WOW, what a great piece.

I found a small problem with “Happy Anniversary: Gutenberg’s Printing Press” (The E-Sylum Volume 19, Number 40, October 2, 2016, Article 25). The article was based on an NPR Writer’s Almanac for September 30, 2016. According to Garrison Keillor: “In 1440, Gutenberg wrote and printed copies of his own mysteriously titled book, Kunst und Aventur [Art and Enterprise], releasing his printing ideas to the public, and by 1450 his movable-type printing press was certainly in operation.”

Keillor inverted the title of Gutenberg’s book. Searching WorldCat and Google Scholar, the only citations are to Aventur und Kunst.

A book donation from Whitman publisher and author Dennis Tucker made at the Fall PAN Show and Convention on Friday October 29th. This donation of his latest endeavor, American Gold and Silver: U.S. Mint Collector and Investor Coins and Medals, Bicentennial to Date is a quite the fine addition to our library. Dennis' presentation at our Lecture Series was very enlightening regarding these recent coins and medals produced by the mint.

Another nice issue. I always enjoy them. Just for kicks I will pass along a picture of an 1883 nickel that I found in an old accumulation many years ago. It seems about as original as any "Racketeer Nickel" I have ever seen.

I can’t vouch for the plating. It looks like some sort of a clumsy home-made job. And is what I would expect from a petty crook of that time. It definitely is not a professional job, but it does have a golden appearance. I suspect it was dipped into something like gold colored paint. Probably got put back into circulation after a while, or saved as a curiosity. I don’t think it is a modern concoction, and certainly is not one of the recent professionally plated jobs.

In the 19th century, when coin collecting was just beginning to become popular, one of the most publicized American coin rarities was featured in advertisements and news items. For a long time, Ebenezer Locke Mason, Jr., stated that he would pay $25 for a nice one...

I am attaching a scan from Mason's Coin and Stamp Collector's Magazine of June. 1867, page 24. He offers to pay $25 for a cent of 1799.

In another item he says that he will pay $25 if the coin is in uncirculated condition. I doubt if there was an uncirculated 1799 cent known in 1867.

A recent acquisition: A cast iron portrait plaque of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield (1804-1881). Produced in commemoration of his death. 330mm in size and very heavy.

A best selling novelist and twice prime minister in the 1860s and 1870s, Disraeli is one of the most fascinating figures in British history. I have a fairly extensive collection of his writings (novels, political tracts, letters and speeches) as well as a couple of commemorative medals. But until I found this I was unaware that such items existed. Now all I have to do is find a way to hang it on a wall.

I know this is late, but Dick Johnson has a few dates mixed up in the October 16, 2016 E-Sylum.

Canada ditched the cent in 2012.
Australia eliminated the cent and 2-cent coins in 1991.
New Zealand eliminated the 1- and 2-cent coins in 1990, and 5-cent coin in 2006.

I don’t mean to question the validity of his argument, just straighten out the dates.

Coin World has covered this issue many times over the years and, I imagine, will for some time!

Zimbabwe famously issued Bond coins in several different denominations. Like the proposed notes, these are backed by bonds. They remain available from dealers and eBay sellers, and are a nice addition to a hyper-inflation related collection.

Below is the link for Jason's Coin Contest #2 Giveaway and the results of the Coin Contest #1. Once again thank you for including our contest in The E-Sylum.