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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 1/4/2025 - Workman's Books

 

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 NOVEMBER 24, 2024

New subscribers this week include: Julio Castano, courtesy Bob Van Arsdell; Curt Gammer, courtesy Julian Leidman, and James McHugh. Welcome aboard! We now have 7,258 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.

What with compiling and writing my Diary article and handling chores at home, I was unable to get through all of the week's email. If you submitted something, hang tight and I should get to it by next week's issue. We're not traveling for the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to all our U.S. readers.

This week we open with NBS news, a numismatic literature sale, one new book, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, the Christian Gobrecht headstone dedication, notes from readers, and more.

Other topics this week include three cent patterns, ANA news, the Gold Coin Club, Julio Kilenyi, fixed price and auction offerings, my numismatic diary, and a number of banknote stories.

To learn more about J.D. Ferguson, Guido Crapanzano, Coin Columnists, medals relating to architects, counterfeit coins from China, the Stolen Stella, why numismatics did not become an academic profession in the U.S., the Sigmund Freud medal, the medal of Immortality, the U.S Mint Braille Education Set, advertising notes, credit cards, and a Greek short snorter, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

ASYLUM WINTER 2024 ISSUE PUBLISHED

Welcome to The Asylum's Winter 2024 edition.

In this issue:

• "J.D. Ferguson: A Bibliographical Tribute" By Darryl A. Atchison, F.C.N.R.S.
• "Guido Crapanzano, an Extraordinary Man" By Stefano Poddi
• "An Incomplete Listing of Coin Columnists" By Pete Smith

Message from NBS President Len Augsburger

Welcome to the Winter issue of The Asylum. While there is nothing quite as pleasant as the scent of a book-filled room, it's appropriate that we acknowledge our electronic publication, the E-Sylum, which celebrated its 26th anniversary on September 4. In a rapidly evolving digital age, an online periodical lasting for 26 years is a rare bird, and congratulations to Editor Wayne Homren for the weekly production of the E-Sylum are much in order. Wayne wears many hats as editor, handling everything from editorial to advertising to IT. Wayne has built the circulation to a whopping 7,000 readers, and more so has created a community that continually informs itself with fresh and compelling content.

In addition to Wayne's contributions, which never cease to inform and entertain on a weekly basis, I would like to mention two other individuals who contribute in ways that might not be readily apparent. John Nebel provides free webhosting services to NBS (including the E-Sylum), in addition to related maintenance of the same. We are blessed to have a numismatist in this position, who understands our technical issues more intimately than we could expect from another commercial provider. Bruce Perdue, past president of the Central States Numismatic Society, administers the NBS website, coinbooks.org. This site presents several features, including the quarterly podcast, and I would like to call special attention to the E-Sylum archive, which is best described as a structured database of the entire E-Sylum since inception.

Finally, I'd like to welcome Garrett Ziss to the E-Sylum team. Garrett is known to many of you as the 2020 American Numismatic Association Young Numismatist of the Year. Garrett studies economics and business at the University of Pittsburgh and expects to begin graduate work in fall 2025. Under Wayne's direction, Garrett is handling the production of several articles in the E-Sylum each week. Welcome to Garrett, and thanks to all of those involved with the weekly E-Sylum.

NBS Membership Renewal Time!

Please renew your membership in the NBS to continue receiving The Asylum. Go to coinbooks.org to pay by PayPal or download a membership form today. Your current expiration date is printed to the right of your name on your subscription envelope, which should be arriving soon.

 

ABOUT THIS ISSUE: NOVEMBER 24, 2024

Wayne Homren
Wayne Homren is the founding editor of The E-Sylum and a consultant for the Newman Numismatic Portal. His collecting interests at various times included U.S. Encased Postage Stamps, merchant counterstamps, Pittsburgh Obsolete paper money, Civil War tokens and scrip, Carnegie Hero Medals, charge coins and numismatic literature. He also collects and has given presentations on the work of Money Artist J.S.G. Boggs. In the non-numismatic world he's worked in artificial intelligence, data science, and as a Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Garrett Ziss
Garrett Ziss is a numismatic collector and researcher, with a focus on American paper money and early U.S. silver and copper coins. He is also a part-time U.S. coin cataloger for Heritage Auctions. Garrett assists Editor Wayne Homren by editing and formatting a selection of articles and images each week. When he's not engaged in numismatics, Garrett is a Senior Honors student at the University of Pittsburgh.

