PREV ARTICLE
NEXT ARTICLE
FULL ISSUE
PREV FULL ISSUE
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: APRIL 19, 2020Free Ticket!
"I always enjoy the time I spend reading your weekly E-Insane bulletin and I wondered how I can show my appreciation. Probably nobody has ever given you a free ticket before. I like you to have the attached Free Ticket for all you have done for numismatics."  Um, thanks! -Editor More on Jay Galst
Anthony Terranova of New York City writes: "I'm crushed by the news of my friend Jay Galst passing. He will be greatly missed by all my fellow New York Numismatic Club friends and members." George Cuhaj shared these photos of the late Dr. Jay M. Galst of New York. -Editor 
Jay Galst and Alan M. Stahl at the ANS Dinner honoring Eric P. Newman 
Normand Pepin and Jay Galst 
Ann S. Pollack and Jay Galst at Keens, 1997 Ursula Kampmann shares a great story about Dr. Jay Galst in an April 16, 2020 CoinsWeekly article. -Editor To read the complete article, see:
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
Barbara Gregory and The Numismatist
David Gladfelter submitted these thoughts on Numismatist editor Barbara Gregory. Thanks! -Editor
This monthly magazine of the American Numismatic Association has always been eclectic and fairly technical, although it's not what you would call a scholarly journal. So what is it about today's version that draws the reader in? The stories are lively as well as informative – they pique your interest over and beyond your particular collecting specialties. The content is well illustrated and well laid out, so that it catches the eye. Every issue has a cover story plus two or three features flagged on the cover, as well as recurring topics called "departments". The reader is thereby encouraged to become more of a generalist, to develop common interests with other collectors, to learn something new every month. I pulled some back issues just to compare them as they changed over time. The changes came about gradually for the most part. The September 1981 issue, the first on which Barbara worked, had 100 pages of content and 200 pages of ads, each separate from the other. There was but one topic on the cover – the convention in New Orleans. Some of the content was in list form. Photos were in black and white and too many were of the people-holding-plaques variety, or group shots of backs of heads. Improvements were coming along by September 1988, Barbara's first as editor. Cover art was more catchy and features were called out. The table of contents was more descriptive. Ads and content were less rigidly separated. Three-column layout made the articles easier to read. Big changes came in January 2003 with an increase in format to its present 8½ by 11 inch size – what bibliophiles might call "quarto". Along with this change came the use of full color throughout the magazine, in both content and advertisements. In her monthly Editor's Desk column, Barbara explained that the changes were the result of collaborative effort among the editorial and administrative staff, the Board of Governors , the Publications Committee and outside consultants. "This issue … represents the realization of what the ANA's official publication could and should be: an attractive, appealing journal with respect for yesterday and a clear sense of tomorrow," she wrote. In his back-of-the-magazine column, Donn Pearlman, always with tongue in cheek, wrote: "The magazine needs to attract younger ANA members. Until recently, coin collecting had an image of white-haired –or no-haired – old men intently examining little coins with huge, Sherlock Holmes-style magnifying glasses. The world has changed. We now have balding old men using tiny, pocket-sized, five-power loupes." In this her last issue, Barbara writes: "Working with and for our members always has been my greatest reward. … I likewise strived to ensure that The Numismatist is a friendly forum for collectors to share their thoughts, knowledge and experiences." That it is. Amen! -Editor To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
The Kiss to the Sun
"You wrote, "The image I added is actually the obverse of a French medal given to tuberculosis survivors. Not sure what the lady is doing or eating." My response: Take a look at the legend, "LE BAISER AU SOLEIL" ("the kiss to the sun") - she's blowing a kiss to the sun, as a thank-you for its help towards her reconvery!" I'd thought of translating the text but ran out of time. Thanks! Makes sense. -Editor To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
More Thoughts on Eric Hodge's Illegible Word
 Regarding the illegible word in a centuries-old document that Eric Hodge asked about, Ron Haller-Williams writes: "(a) My original thought - and favorite, even after a first reading of the submissions so far - was "Prepared" (interpolating the word "head" before or after it), but I'm beginning to think "Pressured" (= impressed) might be most appropriate (again, interpolating the word "head"). Where else is there such a large flourish on a final "e"? "(b) I'd agree that "Do" is being used for the last-referred-to ("Punch") rather than referred-to-just-above ("Head") - unless, perhaps, it might be a mis-spelled "Die"? Thinking about the context, surely one would use a PUNCH not a HEAD for defacing coins? And, in the context of tools, would one really speak of "the face of a head"? "I think there are two tasks here, on different punches, in the same entry: "(1) Altering the head of a punch
"(c) Also, the entry for September 24 doesn't seem to add up: "Defacing 1600 Dollars @ 2s per 100" should be "£1/12/0". But that's out of line with other entries, so take a closer look at what follows the "@" - it is actually "9d per 100" !!! "(d) In those Days, it was not unusual to use a capital Letter at the start of a Noun, as is done to this Day in the Country of Germany and other Lands using that Language." Thank you! This is like a jigsaw puzzle with multiple possible solutions. Interesting. -Editor To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
Geoffrey Bell Spring Sale 2020
For more information, see:
2021 Red Book Changes
"Has anyone else noticed these two recent changes? "1) The 2021 Red Book hardcover edition is 3/32nds of an inch thinner than the 2019 and 2020 hardcover editions. The 2019 and 2020 editions are both 30/32nds thick and have page 463 as the last page of the index. The 2021 edition is but 27/32nds and has page 462 as the last page of the index. This should come as a bit of a surprise since recent editions have been "loosening the belt", if you will, and expanding not to mention that there should be more content with every new year. "2) The spiral edition Red Books of 2020 and 2021 have 24 loops as opposed to 19 loops in previous years (2016-2019, for example)." Great observations. Here are Adam's photos. -Editor  
How secure is an armoured truck?
John Regitko passed along this note about an incident with a Brinks truck. Thanks. -Editor
But the exercise was not to see how strong armoured vehicles are or how much effort it takes to break into one. Rather, the truck overturned attempting to negotiate the ramp. So exactly how secure are these cash-carrying armoured trucks? It took Toronto fire crews a full hour to free the three Brinks guards trapped inside. I don't want to give away any secrets of how Toronto's well-trained staff managed to get inside, but after unsuccessfully trying to cut through metal, they managed to break the bullet-proof glass. John adds: "I never did find out how they managed to break the bullet-proof glass." Numista Adds Banknote Catalogue
"Numista now has a banknote catalogue. There is always a need for fellow banknote & coin collectors to help in contributing photos & information. "Eventually, there will be sections for community & complementary currency notes, & for postal orders." To visit the Numista web site, see:
Thanks for the update - that's great news. See the links below for the earlier discussions. -Editor To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
 Wayne 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 
|
