Visit our NBS Sponsors

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: Jeff Dickerson, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 578, Weatherford, TX 76086 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Jeff 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 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 SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

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 two numismatic literature auctions, big and small, four new books, a review, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, notes from readers, and more.

Other topics this week include Canadian coinage, Croatian and North Vietnamese banknotes, James Earl Jones, Kellen Hoard, Mary Burleson, Paul Bosco, Mardi Gras doubloons, fixed price and auction offerings, Celtic gold staters, stolen Olympic medals, and an Argentine province's new currency.

To learn more about Bernt Ahlström, Fractional Currency, the Canadian coinage of Queen Elizabeth II, Labor Exchange scrip, Art Deco, Alfred Sandham, private mints, the Great White Fleet, the Tomb of Washington medal, the Pablo Picasso Visage Geometrique aux traits gold Medallion, the Marquess of Lansdowne medal, and painted die varieties, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

MUENZEN GUT-LYNT ONLINE AUCTION 18

The Bernt Ahlström numismatic library, part 2

There will hardly be a dealer in the numismatic world who does not know the name Bernt Ahlström. When I picked up my first coins and books on coins and medals in Schleswig-Holstein in 1978, he was already a regular guest in the far north - bringing in consignments and, of course, stories.

And, at one of our last meetings in Zurich in 2019, Bernt Ahlström reviewed a few moments and highlights from his 60-year career - unfortunately, far too little of it has been recorded; he wrote nothing down. What remains is the memory of an outstanding numismatist, a dealer in several markets who could be found at all the important auctions, coin fairs and exhibitions. He was one of the first internationally active coin dealers: an exceptional personality; a numismatic "global player" as a dealer and auctioneer; a businessman with a feel for opportunities in the market and the courage to take these risks - and at his best "a giant in the world of coins", as one obituary put it.

Read more here

CUHAJ EBAY NUMISMATIC LITERATURE OFFERINGS

George Cuhaj writes:

Read more here

NEW BOOK: COIN COLLECTING, 4TH EDITION

Attention, coin enthusiasts and collectors everywhere. Elevate your passion for numismatics with the highly anticipated fourth edition of Coin Collecting: An Introduction to the World of Numismatics, a comprehensive resource for everything coins and how to succeed in the world of coin collecting.

Author Kenneth Bressett, Editor Emeritus of A Guide Book of United States Coins (the Red Book), former president of the American Numismatic Association, and author of more than 20 numismatic books, has updated the definitive reference to finding just how lucky you can be as a coin collector.

Originally released in 1999 and referred to by the collecting community as the "Golden Book of Coin Collecting," or simply the Yellow Book, because of its easily identifiable color, Coin Collecting is one of Whitman’s best-selling titles.

Read more here

 

NEW BOOK: CANADIAN COINAGE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II

A Guide to Collecting the Canadian Coinage of Queen Elizabeth II
Christian Houle and
Serge Pelletier

Discover a different, possibly more enjoyable way to collect the circulation coins of Queen Elizabeth II with this user-friendly guide.

With it, you will discover all the changes that have undergone Canadian coin in the more than 70 years of Her Majesty’s reign and how these can be represented by a few coins.

If you are sharp-eyed and enjoy details, large, high-resolution images will introduce you to the most popular varieties and how to distinguish one from another.

Finally, a section presents the various types of error with superb examples in high resolution, pointing out the way you can identify those errors.

Read more here

NEW BOOK: CROATIAN BANKNOTES

Dusty Dragicevic, an Australian-born Croatian, has just released the Croatian edition of his book, Croatian Banknotes: A Standard Reference.

This book, which took 15 years to compile, offers a comprehensive exploration of Croatia’s numismatic history, tracing the evolution of its currency from the days of the Independent State of Croatia to the present.

The English version has already attracted attention, and now, with the release of the Croatian edition, readers in Croatia can delve into the history of the Croatian banknote.

