"I concur that the conclusion of Q. David Bowers' column in The Numismatist is a sad milestone, but I eagerly await publication of his autobiography, My Life in Rare Coins: And Other Adventures. It's been saved on my Amazon Wish List since last year but appears to have been delayed, perhaps by the pandemic."

"The article got me thinking about what I'd always assumed, that the term "German Silver" was disparaging. Apparently it was acknowledgement of German metallurgic acumen. Interesting note about the "Great War" renaming to "Nickel Silver", à la "Hot dog", "Salisbury steak", "Liberty cabbage", "Alsatians", "Windsor", "Mountbatten", et al. Anyone remember "Freedom Fries" on Capitol Hill?"

Well, bless your heart for that observation. -Editor

"Thank you for the interesting article about online resources for ancient coins. I personally use ACsearch, a Swiss-based company that charges only 85€ a year for a premium account which is the one that gives you auction prices and images. This is considerably cheaper than the Coin Archives subscription. I find ACsearch useful for ancient coins and for medals. They also do modern coins, banknotes and orders and decorations as well as having a downloadable numismatic library. Most of the other websites listed in the CoinWeek article do not have pricing information."

 

"The diameter of the 1000 cash of era of Hsien Feng (reign title means era of origin of abundance) is 65 mm, and weighs in at 75 grams. It was made in Peking at the Board of Works mint in 1854. Maybe 28,000 were made and most were melted for metal recycling. Reference: Cast Chinese Coins, by David Hartill."

"Auction firms frequently call ordinary cash "mother" or "pattern." This is the case with the Heritage lot 34005 shown in The E-Sylum. The piece shown is absolutely typical of the regular large coinage of this Emperor from one of the Central mints, where the casting quality was excellent, and even a circulated piece like this can appear to have extraordinary depth. The real mother cash - and the factory forgeries thereof - are even sharper than this.

Buyers of Chinese coins at this level are usually well able to distinguish ordinary from mother cash, and bid accordingly regardless of the auction firm's attribution. The description does mention the size, by the way, 64mm. Even as a regular issue this piece will end up at more than the $6500 current bid."

Thanks, everyone. Sorry I missed the size description. The sale runs December 11-13, 2021. -Editor

NBS Co-Founder George Kolbe submitted these thoughts upon reading the latest issue of The Numismatist from the American Numismatic Association. -Editor

Righting a Wrong
My October Editor's Note column (Remember to Smile, p.11) features a hobo nickel to illustrate numismatic collectibles with smiling faces. In focusing on hobo nickels' broader appeal as numismatic collectibles (and the seemingly cheerful grin), I neglected to take into account the antisemitic history behind the caricatures on many of these pieces. Trivializing the controversial past of hobo nickels was a mistake bred from ignorance on the topic, and I apologize to the readers of The Numismatist for this oversight.

I'd also like to thank the member who brought this faux pas to my attention. The image has been removed from the digital edition and archives.
Caleb P. Noel, ANA 3172566

"Money is where you find it. I was struck by a photo on a book review/essay in Monday's Washington Post. The photo on the article "How Tim Cahill's "Pass the Butterworms' Launched My Travel Writing Career" shows essayist Dina Mishev diving in Micronesia. The essay doesn't mention it, but she's touching a rai stone or stone money of Yap underwater. The "coins" were fashioned on Palau and transported by raft hundreds of miles to Yap. Over the centuries some stones had fallen into the water. A friend who went diving there years ago, told me guides know where some are and take people there. She gave me a piece of hotel soap shaped like one. That's as close as I've ever gotten to owning one."

Great photo! I didn't realize any had sunk in depths shallow enough for diving. So one could still go visit their lost fortune. Very cool. -Editor

 

"This medal was sold as lot 3120 in the St. James's Auction No. 52, on 26 October 2021, in London. The buyer has reached out to me to see if I can find out anything at all about it and I write in the hope that one of your 6,722 readers might just know of it and the history behind it. Estimated at £100-120, it sold for £180 hammer (approx. $250)."

The catalogue description was as follows. Can anyone help? -Editor

"I don't collect slabbed coins but they and the certification services always catch my interest. I found this item on eBay and wondered if any of the readers knew anything about the Bank of Canada Currency Museum offering a certification service. Is this just a one-off or is it a regular thing for them to do?"

 

Good question. Can any of our readers shed light on this? Thanks. -Editor

Len Augsburger of the Newman Numismatic Portal passed along this candid photo of me examining what looks to be a shelf of Large Cent literature at Eric Newman's Mercantile Money Museum library in St. Louis. Thanks! -Editor

 
Wayne Homren at Newman Mercantile Money Museum library c1990s

"This 1946 Ceylon Rs10,000 Colour Trial is the first image I obtained via Right to Information (RTI) from the CBSL. I am now going to start requesting images from the Colombo National Museum on the same RTI Full details and comparison with the Note issued for Interbank transactions between 1947 and 1950 is given in
http://notes.lakdiva.org/ccgc/194xgvit/1947_gvi_10000r.html

"I am seeking help from Collectors who have Rare notes of Ceylon to document them in my educational website notes.lakdiva.org and request them to contact me at kavanr@gmail.com."

 

 

Beautiful note. Great idea with the RTI! Kavan's building a marvelous web site, one numismatic image at a time. Please contribute if you can. -Editor

"The Florin Street Band has written a couple joyful Christmas songs that I'd probably queue up anyway, but the coin connection makes them all the better. Beyond 'Please to put a penny in an old man's hat' I can't think of any other carol with a coin in it."

 

Thanks, and happy holidays ahead for all. -Editor