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About Us The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit association devoted to the study and enjoyment of numismatic literature. For more information please see our web site at coinbooks.org Subscriptions Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers (or wishing to Unsubscribe) can go to the following web page link Membership There is a membership application available on the web site Membership Application To join, print the application and return it with your check to the address printed on the application. Print/Digital membership is $40 to addresses in the U.S., and $60 elsewhere. A digital-only membership is available for $25. For those without web access, write to: Jeff Dickerson, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 578, Weatherford, TX 76086 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Jeff at this email address: treasurer@coinbooks.org Submissions To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com BUY THE BOOK BEFORE THE COIN Sale Calendar June 15, 2024 Kolbe & Fanning Watch here for updates!

 

Content presented in The E-Sylum is not necessarily researched or independently fact-checked, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.

WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM JUNE 16, 2024

We now have 7,255 subscribers.

Thank you for reading The E-Sylum. If you enjoy it, please send me the email addresses of friends you think may enjoy it as well and I'll send them a subscription. Contact me at whomren@gmail.com anytime regarding your subscription, or questions, comments or suggestions about our content.

This week we open with two new books, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, notes from readers, and more.

Other topics this week include U.S. Coin Die Varieties, wooden coins, coin boards, C. W. Franklin, Richard Lubbock, auction previews, an ancient coin find, medals of the French Revolution, and the Free State of Bottleneck.

To learn more about Stan Kesselman, Joseph Wright, Donald Kocken, Democratic Wild Cat Money, an 1804 Silver Dollar tattoo, the Numismatic Blue Book, error coins, German, Scottish and Swedish coins, Royal Johannes Enschede, and money payable in coon skins, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

NEW BOOK: U.S. COIN DIE VARIETIES

U.S. Coin Die Varieties, Variety Identification and Pricing Guide
by Robert Powers

Volume One of a comprehensive variety identification or cherrypicking guide covering a combined total of the TOP 325+ MOST VALUABLE AND POPULAR U.S. Coin die marriages, varieties, and errors. This, the first Volume of two, covers Half Cents, Large Cents, Small Cents, Two Cents, Nickels, and Half Dimes.

Volume Two covers Dimes, Quarters, Half Dollars, Dollars, and Gold coins.

While other guides may seem to cover the same ground, that is actually not the case, as the primary purpose of this guide is dedicated solely to covering a comprehensive list of coins that are actually popular in the marketplace, and most importantly – VALUABLE. Along the same line as above, one important criteria used in the selection of the coins in this guide is that the underlying (non-variety) coin will be affordable and accessible – in the majority of cases, anyway. To illustrate the point, most of what you will find in this guide could be found unattributed in your run of the mill coin dealer's case at a coin show, in various online venues, local coin shops, and so forth.

This two-part guide represents the 10th and 11th publications of a complete series of Variety Identification Guides covering Early U.S. Coins. A complete list of all of the author's previous publications to date are listed below. These will take you further in depth, and will cover both the common and rare varieties of each series. These guides can be located by running an internet search for the title and author's name, and are very highly recommended to contribute to expanding your numismatic knowledge to the maximum potential.

While this guide has been written with simplicity in mind, it is important to read this page before getting started in order to understand the information presented within.

The term ‘PUP' stands for ‘pick-up point' – this is simply a description given that is as short or as long and detailed as necessarily for one to differentiate the more common, underlying coin from the rare variety being discussed. In addition, commentary in regards to the coin's rarity or general remarks may or may not be included, depending on the coin being discussed.

The term ‘EOS' stands for ‘ease of sale' – this is a new system designed by the author which includes both pricing information for each grade listed, followed by a numerical score which indicates how easy the coin in that condition would be to sell at a fair market retail price (or wholesale price to a dealer). To illustrate the point, the pricing/EOS system is broken down as follows:

$ - The variety coin has very little to no premium over the underlying common coin in this grade.

$$ - The variety coin has a minor to somewhat modest premium over the underlying common coin in this grade.

$$$ - The variety coin has a solidly moderate premium over the underlying common coin in this grade.

$$$$ - The variety coin has a moderate to high premium over the underlying common coin in this grade.

$$$$$ - The variety coin has a high to very high premium over the underlying common coin in this grade.

$$$$$+ - The variety coin has an ultra-high premium over the underlying common coin in this grade.

While the variety may hold a high premium, this does not always guarantee that it is easy to sell in the marketplace, so followed by the $$$$$'s in the pricing line, a number 1 through 5 will be given, indicating the EOS or Ease of Sale score:

1 – Rather difficult to sell in the general market. Has a narrow market, and usually requires locating a specialist in the series – but, all you have to do is to look in the right place.

2 – Fairly difficult to sell in the general market, but the opportunities have opened up a bit to include some interest from a select few non-specialists.

3 – Getting easier to find a buyer, although it is not quite a mainstream coin just yet.

4 – At this score, the sales opportunities have opened up considerably. Plenty of non-specialists will be interested at the right price.

5 – The coin is either very mainstream and popular for what it is, or otherwise very desirable to a specialist for the grade. At this score, selling it will be an absolute breeze at a fair market value.

A rarity scale ranging from R1 up to R8 will be presented after many of the listings. Below is an explanation. The numbers in parenthesis are the number of known, or presumed to be known examples of the die marriage to have survived and in existence today. R1 - Very Common (1,000+) / R2 - Common (501-1,000) / R3 - Scarce (201-500) / R4 - Very Scarce (81-200) / R5 - Rare (31-80) / R6 - Very Rare (13-30) / R7 - Extremely Rare (4-12) / R8 - Unique, or nearly so (1-3).

The author of this book has had a strong interest in Early U.S. coins for over 30 years. He set out to write this series of books because he has wanted to read them for many years, and finally gave up on waiting for someone else to write them. Good luck!

For more information, or to order, see:
U.S. Coin Die Varieties, Variety Identification and Pricing Guide Volume 1, by Robert Powers (https://www.davidkahnrarecoins.com/u-s-coin-die-varieties-variety-identification-and-pricing-guide-volume-1-by-robert-powers.html)
U.S. Coin Die Varieties, Variety Identification and Pricing Guide Volume 2, by Robert Powers (https://www.davidkahnrarecoins.com/u-s-coin-die-varieties-variety-identification-and-pricing-guide-volume-2-by-robert-powers.html)

NEW BOOK: FOUNDATION PHILOSOPHY OF WOODEN COINS

The brochure presents the results of scientific and practical research on the development and application of wooden money to increase the efficiency in business, social and political life in a democratic society. New edition.

Publication Date: Mar 5, 2024
Language: English
ISBN: 9781304591586
Pages: 90
Binding: Perfect Bound
Dimensions: Digest (5.5 x 8.5 in / 140 x 216 mm)

 

For more information, or to order, see:
Foundation Philosophy of wooden coins (https://www.lulu.com/shop/anatoly-saltykov-karpov/foundation-philosophy-of-wooden-coins/paperback/product-579e62w.html)

 

GREG BENNICK INTERVIEWS STAN KESSELMAN

Greg Bennick Interviews Stan Kesselman

Stan Kesselman, a NY coin dealer, worked parttime in numismatics without a store front, quietly trading between the leading dealers and collectors of the day, beginning around 1960. Among his clients were the well-known collectors Harry W. Bass, Jr., R. L. Miles, and Ted Naftzger. Kesselman specialized in rare date U.S. gold and was involved in transactions such as the purchase of the Naftzger $20 Liberty set, complete from 1850-1907.

Greg Bennick has interviewed a number of numismatic personalities for Newman Portal, capturing stories to inspire the next generation of numismatists. He is a longtime specialist in error coins and board member of the Combined Organization of Numismatic Error Collectors of America (CONECA). In 2023, he reported the discovery of a unique, multi-denominational mated-pair error involving a 3-cent nickel piece and a Shield nickel.

Link to Stan Kesselman interview on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/638521

Link to Kesselman interview transcript:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/638520

Link to Numismatic News report on the Bennick mated-pair set:
https://www.numismaticnews.net/us-coins/unique-mated-pair-shield-nickel-discovered

VIDEO: JOSEPH WRIGHT, MINT ENGRAVER

The story of America's first Mint Engraver who died of yellow fever in 1793 before he was confirmed. This presentation includes information about:

• His parents and why his mother learned to sculpt wax
• How his mother who lived in London may have been a spy for the Colonies
• Joseph's travels to America that ended in shipwreck
• Evidence that his wife Sara may have been the model for the 1792 quarter pattern

Speaker: P. Scott Rubin. Publication date: August 20, 2005.

To watch the complete video, see:
Joseph Wright, First US Mint Engraver (https://youtu.be/oMztqxWFRuI)

COIN BOARD HOARD UPDATE AND INTERVIEW

I wanted to pass along two quick updates on the Coin Board Hoard.

