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About Us The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit association devoted to the study and enjoyment of numismatic literature. For more information please see our web site at coinbooks.org Subscriptions Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers (or wishing to Unsubscribe) can go to the following web page link Membership There is a membership application available on the web site Membership Application To join, print the application and return it with your check to the address printed on the application. Print/Digital membership is $40 to addresses in the U.S., and $60 elsewhere. A digital-only membership is available for $25. For those without web access, write to: Charles Heck, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 2058, Bluffton, SC 29910-2058 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Chuck at this email address: treasurer@coinbooks.org Submissions To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com BUY THE BOOK BEFORE THE COIN Sale Calendar April 30, 2022 KOLBE & FANNING Watch here for updates!

 

Content presented in The E-Sylum is not necessarily researched or independently fact-checked, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.

WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM MARCH 6, 2022

We have no new subscribers this week. We now have 6,960 subscribers.

Thank you for reading The E-Sylum. If you enjoy it, please send me the email addresses of friends you think may enjoy it as well and I'll send them a subscription. Contact me at whomren@gmail.com anytime regarding your subscription, or questions, comments or suggestions about our content.

This week we open with numismatic library duplicate sales, three new books, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, numismatics in television and movies, and more.

Other topics this week include the Long Beach Expo, the ANA's National Money Show, Central States, Vernon Jepson, Ken Bressett, Frank Higgins, Don Everhart, auction and fixed price previews (numismatic eye candy!), the Swiss Vrneli, the Daniel Morgan Comitia Americana medal in gold, and the forger honored on a banknote.

To learn more about military tokens, coin weights, unmarried women at the Mint, Greenbacks, Abby Zechman, Jerry Buss, the room wallpapered with stamps, Dutch-Israel gold fantasy coins, the Little Tramp, the 1894-S dime, hubs and hobs, the March of Dimes commemorative, electrotypes, and Prince the bank watchdog, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

ANS LIBRARY DUPLICATES FOR SALE

Lots of books, auction catalogs, and fixed price lists will be coming up for sale in March and beyond as we continue to sell duplicates to benefit the ANS Library. These include classic works, like Feuardent on jetons (1904–1915) and Madai on thalers (1765–1774), as well as early catalogs from Ciani, Thieme, Naville, Scott, Ratto, Schlessinger, Ars Classica, and Hamburger. So keep an eye on our eBay store, or, better yet, register and save your searches so you are notified when items you want are listed.

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ANA LIBRARY 2022 NATIONAL MONEY SHOW SALE

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NEW BOOK: COIN-WEIGHTS OF EUROPE, VOLS 2-3

Paul (and Bente Withers) of Galata in Wales write:

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NEW BOOK: WAYS AND MEANS

Early in the Civil War, a New York congressman named Elbridge Spaulding had a terrible thought. What if the government were to print pieces of paper and call them money? Paper bills existed, of course, issued by scores of private banks. But they were only IOUs; they had no legal standing. As such, merchants and others could refuse them or mark them down.

Spaulding meant for his paper to be legal tender—valid for all debts and obligations, like gold and silver. It would be paper that none could refuse. This would give the Lincoln government what it desperately needed even more than troops—a currency to pay for the war.

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NEW BOOK: THE FOUNDERS' FORTUNES

Historian Randall (Unshackling America) explores in this intriguing yet unsatisfying survey how the founding fathers' personal financial circumstances helped chart the course of the American Revolution. Delving into the business interests and economic considerations of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and others, Randall notes that almost all of Connecticut's delegation to the Second Continental Congress in 1775 were land speculators, motivated in no small part by King George III's decree barring them from profiting from the fur trade. He also points out that the resistance movement in Massachusetts was bankrolled by John Hancock, whose merchant empire was threatened by English taxes, and that Benjamin Franklin, contrary to his Poor Richard persona, became wealthy by investing the profits from his printing and publishing business in Philadelphia real estate.

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MARRIED WOMEN UNWELCOME AT THE MINT

Married Women Unwelcome at the Mint

While it is well-known that the U.S. Mint employed women as adjusters from its earliest days, it seems that this practice was limited to unmarried women only. An 1880 letter from Mrs. A. C. D. Lewis to the Philadelphia Mint Superintendent A. Louden Snowden notes that Lewis is resigning her adjuster position, as it is against the rules of the Mint for any woman to be employed there who is living with her husband. Lewis notes that she had been warned accordingly and submits a forwarding address for any wages due up to the time of my marriage."

Link to July 9, 1880 letter from Lewis to Snowden:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/611680

Link to U.S. Mint general correspondence (National Archives record group 104, entry 1) on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/archivedetail/515202

VIDEO: SPRING 2022 LONG BEACH EXPO

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AUDIO: ABBY ZECHMAN INTERVIEW

The Coin World Podcast co-hosts interview Abigail Zechman, a hobo-nickel-carving Young Numismatist recently elected to the board of FUN and discuss, among other things, a 2018 issue of Coin World.

