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NUMISMATIC NUGGETS: MAY 20, 2018Here's a selection of interesting or unusual items I came across in the marketplace this week. Tell us what you think of some of these. -Editor
1683 Dutch West India Company Betts Medal   Betts-64. 1683 Dutch West India Company, Chamber of Groningen and Ommeland. Silver. AU58 PCGS. The monogram of the company (GWCVGO combined), arms of the directors of the company arrayed around. Reverse: The Dutch station at Elmina, Ghana, Fort St. George at left, Fort St. Jago (built 1666) on a hill at right, Dutch warship below. Lovely toned About Uncirculated. The fort was captured from the Portuguese by the Dutch in 1637. Located on the Ghana coast and considered at the time the finest fortification in the area, the Elmina complex controlled the trade in slaves from the interior and the export of gold from Ashantiland. Delicate bluish-steel toning enhances the eye appeal of this mostly lustrous light silver-gray medal. Well struck with full obverse and reverse border details. Very rare. Overstuck on 4 Dukats. This is the only Betts medal listed for the Dutch West Indies company I saw this great piece on Skyler Liechty and Tony Lopez's Rare Legacy web site. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: 1826 George IV Proof Two Pounds  George IV (1820-30), Proof Two Pounds, 1826, edge Septimo. Bare head facing left, date below. Rev. Crowned shield upon an ermine mantle, inscribed edge reads DECUS ET TUTAMEN *ANNO REGNI SEPTIMO* (WR 228; S 3799). New stock from Baldwin's in London. Nice coin. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: J. Williams 1828 Convict Love Token   The removal of British convicts to Australia and Tasmania during the late 18th and first half of the 19th century (1788-1868 to be exact) caused much human heartache. Although the sentences were for seven or 14 years, most transportees never returned. Tokens such as these, also known as 'leaden hearts', speak of the parting better than any official ledger. Research suggests most were made prior to departure in British prisons where convicts had access to money and, in some cases, tools. By smoothing and engraving low denomination copper coins (typically Georgian 'cartwheel' pennies), prisoners across several generations created tokens to leave with their loved ones as mementos. The National Museum of Australia has the world's largest collection of convict tokens, more than 300. Design details of this particular token: Obverse: J. Williams Aged 18 and Mary Price Aged 16. Reverse: When this you see remember me and hear me in your mind & when I get my sweet Liberty to you I will prove Kind. Although convict love tokens appear in public numismatic auctions, they are very rarely seen here in Australia. It is believed that the number held by public institutions in Australiacertainly dwarfs the number held privately. This particular token is a solid example of a task that many convicts undertook before being shipped off to Australia, and is worthy of much more research. I saw this quaintly crude coin carving on the site of dealers Sterling & Currency of Fremantle, Australia. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: 1904 Bank of New Zealand One Pound Wellington Banknote  BANK of NEW ZEALAND One Pound, 300361, Wellington 1 Sep 1903, Robb 2006 15.a.ii, NZBG D521b, P S206. Foxing with some folds but free of tears with body remaining in paper. One of the finest available, 4 D521 held privately according to Robb. VF A rare note in the upcoming May 25, 2018 Mowbrays sale. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: French Amiens Cathedral Medal   France unicorns architecture AMIENS CATHEDRAL silvered-bronze 50mm I've always enjoyed intricate architectural medals, and what's not to like about unicorns? I saw this one on eBay. It looks like it was meant to be engraved on the back. The 13th century Gothic
church is a UNESCO World Heritage site. -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: 1953 $2 Bill Printed Fold Error  Printed fold with enormous flap from right end folded over from the back capturing the red Treasury seal, a couple of digits from the serial, and the imprinted signature of Humphrey. The upper left corner has been replaced with consummate skill. A more dramatic printed fold might not exist on red seal $2s. This one is in the upcoming Lyn Knight 2018 IPMS auction (in the Doris Bart consignment). Great error! -Editor
To read the complete lot description, see: THE BOOK BAZARREWayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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