The bio in last week’s issue reminded me of a token issued by the Worthy Coin Corp to commemorate their 50th anniversary, 1938-1988. That seems to dispute the 1943 start date shown in the bio.

If Corrado Romano made the claim that Worthy Coin was established in 1938 it must have a basis in reality since he had no reason to make the statement otherwise. He was also a very honest person as was his son. He might have formed the Worthy Corporation for legal and financial purposes in 1938 since I did find a Worthy Coin Corporation advertisement, located at 184 Summer Street, Dept. 35, Boston, Massachusetts, Popular Mechanics, Vol. 71, No. 5, May (1939) : 38A 1st Column bas de page. I see this same ad as early as April 1939. I did not find any mention of Worthy Coin in The Numismatist in the 1930's, i.e., 1938-1939. The same with Hobbies, and Numismatic Scrapbook. Romano may have formed the corporation but still traded as Romano's Coin Shop as the FRAUDULENT cover dated July 1938 indicates.

Perhaps someone has a FPL, invoices or other materials dated to 1938 that bear the new corporate name Worthy Coin. When it emerges outside of the Popular Mechanics ads in a more substantive form is an interesting research project. He seems to have been flying under the wire to avoid conflict with Postmaster Farley by changing the company name and address. After reestablishing his business as Worthy Coin without complaints he was in the clear and became popularly known in 1940's.