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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 $45 to addresses in the U.S., and $65 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 1/25/2025 - Kolbe & Fanning

 

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 JANUARY 12, 2025

New subscribers this week include: Terry Sleep, courtesy Terry Freed. Welcome aboard! We now have 7,254 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.

Last week a number of readers noted a bad link to the issue. That was my fault - sorry!. Our webmaster Bruce Perdue caught the problem and sent out another copy of the email. For anyone who still has issues reaching last week's edition, here's a link to the full issue: https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n01.html . We've also addressed some issues with embedded YouTube videos - see this December 29th article on the Pakistan State Bank Museum: https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n52a17.html

This week we open with numismatic literature sale highlights, five new books and a review, a plea to help protect Roman coin collecting, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, notes from readers and more.

Other topics this week include numismatics of Panama, the 1773 Virginia Halfpenny, banknotes of Macedonia, Hyderabad and Berbice, United Future World Currency, David Fanning, Jeff Starck, Gerry Fortin, auction previews, more medals awarded by Joe Biden, Chinese New Year commemoratives, and Mints of the World.

To learn more about the Alessandro Magnaguti collection, the 100 Greatest United States Modern Coins, The Generation newsletter, the 2025 Newman Grants, Camden’s Britannia, Zeleima Bruff Jackson, Thomas Michael, Joe Dodge, early numismatic photography, the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, New France card money, the bird of paradise, and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

KOLBE & FANNING SALE 172 HIGHLIGHTS

On Saturday, January 25, 2025, Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers will be holding our next auction, featuring rare and out-of-print works on ancient, world and U.S. numismatics. The sale includes material from several consignments, most notably the L.D. & I.P. Library (with exceptional offerings of auction catalogues on ancient and world coins) and the Barry Tayman Library (most significant for U.S. and Canadian material). With over 500 lots, there is something for everybody.

Some highlights of this first sale include:

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NEW BOOK: 100 GREATEST U.S. MODERN COINS, 5TH ED.

Whitman® announces the recent release of the fifth edition of 100 Greatest United States Modern Coins by award-winning authors Scott Schechter and Jeff Garrett. This updated edition brings a "Modern Makeover" to the beloved series, offering an expanded and refreshed exploration of the most significant modern coins minted in the United States from 1964 to the present day.

With captivating full-color photographs, insightful narratives, and expert analysis, 100 Greatest U.S. Modern Coins continues to be a definitive resource for numismatists of all levels. From humble Lincoln cents to great rarities to costly platinum bullion issues, the new edition demonstrates why the modern era is the most dynamic in all of numismatics, incorporating recent trends, updated values, and the latest additions to the U.S. Mint’s innovative coinage.

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NEW BOOK: NUMISMATIC HISTORY OF PANAMA

An illustrated history and catalog of Panamanian coins from 1904 until 1965, the time of silver coins. Bilingual in English and Spanish. It draws on primary source documents to be as accurate as possible and highlights many interesting details. There is nothing else like it in the field of Panamanian numismatics.

Publication Date: Aug 16, 2023

Pages: 225

For more information, or to order, see:
Numismatic History of Panama 1904-1965 Historia Numismática de Panamá 1904-1965 Color (https://www.lulu.com/shop/david-plowman/numismatic-history-of-panama-1904-1965-historia-numism%C3%A1tica-de-panam%C3%A1-1904-1965-color/hardcover/product-v6vr42.html)
Numismatic History of Panama 1904-1965 Historia Numismática de Panamá 1904-1965 Hardcover (https://www.lulu.com/shop/david-plowman/numismatic-history-of-panama-1904-1965-historia-numism%C3%A1tica-de-panam%C3%A1-1904-1965-hardcover/hardcover/product-emrn82.html?q=Plowman+panama&page=1&pageSize=4)
Numismatic History of Panama 1904-1965 Historia Numismática de Panamá 1904-1965 Paperback (https://www.lulu.com/shop/david-plowman/numismatic-history-of-panama-1904-1965-historia-numism%C3%A1tica-de-panam%C3%A1-1904-1965-paperback/paperback/product-ypn24n.html?q=Plowman+panama&page=1&pageSize=4)
Numismatic History of Panama 1904-1965 Historia Numismática de Panamá 1904-1965 Color PB (https://www.lulu.com/shop/david-plowman-and-jorge-proctor/numismatic-history-of-panama-1904-1965-historia-numism%C3%A1tica-de-panam%C3%A1-1904-1965-color-pb/paperback/product-nvdj2z8.html?q=Plowman+panama&page=1&pageSize=4)

 

NEW BOOK: PARROTS ON COINS, BANKNOTES

Mintage World, the pioneering online museum for coins, stamps, and currency notes, has launched a remarkable coffee table book, 'Endangered Parrots of the World on Stamps, Coins and Banknotes'. This compilation serves as both a vibrant tribute to parrot diversity and a call to action for conservation.

