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 MARCH 3, 2025

New subscribers this week include: Jims Warden. Welcome aboard! We now have 7,252 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 a literature fixed price list, SEVEN new books, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, AI book slop, notes from readers, and more.

Other topics this week include Lithuanian coins and Estonian paper money, U.S. Naval medals, Operation Bernhard, reissues and rejects, the Hetrich Civil War token collection, auction previews, the Trial of the Pyx, Victoria Cross exhibits, the new Caribbean Guilder, and Souvenir Cards,

To learn more about the publications of Eric P. Newman, cast Chinese coins, the Bristol Pound alternative currency, U.S. Mint fixed price lists, the tokens of Thomas Spence, the Columbia Shield, John E. Morse, Mark Weller, Lord Ashcroft, and the new Postal Money Order design, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 
Image of the week

NUMISMATISCHES ANTIQUARIAT LANG STOCKLIST 2

Stocklist 2 February/March 2025 has been published on our homepage... The list includes all facets of numismatic literature.

Order directly by email to info@numismatisches-antiquariat.de or via the order form included in the stock list.

The books can be handed over directly at Numismata Munich by our managing director.

We wish you much pleasure.

Read more here

NEW BOOK: PUBLICATIONS OF ERIC P. NEWMAN

New Eric P. Newman Bibliography Released

A new bibliography of the publications of Eric P. Newman by Leonard D. Augsburger and Joel J. Orosz has been released and is now available from publishers Kolbe & Fanning.

Covering the whole of the prolific numismatist's career, the book not only describes the books and articles he authored, but provides important context for them by drawing upon the Newman papers, an incomparable archival record of his own research. This work represents an effort to more closely connect Newman's research papers with his corresponding publications, while also revealing forgotten publications that are now captured in this bibliography for the first time.

Eric P. Newman (1911–2017) was fascinated with numismatics from a young age, and his innate curiosity led to a constant stream of publications throughout his long life. From his research on Missouri paper money in the 1930s to his work on the Continental dollar in the 2010s, Newman's commitment to the discovery of long-hidden truths never waned. This work summarizes Newman's writing and research and provides the "making of" details behind his 166 books and articles. The authors explore connections to the Newman numismatic collection, as Newman especially enjoyed researching objects that he owned. The Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society provided access to Newman's voluminous research papers, a trove of hundreds of boxes that was invaluable in the creation of the present study. For collectors of numismatic literature, this book fully describes the various printings of Newman's publications, from offprints to inscribed copies to deluxe editions.

Read more here

NEW BOOK: CAST CHINESE COINS: COLOUR PLATES

 

CAST CHINESE COINS – Colour Plates
By David Hartill

This work is intended as a supplement to my Cast Chinese Coins. Its purpose is to illustrate in colour a wide range of Chinese coins, from earliest times to the end of the Chinese Empire in 1912. Some forgeries, fakes and replicas are also included so that they can be distinguished from genuine coins. It is not a finding catalogue; details of history and issuers will be found in Cast Chinese Coins.

Read more here

NEW BOOK: LITHUANIAN COINS 1495-1536, 2ND EDITION

Lithuanian Coins 1495-1536 Second Edition
Dzmitry Huletski, Giedrius Bagdonas

Edition 2nd Edition
Publication year 2025
Languages English
Publication location Vilnius, Lithuania
ISBN-13 9786094172854

Catalogue of Lithuanian coins of Alexander Jagiellon and Sigismund the Old. Variants of 21 Alexander pence, 178 Alexander half-groats, 1315 Sigismund the Old half-groats, 244 Sigismund the Old groats are described, their rarities and types of Eagle/Knight images are presented. The book is intended for lovers of numismatics and history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Read more here

NEW BOOK: U.S. NAVAL AWARDS

A complete guide to the US Navy awards of the Spanish-American War, including the Marine Corps Brevet Medal.

• The Dewey Medal
• The Sampson Medal
• The Specially Meritorious Service Medal
• The Cardenas Medal
• The Brevet Medal

Each chapter contains an in-depth study of the medal, to include its history, production details, manufacturing variations, naming styles, and tips on spotting reproductions.

