THE HISTORY OF THE NLG'S CLEMMY AWARD

PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE FULL ISSUE PREV FULL ISSUE

V19 2016 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 11, March 13, 2016, Article 21

Thanks to Len Augsburger for noticing this article by Clement F. Bailey in the recently digitized copies of the Central States Numismatic Society's publication, The Centinel. It relates to the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG), an organization often confused with our own (the Numismatic Bibliomania Society or NBS). -Editor

The initials that appear after the names of many of the authors of numismatic articles or columns are those of the Numismatic Literary Guild (N.L.G.).

My first contact with the organization came about when a letter was received dated March 2, 1968.

“Dear Clem: A number of years ago I thought of forming an organization like the Numismatic Literary Guild. When I heard that one was in the process of formation in California, I readily agreed to assist in any way possible.

The enclosed information is self-explanatory and there are no dues involved with the organization, and only certain categories are available for membership.

We hope to have you with us as a charter member in the very select group which will comprise this organization, and I am enclosing application blank.

I believe that there are many directions this group can go to help numismatics, authors, museums, etc. Kindest regards. Maurice (Maury)
M. Gould.”

My application was completed and sent back within a couple of days with the following memo:

“March 5, 1968 Dear Gang: Notice that I did not miss the hand rail while making the jump to the N. L.G. band wagon. This could be a big thing to publishers, editors, writers and it might even help a columnist.

N.L.G. (Nobody Loves a Goof) will have the greatest social gatherings in the hobby. First one at the bar, without his card, has to buy the next round.

Numismatic writers have problems that are best solved by their own ilk. I hope that the membership is kept within the circle of the clan.

Bet that I am one of the pure columnists in the bunch. Most graduate to write or editor, but I haven’t emptied enough waste paper baskets to graduate that high.”

There was one prophetic statement in the letter — about the N.L.G. having the greatest social gatherings in the hobby. My original “buy law” has only caught on with a few members of the N.L.G.

Within a couple of months of organization, one of the early Newsletters mentioned something about my activities and this letter was received from the Guild office.

“Dere Cur — Sir: Tank U 4 writin bout us litvaree Gild Guyz. C U at Kunvenshun. Hope U no mind wryte up bout U in thiz. Lee (Lee Martin, Editor of the Newsletter).”

That fall in San Diego at the American Numismatic Association annual convention, the N.L.G. had their first organizational meeting. At the end of the meeting, a forty pound ancient typewriter painted with gold was given to me as the first annual award. It was promptly dubbed “The Clemmy Award” by James Miller, the publisher of COINage Magazine, and the name has stuck.

The ancient typewriter was dug out of a California junk yard after several weeks of search by Gordon Greene, the current treasurer of the Guild. He also claims that it took several cans of gold paint to make the ugly duckling a beautiful swan (?). The long grind of going across country from convention to convention caused it to be retired after Maury Gould received it in 1973. The typewriter is now resting at the American Numismatic Association Museum in Colorado Springs.

A plastic award is now given to the new “Clemmy” winners at the annual N.L.G. meeting. Since 1969 the typewriter has been awarded to Ed Rochette, Lee Martin, Margo Russell, Virginia Culver, Maurice Gould, Eva Adams and Ray Byrne in that order.

On November 29, 1975, the first member of the award winning group died in Los Angeles — Maurice M. Gould. Maury was a collector, professional numismatist, author and lecturer for 57 of his 66 years. He was starting his second term as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Numismatic Association.

Maury Gould left a lot of marks in this world, but none will be more important than the mark of a numismatic writer — N.L.G. — after an authors name. Maury was a founder of the Numismatic Literary Guild and sponsored my charter-life membership in the organization.

It may be important to say that I was a friend to him, but it is probably more important to say that he was a friend to me.