Priced at Rs999, the book is available on various online platforms and bookstores. It meticulously gathers coins, stamps, and banknotes from countries worldwide, each depicting parrot species threatened by extinction. Based on the IUCN Red List data from July 2024, it highlights urgent environmental challenges with over 459 stamps, 37 coins, and 12 banknotes.

Among featured species are the Imperial Amazon from Dominica and Lear's Macaw from Brazil, accompanied by rich historical contexts. CEO Sushilkumar Agrawal emphasizes the book's role in raising awareness about preserving avian heritage. Mintage World plans further collectibles on historical and cultural themes, continuing its mission of education and preservation.

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NEW BOOK: MACEDONIAN BANKNOTES

A new banknote catalogue has reached us from North Macedonia, which is suitable for beginners as well as for advanced collectors.

The catalogue is bilingual (Macedonian, translation into English by Jovan Strezoski) and all the requirements that a catalogue should have can be found on its 96 pages: a complete list of all Macedonian and North Macedonian banknotes since 1993, a valuation in euros and, for many collectors, the most important thing of all: the author has endeavoured to provide complete illustrations of all the notes listed, as far as he was able.

This book also has added value for those collectors who have removed the area from their missing list because it was too complete for their collection, as it also documents designs, illustrations and overstampings of all kinds.

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BANKNOTE BOOK HYDERABAD CHAPTER

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BOOK REVIEW: ANCIENT ROME IN TWELVE COINS

I wish I’d had Gareth Harney as a professor when I was in college. While his book, "A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins," is dense with facts, it’s also great fun to read. Not only does Harney put a new twist on how to think about history, but the way he uses his archeological instincts to first track down and then explicate the bronze, silver and gold coins the Roman Empire created before it fell in 476 A.D. is absorbing — even gripping.

It is a story of fantastic achievements like the Colosseum (Harney devotes a chapter to that iconic structure) and the aqueducts that gave Roman forces entrée to lands they wanted to conquer. It also is the story of rulers spanning the celebrity military genius Julius Caesar, the complex philosopher Marcus Aurelius, and Claudius, the Roman Senate’s errand boy, eager to do the bidding of the Praetorian Guard. It is a bloody story, too.

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HELP PROTECT ROMAN COIN COLLECTING!

The US State Department has announced a proposed renewal of a cultural property Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Republic of Italy. There is a danger that this will provide an excuse for US import restrictions implementing that MOU to be expanded to include late Roman Republican and Roman Imperial Coins.

Import restrictions could make it far more difficult to import such coins from legitimate markets in Europe like those in the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland.

Why? Because they would give US Customs the authority to assume that any late Roman Republican or Roman Imperial coins with a country of origin/manufacture of Italy (i.e., Rome and other late Imperial mints of Aquileia, Mediolanum, Ostia, Ravenna, and Ticinum) are the "cultural property" of the modern Republic of Italy.

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NNP ADDS VIRGINIA COINAGE NEWSLETTERS

Newman Portal Adds Virginia Coinage Newsletters

Courtesy of Roger Moore, Newman Portal has added a group of newsletters related to Virginia colonial coinage. Editor William Veach produced The Generation newsletter in the early 1990s and provided an overview in an August 1, 1990 launch letter: "The ‘Generation’ is a select group of variety set oriented collectors of the 1773 - Colonial Virginia copper Halfpenny. Our legal structure is that of a ‘phantom’ group, unregistered, unincorporated, yes even unfinanced. We pay no dues. We pay no taxes and we really answer to no one, except to ourselves."