Pete Smith
Numismatic researcher and author Pete Smith of Minnesota has written about early American coppers, Vermont coinage, numismatic literature, tokens and medals, the history of the U.S. Mint and much more. Author of American Numismatic Biographies, he contributes original articles to The E-Sylum often highlighting interesting figures in American numismatic history.

Greg Bennick
Greg Bennick (www.gregbennick.com) is a keynote speaker and long time coin collector with a focus on major mint error coins and US counterstamps. He is on the board of both CONECA and TAMS and enjoys having in-depth conversations with prominent numismatists from all areas of the hobby. Have ideas for other interviewees? Contact him anytime on the web or via instagram @minterrors.

John Nebel
Numismatist, photographer, and ANS Board member and Fellow John Nebel of Boulder, CO helped the ANA and other clubs like NBS get online in the early days of the internet, hosting websites gratis through his Computer Systems Design Co. To this day he hosts some 50 ANA member club sites along with our coinbooks.org site, making the club and our E-Sylum archive available to collectors and researchers worldwide.

Bruce Perdue
Encased coinage collector (encasedcoins.info) Bruce Perdue of Aurora, Illinois has been the volunteer NBS webmaster from its early days and works each week to add the latest E-Sylum issue to our archive and send out the email announcement.

GUT-LYNT AUCTION 19 LITERATURE LOTS

Dear collectors and friends of numismatics!

Our Gut-Lynt Auction 19 has been online for a few days and pre-bids are now possible.

On the weekend of 30 November and 1 December, we will be offering over 2500 lots of coins and medals from the Ancient World to the present time, including 350 lots of numismatic literature and 500 lots of banknotes. The auctions will start at 10:00 am, each day.

The Gut-Lynt Auction 19 will start on Saturday, 30 November at 10:00 a.m. (CET) with more than 500 coins from the Ancient World.

Following the ancient coins will be a series of c. 500 banknotes from various collections starting around 2.00 pm (CET). Of particular interest is a collection of emergency notes relating to Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Neubrandenburg with many rarities, such as rye money in numerous variations, up to the 100 centner issue.

Numismatic literature has become an integral part of the Gut-Lynt auction programme alongside notaphily. In this auction, the library of a collector and connoisseur of medallic art, especially Renaissance medals, will now be offered for sale. Almost 400 lots will be auctioned off from around 17:00 (CET). Many of the books and catalogues are lavishly bound in half leather, which clearly demonstrates the collector's love for his passion.

On Sunday, 1 December, Gut-Lynt 19 will start at 10:00 (CET) and present over 1200 lots. German Coins and Medals will kick the auction day off, followed by World Coins.

Lot 1504: BURKART, L. / KRAUT, J. / MATZKE, M. / SCHAFFNER, M. All'antica. Die Paduaner und die Faszination der Antike, Speyer 2013, 376 Seiten mit Abbildungen. Kartoniert. I / As new - no signs of wear or defects.

Lot 1511: KLUGE, B. / ALRAM, M. Gold Giganten. Das Große Gold in der Münze und Medaille. Berlin 2010. 384 Seiten mit zahlreichen Textabbildungen. Kartoniert. I / As new - no signs of wear or defects.

Lot 1522: FRANKE, P.R. / HIRMER, M. Die griechische Münze. München 1964. 173 Seiten, 220 Tafeln. 20 Farbtafeln. Orig.-Ganzleinen. II / Fine - nice clean copy, slight signs of use.

Lot 1523: KENT, J.P.C. / OVERBECK, B. / STYLOW, A.U. Die römische Münze. München 1973. Mit Aufnahmen von Max und Albert Hirmer. 195 Seiten, davon einige mit Stammtafeln und Karten, 172 Tafeln, 26 Farbtafeln. Orig.-Ganzleinen. II / Fine - nice clean copy, slight signs of use.

