I may be the only person still alive, aside from Harvey Stack, who distinctly recalls Sam Wolfson's 1854-S half eagle auctioning in 1962-63 to Abe Kosoff. Abe sat near the front left side of room, on the aisle, I was near the rear right side of the room. It wasn't a big room and maybe 60% full.

There was no commotion in the room when Abe bought it...just like it was another half eagle. Wolfson's 1804 dollar sold for $28K to "Fairbanks".

A year earlier I had to turn down the Brand Brasher Doubloon for $14K.

Jan Aamlid is an advanced collector and researcher in Thai numismatics. He is writing a book about Thai paper money and is trying to discover what some letters on a Thomas De LaRue printed specimen mean. What does the SO and G mean on this note? Do any of our readers know the answer? Jan can be reached at coin@loxinfo.co.th and I am at hadaniel3@msn.com .

A clue to adjustment marks is the weak strike on the other side opposing those marks. Not true for scratches.

I was always taught that you can't define a term using another form of the same term, such as defining a runner as someone who runs. How about:

"Evidence of removal of metal from a planchet prior to striking. This was done to overweight planchets to bring the precious metal content down to legal specifications. These may appear..."

Regarding the last E-Sylum article "Mother and Daughter at odds over hero's medals," It reminds me of the conversations I have had with my numismatic friends who have been awarded presentation medals of how to dispose of them while they are still alive.

The medals we receive for doing good deeds in the hobby might not equal those of the hero's medals, but the problem and decision as to what to do with them is the same. Without fail, the collectors I have spoken to are all in agreement that awards medals with their name on them should not be sold or placed in an auction while they are alive.

However, my family has no idea what to do with them when I pass on. Although I might explain which ones are gold and which ones are only gold plated, or ask my wife to contact a collector that I have befriended over the years, I don't feel comfortable that she will receive their true value or wind up in the hands of someone that will appreciate them other than for any financial benefit they might obtain from their resale.

The 24 or so personalized medals at this stage in my life do not mean as much to me as the great memories I have of my involvement that "earned" them. As well, my wife has no attachment to my medals, nor the 13 she herself received for her involvement in the RCNA, ONA (Ontario, not Ohio) and local coin club shows, who also has fond memories of her involvement.

Donating them to the RCNA archives would mean they will just sit in someone else's basement rather than mine.

Do your readers have any thoughts of how people can benefit from their reward without being criticized for their decision?

One thought I have is to place them into an auction, with some or most of the proceeds to go to a registered non-profit organization that supports numismatics, such as the Canadian Association for Numismatic Education or the J. Douglas Ferguson Historical Society.