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2025 NEWMAN GRANT PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society Invites Applications for Newman Grants

The Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society (EPNNES) announces the opening of the application period for the 2025 Newman Grant program. Newman Grants are designed to financially assist numismatic authors and organizations pursuing original research in American numismatics. This program was launched in 2019 and supports research projects related to colonial numismatics, U.S. federal coinage, counterfeit detection, and other areas.

Authors, researchers, and numismatic organizations are encouraged to apply for amounts between $1,000 and $5,000. Awards may be applied toward related research costs including but not limited to photography, reproduction of research material and graphic art services, database access fees, and travel. Electronic publications will be preferred as EPNNES wishes to direct funds toward expenses specifically related to numismatic research, rather than the print publication of research. Newman Grant awardees agree to non-exclusive publication of their research on the Newman Numismatic Portal (NewmanPortal.org). EPNNES intends to make approximately half a dozen grants in 2025.

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VIDEO: UNITED FUTURE WORLD CURRENCY

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 12, 2025

More on Camden’s Britannia
Bob Van Arsdell writes:

In the late 1500s, antiquarian writers began to study Ancient British coins. Some coin inscriptions seemed to match the accounts of ancient Roman authors. Camden and Speed used these coins to illuminate a murky period in British history.

Cunobeline's coins were identified first. His large coinage with a bold "CVNO" was hard to miss – Camden illustrated four Cunobeline types in the 1590 edition of his Britannia. These are the earliest images of Ancient British coins to appear in print.

Surprisingly, the large coinage of Verica was not identified for another 250 years. Although a Verica stater was found before 1610, it was misattributed as a coin of Commius. Scholarly errors over the next two centuries made the coinage of Verica "invisible" to the general public.

The stater was mis-attributed because it had been struck from damaged dies – the inscriptions could easily be misread. And, of course, Commius was a prominent figure in Caesar's Gallic War. The attribution to such a famous man proved to be an exciting discovery. It was easy to miss the correct attribution to Verica. He's only mentioned by Dio in one sentence.

To read the complete article, see:
The Invisible Coinage of Verica (https://vanarsdellcelticcoinageofbritain.com/articles-numismatic_ccb3/van_arsdell_2022b_ccb3.html)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
KOLBE & FANNING JANUARY 2025 SALE ANNOUNCED (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n01a03.html)

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FANNING SPEAKS AT BNS NYINC MEETING

The meeting will take place in the Morgan Suite at the InterContinental New York Barclay, on E 48th Street, on Friday January 17th, at 4 PM.

I’m very pleased to say that our speaker will be Dr David Fanning, owner of Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers, who will need almost no introduction to your readers. His talk is entitled Early numismatic photography.

All are welcome, and you don’t have to be a member of the Society to attend.

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JEFF STARCK MAKES A MOVE

When Editorial Director Larry Jewett implored me to write a farewell editorial, announcing my amicable departure from Coin World after a 21-year relationship, I couldn’t help but think of the credits on all those movies I’ve yet to watch.

Each one of the almost exactly 1,100 issues I’ve worked on at Coin World may have featured the names of myself and co-workers in bold bylines, but the issues could not have appeared in readers’ hands, without a lengthy list of other folks.

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VOCABULARY TERMS: RECIPIENT, RECOGNITION

Recipient. The person who receives or is bestowed a medal for award or recognition. The bestowal is customarily at a ceremony and the medal may be accompanied with a certificate and sometimes a monetary award. Often the medal is inscribed with the recipient's name, date, and occasionally a brief citation and presented in a case. When the presentation is posthumous, the medal goes to the next of kin.

In sports the recipient is called a medallist; in fields of academic, scientific and medical achievement the recipient it called a laureate. In rare instances the recipient is embarrassed he was bestowed the honor and removes his name from the medal; this is termed an obliterated name (and is considered an act of vandalism to the medal).

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MORE ON OSBORNE COINAGE COMPANY HISTORY

Last week I described the history of the Osborne Coinage Company without comment. This week I offer some comments, particularly about Ziba Bisbee and Ira Bisbee.

My sources were the Internet in general, The Newman Numismatic Portal. The Numismatist archive, Newspapers.com., FamilySearch and Findagrave. I also pulled some books off my shelves.

Arlie B. Slabaugh wrote an article, "Which is the Oldest Private Mint?" published in TAMS Journal for October 1, 1980. He reported on his attempts to find the history of Osborne. Clifford Stegman Jr. provided a list of antecedents based on a 1911 letterhead of the James Murdock Jr. Co.