1) To make it easier to see what is in the hoard, readers can now go to www.CoinBoardHoard.com. It will redirect them to the full 1700+ inventory sheet.

2) While I was in Greenbay, Wisconsin to catalog the hoard, I had a chance to sit down and interview Donald Kocken. He authored the book "Collecting Vintage Coin Boards, Albums, Folders, & Holders: 1930's and Beyond" and a large part of the hoard comes from his collection. As a fellow coin album nerd, I knew I had to pick his brain.

I'm sure many readers will enjoy this 52-minute conversation covering his 60+ years in numismatics. They can find the interview on YouTube.

Donald shared a lifetime of stories and insights including:

• Truck driving and coin collecting on the road
• Advice to collectors on balancing time between the hobby and your spouse
• Sorting 168,000 wheat pennies
• The first Coin Board prototype ever made

He also answered questions from collectors online such as:

• "When was the peak in album sales?"
• "What does the future of coin collecting look like?"
• "What is the rarest Whitman folder someone could find at a coin shop?"
• And many more

To watch the complete video, see:
Exploring Coin Boards, Folders, & Albums with Renowned Collector and Researcher Donald Kocken (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq9GApnqcPY)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
COIN BOARD HOARD SALE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n21a04.html)

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JUNE 16, 2024

1896 Olympic Medal Copies
Bob Fagaly writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
THE OLYMPIC GAMES THAT AREN'T RECOGNIZED (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n23a21.html)

Vocabulary Term Sought
Steve Ferber of Lori Ferber Collectibles writes:

To visit the firm's website, see:
https://www.loriferber.com/

1892 Democratic Wild Cat Money

Gold and Platinum Coins for Collectors?
Wayne Pearson writes:

An 1804 Silver Dollar Tattoo

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: MAY 26, 2024 : Numismatic Tattoos (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n21a20.html)

George III Indian Peace Medal

A North American Indian Chiefs Medal 1814, silver, by T Wyon Junior. 75 mm diameter, obverse bust of George III facing right, reverse royal arms crest supports and motto, 1814 below. Original hanger. Also called George III Indian Peace Medal

To read the complete lot description, see:
(https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/mitchells/catalogue-id-srmit10234/lot-13309f45-3497-41cb-8d70-b18600fb4b1b)

VOCABULARY TERM: PLATE, PLATING

Plate, Plating. A very thin layer of metal deposited on a base metal by the process of electroplating. Metals of an inexpensive alloy or composition are plated with a more expensive metal; for example zinc is plated with copper; brass, bronze, copper, nickel-silver, white metal is plated with silver; and any of these are plated with gold. Thus the plated object – manufactured at low cost – can be given the finish, color and texture of the more expensive metal.

The thickness of the plating, achieved by a longer time in the plating tanks, is very important, particularly if the item is to be used or worn. A bright plating can be added to increase the reflectiveness, hardness and wearing qualities of the piece; this is done by introducing a small amount of a second metal (as a separate anode added to the tank or a separate tank) enhances the metal, as silver is enhanced with rhodium for example. (See bright plating, electroplating.)

Identifying the base metal after it has been plated is not easy. Test cuts are made to detect the color of the base metal – that may be the same or slightly different (as copper will appear pink; see bleeding).

The word "plate" is also used in additional ways in the numismatic and medallic field: (1) the one side of a box medal; (2) the planchet for side-by-side dies at the Paris Mint for striking their Restrike Series; (3) large plates (like dinner plates that have been embellished with medallic items), and (4) a plate coin or medal is one that is pictured in a catalog or book.

To read the complete entry on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Plate, Plating (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516509)

CALVIN WESLEY FRANKLIN (1855-1911)

Wayne asked me to find out what I could about Calvin Franklin and a book being sold by Kolbe & Fanning with the Homren library.

Calvin (age 6, born in Ohio) appeared in the 1860 Census with his father, John Franklin (1826-1908), his mother, Nancy Franklin (1833-1916), a brother, John (8), and his sister, Sarah Jane (2). His father was listed as a farmhand in the State of Ohio. The brother listed as John was probably James.

Calvin (age 16) appeared again in the 1870 census in Washington County, Ohio, with his parents, James (18), Mary (10) and John (5). The father was still a farmhand.

For the 1880 Census, John and Nancy are living in Ravenswood, West Virginia, with Mary (19), John William (14) and Lucy (6). I did not find Calvin in 1880. The 1890 Census has been generally lost.

The firm of Franklin & McCausland sold pianos, musical instruments, and sheet music at 18 Sixth Street in Pittsburg. There was a notice in the newspaper that the firm was dissolved on June 1, 1893.

In 1899, C. W. Franklin was selling real estate lots on Orchard Street in Bellevue. In 1900 he was selling lots on Forest Avenue. In 2024, Bellevue has an Orchard Avenue but not an Orchard Street.

For the 1900 Census, Calvin was at 24 North Diamond Street in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, living as a lodger and employed as an advertising agent. His birth was listed in Ohio in November, 1858, and age 41.

In June of 1900, C. W. Franklin began running small ads offering a gold-plated picture frame for sixty cents via P. O. Box 667 in Pittsburg. These ads ran in the Indiana (PA) Weekly Messenger but not in Pittsburgh papers.

On March 30, 1901, Calvin married Agnes Morrison Kerr (1870-1909) in Beaver, Pennsylvania. Calvin was listed as age 43, representing a birth year of 1858. Agnes was listed as age 30 and born in 1871.

In 1902, he was selling safes out of Pittsburg P. O. Box 667.

In 1903, he was advertising fireproof safes for sale from 126 Fourth Avenue. By 1904, he was trying to close out his inventory. He continued to offer safes for sale into 1910.

By October 1904, C. W. Franklin had begun offering coins. He placed many ads in The Pittsburg Press. One offered,

In another 1904 ad, he offered a 100 page catalog for 25 cents. In 1905, he offered an 1804 silver dollar for $5.00 and an 1856 eagle penny for $5.00. What would those coins be worth today?

The only known photograph of C. W. Franklin was published in the April 16, 1905, issue of Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, which featured four of their regular advertisers.

By 1906, he had moved up the street to 239 Fourth Avenue. Later in the year, he relocated to 2 Taylor Ave., in Bellevue.

An article on Franklin appeared in the Pittsburgh Post on January 6, 1907, Some Rare and Valuable Coins Have Been Collected in Pittsburgh. This reported,

Was this the same 1804 silver dollar he offered for $5 in 1905?

Another article appeared in the same paper on March 10, 1907, titled, Some of the World's Oldest Coins Owned by Pittsburgh Collectors. Author Mrs. A. B. Sperry wrote,

The article has what every collector wants or dreads when it gives his address, and mentions he has a valuable collection of coins. Later in the article, it says,

The article describes the collection at length, and it would appear that it was, in fact, an impressive collection.

Later in 1907, C. W. Franklin ran ads promoting his complete rare coin book for $1. These ads ran in The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times, The Pittsburgh Post, and The Pittsburgh Press.

For the 1910 census, with Agnes dead in 1909, Calvin was living with his sister-in-law and niece at 321 Taylor Avenue in Bellevue, Pennsylvania, at age 51. His profession is listed as commercial trader in novelties.

In 1908, he was selling upright pianos while still selling safes and cash registers. In August of 1909, he offered NEW Abraham Lincoln pennies for sale. 7c each. Was this the first offering of Lincoln Pennies?

In 1910, he was offering typewriters for sale from 321 Taylor Avenue in Bellevue.

In 1910, he was offering the smallest Bible ever published for 25 cents, same address.

In 1911, he was offering his house at 321 Taylor Avenue for sale. This was a month before his death.

There is a Findagrave listing for Calvin W. Franklin, born in 1855 and died in 1911. He is buried in Ravenswood, West Virginia. The Findagrave site also had a listing for John and Nancy Franklin in this cemetery but the memorials have been removed.

The FamilySearch site includes trees submitted by users which may not agree with original sources. The tree fan chart gives his name as Calvin Wesley Franklin, born November 22, 1855, and died April 29, 1911.

The previous article was nearly completed by the evening of Wednesday, June 12. Then I received a copy of Franklin's death certificate from Julia Casey. His date of birth is given as April 12, 1857, and his middle name was Westley. His occupation was given as old coin merchant. Otherwise, the certificate agrees with other sources.

Information for the certificate was provided by Mrs. Lucy Bibby of Charleston, West Virginia. That would have been his sister, Lucy Elsie Franklin Bibby (1877-1924). She may have been twenty years younger than her brother, so he may have been out of the house by the time she was born. There are also conflicting sources for her date of birth.

Over the years, the census has Franklin's birth year as 1855, 1855, 1858, and 1859. His marriage certificate gives his year of birth as 1858. I tend to believe the 1855 year of birth but must admit that I don't know.

