WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: MAY 22, 2022

Tuesday May 17, 2022 brought another meeting of my Northern Virginia numismatic social group, Nummis Nova. Our hosts were Aaron Packard and Chris Neuzil, and we met at the Thai Luang restaurant in Herndon. While I finished a phone call in the parking lot, I saw regulars Roger Burdette and Steve Bishop walking in. Also present when I arrived at our table were Daryl Haynor, Tom Kays, Jon Radel, Mike Packard, Wayne Herndon and his guest Itay Tal, a banknote dealer and E-Sylum reader visiting from Israel. I took one of three empty chairs and soon Julian Leidman filled the one right next to me. Aaron was unable to attend.

Clockwise from left: Itay Tal, Mike Packard, Eric Schena (obscured), Tom Kays, Jon Radel, Chris Neuzil, Roger Burdette, Daryl Haynor, Wayne Herndon, Steve Bishop

Clockwise from top: Chris Neuzil, Roger Burdette, Daryl Haynor, Wayne Herndon, Itay Tal, Mike Packard

Ukrainian Banknotes, Stamp Money, and a Famous Stamp
A nice group of Ukrainian items were among the first numismatic pieces I saw being passed around the table. I completely overlooked the envelope that came along with them. I wasn't surprised that these were brought by Eric Schena, and he later pointed out what I'd missed.

"I brought a couple of things that are more current events related rather than some of my more usual exonumia. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine ongoing, I brought a couple of notes from the Ukrainian Peoples Republic prior to its incorporation into the Soviet Union. The 500 hryven note is dated 1918 and was printed in Germany and is especially colorful and quite beautiful.

"The block of four 50 shagiv stamps are actually printed on stiff paper board and were used as small change for a short time. Both are neat items, but the block of four notes was mailed from Ukraine and was packed in something special. The envelope it came in has one of the Russian Warship, Go [self fornicate]! stamps in a nice place of prominence, including a bit of the selvedge telling what the ship can do in Ukrainian and English.

"I have seen the unused stamps go for quite a bit of money and the first day covers are quite pricy now. I was very careful opening it and the cover is now proudly in my collection. There's apparently been a subsequent issue of that stamp but with a big DONE printed on it after the Moskva was sunk. I am not sure how many of these were postally used in a non-philatelic fashion, but I would imagine it's not a lot."

Itay and I discussed the history of The E-Sylum and ad rates while a number of other interesting items were passed around the table.

News and Views from the Far End of the Table
[Tom Kays provided the commentary and images in this section. Thanks!]

Seated far down table from Wayne by the luck of the draw, Tom Kays captured the dinner crowd in mid pose as we anticipated digging into spicy Thai specialties. Aromas from Crispy Snapper, Pad Thai, and Curry dishes enticed us to hurry up reciting the Buddhist blessing If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way. Let us share with you some numismatic kabobs seen at this fabulous dinner.

Wayne Herndon's dinner guest was international currency dealer Itay Tal from Israel, who brought a 1945 Ten Pound Bearer Bond from Palestine, that would pay interest for twenty years as each coupon was clipped. Ten years of coupons were redeemed. Itay is seated third from the right, in front of Wayne Homren, your friendly E-Sylum editor.

Keeping with a Middle Eastern theme, Roger showed an uncirculated, Philadelphia Mint-made, Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO) one pound gold disc, (but not minted for royalty payments to the Government of Saudi Arabia in exchange for oil, per Roger Burdette). These discs provided the equivalent of one British Sovereign's worth of gold. Many were later melted for bullion.

Tom brought his usual small case of unusual coins, arrayed in artifact fashion, each with a good story behind their presence in the case.

Question: Looking in The Copper Collector's Guide to the Identification of 2x2 Envelopes by Ralph Rucker with Del Bland, Henry Chapman's flips are illustrated with address No.1348 Pine Street, Philadelphia. Do any readers know when Henry Chapman's address was located at 333 S. 16th Street, Philadelphia, which helps date this 2x2 envelope and his acquisition of this half sovereign?

Of special interest is the 1821-dated, 30 Sous (Sueldos) Emergency silver coin of Spanish King Ferdinand VII, from the Bellver Castle, Palma de Mallorca, the capitol of the Kingdom of Majorca, a Spanish State located in the Balearic Islands on the Mediterranean Sea.

Nummis Nova 2022-05 Majorca Bellver Castle 30 Sous Emergency coin

The reverse with coat of arms for Palma de Mallorca reads Salus Populi meaning Health to the People in reference to a Yellow Fever epidemic that swept the island in the winter of 1821. The symptoms of Yellow Fever (spread by mosquitos) bears some resemblance to COVID-19 symptoms. These coins of civic necessity were made during the French occupation of the island. Coin blanks were made from melted silver taken from the island's churches and these coins were struck during 40 days in late November and December 1821.

The time has come and gone for sticky rice with mango ice cream, the check, and an end to all the storytelling for this evening at the Thai Luang in Herndon where they may say jur gan meaning something like toodle loo.

Wrapping Up
I've never tried cataloging the clever restaurant restroom signage I've seen over the years, but these were among the cutest.

Clockwise from left: Chris Neuzil, Roger Burdette, Daryl Haynor, Wayne Herndon, Steve Bishop, Julian Leidman, Itay Tal, Mike Packard, Eric Schena and Tom Kays.

It was another enjoyable evening of numismatic fellowship. Luckily for me we wrapped up a little early and I wasn't so far from home, which left me time Tuesday evening to pack for my morning drive up to Pittsburgh for the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN) show.