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GERRY FORTIN INTERVIEW, PART TWO

GREG BENNICK: So, were there Liberty Seated researchers or dealers throughout history that focused on Liberty Seated coinage that you admired or looked to before you became the expert on Liberty Seated dimes? Were there others who had paved the way a hundred years ago? That sort of thing.

GERRY FORTIN: Well, that's a great question. Because in 1989, I decided to join the Liberty Seated Collector’s Club. Before that, in ‘88, after I made the decision to collect Liberty Seated dimes, I was looking in Coin World in the classifieds and there was a book put out by Kamal Ahwash that was published in 1977 and it was a second printing of the book. And it was specifically on Liberty Seated dimes. It was an encyclopedia. So, I ordered it. It came in and what was in that book was not only an analysis by date, but also major varieties.

Now, my background is that I'm a semiconductor engineer and my expertise is operations, testing, information management, yield enhancement. So, I've got a very inquisitive mind in terms of semiconductors. When I saw the book and the content, this was like opening a window to the minting process and understanding the manufacturing of that era.

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HERITAGE: NYINC WORLD AND ANCIENT COINS

South Africa: Republic gold "9" Pond 1898 MS63 Prooflike NGC Pretoria mint, KM-Unl., Hern-ZP6. The indisputable 'unicorn coin' in the entire South African series, the "Single 9 Overstamp" 1898 Pond remains unchallenged in its exclusive solitude. A distinct variant of the 130-piece "99" Pond issue (also presented in this sale), the "Single 9" Pond reportedly changed hands in a private sale in 2010, for a value documented as "multi-million Rand" by Hern. Other industry sources detail a more precise figure of R20,000,000, which was the equivalent of $2,700,000 at the average 2010 exchange rate. Possibly selected as the candidate for the overstamping for its gleaming 'Prooflike' appearance, this rarified treasure has been the prime target of South African experts for over a century.

The offering at hand holds an informed history, having been struck at precisely 10:30am on the 2nd of November, 1898. Notably absent were the reverse dies assigned with the forthcoming date of 1899; they had been misappropriated at Delagoa (Maputo) Bay by the British forces, thus impeding the vital task of producing currency for the impending year. Consequently, the Mint Master of Pretoria was prompted to impose an overstamp on the 1898 Ponde using a manual date punch. The very coin in question bears the honor of being the inaugural overstamp of this series. However, an obstacle immediately arose: the lone '9' punch was simply too large, inconveniently intersecting with the truncation of the President's effigy. In response to this dilemma, the mint's resourceful staff quickly recalibrated their approach and determined a smaller '9' punch to be more appropriate, leading to the remaining coins being struck with 'Double 99', and the sole 'Single 9' 1898 Pond's legend was born.

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HERITAGE: FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE PROOFS

It has been said that the most passionate collectors are those who collect what they loved when they were younger. To those, it often is less about acquiring items of financial value and more about chasing the items that captured their fascination in years past.

Consider the case of Charlton Buckley. At the age of 12, the former San Francisco-area businessman began collecting coins; shortly thereafter, his numismatic interests spread to paper money as he developed an appetite for National Bank notes, large and small, large size U.S. notes and fractional currency. By the mid-1970s, he had built an extraordinary trove of California Nationals and notes, including California Gold Bank Notes. The collection reached into Federal Reserve Notes, both large and small, and was easily one of the foremost collections ever assembled.

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STACKS BOWERS: CANADIAN BANKNOTE SALE

We are thrilled to announce The Canadian Banknote Sale, now available for viewing and pre-sale bidding online at StacksBowers.com. The live auction event will take place on January 28, 2025. This is a significant milestone for Stack's Bowers Galleries, and we are excited to bring this exceptional collection of Canadian banknotes to collectors, investors, and enthusiasts around the world.

With nearly 500 lots of rare and highly sought-after items, this sale features a rich selection of historical notes, including Chartered, Colonial, Dominion of Canada, and Bank of Canada banknotes.

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STEPHEN ALBUM RARE COINS AUCTION 51

Stephen Album Rare Coins will hold its Auction 51 from January 23-26, 2025 at their offices in Santa Rosa, California. The auction is made up of 4150 lots of Ancient, Islamic, Indian, Chinese, and World Coins. The first two days will include in-person bidding as well as online bidding, while the third and fourth days will be online-only sessions.

