WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: FEBRUARY 16, 2014

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V17 2014 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 17, Number 7, February 16, 2014, Article 15

Most of my numismatic pursuits recently involved working on The E-Sylum. But I had a pleasant interlude on Monday when I met author Roger Burdette on my way home from work. I had a book in my library he wanted to borrow for his latest research, so we agreed to meet. We picked J. Gilbert's, a restaurant in McLean, Virginia where we’d had Nummis Nova dinners in the past. Nummis Nova is the numismatic social group I started in Virginia. Roger wouldn't be able to make the regular dinner meeting, so I was glad to have the opportunity to chat with him for a bit.

It felt like a clandestine meeting of spies, at a prearranged parking lot. I handed over the book in a plastic bag, and Roger gave me a manila envelope containing a review copy of the Winter 2014 issue of his Journal of Numismatic Research. I suggested stepping into the restaurant for a drink, since by then I needed to use the rest room. Might as well spend some money if I'm going to use the facilities.

Roger's a constant joker, and made a remark about my employer "still having the pay toilets". But he agreed and we had a nice conversation at the crowded bar. Topics included a web site project of mine, and Roger's latest research work.

It was a short get-together, but I had to get home, and Roger wanted to get busy copying the material he needed from my book. But I had a more substantial event the next night (Tuesday, February 11) when Nummis Nova met for dinner at The Esposito's Italian restaurant in Fairfax, VA.

Ron Abler and Chris Neuzil couldn't make it either, but we otherwise had a pretty full house. I was among the last to arrive. Already there were Steve Bishop, Tom Kays, Gene Brandenburg, Dave Schenkman, Mike Packard, Aaron Packard (no relation), Jon Radel, Eric Schena, Wayne Herndon and Joe Levine. Julian Leidman was the last to arrive and he took a seat next to Joe.

I brought a copy of David Lange's new book on National Coin Albums. It's such a quality production I like to show it to people in person. I also wanted to show Wayne Herndon the photo of Raffi Bulanikian, Manager of M. Meghrig and Sons. I also brought my numismatic postcards and stereo views to show Tom.

As always, some interesting and rare numismatic material was passed around the table. Dave Schenkman had a neat ferrotype of the first casualty of the U.S. Civil War, Col. Ellsworth. Dave writes:

It is a really neat item. I received it a few days ago as part of a consignment. I’ve seen Ellsworth ferrotypes with a portrait of Brownell on the reverse but never one like this. At first glance the reverse is blank, but when I examined it today noticed a printed legend which reads COL. ELMER E. ELLSWORTH / THE GALLANT / ZOUAVE COMMANDER. / MARTYRED FOR HIS COUNTRY / ALEXANDRIA, VA. / MAY 24, 1861. There are two more lines but I can’t read them.

In the Virginia catalog I commented that “This line operated in the Cherrydale section of Arlington from about 1921 to 1926. There were three jitney-like buses, similar to Model-T Fords, with long bodies and fragile sides.” The token is brass, 24mm, and the reverse is the same as obverse. Interestingly, the die exists for a larger but similar token, but no actual tokens have ever surfaced. I acquired the token in my collection in the 1960s, and this is the only other one I’ve ever seen.

It was another great evening of numismatic fellowship, but there's more to come for E-Sylum readers - in the next article Tom Kays picks up the story. -Editor