Julia Casey also provided a death certificate for Agnes Morrison Kerr. Her date of birth was May 16, 1874. There is a birth record from Scotland for May 16, 1870. Her obituary gives her husband's name as Caldin Wesley Franklin.

After all this confusion, I want to state that Calvin Franklin was a minor player in numismatics and the dates have little importance.

The Numismatist for July 1907, page 199, described a new book:

Apparently, the book has two titles. It is seen with a blue cover and the title: Numismatic Blue Book: Ancient and Modern Coins. On the title page is A Handbook of American, Greek and Roman Coins.

The copy sold with the Wayne Homren Library has a hardbound maroon cover. This may be an aftermarket binding. The auction lot included one plate illustration. I matched that plate to G. F. Hill's 1899 book, Illustrations of History: A Handbook of Greek and Roman Coins. I don't have either book in my library.

Someone with access to both books could see if all the same plates were in both books.

I suspect there are reasons why few copies have survived. It was not broadly marketed, and few original copies were sold. It did not get into libraries. It was also not considered important enough to keep.

After working on this for a week, I have a related question. Is the author and the book worth the effort to tell the story?

To read the complete lot description, see:
Mysterious American Numismatic Rarity (https://bid.numislit.com/lots/view/1-91D1N7/mysterious-american-numismatic-rarity)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
C. W. FRANKLIN (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n17a16.html)
WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC LITERATURE JUNE 9, 2024 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n23a19.html)

MORE ON C. W. FRANKLIN

I had a draft of my article completed this week by Noon on Friday, June 14. Then I received several interesting clippings from Julia Casey. I think they add something to the original story.

This item was published in Mehl's Numismatic Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 4. Page 71. April 1908.

This item was published in Mehl's Numismatic Monthly, Vol III, No 1, Page 32. January 1910

This item was published in Mehl's Numismatic Monthly, Vol III, No. 6, Page 115. June 1910.

This item is available on the Newman Numismatic Portal within Chapman Brothers correspondence.

RICHARD LUBBOCK, UK COIN DEALER GONE BAD

From a ship sailing between Greenland and Iceland, Richard Lobel of London's Coincraft writes:

... Richard's bad memory isn't just down to old age; he's a drug addict and dealer who was responsible for Metropolitan Police's largest-ever haul of crystal meth once they had caught up with him at his east London penthouse flat. Expecting to find a hardened gangland boss, they discovered, instead, a skinny Jewish geek who liked classical music and war documentaries.

His story is just as insane as that of Breaking Bad's Walter White; a chemistry teacher who turns crystal meth manufacturer and gun-toting dealer when he discovers he has cancer and cannot pay for the treatment.

Richard was once a happily married Stanmore coin dealer with a gorgeous wife and privately educated son. But when his wife revealed she was gay – and he admitted that he was too – it led to him spiral out of control; drugs, bondage, dealing and eventually prison.

Five years ago, his son James bravely wrote a book about his father's story. Now it has been turned into a two-part series for Prime Video called, inevitably, Breaking Dad.

Richard had a conventional enough upbringing. His dad was rather strict but welcomed him into the family business of coin dealing. Richard was very good at it; people trusted him. He was good at picking up bargains and always carried a lot of stock – something that was to serve him well when he turned to drugs.

James remembers a happy traditional upbringing. His father was the softie in the family while his mother was the more volatile one. It was when he went to university that things changed.

Gradually, however, it became clear that Richard was taking drugs, a lot of drugs. He first started taking them while in nightclubs in Cape Town. As a shy man, still coming to terms with his sexuality, they afforded him the opportunity to be a more gregarious and charming version of himself – or at least he thought.

They became an important part of my life and I loved being on them, he says of the drugs. I am not going to pretend I was thinking every day about how I was going to give them up. I wasn't. He just about held on to his coin dealership, but after a violent robbery in his store, increasingly began to hate the job. And lost himself more in drugs.

Richard was jailed for eight years and spent half his sentence inside. He also lost his flat and his Rolls. He cleaned up his act and became a mentor and a teacher for young criminals. But he admits, for the first time, that within a few months of coming out of jail he was back on the crystal meth.

To read the complete article, see:
‘A few months after my release from prison I was back on the crystal meth': meet Britain's unlikeliest drug dealer (https://www.thejc.com/life-and-culture/a-few-months-after-my-release-from-prison-i-was-back-on-the-crystal-meth-meet-britains-unlikeliest-drug-dealer-qxvy8153)

To read the watch the trailer and full documentary, see:
Video: Meet the 'real life' Walter White: How middle-class father, 77, lived Breaking Bad lifestyle and became Britain's biggest crystal meth dealer before getting locked up in £1.5m bust (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/tvshows/video-3207601/Video-coins-drugs-Watch-Amazons-new-thrilling-crime-documentary.html)
Breaking Dad Britain's Unlikeliest Drug Dealer (https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Breaking-Dad-Britains-Unlikeliest-Drug-Dealer/0OZLJHTG7NEWGHGPM90F7UXY0Z)

2024 CANADA $20 NUNAVUT COMMEMORATIVE

Aija Komangapik says she hopes a piece of her art featured on a new $20 silver coin showcases the joyful and funny side of Inuit life.

The coin, recently issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, features an Inuk mother who represents Nunavut. She's dancing in the midnight sun with a large amauti spread out behind her, filled with smaller people who represent Nunavummiut.

The mint released the coin to commemorate Nunavut's 25th anniversary.

The small figures are dancing to [the mother's] heartbeat, said Komangapik, describing it as like when a baby is in an amauti and becomes soothed by the beat of its mother's heart.

Komangapik is originally from Iqaluit but moved to Quebec when she was 12 to live with her father. She is now based in Ottawa, where she works at the Isaruit Inuit Arts Centre.

The 25-year-old grew up surrounded by art as a child. Her father is an artist and her mother is a former dancer. Komangapik said being surrounded by creativity was integral to the person she grew up to become.

She said she prefers to create whimsical art because often the most popular art and myths among non-Inuit are stark and dark, dealing with themes of adventure.

The funny ones I don't hear as much outside of Inuit spaces, she said.

So I want to say, ‘Oh look, we are having fun, we are happy people.'

To read the complete article, see:
‘We are happy people': Artist chosen to design coin puts joy on display (https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/we-are-happy-people-artist-chosen-to-design-coin-puts-joy-on-display/)

HERITAGE AUCTIONS GERMAN STATES SALE

Heritage's June 23 German States Showcase Auction proves a richly curated event highlighting the vast numismatic history of the many German States that issued coinage in their own names. This auction features several conditional outliers from the ever-popular City View and Wildman Taler series, balanced by absolute rarities from lesser-seen states such as Hohenlohe and the Teutonic Order. Noteworthy too is the strong showing of gold Prussian 10 and 20 Mark, alongside a sprinkling of scarce Ducat and Siege issues.

One of the outstanding offerings in this auction is a 1759-FWôF Taler from Saxony. Graded MS66 by NGC, this is a jaw-dropper in every sense. This is the first instance our firm has offered this type, reputably difficult to source and bringing strong premiums in all states of preservation. Furthermore, this is the highest grade awarded by either major service, the next highest example coming in three whole points lower. Luster is abundant, swirling around the wood-grained pewter and baby blue patina, appearing as a singular pool of toned splendor. The devices, although low relief, have retained incredible detail. This wonder coin is surely one of the top prizes in this auction.

Specialists will also undoubtedly be interested in coins like these:

Rudolf II 2 Taler 1604 AU58 PCGS, Hall mint, KM57.1, Dav-3004. GER : HV : in legend. An excellent example of the type, where intriguing lemon-caramel patination occupies the reverse and obverse peripheries, all ignited by considerable remaining luster.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Rudolf II 2 Taler 1604 AU58 PCGS (https://coins.ha.com/itm/austria/austria-rudolf-ii-2-taler-1604-au58-pcgs-/a/61391-25007.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124)

Brunswick-Lüneburg-Calenberg. Ernst August 1-1/2 Taler 1688-RB AU53 PCGS, Goslar mint, Rudolf Bornemann as mintmaster, KM281.2, Dav-245 (LS). An excellent rendition of this ever-popular type, lightly patinated in cabinet lavender and champagne, still sparkling from original luster. The medallic devices are comprehensive and minimally rubbed, quite acceptable for the condition. The first of the type we've offered since the Cape Coral example in 2016.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Brunswick-Lüneburg-Calenberg. Ernst August 1-1/2 Taler 1688-RB AU53 PCGS (https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/brunswick-luneburg-calenberg/german-states-brunswick-luneburg-calenberg-ernst-august-1-1-2-taler-1688-rb-au53-pcgs-/a/61391-25069.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124#)

Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-Öehringen. Johann Friedrich I Taler 1696 MS62 PCGS, KM15, Dav-6828. A strong example of this sought-after type, just one other example placed higher on the PCGS census. Still displaying flashes of luster beneath the patina of champagne, lime, and scarlet. Very attractive in hand and conditionally desirable, a tempting combination.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-Öehringen. Johann Friedrich I Taler 1696 MS62 PCGS (https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/hohenlohe-neuenstein-oehringen/german-states-hohenlohe-neuenstein-oehringen-johann-friedrich-i-taler-1696-ms62-pcgs-/a/61391-25126.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124)

Landau. Free City Siege Uniface Klippe 1 Florin 4 Kreuzer 1713 MS62 PCGS, KM12, Klein/Raff 221.2. 10.89gm. Produced while Landau was besieged by the French under the command of Claude Villars. Tied with one other representative for the highest grade awarded by PCGS, a wholly desirable near-Choice evaluation. Beautifully patinated with mustard, sage, and mauve hues, all stamps still glittering from luster beneath.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Landau. Free City Siege Uniface Klippe 1 Florin 4 Kreuzer 1713 MS62 PCGS (https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/landau/german-states-landau-free-city-siege-uniface-klippe-1-florin-4-kreuzer-1713-ms62-pcgs-/a/61391-25128.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124#)

Prussia. Wilhelm II gold Proof 20 Mark 1911-A PR64+ Ultra Cameo NGC, Berlin mint, KM521, J-252. Very rare as a Proof issue, last handled by our firm in 2018, represented here by a truly exemplary specimen. The delicate balance between flash and frost is perfectly maintained, the strong impression on the eye confirmed by NGC's plus superlative. Falling just short of a Gem designation due to the light peppering of field marks, but still bearing the highest grade awarded across the major certification companies.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Prussia. Wilhelm II gold Proof 20 Mark 1911-A PR64+ Ultra Cameo NGC (https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/prussia/german-states-prussia-wilhelm-ii-gold-proof-20-mark-1911-a-pr64-ultra-cameo-ngc-/a/61391-25198.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124#)

Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Günther Friedrich Karl II 2 Taler 1854-A MS63 NGC, Berlin mint, KM140, Dav-920. From the upper echelons of the certified population, semi-Prooflike in appearance with much personality added via the autumnal silhouetting at the peripheries.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Günther Friedrich Karl II 2 Taler 1854-A MS63 NGC (https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/schwarzburg-sondershausen/german-states-schwarzburg-sondershausen-gunther-friedrich-karl-ii-2-taler-1854-a-ms63-ngc-/a/61391-25262.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124#)

Teutonic Order. Maximilian I of Austria Taler 1603 MS62 NGC, Hall mint, KM3, Dav-5848. One year type. Fully struck example doused in a cabinet tone of lavender-gray and charcoal displaying the Grand Master crowned in armor with cape, holding long sword, shield and helmet at sides / Tournament knight on horseback right with planted standard surrounded by heraldic shield and arms. Truly a detailed work of a master engraver taking full advantage of his canvas and utilizing it completely.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Teutonic Order. Maximilian I of Austria Taler 1603 MS62 NGC (https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/teutonic-order/german-states-teutonic-order-maximilian-i-of-austria-taler-1603-ms62-ngc-/a/61391-25268.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124#)

Westphalia. Hieronymus Napoleon gold Restrike 40 Franken 1813-C (1867) MS63 PCGS, KM129, Fr-3516. Without edge inscription. Scarce restrike of an already contentious issue, fit with Choice bloom and sound constitution, limited by some scattered markings across the fields. One of only three pieces graded at PCGS.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Westphalia. Hieronymus Napoleon gold Restrike 40 Franken 1813-C (1867) MS63 PCGS (https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/westphalia/german-states-westphalia-hieronymus-napoleon-gold-restrike-40-franken-1813-c-1867-ms63-pcgs-/a/61391-25273.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectord-coinus-news-tem061124#)

View the diversity of offerings in this auction, and place your bids through Sunday, June 23 at Coins.HA.com. The concluding Live Session will begin June 23 at 7PM CT.

To view all the lots in this auction, see:
https://coins.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?term=&dept=1909&auction_name=61391&mode=live

HERITAGE AUCTIONS ERROR COINAGE SALE

Numismatic errors are coins that were minted incorrectly due to a mishap in the minting process. These errors can occur at various stages of production, making each error coin unique. Some errors are relatively common, while others, like mules, are extremely rare and highly prized by collectors. Error coins provide a fascinating insight into the vulnerabilities and imperfections of the minting process and are a popular collecting area for those interested in the unusual and unique aspects of numismatics. Our June 17 Showcase Auction of Error Coinage features quite a number of these unintended byproducts of the minting process.

Double-denomination coin errors are among the most fascinating and sought-after types of minting errors in numismatics. These errors occur when a coin that has already been struck with one denomination is mistakenly fed back into a press and struck again with a die of a different denomination. The result is a coin that features overlapping designs of two different denominations, making it a rare and intriguing collector's item. This auction features a number of such errors, such as lot 50095, a 1994 cent struck on an already struck 1993 dime.

This auction also offers coins like these. Click through the links to get the full effect:

1901 1C Indian Cent -- Struck 20% Off Center -- MS64 Brown NGC. NGC Census: (313/172). PCGS Population: (288/52). CDN: $82 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS64. Mintage 79,611,143.

To read the complete lot description, see:
1901 1C Indian Cent -- Struck 20% Off Center -- MS64 Brown NGC. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/1901-1c-indian-cent-struck-20-off-center-ms64-brown-ngc-ngc-census-313-172-pcgs-population-288-52-cdn/a/60385-50013.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectorc-coinus-news-tem061124#comparables-scroll-anchor)

1943 1C Lincoln Cent -- 15% Off-Center -- MS62 PCGS. PCGS Population: (130/15241 and 0/197+). NGC Census: (85/26415 and 0/192+). CDN: $0.50.Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS62. Mintage 684,628,670.

To read the complete lot description, see:
1943 1C Lincoln Cent -- 15% Off-Center -- MS62 PCGS. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/1943-1c-lincoln-cent-15-off-center-ms62-pcgs-pcgs-population-130-15241-and-0-197-ngc-census-85-26415-a/a/60385-50033.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectorc-coinus-news-tem061124)

2000 1C Lincoln Cent -- 30% Indent & Large Broadstrike -- MS64 Red PCGS. Ex: Fred Weinberg Collection.

To read the complete lot description, see:
2000 1C Lincoln Cent -- 30% Indent & Large Broadstrike -- MS64 Red PCGS. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/2000-1c-lincoln-cent-30-indent-and-large-broadstrike-ms64-red-pcgs-ex-fred-weinberg-collection/a/60385-50106.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectorc-coinus-news-tem061124)

1970-D 5C Jefferson Nickel -- Double-Struck 2nd 85% Off-Center -- MS62 PCGS. PCGS Population: (9/658 and 0/5+). NGC Census: (3/749 and 0/1+). CDN: $0.30.Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS62. Mintage 515,485,380.

To read the complete lot description, see:
1970-D 5C Jefferson Nickel -- Double-Struck 2nd 85% Off-Center -- MS62 PCGS. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/1970-d-5c-jefferson-nickel-double-struck-2nd-85-off-center-ms62-pcgs-pcgs-population-9-658-and-0-5-ngc-c/a/60385-50136.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectorc-coinus-news-tem061124)

No-Date 10C Barber Dime -- Struck 55% Off Center -- AU58 NGC.

To read the complete lot description, see:
No-Date 10C Barber Dime -- Struck 55% Off Center -- AU58 NGC. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/no-date-10c-barber-dime-struck-55-off-center-au58-ngc/a/60385-50145.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectorc-coinus-news-tem061124)

1921 $1 Morgan Dollar -- 1/2" Cracked Planchet @9:00 Obverse and Reverse -- MS63 PCGS.

To read the complete lot description, see:
1921 $1 Morgan Dollar -- 1/2" Cracked Planchet @9:00 Obverse and Reverse -- MS63 PCGS. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/1921-1-morgan-dollar-1-2-cracked-planchet-9-00-obverse-and-reverse-ms63-pcgs/a/60385-50219.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectorc-coinus-news-tem061124)

Make no mistake; the coins in this auction are very collectible! To bid, visit Coins.HA.com any time between now and the Live session, scheduled to start on Monday, June 17 at 8PM CT.

To view all the lots in this auction, see:
https://coins.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?term=&dept=1909&auction_name=60385&mode=live

DAVISSONS E-AUCTION 49: LELAND SCOTT COLLECTION

Coins from the Leland Scott Collection anchor our June 26th sale. Carefully assembled over many years, this remarkable collection features a significant offering of Scottish coinage, an area where even modest pieces can be hard to find. In addition, the collection features select British hammered and ancient Greek and Roman. The sale concludes with important Scottish references, making this auction a perfect opportunity for Scottish collectors whether just beginning or advanced.

