Nice issue. One of these times I should write something about Frank Katen, a fine numismatist I interviewed in depth a number of times. I also visited him and Laurese in DC. Completely apart from numismatics, he was in the public relations business, and both were deeply involved in DC society and politics. On one wall in his house he had his “Power Wall” showing him with DC celebrities. Wonder if this exists today, and if so, who has it? I had no idea about the name change mentioned in The E-Sylum. I learn something new every day.

Like our editor Wayne Homren a decade or so later I had visited Frank Katen a number of times when he lived in Washington, DC. His library was indeed awesome. The numismatic books he sold were rubber stamped “From the Library of Frank Katen.” Undoubtedly many of these still exist.

On one visit he showed me the secret of his book dealing, a card file listing where books were published or could be obtained plus the cost. I must have said something like, “Boy would I like to have that.”

His wife (second, I believe) overheard that remark. Years later when I was editor of Coin World she called me. “Would you like that card file? I will sell it to you for a thousand dollars.” I didn’t know they were involved in a messy divorce. My allegiance was with Frank so I called him to report what she had said. It appears she was not enamored with Frank’s coin and book business.

While at Coin World we ran a special issue devoted entirely to numismatic literature. Earlier I had compiled a list of American books of numismatic interest (for John L. Ford). I updated that list and ran it twice in Coin World, a year apart.

After I left Coin World sometime later Margo Russell asked Frank to replace that list with one of his own (most of which were my original listings). But Frank undoubtedly used that card file as his update resource and changed the format of the list slightly.

Here again, it ran a couple times in Coin World, but ultimately ended up in early editions of Coin World Almanac.

His next wife, Laurese, was a delight, completely opposite of number two, as she joined in the business with Frank, often accompanying him to shows. She collected medals and I always had something new for her when we both attended the same show.

The last time I saw Frank was when he conducted the library sale of George Fuld, November 1973. I bought heavy in his auction, and in retrospect, wish I had bought far more.