Read more here

BANKNOTE BOOK NORTH VIETNAM CHAPTER PUBLISHED

North Vietnam chapter now available

CDN is proud to announce the initial publication of the complete 16-page catalog covering notes issued from 1946 – 1959.

Read more here

 

BOOK REVIEW: NEW JERSEY STATE COPPERS COMPANION

REVIEW OF THE "NEW JERSEY STATE COPPERS Companion"
by Roger S. Siboni, John L. Howes and A. Buell Ish

I had the privilege of reading this outstanding book, pre-publication. The Companion supplements the original New Jersey State Coppers book, but owning the first book is not a requirement as it is valuable in its own right. The Companion makes two big contributions to collecting NJ state coppers: an in-depth study of NJ painted die varieties (PDVs) and a pictorial condition census of the private and auctioned great NJ coppers collections—never seen before in one book. This is the first pictorial census published by C4 and hopefully may lead to other future pictorial CCs in different colonial series. As part of its educational mission, this will be the fourteenth book published by C4.

The late Robert Martin was the leading expert on PDVs and he shared his knowledge with the authors. Through studies of pedigree chains, it is possible to determine who made the painted annotation. In some cases, however, it might be an educated guess or maybe speculation. For some NJ copper collectors, this is a new area with the chance of forming a related subsidiary NJ collection.

Read more here

JAMES EARL JONES (1931-2024)

James Earl Jones, a stuttering farm child who became a voice of rolling thunder as one of America’s most versatile actors in a stage, film and television career that plumbed race relations, Shakespeare’s rhapsodic tragedies and the faceless menace of Darth Vader, died on Monday at his home in Dutchess County, N.Y. He was 93.

From destitute days working in a diner and living in a $19-a-month cold-water flat, Mr. Jones climbed to Broadway and Hollywood stardom with talent, drive and remarkable vocal cords. He was abandoned as a child by his parents, raised by a racist grandmother and mute for years in his stutterer’s shame, but he learned to speak again with a herculean will. All had much to do with his success.

So did plays by Howard Sackler and August Wilson that let a young actor explore racial hatred in the national experience; television soap operas that boldly cast a Black man as a doctor in the 1960s; and a decision by George Lucas, the creator of "Star Wars," to put an anonymous, rumbling African American voice behind the grotesque mask of the galactic villain Vader.

Read more here

NNP: GREG BENNICK INTERVIEWS KELLEN HOARD

Greg Bennick Interviews Kellen Hoard

In his continuing series of numismatic interviews, Greg Bennick (virtually) sits down with Kellen Hoard, who was named Young Numismatist of the Year by the American Numismatic Association in 2021 and is currently a student at George Washington University. He serves on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and writes a regular column for The Numismatist.

Hoard touches on how he got started with numismatics, sharing numismatics with people outside the hobby, and his engagement with journalism, politics, public policy, and international affairs. Kellen provides context on the end-end workflow of the CCAC and evolution of coinage from legislation to production. Hoard wraps up with an optimistic view of the next generation of numismatists.

Read more here

VIDEO: 2009 FUN CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

Read more here

ON MARY BURLESON’S RETIREMENT

On Mary Burleson’s Retirement

In December 2004, I faced a challenging but very welcome professional choice. I’d recently turned thirty-two and, after building a solid career in writing, editing, and publications management, two exciting new job offers were on my plate. One was directing corporate communications for Coca-Cola North America. The other was the position of publisher at the newly invigorated Whitman Publishing, LLC.

The Coca-Cola position would have been a feather in my professional cap and an amazing opportunity with a global company. In a world unrelated to soft drinks and bottled water, the Whitman position was much the same. I couldn’t resist its lure, and it was the iconic publishing company that made my final cut.