Lot 1524: MATTINGLY, H. / SUTHERLAND, C.H.V. / KENT, J. P. C. u.a. ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE. Volume I bis X. 13x Bände in Ganzleinen mit Rückengoldprägung. Nur Volume V, Part 1 fehlt. Nachdrucke der 1970er Jahre bzw. bis 1994 (Vol. X). I / As new - no signs of wear or defects. (13x). High shipping fee!

Lot 1560: DAVENPORT, J.S. The Talers of the Austrian Noble House. Galesburg 1972. 64 Seiten mit Abbildungen. Halbleder. I / As new - no signs of wear or defects.

Lot 1562: EYPELTAUER, T. Corpus Nummorum Regni Mariae Theresiae. Basel 1973. 417 Seiten mit zahlreichen Textabbildungen. Ganzleinen mit Schutzumschlag. II / Fine - nice clean copy, slight signs of use.

Lot 1588: BöRNER, L. Die italienischen Medaillen der Renaissance und des Barock (1450 bis 1750). Berliner Numismatische Forschungen, Neue Folge Band 5. Berlin 1997. 458 Seiten, 152 Tafeln. Kartoniert. III / Very good - some wear, no serious defects.

Lot 1600: CUPPERI, W. / HIRSCH, M. / KRANZ, A. / PFISTERER, U. (Hrsg.). Wettstreit in Erz. Porträtmedaillen der deutschen Renaissance. München 2013. 376 Seiten mit Abbildungen. Kartoniert. I / As new - no signs of wear or defects.

Lot 1613: EIDLITZ, R.J. Medals and Medallions relating to Architects. Einseitige Fotokopie der Ausgabe New York 1927. XXXV, 190 Seiten, 125 Tafeln. Halbleder mit Goldaufschrift. II / Fine - nice clean copy, slight signs of use.

Lot 1614: ERMAN, A. Deutsche Medailleure des sechzehnten und siebenzehnten Jahrhunderts. SD aus der Zeitschrift für Numismatik XII, 1. Heft. Berlin 1884. 123 Seiten, 11 Tafeln. Halbleder mit Goldaufschrift. II / Fine - nice clean copy, slight signs of use.

For more information, or to bid, see:
https://www.gut-lynt.de/

 

COMPREHENSIVE CATALOG OF 3C PATTERNS

Michael Bourne Publishes Research on the 3-cent Pattern Series

Documenting a nearly 50-year quest, Michael Bourne's Comprehensive Catalog of 3c Patterns serves not only as the definitive catalog of the U.S. 3-cent pattern series, but also chronicles the formation of this important father-and-son collection. The U.S. Mint produced nearly a hundred different 3-cent patterns (including the off-metal strikes), dated 1849 to 1885. Bourne provides commentary for each issue, presents an extensive list of market appearances, and lists the finest known pieces. This is no mere recitation of auction catalog listings drawn from online resources, but rather a deep exploration of the literature than has uncovered examples in fixed price lists, private collections, and institutional cabinets.

Judd, Davis, Adams-Woodin, and Pollock numbers are all cross-referenced. Bourne would have been more than justified in renumbering the entire series, but, with respect to Dr. Judd, he has instead suggested a set of changes to future editions of the Judd reference. As such, this work will be an indispensable companion to Judd's United States Pattern Coins.

Multi-generational collections are the exception rather than the rule, as the collecting gene is not always transmitted from parents to children. The Bourne collection demonstrates a sustained commitment to a single idea, and it is completely appropriate that Michael has memorialized the collection in a comprehensive and authoritative manner.

Link to Comprehensive Catalog of 3c Patterns on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/booksbyauthor/554217

To order a hardcopy on Amazon, see:
Comprehensive Catalog of 3¢ Patterns (https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Catalog-Patterns-Michael-Bourne/dp/B0DNTV2KJG/)

 

VIDEO: COUNTERFEIT COINS FROM CHINA

Ron Guth has years of experience in US and world coins. He is founder of CoinFacts website that was purchased by PCGS and continues to work as president of that site. In this important lecture Ron shares: background of the Chinese economy

• why China has become a center for counterfeiting
• examples of the minting equipment and dies being used
• pictures of coins being faked and phone third party holders

From the 2009 Central States Numismatic Society convention.