 

Read more here

NEW BOOK: ESTONIAN PAPER MONEY

A special programme for visitors will be run at the Eesti Pank Museum to celebrate Independence Day on 24 February, during which the book Estonian Paper Money – Eesti paberraha by the coin expert Kaupo Laan will be presented. There will be a treasure hunt game using smartphones to celebrate the 107th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, the year of the book in Estonia, and the 106th anniversary of the founding of Eesti Pank, while children can have their faces painted in the colours of the Estonian flag. The museum and the museum shop are open from 08.00 to 12.00, and there is no charge for the special programme.

The Eesti Pank Museum at Estonia pst 11 will open its doors for the special event from 08.00 to 12.00 on 24 February, as it traditionally does because the economic and national independence of the Estonian state has long been symbolised by the country having its own money and an independent central bank.

Read more here

NEW BOOK: OPERATION BERNHARD, 2ND EDITION

Operation Bernhard: The Counterfeits of block 19
History's biggest counterfeiting swindle
by Stefano Poddi

The second edition of the book on Operation Bernhard, written by Stefano Poddi, has recently been published.

This edition is in English, making it accessible to a broader audience, likely more emotionally engaged in this historical-numismatic event.

The second edition includes a preface by Joseph E. Boling, one of the world's leading paper money experts and a keen scholar of this specific historical episode. He also oversaw the editorial revision of the text.

Compared to the first Italian edition, this edition has been completely updated: the text has been revised and improved, the photos have been enlarged, and diagrams have been added to better illustrate the circulation of counterfeit British pounds worldwide. Additionally, an index of photographs has been included, along with an updated list of all recovered banknote series and serial numbers to date.

Read more here

NEW BOOK: VALUE BEYOND MONEY

Value Beyond Money: An Exploration of The Bristol Pound and The Building Blocks for An Alternative Economic System

Paperback – August 1, 2024
by Diana Finch

Back in 2009, a group of people came together to try to create a currency that would change the economic system for the better. They called it the Bristol Pound. By 2015 it was one of the world's most prominent local currencies, featured in the Financial Times and Time Magazine, and even covered by Chinese state television. However, the Bristol Pound stopped circulating in 2021, and in 2023 the organisation finally wound up. Drawing on the lessons learned as Bristol Pound's managing director, the author examines the theory and practice behind many new economic ideas. What really is ‘money'? Can we imagine an economic system that prioritises non-financial value? Can we create a post-market economy? The author's conclusions shape a new narrative and understanding that will forever change how you think of money and the economy.

Read more here

U.S. MINT FIXED PRICE LISTS ON NEWMAN PORTAL

U.S. Mint Fixed Price Lists on Newman Portal

Newman Portal has recently processed another batch of U.S. Mint fixed price lists (FPLs), bringing the total size of this series to 131 items, and ranging in time from 1858 to the present date. Although much of the current marketing is electronic, these FPLs serve to document what has become a profitable business for the Mint – creating collectable coins and medals while appealing to the public appetite for "completion" of a given series. A Newman Portal user recently consulted this series to investigate the issue price of American Gold Eagles in 1986.

Image: Cover of the 2017 U.S. Mint fixed price list, featuring the American Liberty 225h Anniversary gold coin on the front cover

Link to U.S. Mint fixed price lists on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/512757

2025 NEWMAN GRANT PROGRAM REMINDER

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.

Read more here

VIDEO TIMES AND TOKENS OF THOMAS SPENCE

Read more here

MORE AI BOOK SLOP

US Error Coin Guide: The Complete Handbook for Identifying, Valuing, and Collecting Coins – From Beginner to Expert to Enhance the Value of Your Collection

Paperback – January 22, 2025
by Theodore D. Steele

US Error Coin Guide is a step-by-step handbook designed to give you the knowledge, tools, and strategies you need to thrive in the error coin market. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced collector, this guide will help you identify valuable coins, avoid common pitfalls, and enhance the worth of your collection.