Read more here

MARDI GRAS DOUBLOON DETECTIVE WORK

Read more here

 

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Ship Shilling = Cost of Christian Burial
Kavan Ratnatunga writes:

To read the page on Kavan's website, see:
Netherlands, Holland: 1671-1767 Silver Scheepjes-Schelling (https://coins.lakdiva.org.lk/netherlands/1724_hol_scheep_6s_ag.html )

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
THE LITTLE SHIP SHILLING (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n36a27.html)

Read more here

 

PAUL BOSCO IN ACTION

Dealer Paul Bosco of New York City writes:

Read more here

 

ALFRED SANDHAM'S SCRAPBOOK

One of the more interesting items we’ve gotten in the ANS Library recently is a scrapbook assembled by pioneering Canadian numismatist Alfred (Alf) Sandham in the 1800s. Filled with clippings, photographs, circulars, sketches, and other fascinating numismatic ephemera, it was donated by ANS fellow David Fanning, who had a special clamshell box made to protect it.

Sandham joined Montreal’s numismatic society in 1865, becoming perhaps its most important and active member. Founded in 1862, four years after the ANS, it was among the first handful of such groups in the western hemisphere. Sandham worked to put it on solid footing and was primarily responsible for issuing its first medal, commemorating its incorporation in 1870, which Sandham helped bring about.

Read more here

 

APPLY TO THE CCAC!

The United States Mint is seeking applicants for appointment to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) as a member representing the interests of the general public. The deadline to email submissions is no later than 5 p.m. (ET) on Friday, October 18, 2024. The United States Mint will review all applications and will forward recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury for consideration.

The CCAC is composed of 11 members — one specially qualified in numismatic collection curation; one specially qualified in the medallic arts or sculpture; one specially qualified in American history; one specially qualified in numismatics; three individuals appointed to represent the interests of the general public; and four individuals recommended by the Leadership of both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Members are appointed for a term of four years. No individual may be appointed to the CCAC while serving as an officer or employee of the Federal Government, and all applicants must be United States citizens. CCAC members are Special Government Employees and are therefore subject to various applicable conflict of interest laws and ethics regulations.

Read more here

VOCABULARY TERM: PRIVATE MINT

Private Mint. A nongovernment mint. A private manufacturer with blanking, coining and die-making equipment to custom produce coins, tokens and small medals for anyone. Private mints have been established in countries of high industrial activity: Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. The term "mint" in the term implies the manufacture of coins, requiring the use of coining presses. But these same coining presses can also strike tokens – and medals like coins (see coin-medal). To keep their presses busy, private mints frequently strike noncoin items. However, coining presses cannot strike pieces larger than, say, two inches; thus private mints generally do not have the capacity for large medal manufacturing. This is the specialize activity of medal makers (see medal manufacturing).

Read more here

COIN COLUMNIST DANIEL WEBSTER (1932-2018)

My article this week is an example of doing research when the subject shares a name with someone much more famous. Such is the case with coin columnist Daniel Webster.

The original Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was an attorney, congressman, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State. He was the subject of a rare medal (Julian PE-37). He also appears on a token issued by coin dealer Ezra Hill in 1860. There are hundreds of references to him in numismatic literature that crowd out any reference to the columnist.

Adding to the confusion, Webster was the music critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer. He wrote much more about music than he did about coins. His coin columns were published under the pen name of Henri Sault, his father-in-law.

Read more here

ATLAS NUMISMATICS SELECTIONS: SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

1080330 | ROMAN IMPERIAL. Hadrian. (Emperor, 117-138 AD). Struck 134-138 AD. AV Aureus. NGC Ch. AU? (Choice About Uncirculated ?) Strike 5/5 Surface 5/5 Fine Style. Rome. 7.31gm. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P. Bare-headed and draped bust right / Hadrian. Aureus. 134-138 AD. Rome. "Travel series" issue. (Ric-II.3, 1562). (Calicó-1176a). Anv.: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS. Bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev.: ADVEN-TVI AV-G ITALIAE. Hadrian, togate, standing left raising right hand and holding roll, facing Italia holding cornucopiae and sacrificing out of patera over garlanded altar. RIC II.3, 1562; Calicó 1176a. "Travel series" issue.

