I am taking over the Illinois Numismatic Association Library project in September. Currently ILNA sends out numismatic books to about 75 of the over 600 libraries in Illinois each year. ILNA has been sending out a variety of books purchased from Whitman. We have an inventory of 72 2010 Blue books which are so out of date that I intend to give them away at our show in September. We also have a number of history books by year that are not numismatic at all and frankly I doubt that libraries would shelve them.

I am looking for suggestions on how to make the program more effective/useful to libraries and their patrons. My hope is that some of the E-Sylum readers might have a good idea. I am considering sending a new Red Book annually to all 600 plus libraries or if that proves too costly send half of the list a new Red Book every other year. I have spoken to several different libraries in my area and am soliciting their ideas as well.

This is a new mystery for readers! I attach photos of an aluminium token with Ridgway of Staffordshire 1905 on it. The other side is blank apart from circles. What is the connection between Niagara Falls and a British pottery company?

In the last issue of The E-Sylum, it states: "It takes between 35 and 200 tonnes of pressure to strike coins and this varies with each coin denomination and if it is a proof coin or a circulation strike," according to the Australian Mint.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the pressure in striking coins at the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa was between 200 tons and 300 tons when "mechanical" presses were in use. The exact tonnage depended on the denomination, size, metallic content and quality. This information was provided to me by the then Vice-President - Manufacturing. Since the U.S. Mints and the Canadian Mint used the same presses, this would also have applied in the U.S.

I don't know what it is today, because the Royal Canadian Mint is very tight lipped about questions I keep asking. Their response is usually that it is "proprietary information" even though I have found details on the world's best, although not most accurate, encyclopedia known as the Internet. Does anyone know what it is today in the U.S.?

Thank you so much for helping out with my exhibit at this year's GNA. The image of the Fulton Co-Op receipt (Atlanta Labor Exchange) you sent me from Eric Schena's collection was a great addition for my new Atlanta Labor Exchange Exhibit. It helped me secure 3rd place (large category, > 3 cases) which is great for a first time exhibit entry. I also got a first place (small category, <= 3 cases), and my kids snagged a 2nd and 3rd place in the Junior category...