Read more here

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: MARCH 3, 2025

On the 2026 Red Book Changes
Mike Costanzo writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW BOOK: 2026 GUIDE BOOK OF U.S. COINS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n08a02.html)

Read more here

TIPS FOR NAVIGATING THE ANS WEBSITE

 

At our February meeting of the New Jersey Numismatic Society (NJNS), Scott Miller presented an overview of how to access the ANS website to search for information about coins and medals. Once on the ANS website, he directed us to the listings for Online Resources, Collections and the ANS archives. Some of the ANS archives are available on the Newman Numismatic Portal. For others, you will need to write to the ANS for more information. The ANS homepage can be viewed for current information, recent blog posts and videos. The library catalog DONUM is an excellent resource for bibliographic information.

ANS online sources are mostly about ancient coins. Scott showed us how to conduct online searches for ancient coins on MANTIS, as well as subject specific resources, such as Hellenistic Royal Coins (HRC), Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE), and Seleucid Coins Online (SCO). In addition to searching MANTIS by coin type and denomination, you can search by the donor's name or accession number. He also showed us how to find World War I medals and information on the Jewish-American Hall of Fame. Miller explained the Jewish-American Hall of Fame website is now administered by the ANS.

Read more here

VOCABULARY TERMS: REISSUES AND REJECTS

Reissue. A second or repeated issue, after a lapse of time, by an authorized issuer, with only a slight change, if any, in form or composition. A reissue occurs when a need or demand exists, as the reactivation of an award program where the original award medal is again produced. Or perhaps, a once popular medal is issued again after the death of the artist or copyrights have expired and the design is in public domain. Copy dies are sometimes made to strike these reissued items if the original dies are no longer available. A reissue can be reinstated by the original sponsor or publisher, or by some new issuer who does have authority.

Read more here

JOHN EDWIN MORSE (1861-1942)

I enjoy finding stories of numismatists who are not as well known as they might be. If I can connect them to collectible ephemera, so much the better.

John E. Morse was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on October 18, 1861. He was the son of Edwin Morse (1824-1879) and Martha Jane Worcester (1825-1910). Edwin was a carpenter.

John began collecting coins and paper money as a child, but coins tarnished and lost their luster. He developed a preference for paper money, documents and prints.

He was employed with Mechanics National Bank in Worcester from July 9, 1879, until January 31, 1885. He then worked at Mechanics Savings Bank as accountant, bookkeeper and teller until retirement on November 29, 1911. His banking career gave him access to currency that circulated at the time and possibly to uncurrent currency as well.

Read more here

HETRICH CIVIL WAR TOKENS PURCHASED

We are very pleased to announce the purchase of the Dr. George Hetrich Civil War token collection. Hetrich, who died in 1928, was the co-author of Civil War Tokens and Tradesmen's Store Cards along with Julius Guttag in 1924. Their H&G numbering system was the standard in the hobby until the Fuld books in the 1960's. The entire collection, formed by an Anonymous collector, is just shy of 10,000 pieces. The Hetrich portion was purchased in a single 6,000 pieces lot in a 1954 Pennypacker Auction sale. We believe that this is the correct year though online accounts vary. We have yet to locate a copy of the actual auction catalog and would love to find one and pin down the exact date and lot description.

The collector who purchased that lot already had a collection and added to it in the 1950's, 1960's and through the early 1970's with the last piece being purchased more than 50 years ago. The purchase we made was from that collector's descendants in two separate transactions in late 2024 and early 2025. The family wants to remain anonymous so that part of the collection will be known as the Pennsylvania Civil War Token collection. We have already approved preliminary designs for two special NGC labels to house the collections.

Read more here

HERITAGE AUCTIONS: THE TWELVE CAESARS

Julius Caesar, as Dictator (49-44 BC). AR denarius (17mm, 3.76 gm, 11h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 4/5. Military mint traveling with Caesar in northern Italy, ca. 49-48 BC. CAESAR, elephant advancing right, trampling horned serpent / Culullus, aspergillum, securis (axe surmounted by dog or wolf's head), and apex. Crawford 443/1. Sydenham 1006.