Ex Numismatica Genevensis SA, Auction 10 (3 December 2018) Lot 43.

$79,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Exceptional "Travel Series" Aureus of Hadrian (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1080330/)

1079786 | CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Republic. (1918-1939). 1934 AV 10 Ducats. NGC MS68. By J. Benda (Obv.) & O. Spaniel (Rev.). Kremnitz. Edge: Milled. REPUBLIKA CESKOSLOVENSKÁ. Czech lion with Slovak shield, denomination and date below /NEDEJ·ZAHYNOUTI·NÁM·I·BUDOUCÍM/ +929/ B-O·Š . Duke Wenceslas (Vaclav) on horseback right. KM 14; Fr.-4; Schlumberger 32; Novotny 19. 1298 pieces minted.

$89,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Superlative Czech 10 Ducats (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1079786)

1079307 | FRANCE. 2nd Republic. (1848-1852). 1848 AV Essai 20 Francs. NGC PR64 Cameo. By E. Farochon. Paris. REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE. Laureate head, right. Level to the left, dove to the right, clasped hands below / Denomination and date within wreath. Mazard 1249; Guilloteau 3024.

$19,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Essai 20 Francs in Gold (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1079307)

1079674 | GERMAN STATES. Bavaria. Luitpold. (Prince Regent, 1886-1912). 1891 AR Medallic Double Thaler. PCGS SP64. By A. Börsch. 41mm. 34.40gm. Bust, left / View of the bridge. Gebhardt 201; Hauser 598; Witt.-3063. On the construction of the Luitpold Bridge in Munich.

$795

To read the complete item description, see:
Medallic Double Thaler of Bavaria (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1079674)

1079208 | GREAT BRITAIN. England. Charles II, Peace of Breda. (1667) AR Medal. PCGS SP62. By J. Roettiers. Edge: (rose) + (rose) CAROLVS (star) SECVNDVS (star) PACIS (star) ET (star) IMPERII (star) RESTITVOR (star) AVGVSTVS (Charles II, august restorer of peace and of the empire). 56mm. 74.68gm. CAROLVS · SECVNDVS · DEI · GRATIA · MAG · BRI · FRAN · ET · HIB · REX. Laureate head right / FAVENTE DEO (By God's favor). Britannia seated left on rocky outcropping, beside hill, head turned toward fleet of ships in background, holding filleted spear in right hand and resting left hand on Union shield; in background to left, ship under sail left with fleet in distance, personification of the sun above; BRITANNIA in exergue. Van Loon II p. 522; MI 535/186; Eimer 241.

Includes original collector's envelope.

$7,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Beautiful Peace of Breda Medal (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1079208)

1080058 | GREAT BRITAIN. George III. (King, 1760-1820). 1820 AV Sovereign. PCGS PR64DCAM (Deep Cameo). GEORGIUS III D.F. BRITANNIAR. REX F.D. Laureate head right / St. George slaying the dragon right. KM 674. Proof; SCBC-3785C; Friedberg 371; WR-200 (Rarity 7, 1-2 known). Exceedingly rare date in proof; frosted devices and mirrored fields.

Ex. Bentley Collection, Baldwin's Auction 76 (27 September 2012) Lot 385; Ex Sothebys, (17 November 2000) Lot 525 (part), illustrated as No.7.

Price upon request.

To read the complete item description, see:
1820 Proof Sovereign (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1080058)

1079852 | GREAT BRITAIN. Victoria. (Queen, 1837-1901). 1885 AR Gothic Florin, Two Shillings. NGC MS61. Queen in crown and decorated dress, legend in Gothic script; Without die number / Crowned shields of England, Scotland and Ireland in cross formation with flowers at corners. KM 746.4; SCBC-3900. Superb "bull's eye" toning most often associated with paper board storage.