Particularly note the low denomination billon and copper pieces. If you have ever looked for quality examples of these lowly coins, you know they are particularly difficult to find. Billon was not all that stable to begin with and Scotland was not a place where the people who used these low denomination pieces would (or could) leave them sitting around for later generations. I recall trying to locate examples to show when Chuck Bianchi and I were teaching an ANA seminar and it turned out that over a several month period, I found almost nothing to take to the course. (English coins were much easier to find….)

SCOTLAND. David II. 1329-1371. AR groat. 4.12 gm. 28 mm. Second coinage, 1357-67. Edinburgh mint. His young head left, holding scepter, tressure of six arcs; +D?VID DEI GRA REX SCOTORVM / Long cross pattee with mullets in angles; VILL ?ED INBV RGh. S. 5095. Good Very Fine; attractive old toning; chin area double struck.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Scottish David II AR Groat (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-158?)

SCOTLAND. James IV. 1488-1513. AR groat. 2.43 gm. 26 mm. Light coinage issue. ca 1496-1513. Class III. Crown i.m. Edinburgh mint. Facing crowned bust, tressure of nine arcs with trefoils on points; I?COBVS DEI GR? REX SCOTTORVM IIII / Long cross; three pellets in angles one and three, mullets in angles two and four; *VILL ?*EDE nBEO VRGE. S. 5342. Burns II. p.180:14ff. pl. l:675. SCBI 35. Ashmolean/Hunterian 851var. Good Very Fine; attractive light toning over fresh surfaces.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Scottish James IV AR Groat (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-166?)

SCOTLAND. Mary. Francis and Mary. Second period. 1558-1560. Half alloy twelve penny groat ('nonsunt"). 1.58 gm. 21 mm. 1558. Crowned FM monogram, a crowned dolphin left, crowned thistle right; +FRAN ET MA D G R R SCOTOR D D VIEN / Cross above a lettered panel: IAM NON SVNT DVO SED VNA CARO in four lines; 1558 below ("They are no more two, but one flesh"). S. 5447. Burns p 328:1; pl lxiv:889. Very Fine; toned; attractive example.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Scottish Francis and Mary Twelve Penny Groat (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-172?)

SCOTLAND. James VI. 1567-1625. AR ten shillings. 6.16 gm. 30 mm. Seventh coinage. 1595. His bareheaded armored bust right; IACOBVS • 6 • D • G • R • SCOTORVM • / Crowned triple-headed thistle; • NEMO • ME • IMPVNE • LACESSIT • 1595 • ("No one provokes me with impunity"). S. 5493. Burns II: p 379:3: lxviii:939. Good Very Fine; well struck, old toning over fresh surfaces.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Scottish James VI AR Ten Shillings (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-175?)

Elizabeth I. 1558-1603. AR shilling. 6.09 gm. 31 mm. Sixth issue. Hand i.m. (1590-92). Her crowned bust left (6B); ELIZAB D G ANG FR ET HIB REGI / Square-topped shield over long cross fourchée; POSVI | DEV AD | IVTORE M MEV. S. 2577. N. 2014. BCW HA-1/b. Very Fine; beautifully toned, with traces of iridescence; clear, sharp portrait; rough metal in obverse legend from 9 to 11.

To read the complete lot description, see:
English Elizabeth I AR Shilling (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-145?)

James I. 1603-1625. AR shilling. 5.77 gm. 31 mm. Third coinage, 1619-1625. His sixth bust right; • IACOBUS D G MAG BRI FRA ET HIB REX / British arms; QVÆ DEVS CONIVNXIT NEMO SEPARET. S. 2668. N. 2124. Very Fine; attractive old toning; underlying surfaces fresher than photo suggests; even round flan; well centered.

To read the complete lot description, see:
English James I AR Shilling (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-152?)

SCOTLAND. Charles I. 1625-1649. AR 12 shillings. 5.7 gm. 30.5 mm. Dies by Briot. Third coinage (1637-1642). First issue. Crowned bust of Charles left; CAR • D : G • MAG • BRIT • FRAN • ET• HIB • REX • around followed by a small B / Crowned arms, crowned C — R at sides, a pellet below each letter; QVÆ • DEVS • CONIVNXIT • NEMO . SEPARET around, small B at end. S. 5558. SCBI 70 National Museum of Scotland. Very Fine; flan flaw on reverse; fresh, and attractively toned.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Scottish Charles I AR 12 Shillings (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-184?)

SCOTLAND. Charles II. 1649-1685. AR merk. 5.84 gm. 27 mm. 1672. His laureate bust right; CAROLVS • — II • DEI • GRA • / Arms in cruciform configuration, Scotland in arms 1 and 3, France and England in 2 and Ireland in 4; small XIII over 4 (13 shillings, 4 pence) in center. S. 5611. Near Very Fine; lightly toned.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Scottish Charles II AR Merk (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-191?)

Do take note of the two fine Irish pieces as well.

IRELAND. Edward IV. Second Reign 1471-1483. AR groat. 1.89 gm. 24 mm. (29 grains) Third coinage. "Light cross and pellets." Dublin mint. 1473. Facing medieval style bust, "G" below; trefoil/rosette i.m / Long cross; CIVITAS DVBLINIE; sun i.m. S. 6366. D&F 134 (35-30 grains). Very Fine; fresh, and attractively toned.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Irish Edward IV Second Reign AR Groat (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-192?)

IRELAND. Henry VII. 1485-1509. AR groat. 1.63 gm. 22 mm. Late portrait issue, Class IA. Dublin mint. 1496-1505. Facing medieval style bust, arched crown, broken tressure; HENRID… (final letter reversed as "D")… / Long cross with plain cross ends; POSVI DEVM… reverse. S. 6455. D&F 194. Very Fine; lightly toned. (Near full weight, 25.1 grains versus British standard of 28 grains.)

Ex Noble Numismatics Auction 125 (Nov 2020), lot 1519

To read the complete lot description, see:
Irish Henry VII AR Groat (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-193?)

The sale concludes with select references, from the remarkable Diplomata et Numismata Scotiæ by Scottish historiographer Jacobus Anderson published in Edinburgh in 1739, to the preeminent three part Coinage of Scotland by Burns. Several other oft cited references can be added to your collection as well, from Dalton and Hamer on British Tokens (Davissons 2004 reprint) to the standard reference Medals of the United States Mint.

Anderson, Jacobus. (Scottish historiographer, 1662-1728). Diplomata et Numismata Scotiæ. Published in Edinburgh in 1739. Large folio (11 by 18 inches, several hundred pages with complex woodcuts, pull-out sheets with charters and other documents, a lengthy Preface in Latin and some of the earliest images of Scottish coins--woodcuts. Ex Libris Peter Seaby.

Generally a Fine and well preserved copy with minor dampstaining on the upper left (recto) portion of earlier sheets. Half leather binding with generally clean marbled boards though there is a small area of a light, transparent stain that is not prominent at first glance.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Jacobus Anderson's Diplomata et Numismata Scotiæ (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-304?)

Burns, E. The Coinage of Scotland Illustrated from the Cabinet of Thomas Coats and Other Collections. Three volumes. I. David I. A.D. 1224 to Robert III. A.D. 1406. (365 pages). II. James I. 1406 to Anne. 1707. 556 pages including Index. III. Plates and descriptions of the figures. 78 plates of collotype (continuous gray scale) images. Still the standard reference for Scottish coinage. Quarto. Usual binding, green cloth with title on a red leather label on the spine. Edinburgh, 1887, Very Good copy. Contents generally fresh and fine, interleave sheets in the plates volume generally intact. Bindings fully fastened. Corners of covers a bit bent and a few wrinkles and minor discoloration on the covers. The set shows that it has been well used but also cared for.

To read the complete lot description, see:
E. Burns' The Cabinet of Thomas Coats (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-307?)

SCOTLAND. Three useful modern publications (all smaller octavo)

• Bateson, J. Coinage in Scotland. Spink. London. 1997. 166 pages plus Index, photographs in text. Blue cloth, title on spine, with dust jacket. Accessible, well written and comprehensive—arguably the best basic reference available as an overview of the Scottish series. As new though slight scuff on the top of the spine section of the dust jacket.
• Robertson, J. A Handbook of the Coinage of Scotland. Argonaut. Chicago. 1968. A reprint of the 1878 edition published in London. 139 pages. Introductory section followed by detailed descriptions, some with line drawings, of Scottish coin issues. Fine copy with very slight indications of use.
• Richardson, A. Scottish Coins. A new edition of the Catalogue of Scottish Coins in the National Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh. First published in 1901. Reprint in 1977. 397 pages of coin description plus 12 photographic plates. Blue cloth binding with gold-stamped coin images on front cover. Includes a 14 page fold-out printed price list (£s) dated Dec. 1977. Fine copy with very slight indications of use.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Three Useful Modern Scottish Coin Publications (https://davcoin.com/lot/e-auction-49-lot-305?)