To watch the complete video, see:
Emerging Threat of Counterfeit Coins from China (https://youtu.be/bOoTRMAAz9I)

CHRISTIAN GOBRECHT HEADSTONE DEDICATION

Sponsored by the Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC), a new headstone was placed at the Christian Gobrecht grave at Lawnview Cemetery in Rockledge, PA, on November 13. In attendance were LSCC members, U.S. Mint personnel, and descendants of the Gobrecht family. Benjamin Franklin, in the person of Pat McBride, was present, while the American Numismatic Society was represented by Resolute Americana Curator Jesse Kraft.

Speakers included Liberty Seated Collectors (LSCC) president Len Augsburger, past LSCC vice-president Bill Bugert, American Numismatic Association president Tom Uram, U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Joe Menna, and the Honorable Ventris C. Gibson, U.S. Mint Director. Uram produced a challenge coin for the event, which was distributed to attendees.

Originally interred at Philadelphia's Monument Cemetery in north central Philadelphia, the remains of Gobrecht and his family were moved in 1956, when the Monument Cemetery property was transferred by the city of Philadelphia to Temple University. Bill Bugert, writing in the July 2008 Gobrecht Journal, detailed his investigation into the location of the Gobrecht plot. The documentary trail , beginning with Monument Cemetery, eventually led Bugert to Lawnview Memorial Park in Rockledge, PA.

There, Bugert discovered that the original Gobrecht family headstone had been discarded during the 1956 move of remains from Philadelphia to Rockledge, PA. A marker reading simply "GOBRECHT" now marked the family plot, hardly a fitting tribute to the Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint. In 2023, LSCC Vice-President Dennis Fortier spearheaded the effort to commission a new headstone, which has now been placed at Lawnview Park.

Link to July 2008 Gobrecht Journal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/177

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: NOVEMBER 24, 2024

On the Stolen Stella
Regarding the $4 gold Stella stolen from the Douglas Weaver Rare Coins Shop in Waco, Texas, Julian Leidman writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
COIN DEALER TEDDY KEITH THRUSH (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n46a13.html)

Japan's Ceramic Ghost Coins
Steve Hill of Sovereign Rarities Ltd writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
WWII 'PHANTOM' CERAMIC COINS FOUND IN JAPAN (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n46a20.html)

On Cutting Banknotes
Regarding Finland's Snipped Banknotes, reader Steve writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
WHEN FINNS SNIPPED THEIR CASH IN HALF (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n46a21.html)

Book: Money - A History
Ted Puls writes:

Ted adds:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: AUGUST 8, 2021 : Seeing Double Book Covers (https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n32a15.html)

 

More on the JEL Recreative Token
Thomas Lovelace writes:

To read the Numista listing, see:
Recreative Token - JEL Recreative ???????? (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia168788.html)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
TAIWAN TOKEN RESEARCH HELP SOUGHT (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n46a05.html)

ANA'S MONEY IN THE U.S. VIRTUAL TOUR

Learn about America's rags-to-riches story with interactive, detailed, close-up views of rare artifacts and coins. Visit the Americana Gallery 360-degree virtual tour to delve into an immersive and engaging educational experience on American numismatics. The tour can be viewed from any preferred device – phone, desktop, laptop, tablet, and more.

View beautiful, high-resolution photographs of the objects on display, watch informational videos, and listen to audio insights from Money Museum Curator Doug Mudd and Assistant Curator Caroline Turco. Take the tour at money.org/americana-gallery-vrtour.

The gallery, on display at the Edward C. Rochette Money Museum, tells the story of the early English colony, which began with limited resources but grew into the world's richest economy. Prized treasures, such as the 1933 eagle (gold $10); a rare 1855 Wass, Molitor & Company $50 California Territorial Gold piece; and a beautiful 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition commemorative set, unravel the deep ties between national money and the nation's history.

