo!

I really enjoyed your publishing of "word play" as it shows how authors and cataloguers and collectors use and misuse the English language. I guess we all like to have a "play on words" and it is fun reading the use and misuse of the words.

I don't believe that "editors" was included among the groups for which a collective descriptor was offered.

In going through some Mehl items that I have there is no phone number listed as mostly all transactions were done only through the mail. The only thing that I can find that came close is a 1941 letter referring to a cable address of “Mehl Fort Worth” on it. I checked an auction catalog from 1955 and still no phone number was listed. He may have had one and it might be found in an old telephone directory, if it was not unlisted, by somebody who lives in the Fort Worth area. I presume that only a select few dealers and other people that he dealt with new of it though.

I was delighted to find this site. One of my retirement gifts last month was a Feuchtwanger cent.

As an update to the R.L. Baker article, I was able to find the location of his garden/mercantile on an 1850 map of Columbia. I was also able to finally determine the rightful spelling of Robert "R.E." Russell of Columbia. Like the token, his name is spelled with two 'L's. I verified this with the 1850 U.S. Federal Census. Both the map and the census were added as updates to the article.

The U.S./Philippine Coins book originally written by Lyman Allen was updated and Edited by Tom Culhane. The 7th edition of this work was completely revamped and now starts with the Spanish Philippine coin series since Culhane felt the opening of the Suez Canal profoundly influenced The Philippines.

All new sections include the historical overview, market review, and various specialty items such as Wilson dollars and sea salvaged coins.

Culhane, a specialist in Philippine coins for more than a decade, is a former grading consultant to both PCGS and NGC who acquired permission from both grading firms to include their latest population reports in the book. Culhane, who has written the introduction to the Offical Blackbook Price Guide to United States Coins for the past 18 years has monitored the U.S. Philippine's section of prices since its inception, along with doing the Philippine and U.S. Philippine section of the Offical Blackbook Price Guide to World Coins.

Culhane a full time coin dealer since 1979 owns The Elusive Spondulix, a rare coin firm in Union, NJ. Due to his wide range of coin knowledge Culhane has in the past been consulted by the television program "Jeopardy" to verify numismatic questions for the show.

U.S./Philippine Coins sells for $28.50 but is offered to any Numismatic Bibliomania Society member for $22 postpaid and the book may be ordered from:

The Elusive Spondulix
Attn. Tom Culhane
954 Stuyvesant Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
www.rarecoin.com