How time flies! It seems the catalog was only just completed, but there are just 12 days to go. We will return with a few more surveys of the rest of the sale between now and the close. In the meantime we hope you browse our carefully assembled 313 lots, and perhaps find the perfect piece to fit your collection.

Allan, Marnie, & Lief Davisson

Please feel free to contact us with any questions by replying to this email.

You may bid through the website, or via:

• Mail: Davissons • PO Box 323 • Cold Spring MN 56320
• Email: info@davcoin.com
• Phone: (320) 685-3835
• Fax: (320) 685-8636

Thank you for your interest!

To view all the lots in this auction, see:
https://davcoin.com/sale/E-Auction%2049

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
DAVISSONS E-AUCTION 49 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n22a18.html)

 

STACK'S BOWERS BRUUN COLLECTION PART I

The L. E. Bruun Collection is coming to market beginning with Part I on September 14, 2024, after a century-long slumber. Bruun, a native of Denmark, began collecting coins as a boy in the 1850s and collected up to the time of his passing in 1923. He was the preeminent collector of Scandinavian coinage in his day, leaving behind a collection of about 20,000 Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish coins, medals, tokens and banknotes, in addition to a world-class numismatic library.

A unique provision in his will set aside his collection as a reserve for the Royal Danish Coin and Medal Collection for a period of 100 years. If the Royal Collection was somehow lost or destroyed, the Bruun Collection would become a gift to the Danish state. If the Royal Collection survived the century intact, then his collection would be auctioned off to the benefit of his direct descendants. The 100-year waiting period came to an end on November 21, 2023, and with the Royal Collection intact, Bruun's vast collections became destined for the auction block.

The inaugural auction features nearly 300 gold and silver rarities spanning a period of over four centuries, from the 1496 gold noble of King Hans, the first gold coin issued by a Danish king, to coins that would have circulated in Bruun's own lifetime. Select highlights from Part I of the collection are featured below, while a preview of the complete auction can be viewed by clicking here.

To view all the lots in this auction, see:
https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/auctions/3-1AKQTC/auction-preview-the-l-e-bruun-collection-a-corpus-of-scandinavian-numismatics-part-i

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
The Bruun Collection of World Coins (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n12a21.html)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
The Bruun Collection Gets Coverage (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n20a22.html)

THE COINS OF DIOCLETIAN

THE ABUNDANT AND complex coins of Diocletian document a period of profound change in Roman history.

In November 284, Roman soldiers escorting the ailing emperor Numerian's coach across Anatolia smelled a foul odor. When they opened its curtains, they found the emperor had been dead for some time. Suspicion fell on Lucius Flavius Aper, the Praetorian Prefect. Diocles, commanding the imperial bodyguard, accused Aper of murdering the emperor and executed him on the spot. The legions immediately proclaimed Diocles as emperor, who renamed himself Diocletianus–usually written in English as Diocletian.

A tough soldier of humble origin from Dalmatia (the coastal region of modern Croatia), Diocletian would rule for 20 years, ending the chaotic military anarchy that had tormented the empire for five decades. Realizing that the Roman Empire had become too large for one man to manage, he made his trusted friend Maximianus co-emperor in the West, ruling from Trier in Germany and later from Milan in Italy. Diocletian himself ruled in the East, establishing his capital at Nicomedia (modern Izmit, Türkiye). To ensure a smooth succession, each emperor later appointed a junior colleague (designated as Caesar) in a system that historians call the Tetrarchy[2]. Maximian chose Constantius Chlorus as his junior colleague, while Diocletian chose Galerius, sealing the deal by giving Galerius his daughter in marriage.

Roman soldiers during this era expected to be paid in gold. Although the purity of the metal was maintained, the weight of the gold aureus declined sharply during the second half of the third century CE, becoming so inconsistent that the coins traded by weight. Early in his reign, Diocletian issued aurei of 6.5 grams at a standard of 50 to the 12-ounce Roman pound. This was later reduced to a standard of 60 to the pound (5.3 grams). One source (Sear, 79-89) lists 97 different aurei coins in the name of Diocletian alone, and additional joint issues that depict him and his co-emperor Maximian.

The emperor's stern portrait features a laurel wreath, a short beard, and a military haircut. The reverse typically bears the standing figure of Diocletian's patron deity Jupiter with an eagle and the inscription IOVI CONSERVATORI AVG (To Jove, Preserver of the Emperor)[3]. An example graded Choice AU, High relief and perfectly centered brought $16,000 in a 2023 U.S. auction.

To read the complete article, see:
The Great Reformer: The Coins of Diocletian (https://coinweek.com/diocletian-coins-the-great-reformer/)

ANCIENT COIN FIND IN LOD, ISRAEL

Archaeologists have uncovered a hoard of silver and bronze coins dating from the 4th century CE buried in the foundations of an ancient, destroyed Jewish public building in the central Israel city of Lod, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on Sunday.

The 94 coins were probably buried for safekeeping during the events of the Gallus Revolt (351-354 CE), a lesser-known Jewish uprising against Roman rule in the land of Israel, but the building was destroyed and the coins were never recovered, the IAA said.

The Gallus Revolt was named by historians after the Roman Emperor Constantius Gallus (326–354), who at the time was presiding over a fractured, weakened empire, but specifics about the events are not clear, explained IAA archaeologist Mor Viezel, co-director of the Lod excavations, to The Times of Israel.

According to the Roman historians, Roman forces came to Tiberias, Sepphoris and Lod and destroyed buildings down to their foundations. And this is the building we found in Lod, with this treasure of 94 coins buried underground, Viezel said.

Although the building was destroyed, archaeologists found impressive stone and marble artifacts along with Greek, Hebrew and Latin inscriptions including one bearing the name of a Jewish man from a priestly family, which is still being studied, the IAA said. The building could have been used as a synagogue, study hall, meeting hall of the elders, or all three of these functions as one.The archaeologists actually discovered hundreds of coins in the excavation, but the specific hoard of 94 coins, found together, was dated from the time of the Gallus Revolt or just before, and a significant number of them hadn't been used very much, Viezel said, indicated that they were newly minted and then set aside.

The archaeologists actually discovered hundreds of coins in the excavation, but the specific hoard of 94 coins, found together, was dated from the time of the Gallus Revolt or just before, and a significant number of them hadn't been used very much, Viezel said, indicated that they were newly minted and then set aside.

We see them as emergency coins. There was instability, and they buried the coins to protect them. They did it in a public building. We find a lot of these hoards in synagogues, as people felt those buildings would survive and they could return later, Viezel said.

To read the complete articles, see:
Ancient Lod coin hoard reveals details of little-known 4th-century Jewish uprising (https://www.timesofisrael.com/ancient-lod-coin-hoard-reveals-details-of-little-known-4th-century-jewish-uprising/)
The last rebellion: Hoard of coins reveals Lod's ancient history (https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/archeology/artc-the-last-rebellion-hoard-of-coins-reveals-lod-s-ancient-history)

 

MEDALS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

The eighteenth century saw the beginnings of a considerable fashion for the production of medals, which gave a platform for the recording and dissemination of information on current events.

The French Revolution, which began in 1789, took place at a time when medallic art was evolving, and the Revolution itself fueled the developments. The dramatic and controversial events that took place in this period were interpreted from many angles.

The Ashmolean Museum holds a fine collection of medals celebrating, commemorating, and lamenting these events; the storming of the Bastille, the abolition of the French monarchy, the executions of the king and queen, and the major constitutional reforms, during the period 1789-1793. Explore a selection of medals, made in France and abroad, that represent these turning points in French history.

Made by Bertrand Andrieu, an important artist of the French Revolution, this medal enjoyed great success. For months before July 1789 there had been a stand-off between the king and the citizens of Paris. In early July there was fighting between the Parisians and King Louis XVI's foreign mercenaries in different parts of the city, including at the Bastille, which was a prison and a depot for gunpowder. On this medal we can see the citizens in the foreground, and the Swiss mercenaries at the highest point of the fortress.

This specimen was bequeathed to Oxford University in 1834 by the Reverend Robert Finch, student of Balliol, antiquarian, and British expat in Rome of the Romantic period.

On another medal by Andrieu, King Louis XVI is depicted entering Paris. His carriage is directly beneath the statue of his father Louis XV, in the square named after him at the time. On 5 October the king had been dragged from his palace at Versailles. He was henceforth required to live in the city, in the now demolished Tuileries Palace. This medal was in the collection of the same Reverend Finch.

From this moment onwards, the fate of the royal family gripped people's attention in monarchist Europe. On the reverse of this medal Louis takes leave from his wife Marie Antoinette and their children. The pose and sentiment are quite modern for the age. Küchler was the engraver at Matthew Boulton's Soho mint in Birmingham. This and the next medal were donated to Oxford University by Matthew Boulton the Younger.