Rare uncut paper money sheets from the famous Aubrey and Adeline Bebee collection demonstrate America's determination to establish economic security through paper currency. Selections from the Baker-Manley collection of Washington medals, as well as federal and territorial gold coinage from the Dr. Carlson Chambliss donation enhance America's inspiring monetary narrative.

About the Money Museum

Three main exhibits are on display at the museum:

• The Medal in America – Through medallic art, this exhibit illustrates the history of the United States from colonial times to the present, starting with the innovation of modern medals and how they are made.
• Americana Gallery – The Museum's newest exhibit emphasizes iconic rarities of American numismatics and the collectors who donated them.
• History of Money – Money has been evolving for the last 10,000 years. This exhibit explores early traditional money, introduces the very first coins of the ancient world, examines the development of paper notes, and highlights unique monetary moments, such as emergency issues and Notgeld.

Virtual tours are available for all exhibits at money.org/money-museum/virtual-tours. For more information on the Money Museum, visit money.org/money-museum, call (719) 482-9828 or email museum@money.org.

 

ANA AWARD NOMINATIONS REQUESTED

Each year, the American Numismatic Association (ANA) presents awards to deserving individuals in recognition of outstanding dedication to numismatics. The ANA is now accepting individual nominations for 2025 awards and Numismatic Hall of Fame "Modern Era" candidates.

All nominations can be submitted in writing and online – 300 words or more for the Numismatic Hall of Fame, and 50-100 words for all other awards. Include the date of submission, the nominee's name, background information and birth date (if known). Nominations are accepted through January 15, 2025.

• Numismatic Hall of Fame – "Modern Era" nominees (individuals living or deceased within 25 years prior to induction) will be considered. Candidates are not required to be past ANA members.
• Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award – The ANA's highest honor, this award recognizes years of outstanding, dedicated service to numismatics.
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Presented to an individual, family, firm or judicial entity for contributions to organized numismatics. Nominees need not be ANA members.
• Numismatist of the Year – Recognizes individuals within the numismatic community who have demonstrated long-term leadership in the field and to the ANA. Nominees need not be ANA members.
• Elvira Clain-Stefanelli Memorial Award for Achievement in Numismatics – This award honors women who have significantly influenced numismatics, particularly in the areas of scholarship, leadership and/or mentorship. Nominees must be living but need not be ANA members or currently active in numismatics.
• Harry J. Forman Dealer of the Year Award – Honors professional numismatists who exhibit uncommon dedication to strengthening the hobby and the ANA, and display exemplary ethical standards as a numismatic dealer.
• Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture – The award honors an artist whose cumulative lifetime achievements in the field of medallic sculpture have been of the highest order.
• Medal of Merit – This award recognizes collectors and hobbyists at the regional and/or national level. Nominees dedicate their efforts to promoting numismatics among the general public, and directly support the ANA's mission and programs.
• Adna G. Wilde Jr. Memorial Award for Exemplary Service – Recognizes collectors and hobbyists who are active at the regional and/or national level and work to advance numismatic knowledge among the general public.
• Glenn Smedley Memorial Award – Recognizes collectors and hobbyists active at the grassroots level.
• Lawrence J. Gentile, Sr. Memorial Award for Outstanding Adult Advisor – Recognizes individuals who have devoted their time and efforts to recruiting young numismatists new to the hobby, and aiding the development of intermediate to advanced YNs.
• Young Numismatist of the Year – Honors numismatists under the age of 18 for outstanding contributions to the hobby and who are active in volunteer service and numismatic research.
• Outstanding District Representative – Recognizes the District Representative who most fully promotes coin collecting, coin clubs and the ANA.

Submit a nomination for a numismatist you find deserving of an award. Information about each of the awards and online submission forms can be found at money.org/service-awards-categories.

For questions about the awards, please contact awards@money.org or call (719) 482-9811.