Featured collections in the auction include:

• The Joe Sedillot Collection of German Coins
• The Howard A. Daniel III Collection of Asian Coins
• The Wilfried Pieper Collection of Ancient Indian Coins
• The Dr. Dirk Löer Collection of Chinese Coins
• The Dr. Robert A. Rosenfeld Collection of World Coins
• The Michael More Collection of British Coins
• The Almer H. Orr III Collection of World Coins

Lot viewing is available by appointment at the firm’s offices in Santa Rosa, California. Select highlights will be on display at their Table #612 at the New York International Numismatic Convention from January 16-19, 2025.

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BIDEN AWARDS NATIONAL MEDALS

President Joe Biden revealed the newest honorees of the recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The laureates were honored during a prestigious ceremony at the White House last Friday. These esteemed awards celebrate groundbreaking contributions that have advanced knowledge, driven progress and tackled the world's most critical needs while underscoring the vital role of research and creativity in fostering a brighter, more sustainable future.

The National Medal of Science, established in 1959 by the U.S. National Science Foundation, recognizes outstanding contributions across scientific disciplines, celebrating groundbreaking discoveries and innovations that tackle humanity's most urgent needs. Similarly, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, created in 1980 by the U.S. Congress, honors visionaries whose advancements have revolutionized industries, driven economic growth and strengthened the nation's global competitiveness.

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BIDEN AWARDS MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO POPE

President Biden awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Pope Francis on Saturday.

The honor specifically came "with distinction," becoming the first person to receive the added level of honor by Biden.

In a statement, the White House commended Pope Francis for his commitment to serving the poor, as well as advocating for peace and protecting the planet.

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THE PAPER MONEY OF BERBICE

In this blog we will look at an item that we will be offering later this year, a note from one of the rarest issuing authorities in the British Commonwealth: the Colony of Berbice. The colony of Berbice was a de facto colony of Great Britain from 1803 to 1815 when the British occupied the former Dutch colony. The Dutch formally ceded Berbice to the British with the November 1815 ratification of the 1814 Anglo-Dutch Treaty. In 1831, Berbice merged with Essequibo & Demerara to form the new colony of British Guiana, which eventually became the country of Guiana.

Throughout the 18th century, Berbice saw limited development, with scattered plantations along the Berbice and Canje rivers. The capital of the colony was Fort Nassau, located 50 miles from the coast on the Berbice River. Another settlement, known as Nieuw (New) Amsterdam, was located near the coast. Development of the colony was closely linked with nearby Suriname (also a Dutch colony that would remain so until 1975 when it gained its independence).

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2025 CHINESE NEW YEAR COMMEMORATIVES

This photo taken on Jan. 3, 2025 shows commemorative banknotes issued by China's central bank in celebration of the upcoming Chinese New Year. The exchange of a set of commemorative coins and notes issued by China's central bank to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year was started on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

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EISENHOWER'S ECONOMY FIXER: JOE DODGE

... Musk and Ramaswamy should take inspiration from an American who fostered necessary fiscal discipline in no fewer than three countries—Germany, Japan, and the United States. His name was Joseph Morrell Dodge.

Born in Detroit in 1890, Joe Dodge was a successful Michigan banker nearing retirement when he was tapped to chair the War Contracts Board during World War II. His scrutiny of the deals between the government and armaments firms paid off. He saved taxpayers the equivalent of 200 billion in today’s dollars.

With the war’s end in 1945, the devastated German economy required his attention. General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower wired Washington: "Get Dodge to Germany fast."

... Ravaged by hyperinflation, Germans often preferred cigarettes to near-worthless German marks. To begin correcting a desperate situation, Dodge advised spending cuts and a balanced budget. Following the work of the young economist Edward Tenenbaum, who also advised the post-war administration in West Germany and would later be known as the "Father of the Deutschemark," Dodge also proposed a 90 percent reduction in paper currency. Germans would receive one new mark for ten old ones.

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FEATURED WEBSITE: MINTS OF THE WORLD

This week's Featured Website is an old one listing Mints of the World.

http://www.mintsoftheworld.com/

ABOUT THIS ISSUE: JANUARY 12, 2025

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