American Numismatic Biographies author Pete Smith submitted this piece on the authors of the classic So-Called Dollars book. Thanks! I added an image of the book cover.
-Editor
Charles Kappen and that Other Guy
The standard reference on So-Called Dollars was written by Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen. An initial
listing was compiled by Richard D. Kenney and published by Wayte Raymond in 1953. Hibler began to compile an
update and Kappen joined the project later. The book was published by Robert Friedberg's Coin and Currency
Institute. American Numismatic Biographies has a fairly extensive write-up for Kappen.
"Kappen, Charles V(aughn) Author (b. 5/25/1910 d. 8/25/1999)
Born in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Married Nora Elizabeth Wood January 15, 1931. They had a son and a daughter. Received B.A. from University of Arkansas in 1933 and M.A. from University of Wisconsin in 1947. Employed as a newspaper editor 1927 to 1942. Served in U. S. Army 1942 to 1946 and again 1951 to 1953. He rose to the rank of major and received the Bronze Star.
Assistant professor at University of Wisconsin 1946 to 1947, University of Tulsa (OK) 1947 to 1948, San Jose State College 1948 to 1951. Associate professor at San Jose State 1951 to 1959 and professor after 1959.
Resident of San Jose, California. Served on the board of California State Numismatic Association 1949 to 1962,
as president 1963 to 1965 and as editor of Calcoin News, the club newsletter, 1949 to 1962. President of the San Jose Coin Club 1950 to 1951.
Author with Ralph Mitchell of Depression Scrip of the United States. Period of the 1930's in 1961. Author with Harold Hibler of So-Called Dollars in 1963. Author of California Tokens in 1976.
He died in San Jose, California."
The write-up for Harold Hibler is notably meager.
Hibler, Harold E. Author (b. 11/14/1904 d. 4/7/1968)
Born in Chester, Pennsylvania. Resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts (1960). Married September 21, 1935, to Doris H. Hopkins.
Harold Hibler was the son of Christopher Arthur Hibler (1873-1924) and Louise Isabelle Eisenbise Hibler (1874-1932).
Kappen joined the ANA as member 12047 in 1946. Hibler was not listed as an ANA member. He was a member and Trustee of the Boston Numismatic Society. He was a manager for Aetna Insurance in Boston and promoted to vice president in New York in 1963.
Hibler died in Broward County, Florida, and is buried with Doris at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Thanks again for the great research. I have the book and knew the names, but now we all have a better idea of the people behind the classic book.
-Editor
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
LOUIS ELIASBERG, SR. AND JR.
(https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n33a16.html)
Wayne Homren, Editor
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