VOCABULARY TERM: PUNCH PRESS

Punch Press. A press deriving its force from a ram moving up and down, delivering a sharp brief blow for shaping, cutting and trimming metalworking procedures. Small objects, less than three-quarters of an inch can be diestruck on a punch press, but generally they do not deliver enough force to strike larger or relief items like coins and medals. Most blanking – of any gauge material, size and shape – is done on punch presses. Also all mechanical trimming, particularly for all medallic work, is done on punch presses (unless the trimming is done by hand). All large presses are power operated, however, some small presses are operated manually, as a kick press, which can blank up to 1/2-inch, or trim up to 1 1/2-inch. Medals with a lug typically are trimmed on such a manual press (the lug is made into a LOOP afterwards). Essentially a knuckle-joint press is a punch press of great power, modified to deliver a squeeze during striking with extrusion dwell (preventing the metal from springing back by molecular memory). See presses and press room practices.

To read the complete entry on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Punch Press (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516574)

THE GOLD COIN CLUB BUILDING

Last week I mentioned finding a story while looking for something else. This week I was attempting to identify what coin club had their own building. The Tidewater (VA) Coin Club established a building fund in 1965. I don't know what became of that. Currently the club meets at the Norfolk VFW Post.

The Gold Coin Club Building in Victor, Colorado, was not built for a numismatic club. It relates more to the related field of gold mining history. The building was constructed for workers at the Gold Coin Mine. The club was incorporated on January 17, 1899, and built at a cost of $10,000.

The city of Victor, Colorado, was founded in 1891 after gold was found nearby. In 1894, the Woods brothers discovered a vein of gold ore while digging the foundation for their hotel. This became the Gold Coin Mine.

The Woods brothers were devout Baptists and wanted to create a place where workers could gather in a temperate environment away from the local saloons. Membership was offered to workers who had been on the job for sixty days. About half of the workforce took advantage of membership in the club.

There is a story within the story. On August 21, 1899, a Victor, Colorado, professional woman (prostitute) was washing her gown in kerosene in the entertainment (red light) district when she accidentally dropped a cigarette into the wash pan. A fire began in a shack on Paradise Alley on South Third Street. High winds quickly spread the fire uphill into the business district. By the end of the day, twelve square blocks with 200 buildings were destroyed, including the original Gold Coin Club Building across the street from the mine.

Around the turn of the century, the population of Victor swelled to 18,000. After the fire, a new building was constructed of fire-proof brick at 413 West Diamond Avenue. It was dedicated on Washington's birthdate in February 1900, about six months after the fire. It was built at a cost of $50,000, and patterned after the New York City Athletic Club.

The club had a large ballroom on the first floor. An oval balcony on the second floor overlooked the ballroom. The building included a bowling alley, pool and game room, steam room and gym and a 700-volume library. There were several dining rooms and eight sleeping rooms. The club had a 25-piece band that entertained at the club and marched in local parades.

How large was the building? An article in the February 22, 1900, issue of The Gilpin Observer described the size as 50 x 125 feet. After the building was occupied by the Elks, the Weekly Gazette for February 5, 1903, described the size as 75 x 125 feet. When the building was being renovated in 1971, an article in the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph described the ballroom as 60 x 150 feet.

This was unusual for mine owners to provide a facility for the social and recreational benefits of the employees. This was a way to retain good workers and keep them happy with their company. It also supported a sense of community within the workforce.

Vice President Theodore Roosevelt visited Victor on August 4, 1901. He had lunch at the Gold Coin Club and spoke to workers from the second-floor balcony. During a tour of the Gold Coin Mine, he was given a golden pick and fifteen minutes to dig for ore. The $500 worth of ore that he dug was sacked and given to him as a gift.

The club was in operation for less than three years. In January 1903, the Victor Elks Club was incorporated with the purpose of taking over the recently vacated Gold Coin Club. Their building was dedicated by the B. P. O. E. on February 2, 1903. The building was sold to a doctor in 1904 and used as the Red Cross hospital for ten years.

