PERIODICAL: TODAY'S COINS

   

In researching coin folders and albums I've found that some of the best sources are the commercial numismatic publications that flourished in the 1950s-70s. I always buy old issues of COINS and COINage when I can get them at a reasonable price, since these are not yet viewable in their entirety at the Newman Numismatic Portal.

There are many lesser-known periodicals from that period, as well, and I have sine of these in my collection. One that was completely new to me when I picked it off eBay is TODAY'S COINS. The issue I have is dated September 1, 1975, and the publication statement indicates that it was produced "semi-monthly at Kermit, Texas by FBG Enterprises." The FBG is Publisher Fred B. Green, a name that means nothing to me. He applied for membership in the ANA in April, 1973, sponsored by Maurice Gould. Evidently, Green became quite active in a very short time, as the July 1973 issue placed him in a tie with Gould as the top recruiters of new members, 37 each for the month of May.

My one example of this publication states that it is Volume III, No. 69, so Green joined the ANA shortly after he produced Volume I, No. 1 in 1972 (Coin World reported that his first issue would be dated October 15 of that year).The editor of this magazine was Bert Brewer, another name unfamiliar to me. His membership application for the ANA was published in the November 1975 issue, with John Jay Pittman as sponsor, so he was evidently new to the coin field when the issue I have was published. We do know what he looked like, as his portrait photo is on the cover!

The only well known names among the contributors to this magazine are the aforementioned Gould, who had a regular column in this and other publications, and John Kamin, who is familiar as a coin investment advisor. There are quite a few major advertisers, typically the same ones who ran monthly ads in COINS and/or COINage. I checked to see whether this publication is to be found at the NNP, but there's no mention of it. We can only guess at how long it lasted after 1975.

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web