Read more here

DAVISSONS AUCTION 44 GREEK SELECTIONS

 

Lot 1: NORTH AFRICA. Carthage. Circa 310-270 B.C. EL stater. 7.46 gm. 19 mm. Carthage mint. Head of Tanit to left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring and necklace / Horse standing right; pellets below and on exergual line. Jenkins & Lewis Group VI, 325 (same obverse die). MAA 13. Good Very Fine; well centered; good style, well struck; luster traces with attractive red-gold tone; tiny hairline flan crack at 3; light marks. Attractive example of this appealing often problematic type.

Read more here

FRANK ROBINSON 127TH AUCTION

Dealer Frank S. Robinson's 127th mail and internet auction of Ancient and Early Coins will include 583 lots, low starting bids, and no buyer fee. LIVE BIDDING will take place beginning at 11 AM Eastern Time March 22 on the biddr.com website. (The deadline for pre-bidding will be March 21.)

Featured in this sale is a further segment of a major collection of Judaean and Judaic related material, highlighted by an AEF Vespasian "Judaea Capta" Denarius, and a rare coin of Hadrian from Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), sold in a previous auction for $2160, with a starting bid now of only $600.

Read more here

KUENKER AUCTION SALE 420

Künker's Spring Auction Sales: Netherlands, Württemberg, Anhalt and Much More

Every coin enthusiast knows that Künker holds its Spring Auction Sales in mid-March. The coins can be viewed not only at the headquarters in Osnabrück, but also in Munich – before and during the Numismata. More information can be found on the Künker website and in the catalog.

There will be plenty to see, as four heavy-weight auctions will take place over the five days. A separate preview is dedicated to ancient coins, which will kick off the auction week on Monday, 17 March. This preview exclusively presents the three auctions with coins and medals from medieval and modern times.

On Tuesday, 18 March 2025, auction 420 will offer the third part of the Lodewijk S. Beuth Collection with Dutch issues. Auction 421 follows on 19 March 2025 with the second part of the Heinz-Falk Gaiser Collection with Württemberg coins. The week will be rounded off by auction 422 with world coins and medals. It includes the Dr. Kurt Sonnenberg Collection of coins from the various lines of the House of Anhalt.

Read more here

KUENKER AUCTION SALE 421

Künker's Spring Auction Sales: Netherlands, Württemberg, Anhalt and Much More

Every coin enthusiast knows that Künker holds its Spring Auction Sales in mid-March. The coins can be viewed not only at the headquarters in Osnabrück, but also in Munich – before and during the Numismata. More information can be found on the Künker website and in the catalog.

There will be plenty to see, as four heavy-weight auctions will take place over the five days. A separate preview is dedicated to ancient coins, which will kick off the auction week on Monday, 17 March. This preview exclusively presents the three auctions with coins and medals from medieval and modern times.

On Tuesday, 18 March 2025, auction 420 will offer the third part of the Lodewijk S. Beuth Collection with Dutch issues. Auction 421 follows on 19 March 2025 with the second part of the Heinz-Falk Gaiser Collection with Württemberg coins. The week will be rounded off by auction 422 with world coins and medals. It includes the Dr. Kurt Sonnenberg Collection of coins from the various lines of the House of Anhalt.

Read more here

MONEY, BOOKKEEPING, AND NEGATIVE NUMBERS

The expansion of money was made easier as it became more virtual with the arrival of the concept of negative numbers and double-entry bookkeeping:

"The fall of the Roman Empire saw a drastic reduction in trading activities, markets, and even the size of cities, with the population of Rome declining from as many as a million in the 2nd century AD, to about 30,000 by AD 550. The power vacuum was filled by the Christian and Islamic religious authorities who, instead of stamping out coins to pay soldiers, preferred to hoard precious metals in churches and monasteries, often melting it down as decoration for sacred symbols.

"One result of this transformation -- versions of which occurred also in China and India -- was that money became increasingly virtual. Like the Sumerian shekel, it was an abstract score-keeping device more than something you could weigh in your hand. And once again, the birthplace of this next monetary revolution was in Mesopotamia -- with the difference that this time it was led by Islamic money lenders. As today, Islamic finance did not allow usury, but did permit profit-sharing, or charging a range of fees. The system relied heavily on credit instruments, including the promissory notes known as sakk, or 'cheques'. The fact that such transactions were backed only by a signature meant that in business a person's reputation or credibility (from the Latin credere for believe or trust) was all-important.