There was a labor dispute with the miners in 1903-4. Frank Woods announced to miners that they must quit the union by the end of their shift on September 30, 1903. Instead, the workers went out on a violent strike. Non-union workers at another mine were killed in a bomb blast in 1904.

As labor costs increased and ore sources were worked out, it became less profitable to mine gold. The Skaguay Power Dam that provided electricity to Victor did not produce enough revenue to pay for its construction. The Woods brothers were broke by 1910 and left town.

Doctor A. C. Denman, Teller County Coroner, had his office and residence in the building. A Houston investor purchased the property in 1964. The building was restored in the early 1970's and reopened, however briefly. Later it was converted to apartments.

On July 8, 1986, Q, David Bowers took an ANA Summer Seminar class to Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado. They reported there was a "for sale" sign on the building. A photo of the abandoned building was included in Rare Coin Review, No 62, for Autumn 1986.

Colorado has more than 1500 ghost towns. Fewer than 400 current residents keep Victor from joining that list. The brick buildings constructed after the 1899 fire give the city its charm. Gold mining tourism is one thing that keeps businesses open. The Gold Coin Club Building continues to be a tourist attraction.

DR. LAWRENCE LEE INTERVIEW, PART TWO

GREG BENNICK: The combination of science and theory here gives us a lot to talk about, especially because while most people would likely agree that the young numismatist is the future, what you're saying from a scientific approach is essentially show me the money, and show me the studies.

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: Yeah, show me a study. The more information, the better off.

GREG BENNICK: So, with that in mind, I wanted to talk about your taking of an academic approach to the hobby as this certainly ties into that. While I am not a traditional academic, I tend to run in those circles due to research I have been doing for a book on a cultural anthropologist who was rooted in psychology and philosophy. I was really interested when I read your "Rethinking Education" article and how numismatic education might work in the current education system of the United States. I would love to know about that article. Maybe you could tell listeners about that article and then maybe amidst that, we could talk about this idea: did numismatics ever hold a position of revered status in the USA as an academic discipline?

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: Okay. That was a mouthful, but it's a really thoughtful, deep mouthful! It comes down to this question. Why are there no such things as experts from a legal standpoint in numismatics? There are no coin experts in the United States, at least from a degreed standpoint. In other words, there's no degree that you can point to that says, "Oh, I went to this school and got this PhD in this numismatic class. And so, I can now be an expert like this doctor or this lawyer is an expert because of their degree."

In other words, how has numismatics reverted to just being about coin collecting? How did we go backwards on this scale? Because there was a time in the 1860s, just when the observational sciences were first starting to form - geology, archaeology, and numismatics were starting to form into actual academic disciplines - where we could have continued on and become like geology and archaeology today, or like numismatics is in Europe, where it's part of the art or the archaeology department, and it's possible to get a PhD or a Master's in Numismatics in those academic settings. But not in America. There is not even a single high school class taught in coin collecting that is recognizable on the next level up, except as an elective. Well, instead of the chess club, you joined the coin club, and okay, you get extra credit.

But there's no academic recognition whatsoever. We lost that. We had it. So, my PhD dissertation was about: how did that happen? How did it come about that the status of numismatics fell from an academic discipline down to where it's simply a hobby and the goal of late-night charlatans on TV selling slabbed coins? How did that fall from grace happen? Basically, what I found out was that we, that is, numismatics, did not develop a methodology, a way of studying and presenting our observational data. Our testing methods were never put to academic rigor, or became a discipline per se. And thus, coins became associated with the classics department, the language department.

As Greek and Latin, and the classics, lost stature over the years, then those collections started being sold off. One of the things my PhD did was measure the loss of numismatic standing within the academic world by measuring the selling of various coin collections over time. Without a doubt, between 1880 and 1980, hundreds of colleges, large and small, including every large college in the United States you can name, such as Harvard and Yale, sold portions, if not all of their coin collections. This partially was done for endowments for other uses, but mostly the collections were sold because they no longer met the mission statement academically. Coins could still be in the museum, they could be props within the classic department, but as an academic discipline, they were no more relevant than stuffed fish from the 1930s or whatever.