This companion piece to the previous one shows us approximately the same view as #3. The square had in the meantime been renamed Place de la Liberté after a statue of liberty which replaced that of Louis XV. The current name Place de la Concorde was chosen after the reign of Terror. We witness here the moment the king's head has come off and is shown to the members of the National Guard and other spectators.

A fine series of silver medals was produced at the royal Prussian mint at Berlin at the time, engraved by Loos. They are directly accusatory. The mourning figure of royalist France, wearing a cloak embroidered with fleurs-de-lis, is holding the king's urn. The inscription reads cry for and avenge him. A set of the Loos series of medals was bequeathed to the Ashmolean Museum from the estate of the famous geologist Walter Calverley Trevelyan.

Marie Antoinette was to follow her husband to the same guillotine half a year later. Küchler's design is reminiscent of the sketch by Jean-Louis David which shows the queen on her way to the execution, hands tied behind her back and in simple garment and cap.

To read the complete article, see:
Medals of the French Revolution (https://www.ashmolean.org/article/medals-french-revolution)

 

NEW HAVEN BICENTENNIAL MEDAL

One of the many U.S. Mint medals struck in the 19th century and cataloged by R.W. Julian is the 1838 Bicentennial of New Haven, Connecticut medal. Struck in both bronze and silver, both sides depict the major transformation of the Elm City, from its founding in 1638 by a company of 500 Puritan settlers to a major port city. This masterpiece from the U.S. Mint was designed by Charles Cushing Wright.

The obverse displays members of the settler company with Rev. John Davenport preaching to his followers below what can be presumed to be an elm tree. Members of the native Quinnipiack tribe look on and the ridges of South Mountain can be seen in the background. The words QUINNIPIACK and 1638 appear at the upper legend.

From this earliest scene, we flip the medal over to the reverse, which shows a vibrant urban environment. The foreground shows shipping in the harbor on the Long Island Sound, an early steam train laden with goods, and the many churches and buildings of Yale University in the background. NEW HAVEN and 1838 appear at the upper legend.

The biblical quote The desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose. from Issah 35:1 frames the lower periphery on both sides.

This wonderful commemorative medal is graded MS-64 BN by NGC and is wonderfully preserved with a rich mahogany color overall. This medal has always been one of my personal favorites, having graduated in 2006 from Quinnipiac University, named after the Native American tribe that lived in New Haven County.

The entire June 2024 Expo Auction is available for viewing and presale bidding at StacksBowers.com, with live bidding commencing on June 17, 2024 at 9:00 AM PT.

To read the complete article, see:
BEAUTIFUL BRONZE NEW HAVEN BICENTENNIAL MEDAL IN JUNE 2024 SHOWCASE AUCTION (https://stacksbowers.com/beautiful-bronze-new-haven-bicentennial-medal-in-june-2024-showcase-auction/)

THE FREE STATE OF BOTTLENECK

... did you know that not long ago, there was a place whose government called itself the Free State of Bottleneck? I'm not kidding. Here are some details:

• The Free State of Bottleneck, nestled between France and Germany, existed for four years and a month, from January 1919 to February 1923, and boasted a population of 17,000.
• Its capital was Lorch, a town on the Rhine River, whose mayor was elected the country's president.
• It issued its own passports, coin, currency, and stamps, all highly prized by collectors to this day.
• Because it wasn't formally recognized by its neighboring countries, Bottleneckers couldn't trade openly with the French or the Germans. So they earned a living by smuggling and by occasionally hijacking a train or a boat.

The country derived its odd name by its geographic shape, the result of circular zones of Allied occupation after Germany's defeat in World War I. The zones were supposed to overlap but didn't, producing a strip of land between them that looked like a bottleneck on the map. Ironic, isn't it, that incompetent government map makers inadvertently created an unclaimed chunk of previously-German land whose very shape resembles both a wine bottle and a common duty of government itself, namely, slowing or halting free movement and progress.

Bottleneck earned its own chapter in Gideon Defoe's fascinating 2020 book, An Atlas of Extinct Countries. Defoe writes of its citizens:

To read the complete article, see:
The Forgotten European Country with an Unforgettable Name (https://fee.org/articles/the-forgotten-european-country-with-an-unforgettable-name/)

The Free State Bottleneck was the self-deprecating name of a quasi state in-between the post-WW1 Rhineland occupation zones of France and the United States, which was cut off from the rest of Germany, as all roads and railroads out of the area went through the occupation zones.

Except for a provisional road built through the mountainous terrain that lead to Limburg which was legally assigned the administration of the area of the Free State - most goods though had to be smuggled, as the road wasn't suitable for heavy wagons and couldn't sustain the requirements of the region.

The state remained practically independent until the 1923 French occupation of the Ruhr, which, in February, also ordered the occupation of areas like the Free State Bottleneck, that laid in-between the bridgeheads. This occupation was ended in November 1924. The populace continued resistance until the end of the Rhineland occupation in 1929/30, not in form of an independent state though as the administrational difficulties had been resolved by then.

The shape the circular occupation zones created made the state in-between them look like a bottleneck on a map, thus the name.

To read the complete article, see:
50 Pfennig (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/note227331.html)

VISITING ROYAL JOHANNES ENSCHEDE

One of the highlights of my recent trip to the MIF Paper Money Fair in Maastricht was attending a presentation by Marcel Klok, Sales Director Banknotes, of the storied Dutch security printer Royal Johannes Enschedé. His presentation briefly touched on the history of the firm established in 1703, and gave a nice overview of the process of banknote printing from conception, design, approval, and mass production. While Enschedé no longer prints legal tender banknotes for nations, they are still a major player in printing other security documents such as passports and stamps, as well as commercial banknotes for private entities that capitalize on their expertise in anti-counterfeiting features and distinctive numismatic designs.

At the end of his presentation, Klok extended an open invitation to the audience to visit Enschedé in Haarlem. Knowing that banknote printers are usually very discrete and secretive, I eagerly accepted this rare offer and was pleasantly surprised when he confirmed my visit for two days after MIF ended. An easy 15-minute train ride from Amsterdam brought me to the outskirts of Haarlem where the Enschedé plant sits adjacent to an IKEA furniture store. The nondescript low-slung industrial building is surrounded by a steel perimeter fence topped with spikes and razor wire, reinforced with granite bollards, and plenty of security cameras; all clues that there's something special going on inside.

Much of the equipment at Enschedé was familiar to me from my high school print shop training, though on a much different scale, to be sure. At one point Klok asked if I wanted to enter the printer and I thought it must have been a translation error or I misheard somehow. But in fact the intaglio printer is so large that there are areas where one can literally stand upright inside, watching the paper feed onto drums that churn incessantly. At a light table, Klok pulled out some sheets with pages of a passport of an African country so that we could examine the fine raised intaglio printing and other security features. Elsewhere in the factory, I saw self-adhesive German postage stamps on spools as large as tractor trailer tires. After high-speed ink-jet printers applied unique bar codes to each stamp that allows for digital tracking and cancelation, the enormous spools were sliced into small coils of stamps, each boxed for retail sale.

Enschedé wasn't printing any banknotes when I visited, but our next stop on the tour was downtown Haarlem, to the site of the original Enschedé printing facility that had produced notes from 1810 until 1990. Driving down the ramp to the underground parking garage, Klok pointed out that our car was entering the old banknote vaults, though there was no remainders to be found, alas. The old Enschedé printing complex is an ornate brick building with lots of visually interesting architectural details, including a clock tower and memorial plaque.

To read the complete article, see:
Enschedé: A Rare Peek Inside The Secretive World Of Bank Note Printing (https://www.greysheet.com/news/story/ensched%C3%A9-a-rare-peek-inside-the-secretive-world-of-bank-note-printing)

MAGNET FISHERS TAKE THIER BOOTY TO THE BEP

James Kane was bleary-eyed as he climbed onto the upper deck of a Megabus, wearing a cowboy hat with stickers and carrying a backpack that contained a small fortune.

He'd only gotten three hours of sleep the night before, as the previous day had been a blur of interviews with news wires, TV stations and radio programs. He was headed to Washington, more specifically to an obscure branch of the Treasury Department that dealt with mutilated currency.

It all started when he hoisted a safe out of a creek in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. Ever since losing his job during the pandemic, Mr. Kane had been trying to establish himself as a magnet fisherman with a YouTube channel. He had the cops on speed dial as someone who regularly found computer hard drives, gun parts and the occasional live grenade.

All the immediate attention we're receiving from this money is driving us a little crazy and we're a little afraid, he wrote. We don't have a lot of money so we're going to be using whatever we have for a bus to get down there. He also alluded to the fact that his plight was time-sensitive. The paper money, which had once been preserved in muck, was turning brittle and starting to disintegrate.