Read more here

RECYCLED SILVER AT THE TRAIL OF THE PYX

The Royal Mint has today submitted 6,432 coins for testing at the UK's oldest judicial ceremony, the Trial of the Pyx, held at Goldsmiths' Hall in the City of London since 1871.

The 776-year-old ceremony aims to protect consumers by upholding the quality of the nation's coinage through rigorous testing – as important today as it was at the first recorded public trial in 1248. The process ensures that the coins produced by The Royal Mint meet the standards of precision, accuracy and exceptional craftsmanship for which it is internationally renowned.

A highlight of this year's submission is a silver sixpence made from silver recovered from expired medical and industrial x-ray films. Released by The Royal Mint to promote the revival of "Stir Up Sunday" – a Victorian tradition where a silver sixpence would be placed into the Christmas pudding mix, before family members took turns to stir the pudding and make a wish – their production forms part of the Mint's overall commitment to a sustainable future across its businesses.

Read more here

EVERYONE HATES PENNIES, EXCEPT THIS GUY

Whenever the penny is threatened, one man stands up to defend it.

Mark Weller has been on a roll for three decades, arguing for the one-cent coin's existence every chance he gets. When the penny is slighted in newspapers, it's Weller who writes letters to the editor. He's extolled the coin's virtues on television and radio shows. The pro-penny group he runs, Americans for Common Cents, spits out facts to lawmakers about the benefits of the smallest unit of U.S. currency. And he's been to Capitol Hill countless times to convince Congress to keep the penny, which the U.S. Mint has been producing since 1793.

"The penny is wanted, needed, and appreciated," he said in written testimony in 2012.

Read more here

MUSEUM TO CLOSE VICTORIA CROSS EXHIBIT

 

Like all museums, we regularly update our galleries to ensure we can share as much of the 33 million items in our collection as possible with the public.

We are very proud to have displayed the Lord Ashcroft Medal Collection at IWM London since 2010, made possible thanks to a generous 15-year loan by Lord Ashcroft.

Read more here

SITE SOUGHT FOR AUSTRALIA VC EXHIBIT

 

The stories of 125 Anzacs awarded a Victoria Cross are waiting to be told as they sit in storage without a permanent home.

Over the last decade, Tony Banner has been putting together a legendary collection of Australian military heroes as part of his Anzac Victoria Cross Story exhibition — a 250sqm display diving into the lives of Australia's most awarded soldiers.

Initially, Mr Banner created the exhibition with the desire to take it on the road, with plans to tour the country and potentially beyond, but as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Mr Banner's plans were foiled.

Read more here

MINT REMOVES JANUARY 6TH MEDALS

 

The U.S. Mint has removed the bronze medal commemorating law enforcement officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, from its website. The removal appears to have been done without prior notice or explanation, leaving collectors and observers speculating about the reason behind the decision.

The medal was originally created as part of a congressional initiative to honor the U.S. Capitol Police, the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police, and other first responders who helped secure the Capitol during the events of January 6. Congress authorized gold medals to be awarded for their service, with bronze replicas made available to the public for purchase through the U.S. Mint.

The bronze duplicates, available in 1.5-inch and 3-inch versions, featured designs depicting an officer standing guard at the Capitol, while the other included imagery representing democracy and law enforcement's dedication to its protection.

Read more here

2025 TRUMP OFFICIAL INAUGURAL MEDAL

 

2025 Donald Trump Official Inaugural Medal. This is the medal you have been reading about. We are pleased to offer this official 2025 Inaugural Medal to our friends and clients. We have only four available and in order to be fair to all our customers there is a strict limit of only one per customer - in fact we will reject any orders of more than one.

