TOM KAYS NUMISMATIC DIARY: OCTOBER 23, 2022

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V25 2022 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 25, Number 43, October 23, 2022, Article 26

This month's dinner meeting of my Northern Virginia numismatic social group Nummis Nova took place without me - I travelled to Pittsburgh that morning and was having dinner with my sister. But the group had a great time without me, as shown in this detailed write-up compiled by fellow member Tom Kays. Thanks! -Editor

Daryl Haynor our dinner host, chose Mamá Tigre! Restaurant (Mexican food remixed with an Indian slant) in Oakton for the October Nummis Nova meet-up. Guests included Jonas Denenberg, Dave Ellison and Jim Glickman along with regulars Wayne Herndon, Steve Bishop, Tom Kays, Eric Schena, Jon Radel, Mike Packard, Julian Leidman, Roger Burdette, and Dave Schenkman. We missed seeing Wayne Homren (our illustrious founder), our dinner host Daryl Haynor, and Kellen Hoard, an invited guest who was suddenly buried in homework at college and could not unearth himself from study for the evening of festivities.

Jonas Denenberg (invited by Wayne Homren) is a high schooler (Junior Year), a high-volume coin dealer, and part-time inventor, who moonlights in packaging and mailing coin purchases to fulfill customers' orders from his super-charged, virtual coin retail sales business. While he does have a physical business office, unlike traditional brick and mortar coin shop owners who rely on walk-ins, Jonas is in the vanguard of a new cohort of digital-native coin dealers that can, and do sell coins nationwide, via independent social media venues so quickly, that they turn over their stock and recoup their investment as a goal, on a weekly basis.

Weekends are spent in attending local coin shows in order to restock their virtual stores with great quantities of real US coins, obtained from old-fashioned coin dealers who do not sell online, in high volume, or with such expediency. I predict Jonas will be hiring for, and expanding his coin business, once out of high school, and some of us old timers at the Nummis Nova dinner table may expect to be working for him as wholesale pickers in the near future.

James (Jim) Glickman (invited by Mike Packard) is a visiting scholar, regional vice president (Region 1 for Connecticut, New Jersey, the Canadian Maritimes, and Quebec), and longtime member of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4). Jim specializes in collecting State Coppers, by variety, especially from New Jersey and New York, as well as colonial paper money. Jim has published online educational videos for C4 conventions including Collecting American Colonials 101 – Hold History in your Hand which is free and available at https://colonialcoins.org/conventions/

Dave Ellison (invited by Tom Kays) was the longtime secretary of the Virginia Numismatic Association, and still serves in similar capacity for the Fairfax Coin Club. His collecting interests are diverse from Ancients to Scandinavian (Sweden/Denmark/Norway) Exonumia, and he brings new energy and perspectives to the table. He sat next to Roger, Wayne and Mike (as eclectic a mix of coin folks as might be found) and we will have to see what his impressions of the evening were.

Early arriving guests included Jonas Denenberg (Right) James Glickman (2nd from Right) and Dave Ellison (4th from Right) along with regulars from Left: Jon, the mysterious other Wayne H., Roger, and in stripes, Mike.

At Nummis Nova dinners, even if you are there from the start, once numismatic objects begin to flow about the tabletop, it is difficult to capture the significance of every treasure, let alone who brought it, and why? We must rely on each bringer of numismatic treasures to further explain, entertain, and enlighten us on the rest of the story associated with their artifacts to know the full background. Here are but a few snippets and impressions about the amazing items nestled amongst the guacamole and chips that night.

Barney Bluestone (Central New York's Leading Numismatic Dealer) The Salt City Coin Book – United States and Canadian Coins Illustrated of 1934

In talking with Jonas about coin prices and how inexpensive they seem back in the olden days he was agog at seeing an unbelievable price for 1913 nickels. It just so happened I brought ephemera in honor of Wayne Homren, being a 1934 price buying guide from Barney Bluestone. The page on nickels reads as follows:

U. S. Five-Cent Nickels Including some Patterns – Coinage began in 1866 – 1913 Liberty Head Only, buffalo type not wanted $15.00 to $100.00 for coins in Very Good to perfect condition, same as left the dies or press. Should a coin prove to be in strictly uncirculated brilliant condition, with absolutely no traces of wear, then we will pay the full price listed in this book for same.

Hard to believe not long before this price guide was published, 1913 Liberty Head Nickels went for face value if you could find one.

As the evening progressed, numismatic objects grew curiouser and curiouser as they emerged at tabletop before our Mexican entrees arrived. Here are some nice objects seen by Nummis Nova attendees.

1785 Large Date, Pointed Rays, Nova Constellatio copper in MS-61 BN Condition per NGC

1778 Massachusetts Colonial Note (with cod fish and Pine Tree reverse) for Four Pence in Uncirculated 62 condition per PMG

German Apollo 8 Medal for crewmen Borman / Anders / Lovell who circled the moon in 1968

Old French coins from a Lis-counterstamped, Douzain aux croissants (Sol marque de Quinzes of 1640 for New France) to Ecus and Louis d'ors, span Louis XIIII's reign, to Louis XV (John Law era issues)

Play along as Nummis Nova diners do experience amazingly diverse numismatic treasures yet may miss hearing their introductions. What follows is an image quiz for some of the more enigmatic objects seen at table. What do you make of them? Who made them? How old are they? What is their significance? Who is on them is fairly easy, but you see how, if you are on the far end of the table and did not hear the owner explain why they are significant, you may speculate for a time about them.

"I very much enjoyed the evening of food, drink and "coinsy" conversation. Conversation down at my end of the table ranged from Wayne Herndon's recounting of Wizard's recent business activities and upcoming events and shows to Roger's discussion of current and past research projects and his suggestion of perhaps starting a "writer's table" at some local and regional shows were numismatic writers could attend and interact with attendees and collectors regarding their publications and all things numismatic. I also enjoyed chatting with Mike and learning about his colonial Massachusetts and Connecticut coin collections. Jonas even popped down our way toward the end of the evening to add some levity and youthful insight!! "