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MORE NUMISMATICS IN TV AND MOVIES

Brad Karoleff writes:

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MORE ON VERNON M. JEPSON

Julia Casey writes:

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: MARCH 6, 2022

Reader Kudos
David Derrick writes:

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ANCIENT COINS WITH KENNETH BRESSETT

Kenneth Bressett will autograph his new book Bible Lore and the Eternal Flame at the American Numismatic Association's National Money Show in Colorado Springs, March 10, 2022. After that debut the 224-page hardcover volume will be available from bookstores and hobby shops and online (including at Whitman.com). Here, Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker discusses how the book came to be, its context among other numismatic publications, and how it was developed.

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2022 NATIONAL MONEY SHOW EXHIBITS AND TALKS

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CONFERENCE: NETWORKS IN TRANSITION

Title:
Networks in Transition: Monetary Exchange from Antiquity to the Middle Ages

When/Where:
March 18th, 12:30pm–5:45pm (East Pyne 010)
March 19th, 8:30am–5:00pm (East Pyne 010)
March 20th, 9:00am–1:00pm(Firestone C10H)

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CENTRAL STATES U.S. RARITIES DISPLAY

Four of the most famous United States rare coins with a combined face value of only $1.16 but insured now for $19 million will be displayed together for the first time at the Central States Numismatic Society convention in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois, April 28-30, 2022.

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VOCABULARY TERM: HUB, HOB

Hub, Hob. A die of positive relief used for making a working die or dies. Hubs are always the opposite relief of the striking die. They are a method of reproducing or trans- ferring a three-dimensional image from one hard surface into another. As such, hubs and hubbing are a method of producing working dies in quantity for long production runs, or an insurance that a new die can be easily made should any working die break. Hubs can be the entire design of one side of a coin or medal, or it can also be a portion of the design – as a portrait or device – and as such is similar to a puncheon.

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FRANCIS CARLOS HIGGINS (1867-1928)

If events had played out a little differently, Frank C. Higgins might be in the ANA Hall of Fame.

Francis Carlos Higgins, more commonly known as Frank C. Higgins, was born in Philadelphia on January 7, 1867. His parents were Paul Lajus Higgins (1842-1926) and Clarissa Enos (1840-1921). They were divorced and both remarried.

At the time of the 1880 Census, Frank was living in Germantown, Pennsylvania, with his mother and employed as an office clerk at age 13. He attended Shattuck Military Academy at Faribault in Minnesota.

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HARVEY STACK'S NUMISMATIC FAMILY, PART 116

The year 1994 continued the upward trend in numismatics that had begun with the recovery from the Black Monday stock market "crash" of November 1987. This recovery was helped by the fact that the precious metals markets held their value, so coins that contained gold and silver may have lost a little value, but in general were considered a "good hold." During times when the stock market was way down, coins made of precious metals were considered by many to be a store of value and a better source for investment.

In addition, collectors who had the means used this time as an opportunity to add to their collections while prices were down slightly, and so continued to be good clients both through our auctions and in our retail sales. Many important collections were created and developed during this period. Buying and selling of coins among dealers also became a good business.

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DON EVERHART'S CAREER IN COINS, PART 6

In 2015 I began working on designs for the March of Dimes Commemorative Silver Dollar program. In this case, as in most commemoratives the mint produces, a percentage of the profits the mint makes on the coin would be given back to the recipient, the March of Dimes.

The obverse design that was ultimately chosen featured a well-executed double portrait of Franklin Roosevelt and Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine to fight polio. Designed by Artistic Infusion Program artist Paul Balan and beautifully sculpted by staff engraver Mike Gaudioso.

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ATLAS NUMISMATICS MARCH 2022 SELECTIONS

Choice Mint State Bohemia 10 Ducats

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COLLECTION OF AN ENGLISH DOCTOR, PART ONE

We at Sovereign Rarities have been very excited and privileged to receive the first part of The Collection of an English Doctor to offer for sale through our website www.sovr.co.uk at fixed prices. Formed by a very discerning collector of many years standing, this English collection formed diligently over the last few years, aims to illustrate the history of the English silver Penny, with the criteria being to collect as many mints and moneyers as possible in the time that was allowed.

The first part covers the early Anglo-Saxon period from when the Sceattas series ends with the first transitional piece of Beonna of East Anglia, and continues through the various Kings of the Heptarchy, with such famous names as Offa and Alfred the Great, as well as some Archbishop issues and more unusual reverse types and mints. The collection continues into Kings of all England with Aethelstan, Eadmund, Eadred, Eadwig and Edward the Martyr, with part one signing off with Aethelred II the unready with the whole part consisting of 83 good quality coins.