$1,495

To read the complete item description, see:
Colorful "Gothic" Florin (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1079852)

1079044 | SWISS CANTONS. Basel. 1740 H (Johann Jakob Handmann, Mintmaster) AV Pattern or Off-Metal 3 Ducats. PCGS MS63PL (Prooflike). 10.40gm. Eight shields above BASILEA over city view / Basilisk holding shield. KM Pn8; Fr.-64; Richter (Proben) 1-65; D.T. 768; cf. HMZ 2-102c. Struck with 1/4 Thaler dies, KM#144; Richter lists under Proben (patterns). Superb prooflike surfaces and exceedingly rare.

$98,500

To read the complete item description, see:
Basel City View 3 Ducats (https://atlasnumismatics.com/1079044)

Updates to their online inventory are issued monthly.

For more information and to sign up for the firm’s monthly newsletter, visit: atlasnumismatics.com

VILA RICA MOEDAS AUCTION 22

Vila Rica will hold its Auction 22 on September 17th and 18th. The auction is internet-only and split over two sessions. It will offer a vast range of Brazilian coins, from Colonial to Republican issues, foreign coins, literature, and a collection of rare receipts of colonial gold bars. It also features the most important coin of all copper coinage, the 80 Réis 1831B.

During the first half of the 18th century, Vila Rica (now Ouro Preto) and the other cities in the Minas Gerais District of Brazil produced half of the world's gold output. Gold coins and gold bars were produced in abundance, and due to their high metal value (some bars weighed more than 200 grams), very few bars survived, with most having been melted down over the last 300 years.

Gold in powder or nuggets were brought to a foundry house, controlled by the crown. The gold was melted, tax was applied, and the net result was returned to the owner in the form of a bar, punch marked with information such as number, weight, fineness, assayers’ initials, date, mint mark, etc. Each bar was accompanied by its own guide which recorded the same information marked in the bar, for the purpose of attesting authenticity and checking the bar´s specifications. The foundry house kept a copy in the form of a receipt in its books. Bars, guides and receipts are therefore very important numismatic documents that are rarely offered on the market and are very sought after by collectors. The collection that we are auctioning has been built up over the last 25 years and this sale is a unique opportunity to acquire such pieces, themselves extremely important documents from one of the greatest cycles of gold discovery and exploration in history.

Some highlights of the sale follow:

Read more here

STACK'S BOWERS DICK JOHNSON MEDAL SELECTIONS

1907 Great White Fleet Departure Plaque. Failor-Hayden 532. Bronze. Mint State.

Read more here

CARLISLE-MINTED COIN OF DAVID I OF SCOTLAND

A unique and unpublished coin from the reign of David I of Scotland (1124-1153) that was minted in Carlisle is to be offered by Noonans Mayfair on Thursday, September 19, 2024 in a sale of British, World Coins and Historical Medals. It is estimated at £15,000-20,000 and is being sold by the finder.

As Jim Brown, Coin Specialist at Noonans explains: "This is a find of considerable historical and numismatic importance. It is not really surprising that new varieties of medieval coins turn up from time to time - this is to be expected. What makes this find so different is the unique nature of the design - a complete and totally unexpected departure from the norm."

He continues: "The original medieval fortress at Carlisle that was constructed in 1092, after the capture of the city from the Scots by William Rufus. Some 30 years later, Henry I decreed it be rebuilt in stone and ‘fortified with a castle and towers’. This is probably the medieval keep that can be seen today, albeit much altered in the interim."

Read more here

LENHAM HOARD OF IRON AGE GOLD STATERS

A collection of 35 gold coins or staters that were discovered during a rally in Kent in August 2022, along with nine fragments of a flint nodule, that has been reconstructed, are expected to fetch an estimated £20,000 when offered by Noonans Mayfair on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.