Mr. Kane thought there might be $40,000 left, tops, and that the amount seemed to be decaying with each passing day... Mr. Kane and Ms. Agostini scraped together the $140 round-trip bus fare. And at 6:45 a.m. this past Friday, they boarded the bus to the capital. They figured it would all work out if they got to the bureau, which deals with damaged money, before it closed for the weekend. They had no appointment, but they were hoping for the best.

In Queens, we can't walk three blocks without the mailman, the pizza man, some kids on the street being like ‘You're that guy! Mr. Kane said as he made his way toward the Treasury. They think we have the money in our pockets. But nobody knows us here, which is very strange.

Mr. Kane walked into the Bureau of Engraving and put a two-and-a-half-inch knife, a can of pepper spray and the backpack with his waterlogged money through the metal detector. He hadn't actually rehearsed what he would say to the security guard on the other side.

We are treasure hunters, and we found a safe full of money that was stolen, is what he went with. It's squished, and it's been in a pond for about 10 years. It also smells terrible.

Without skipping a beat, the guard said something into his radio, and two professionally dressed Treasury employees, a man and a woman, promptly came downstairs. Both looked unfazed as Mr. Kane repeated his treasure hunter spiel. They rifled through his backpack and pulled out a plastic bag containing a stack of money that appeared to be a solid clump about four inches thick. Yeah, all of this is currency, said the woman.

Even the mud, said the man.

Right there in the lobby he estimated that Mr. Kane was holding somewhere in the ballpark of $50,000 to $70,000. They and the rest of their 11-person team would need about nine months to officially count it and replace it with unblemished currency. But when they were done, the money would be his, tax-free.

America the beautiful! Mr. Kane said.

After being handed a case number, he and Ms. Agostini walked out of the building and embraced. They wanted to celebrate, but they weren't rich just yet. So they approached a security guard for directions to the nearest Shake Shack.

To read the complete articles, see:
The Magnet Fisherman's Dilemma: What to Do With $70,000 Before It Disintegrates (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/13/nyregion/couple-magnet-fishing-safe-nyc.html)
NYC treasure hunters who hauled in $100K while ‘magnet fishing' need to wait 9 months to enjoy their riches — here's why (https://nypost.com/2024/06/15/us-news/nyc-treasure-hunters-who-hauled-in-100k-while-magnet-fishing-need-to-wait-9-months-to-enjoy-their-riches-heres-why)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
MAGNET FISHING YIELDS $100,000 IN CASH (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n23a25.html)

MONEY HIDDEN IN HOMES

After their father died in 2021, Susan Camp and her brother cleaned out his home — and inadvertently threw out $5,000 in cash he had wrapped in aluminum foil and stashed in the freezer. (Luckily, they later retrieved it.)

It might not be under the mattress, but for people who stumble across a small fortune after an elderly relative dies or moves to a nursing home, uncovering such unexpected wealth — technically part of a person's estate — can bring complications and even conflict.

Oftentimes, members of older generations perceive keeping cash, gold or other valuables at home as safer than keeping them in a bank, experts say. I think this is more common for the baby boomer generation and older, said Mark Criner III, senior trust strategist for Baird Trust in Scottsdale, Ariz. When you get to that generation, there was a real mistrust of financial institutions, he said, referring to people old enough to remember the Great Depression and the bank failures of the 1930s.

While throwing cash in the trash is a very real risk of keeping money at home, it is far from the only one, advisers say. Valuables kept in the home can be stolen, destroyed by a disaster like a fire, or surreptitiously appropriated by a family member.

Things have a way of disappearing from the home, especially when you have existing family drama or a dispute, said Alvina Lo, chief wealth strategist at Wilmington Trust, a subsidiary of M&T Bank.

This potential for tension among survivors can arise even if no misappropriation takes place, experts say.

Over time, experts predict that people's keeping cash at home will diminish as the collective memory of the Great Depression fades, and the use of digital banking continues to increase.

While this is good news from a financial-planning perspective, people who have seen this dynamic play out say it would also spare survivors the painful emotions these discoveries can cause.

Finding, for instance, hundred-dollar bills secreted amid items that would normally be donated or discarded is stressful for surviving loved ones because it necessitates a much lengthier, painstaking process of removing personal effects from a home. The families are grieving and it's very hard for them, said Ms. Volpe, who is a real estate broker in Hyde Park, N.Y.

To read the complete article (subscription required), see:
When the Money Is Under the Mattress. Or in the Freezer. Or a Shoebox. (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/08/business/cash-at-home-retirement.html)

MORE CARELESS CASH STASHES

Almost 30 years ago, I received a call from a dealer friend of mine who worked in a small coin shop in northern Illinois. He mentioned a woman came in with seven uncirculated early $5 Legal Tender notes. Five turned out to be scarce 1928B $5 replacement notes in Gem Uncirculated condition. These notes were found in a book purchased at a local book fair. Her $1 purchase turned out to be valued in the thousands of dollars. It happens all too often; sometimes very rare notes are placed within the pages of a random book to be dealt with later. Often the notes are forgotten, creating a windfall for others.

Fr. 1527*. 1928B $5 Legal Tender Star Note. PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ. | Stacks Bowers

Just this past week I received another lead from a woman who recently lost her husband. He was an avid book collector, concentrating on First Editions. While perusing one of the books a crisp, she found a brand new $1000 Federal Reserve Note neatly tucked between its pages. I look forward to seeing what other treasures may be nestled within the pages of other books, but that is a story for another day.

As collectors we certainly enjoy showing our treasures to others, teaching about our hobby, and sharing all that comes with collecting. It is always best to place collectible notes into holders or currency albums where they will be easily found rather than, say, after page 133 of a first edition of Gone with the Wind. If that happens the note could be gone for good.

To read the complete article, see:
WHERE DO YOU STORE YOUR CURRENCY? (https://stacksbowers.com/where-do-you-store-your-currency/)

LOOSE CHANGE: JUNE 16, 2024

Making the Peace Dollar, Part One

An American silver dollar commemorating peace was a nice idea, but it was also mired in post-war complexity.

1920 ANA Convention members discussed the subject and decided to appoint a committee …to cooperate with government officials to secure the issue of a Peace-Victory coin, and to aid in the selection of a design and size of the coin. The Peace-Victory Commemorative Committee consisted of Judson Brenner, chairman; J.M. Henderson, MD; Howland Wood (American Numismatic Society curator); Farran Zerbe (coin dealer); and William A. Ashbrook (United States House of Representatives, D-OH17).

Representative Ashbrook was a coin collector, a six-time member of the United States Mint's Assay Commission, and a former chairman of the House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. He should have brought considerable clout to the ANA's efforts. But when the Republican Party gained control of the House in 1918, Representative Albert Henry Vestal (R-IN8) replaced him as committee chairman; Ashbrook was defeated for reelection in November 1920. Nevertheless, Vestal and Ashbrook were friends, and Ashbrook was well-regarded by committee members from both parties. He used his waning influence to persuade Vestal to call an informal committee meeting on December 14, 1920, to hear the ANA's suggestions for a peace commemorative. Of the ANA members appointed to the committee, only Brenner, Henderson, and Ashbrook attended the House Coinage Committee meeting.

To read the complete article, see:
Making the Peace Dollar, Part One: Stuck in Committee (https://coinweek.com/a-victory-peace-dollar-part-one-stuck-in-committee/)

Collecting Tossed-Out Coins

Flock traveled to Morrisville, Pennsylvania to see the operations happen in real time, where he walked around the building to watch machines sift through incinerated trash, forcing coins to fall through round holes before they're sorted into bins.

Once sorted, the coins go through a washing station to come out shining like new and are spread out on a rack to dry.

"This allows us to better sort the coins, to determine what coins are in good condition or have been damaged, but it also lets us know which denominations we're dealing with," Guardino explained during the "Mornings with Maria" segment, Monday, as Flock sifted through a mountain of coins.

To read the complete article, see:
Pennsylvania waste management facility collects millions of dollars worth of tossed out coins (https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/pennsylvania-waste-management-facility-collects-millions-dollars-tossed-coins)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
COLLECTING COINS FROM TRASH (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n16a20.html)

Update: Canada's New King Charles III Banknotes

On the first anniversary of the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, the Bank of Canada issued a progress update on designing a new $20 bank note.

As announced by the government at the coronation, the new note will feature King Charles III as the portrait subject. The back will continue to feature the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. The new note will be vertical like the current $10 note, made of polymer and primarily green in colour, the Bank said today.

The Bank will incorporate enhanced security features into the redesigned $20 note, which will keep Canada one step ahead of counterfeiting threats.

In the meantime, the current $20 note, which was first issued in 2012 and which features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, will continue to circulate.

To read the complete article, see:
Bank of Canada updates progress on new $20 note (https://www.bankofcanada.ca/2024/05/bank-of-canada-updates-progress-on-new-20-note/)