It can be difficult to pick highlight pieces especially when there are so many in such a large grouping, but the rarest and some unique pieces are clearly the most interesting, a top twenty as follows in Kingdom order:

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SOVEREIGN RARITIES IDES OF MARCH SALE

Sovereign Rarities are pleased to present to the numismatic community their fifth auction - taking place on the ‘Ides of March', 15th March 2022 - consisting of 223 lots of Ancient, Historic and Modern British and World Coins and Commemorative Medals. The sale features many choice Ancient, British and world coins, and pre-bidding is open now at www.sovr.co.uk until the live auction on the day.

The sale begins with lots 1-20, Ancient coins, with a superb run of graded gold and silver Greek and Roman material. Lot 1 is perhaps the highlight of this section, a gold stater of Carthage dating from 350-320 BC, graded by NGC as 5/5, 4/5. However, the prize for the most intriguing coin goes to lot 14, a necklace of 13 Roman Denarii including the infamous ‘Eid Mar' Denarius struck by Brutus on the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Ironically, Brutus's coin has been stabbed three times!

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KüNKER SALTON COLLECTION GOLD COINS

Lot number 1125
Italy.
Republic of Genua.
(Dogi Biennali), 1528-1797.
5 Doppie 1651.
Very rare. Almost extremely fine.
Estimate: 20.000,00 euros

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DIX NOONAN WEBB OFFERS RARE GOLD THRYSMA

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DAVISSONS AUCTION 41 ELECTROTYPES

High quality replicas of historic coins occupy an interesting niche in the hobby. There's something egalitarian about anyone being able to buy a convincing approximation of a dekadrachm, for instance, but as replicas become more convincing their potential for deception (whether originally intended for such or not) begins to tarnish the experience. That is, unless, the examples were simultaneously made to the highest specifications and in a manner that leaves them impossible to confuse with the real thing.

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THE SWISS VRENELI

Switzerland's best-known and at the same time least-known coin

It is hardly an exaggeration to say that every Swiss person, young or old, knows what a Vreneli is and that almost every Swiss household has at least one copy of this gold coin. There are many unexpected stories and special features in this coin that are unknown to the layman and make this coin particularly exciting.

Worldwide, the Vreneli is one of the few old coins that has remained popular in a modern society. Its endearing nickname ‘Vreneli', which is still used today as it was 100 years ago, further underlines this unique relationship. Perhaps this special relationship in the unconscious can also be explained by the fact that the Vreneli was presented to good children in Switzerland for generations with benevolence as a godfathers' gift for baptism and as a Christmas or birthday present. For the relationship is quite different in countries where gold coins had to serve as ‘nest eggs' in times of war and crisis. In other words, in times that we would rather leave behind and forget today.

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GOLD DANIEL MORGAN COMITIA AMERICANA MEDAL

When a national treasure from the American Revolution was stolen in a brazen bank heist in 1818, a dutiful heir involved former President Thomas Jefferson and lobbied for an Act of Congress to replace it. This is the medal his decades of persistence achieved, the only example struck, the only gold Comitia Americana medal in private hands, and the only Congressional Gold Medal ever authorized by two separate Acts of Congress. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1839 from dies fashioned in Paris, it is utterly unique. It is offered, here, at auction for the very first time, a majestic testament in gold to the debt owed this nation's first military heroes and the efforts to honor their legacy.

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PRINCE, THE WATCHDOG OF THE BANK

ANIMALS APPEAR in a wide variety of situations and motifs on fiscal paper. Livestock and other ruminants typically serve to illustrate agricultural bounty or evoke pastoral settings. Some animals symbolize a place itself, like the otter on checks from the Bank of Otterville, Missouri. Robert Eberhard Launitz's statue of Leatherstocking, which appeared for decades on checks of the First National Bank of Cooperstown, N.Y., depicts Natty Bumppo and Hector, the hunting dog gazing up in abject adoration at his master. Otherwise, canines are often used to portray some behavior or attitude that we value in banking and finance: loyalty, protectiveness, and vigilance. Variations on the vignette of a dog, perched upon a strongbox and guarding its key, are perhaps the most characteristic expressions of these traits.

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THE MONEY FORGER HONORED ON A BANKNOTE

I didn't realize I was carrying the face of a criminal in my wallet for many years. And so were most people in Australia. The face was that of Francis Greenway, a convict sent to Australia for financial forgery who became one of the most highly respected architects in Australian history—so respected that his face was chosen to appear on the $10 note. He is the only convicted forger in the world depicted on a banknote.

Greenway was born in the United Kingdom in 1777.

He came from a family of architects, builders, and stonemasons and followed in their footsteps, training under the well-respected British architect John Nash.

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CHINESE MAN SPENT HAND-DRAWN BANKNOTES

In 2020, a short video on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, of an elderly man clad in rags and struggling to communicate his desire to buy noodles brought the man, Zheng Zulong, and the noodle store owner Guose Li, instant fame.

Misfortune, on the other hand, always seems to find its way to the already downtrodden. Zheng died in a drunk driving accident in January of this year, breaking the hearts of many people online.

May he no longer live a wandering life in heaven, a person commented.

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