Read more here

SOVEREIGN RARITIES AUCTION XIV

On Tuesday 24th September Sovereign Rarities is proud to present Auction XIV. The auction is online now, and open for pre bidding on our website www.sovr.co.uk as well as Numis24, Numisbids, Biddr and The Saleroom. Auction XIV will open with a small but high-quality selection of ancient Greek and Roman coins, some with venerable provenances dating back to the 60’s. Of particular note is the gold Claudius Aureus, featuring an excellent portrait and Pax-Nemesis reverse, graded by NGC as CH XF 4/5 2/5 (lot 7).

These are followed by a larger collection of highly graded Byzantine Solidi including a Justin II gold Lightweight Solidus of 22 Siliquae awarded a grade by NGC of XF 4/5 4/5 (lot 20).

The British section commences with three Celtic Coins, which are followed by a broad selection of rare to extremely rare Anglo-Saxon pennies; including an Archbishops of Canterbury, Wulfred silver Penny (lot 46), a particularly charming Canute short cross Guildford mint (lot 54), and an Edward the confessor small flan type hailing from the Tamworth mint (lot 59). There are several further mints and types represented within the sale.

This then graduates into our English and Anglo Gallic Hammered coins, from the reigns of Edward III to Charles I, including an extremely rare Sovereign of Elizabeth I, with mint mark hand (lot 79) it has been awarded a grade of XF40 by NGC, roughly eight known of this type and mintmark combination.

Read more here

TCNC 2024 MILITARIA & HISTORICAL MEDAL SALE

Welcome to the 2024 Militaria & Historical Medal Sale Event. This is the first ever sale of this type held by us consisting of only Militaria and Medal type lots, and we would like to share our gratitude with all the consignors that entrusted us with their superb collections which permitted us to do such a sale. This four session Sale of approximatively 1025 lots will highlight the cumulation of 2 major collections. Included is the highly anticipated Part 4 of the Militaria Collection & Part 1 of the Marelic Collection of Leroux and Breton Medals and Medallions. These collections, along with several other private issues, present a wonderful assortment of pre-WW1, WW1, WW2, and post-war medals, medallions, tokens, and more.

Militaria Medal; Canadian Military General Service Medal w/Chateauguay clasp to "J.B. VEILLIEUX. CANADA MILITIA". Served with the Lower Canada Militia. Considered to be one of the rarest military medal/clasp pairing. A similar example sold in our 2024 New Years Sale for $15,535,00.

To read the complete item description, see:
Canadian Military General Service Medal With Chateauguay clasp (https://auctions.canadiancoinsandpapermoney.com/auction/231/the-militaria--historical-medals-sale/session/471/lot/1)

Read more here

STACK'S BOWERS 2024 MAASTRICHT AUCTION

Stack's Bowers Galleries is pleased to announce the release of the catalog for its highly anticipated Maastricht Auction, held in conjunction with the MIF Paper Money Fair. This auction promises to be one of the most diverse and extensive ever presented by the firm, showcasing a range of highlights and rare items from around the world.

As the main sponsor and official auctioneer of the event, Stack's Bowers Galleries commends the supporters and participants who have contributed to the ongoing success and expansion of this prestigious venue. "Advancing the hobby of numismatics is a collective endeavor, reliant on the efforts of the entire community," noted Aris Maragoudakis, Director of World Paper. "The bourse floor has become an incredibly positive environment, and it is wonderful to see everyone at each show working together and experiencing the event as one."

Read more here

VIKING KING ATHELSTAN II SILVER PENNY FOUND

A rare coin minted by a Viking warlord after he became a Christian king is "the first in the country" to benefit from a new Treasure Act definition on "the basis of national significance", an expert has said.

The silver penny was made for Athelstan II, better known as Guthrum, who led a Danish invasion of Anglo-Saxon England and waged war against Alfred the Great.