This official Trump medal, is to the best of our knowledge only available in bronze with an antiqued finish, the obverse illustrates jugate portraits of Trump with his vice president J.D. Vance facing left. Inscribed around is INAUGURATION · 47th PRESIDENT · JANUARY · 20 · 2025. The reverse is inscribed DONALD J./TRUMP above J.D./VANCE. It includes the original box and stand. It is our understanding that none were issued with Certificates or brochures.

Read more here

COLONIAL GEORGIA COLORED SEALS, PART 4

Read more here

NEW CARIBBEAN GUILDER NOTES AND COINS

In 2010, Curaçao and Sint Maarten became autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. It was then decided that the two countries would form a monetary union with a shared central bank and one currency - the Caribbean guilder. This new currency will replace the Netherlands-Antillean guilder that has been in circulation on the former island of the Netherlands Antilles.

The Caribbean guilder will be legally pegged to the U.S. dollar at an exchange rate of US$1 = 1.79 Caribbean guilder. The exchange rate between the Netherlands Antillean guilder and the Caribbean guilder will be 1:1. The Netherlands Antillean guilder and the Caribbean guilder are of equal value. The Caribbean guilder is expected to be introduced in the monetary union on March 31, 2025.

Read more here

POSTAL SERVICE REDESIGNS MONEY ORDER

 
New Postal Money Order Design

The U.S. Postal Service has launched a redesigned money order this month with added security features to deter a post-pandemic uptick in mail fraud.

The upgraded red, white and blue design adds a watermark, holographic security thread and QR code directing users to the USPS website. It also replaces the paper used on the older green documents with "tamper-resistant material."

Fraud experts interviewed by The Washington Times said the new features will make it harder for criminals using specialized printers and software to counterfeit the document.

Read more here

ANS ACQUIRES SOUVENIR CARD COLLECTION

The ANS Library now has a great collection of souvenir cards, thanks to longtime donor and ANS life fellow Bill Burd. What is a souvenir card you ask? Mellone's Photo Encyclopedia of Souvenir Cards—a copy of which was kindly included with the donation—offers a definition. Generally, souvenir cards meet three criteria distinguishing them from other collectible cards, such as postcards: (1) they were created as mementos of a person, occasion, or place and were never intended for any other purpose, (2) they present the finest examples of printing and engraving, and (3) they are printed on premium card stock using engraved steel plates, i.e., the intaglio process.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has been the main producer of souvenir cards in the United States, inaugurating its modern program in 1969, though such cards have been made since the nineteenth century. Early cards are known as "forerunners." Many of the cards depict one side of a bank note. Postage stamps are the other major category. Some cards just have vignettes, the detailed illustrations placed on banknotes and stock certificates to make them harder to counterfeit.

Read more here

TRUMP $250 BILL RIDICULED IN CHINA

 

A US congressman's proposal to print a US$250 banknote bearing President Donald Trump's face has amused Chinese netizens because in Chinese slang the number means a foolish and stubborn person.

On February 26, Joe Wilson, a Republican congressman from South Carolina, announced on social media that he is drafting legislation on the matter.

The US Secretary of the Treasury has the final say over whose faces are on the country's banknotes. Current laws prohibit living individuals from featuring.

Read more here

ABOUT THIS ISSUE: MARCH 3, 2025

Tuesday morning I got an early start on this issue while having breakfast at a nearby Panera Bread. It was nice to have time to get some things done before my normal workday. I even had enough time for a brisk walk. The rest of my day was spent at a "Generative AI Demo Day" where entrepreneurs showed off their new products. Some of these were truly impressive.

The rest of the week I was in Philadelphia for the annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-25). As an academic conference it had a university flair with students and practitioners from around the world, with about 2,000 people filling a ballroom for the keynote presentations.

While driving home from my Nummis Nova dinner last week, a radio program noted that my hometown of Ashburn, VA was the data center capital of the world - just as I was driving home past a long row of massive new data centers. I call them Data Prisons, because surrounded with tall fences and security cameras, that's what they look like. All those Nvidia chips making the company one of the most valuable in the world? - they're going into buildings like these across the globe.

Coincidentally, we have a couple AI-flavored items in this issue. Interesting times. -Editor

 
Editor Wayne Homren, Assistant Editor Garrett Ziss

Read more here