A recent issue included long remembrances of Jim King, by Jeff Rock and Bill Rosenblum. I had penned something that ran the week before. Jeff & Bill's submissions were of much greater value than mine.

You're reading this from someone who has been called The Greatest Writer in the History of the English Language. True, only in the 50-Words-and-Less (or Phone Answering Machine) category, and only by himself, but there is a legitimate point here.

Without suggesting that Jeff and Bill are neophytes at writing, it's usually the case that people write best when they write on subjects that matter the most to them.

Many E-Sylum readers must have significant insights into matters under discussion in The E-Sylum. I encourage such readers to take to the keyboard and share. You can only make this fine publication better, by furthering discussion, spreading information and diversifying sources.

I see that Dave Harper (Numismatic News and other Krause Publications magazines) is retiring, after a mere 45 years. The longevity of numismatic editors is considerable. Russ Rulau, Margo Russell, Beth Deisher, Bill Gibbs, Barbara Gregory.... I think one reason is that many are women, who have sensed they have an important job and could work to make it moreso -- while getting more credit for the product than is usually the case for working women.

I think, though, that there is probably something about Numismatics, in the hard data, the long history and the personal stories, that keep editorial work rewarding. Also, the publishers (Amos, Krause, the ANA...) may have been more beneficent than corporate, actually fond of the hobby they serve and draw profits from, in an age when this is no longer the norm.

I wonder what numismatic writers and editors think? Are we leaving a Golden Age in numismatic editorship, or are we going to be OK?

The story is almost unbelievable. But 30-40 years ago my Dad's house was broken into and someone stole about 50-100 US Proof sets. We figured whoever stole the sets sold them for face or just used them as as change.

He said it was the first, and last, time he ever locked his doors. And he did it at my suggestion. Which is probably true. I was always harping on him to at least lock the doors.

I have been continuing to thin out my personal library and donate or sell what I do not need to keep in hard copy. I just came across a US Department of Commerce Foreign Commerce Weekly of August 23, 1941. It mentions "New notes of 500 Piastres denomination were placed in circulation during April." This is completely new information! I have not seen anything before except the year of 1939 without any source. So we now have a new date for the issuing this 500 Piastres note!

Another one has surfaced. This one will appear in our 2019 Central States sale next month.

I was looking for information on Lutwyche and counterfeiting tokens. I read in Selgin's book a few paragraphs on the subject and traced that back to a reference to an article (perhaps) that Ken Elks authored in 2005. I asked Selgin if he happened to recall what the source was but he wasn't sure as it had been a long time and he had discarded his notes. Can anyone tell me where the referenced source was published, or put me in touch with Ken Elks?