Read more here

ROWER'S FOUR OLYMPIC MEDALS STOLEN

Police have arrested and charged a man for allegedly stealing four Olympic medals belonging to Australian rower Drew Ginn. But the medals – three gold and a silver – are still missing.

The 47-year-old man, who was wanted on a warrant over the alleged theft, was arrested on Wednesday in Brunswick, a northern suburb of Melbourne. Authorities said Ginn’s medals were believed to have been stolen from the back of a Land Rover parked in the Victorian capital about a week ago.

Read more here

ARGENTINE PROVINCE LAUNCHES OWN CURRENCY

There are few places in all of Argentina as poor as La Rioja, a sleepy, desolate province carved out of the red-clay highlands that form the country’s northwestern border with Chile.

And it is here, in La Rioja, that the financial toll of President Javier Milei’s shock economic therapy — a high-stakes bid to tame chronic inflation — can best be observed. When Milei slashed the monthly cash transfers from the federal government to the provinces, La Rioja went broke. In February, it fell into default. And soon the local economy had sunk into a deep recession.

Read more here

JEFF GARRETT ON SHARING YOUR COLLECTION

One of the highlights of the recently completed 2024 ANA World’s Fair of Money was the exhibit of the Egyptian portion of the "Tyrant Collection." The collection is billed as the world’s most valuable private coin collection, and for anyone who has seen this magnificent assemblage, it would be hard to dispute. The ANA show exhibit focused on Egyptian coinage starting with coins from antiquity and continuing chronologically through the Islamic period.

Besides being worth hundreds of millions of dollars, what truly makes the "Tyrant Collection" special is that O'Dowd has gone to so much effort to share his collection with the public. He has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to showcase his collection in exhibits at coin conventions around the United States. His exhibit cases are state-of-the-art, and each is accompanied by an exhibit catalog. The collection of his exhibit catalogs is destined to be important collector items for future numismatists. The chronicling of this seminal collection is an amazing contribution to numismatics.

Read more here

VIRGINIA SPORTS MEMORABILIA GOLD MINE

It is quite possibly the largest private collection of sports cards in the world — and probably by a wide margin. Mr. Banazek estimates that it includes 20 million cards, although other visitors have pegged the number even higher. For comparison, Paul Jones, a man in Idaho who claimed to have the largest private baseball card collection, told a local newspaper in 2020 that his holdings amounted to 2.8 million cards. The largest collection of nonsports trading cards consists of 32,809 items, according to Guinness World Records.

What makes the collection even more notable is its lack of public profile. For years, it sat in a concrete outbuilding behind a low-slung ranch house on a wooded country road.

Two members of the reclusive seller’s family said that the collection had been painstakingly accumulated over more than 50 years and that the seller had "purchased whole collections from other buyers at times."

Read more here

LOOSE CHANGE: SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Initial Bruun Collection Sale Results

Part of a Danish coin collection belonging to butter magnate Lars Emil Bruun, went under the hammer in Copenhagen, initially collecting €14.8 million on Saturday.

The 20,000-piece collection had been kept off the market for a century as a stipulation of Bruun's will, forged soon after the destruction of the first World War.

The collection includes rare coins and medals from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and England dating back to the Viking age and is expected to be the most valuable non-US coin collection ever sold.

An eight-hour auction in the Danish capital saw the 286 coins on sale for the day bring in €14,820,900 (about $16.4 million), news agency Ritzau reported.

Auctioneer Stack's Bowers published data on the individual sold lots, showing one 15th century gold coin known as a "Hans Noble" fetching €1.2 million, well past the predicted sum of between €300,000 and €600,000. The auctioneers said there were only two confirmed coins of this type in museums, and no others in private hands prior to Saturday's sale.

To read the complete article, see:
Denmark: Rare coin collection goes on sale after a century (https://www.dw.com/en/denmark-rare-coin-collection-goes-on-sale-after-a-century/a-70219680)

Read more here