"Wow, impressive diversity, Wayne."

Indeed. While we've had international subscribers since our very early issues, it's amazing to see our wide and growing reach. Numismatics knows no borders! -Editor

"In the 1976-1979 era there was a group out of Eastern PA called the Dealer's Numismatic Association.

"They did a Friday-Sunday show in mid-October. The 1977 show was in King of Prussia / Valley Forge area, the 1979 show was at the gym of Towson University in Towson, MD (just outside of Baltimore) (It was also the location of several spring MD State shows). I won the Junior Best in show exhibit award at the first, and the adult Best in Show award at the latter.

"I do not know where the 1978 show was held but it may have been at Lanham, MD at the hotel with the underground (garage) space exhibition area near the old Capitol Beltway station.

"It was an early transition from club sponsored "volunteer staff" show organization, towards "professional" staffed shows. I do not think there was a fourth show."

Thanks! I wasn't aware of that one. -Editor

   

"In the November 7 E-Sylum you highlighted the newly published compilation of Claire Franklin's numismatic cartoons which have appeared on the CoinsWeekly site. Her cartoons usually focus on ancient coins. It may be worth mentioning that another delightful cartoon which focused on ancient coins was done by Parnell Nelson. His cartoons appeared in The Celator, the monthly magazine dedicated to ancient coins, from 1990 until the publication's demise in 2012."

"Apropos the gentleman in England who was arrested for trying to spend a 100 Pound commemorative coin on petrol, I am reminded of a situation back in the 1970's wherein a certain numismatic firm that did a lot of business in new issues was selling Legal Tender gold coins from an assortment of Caribbean and Central America countries with the sales pitch that the coins were legal tender and could always be redeemed at their full face value in the country of issue. I believe that the Panamanian 100 Balboas was still worth $100 U.S., the Bahamas Dollar-denominated coins were still equal to a U.S. dollar, and everything else had some significant "face value."

"Then a certain numismatic writer with a popular newsletter showed up at the central bank of Panama with 10,000 Balboas in Panamanian gold coins and requested $10,000 U.S. He was refused. He then went to several other central banks in other countries and attempted to make similar exchanges. He was refused every time, even though the original advertising had never mentioned any limits on exchanges. He was never threatened with arrest, he was just turned away.

"When he got home he wrote a scathing report about what a crock these "Legal Tender" gold coins were, and the market for them disappeared. Then the Hunt Brothers hysteria drove the melt values of these coins fare above their alleged "face values," and many of them disappeared into the melting pot."

Thanks! Great to have someone around to call b*llsh*t on such claims. -Editor

Price records continue to be broken again and again in this numismatic bull market. -Editor

"We're pleased to announce that this Treasure Auction 30 realized over $4.20 million and virtually almost all lots sold! This is a new record sale for our company and the third consecutive time this record has been broken. This is ultimately a testament both to our consignors who entrust us to catalog and sell their rarities for top value as well as our bidders who are seeking to build their collections. We are thankful for both and are already looking forward to our Treasure Auction 31 in Spring of 2022!""

The cover coin, lot 1252 (the finest known 1644 Philip IV gold cob 8 escudos) realized $60,000. -Editor

Last week I opened with a library joke. -Editor

"Love your comment about Pavlov's dog and Schrodinger's Cat! Too Funny!"

"Aha! A Physics joke - Not Bad!"

"Not original. But still funny."

Pete's correct on both counts - I saw it on a bulletin board type system at the office, and couldn't resist sharing it:

"I went to the library to see if could check out a book on Pavlov's dogs and Schrodinger's cat. The librarian said that it rang a bell but she wasn't sure if they had it or not."

I work with lots of nerds. There are many more library jokes out there. Here are a couple that caught my fancy.

"You scream in a Library and everyone looks at you funny.
But you scream in an airplane and everyone joins in."

"A man walks into a library and asks the librarian for books about paranoia.
She whispers, "They're right behind you!" -Editor