I note in my PhD dissertation that if you show an American a coin they've never seen before, they ask, "Oh how much is that worth?" If you show the same coin to a European, they will say, "Oh what culture did that come from? Well, how old is that?" The very approach that we take, that the older it is the more it's worth, the American approach is just totally different than the European or Asian approach. There, the reverence or the overall importance is the country and the culture and what's happened through history, rather than a coin's investment potential.

Observationally I think America is the only place where grading companies could have arisen because we look at coins as the two factors in the value of a coin as rarity and condition. The rarity is basically the mintage report and the condition is whatever the slab says on it. That's what determines both the value of the coin in the marketplace, and that's why that's the American approach to it.

GREG BENNICK: What you're suggesting, is that in other cultures their value system is entirely different. We look at a coin and ask, "What it is worth and how can we justify that valuation?" The extension of that thought is, "Thank God there's a slabbing company to tell us how to justify that valuation."

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: You got it.

GREG BENNICK: Somewhere else could see a completely different approach and there might not even need be a slabbing company. Because what slabbing company is going to be able to define the value of the culture that created the numismatic object in the first place? So, with full disclosure to listeners, I've read Larry's dissertation, his PhD dissertation, and I found it interesting. So, my question to you, Larry is, "Rethinking Education," your dissertation, publicly available currently?

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: Well, it's been publicly available since I published it. And so far, 52 people have looked at it worldwide. Most of those are from an educational perspective where it's seen within the broader context of curriculum and curriculum development. In there, I give my suggestions, say, if you were to have a degree program at the Master's level, what courses would be in it? You would start on how to do research, and you'd ask what's the difference between qualitative and quantitative research? What are the five different methods of qualitative research? You would figure out how to standardize what you're learning within parameters, so you can tell it back to the world in a way the world accepts as an academic discipline. We don't do that in numismatics. We have very few peer-reviewed journals. That's not to knock a lot of the numismatic journals. There are some great journals out there. But not very many are peer-reviewed. And not very many of them are well footnoted, documented, etc. But they are getting better.

GREG BENNICK: Now, your article on this appeared in The Numismatist. Is that true?

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: Yes. The January, 2016 issue I believe.

GREG BENNICK: And how did numismatics - the coin hobby - respond to your ideas from that article?

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: I would say a collective yawn would basically cover it.

GREG BENNICK: Why do you think that is?

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: Well, it's pretty obscure stuff in some ways. Who cares about a Master's degree in the discipline of numismatics? It's a very narrow group of people who would care. And the time hasn't been right. And my guess is the time won't be right for what I'm talking about. But c'est la vie. I offered my curriculum to one of the grading companies for $20,000. So, they would have all rights to it to do whatever they wanted with it. But they thought that was way too much money. It was more than a new slabbing machine. And so, we never saw eye-to-eye on that.

GREG BENNICK: As soon as I read your dissertation, I immediately went to the Internet and thought, "Where can I find a Master's program in Numismatics?" I found something, a graduate program in Austria. I wrote to them and asked how I could sign up for this? They replied, "How fluent is your German?" and they told me that unfortunately, I was not a candidate in that case. So, it's too bad, because I bet there are people who would sign up for this without a doubt. I mean, I expect some of the really enthusiastic YN's today certainly would.

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: The strongest interest came from the University of Chicago, which has a history of supporting numismatics as well as a nice collection. A School of Numismatics could be an adjunct college like some of the other colleges they have there. And there is some money available in Chicago, six-figure money that would go towards it establishing a school there. But you're still talking multi-millions of dollars. And then you have the issue that it would require on-campus learning. Students just have to be there. It's like you can't do Auto Mechanics long distance. You can't do numismatic mechanics long distance either. So, the students would need a campus. Then you have dorms and on-site living and that's a whole different can of worms. The academic part of it is easy. The supporting part is hard. So that's why you have to find somebody to team with. At one time, Colorado College had the opportunity to do so. But I they passed as well.

GREG BENNICK: It's interesting because what you've described in the beginning of your answer is a situation where had geology gone the same route, there wouldn't be Geology. There'd simply be rock collecting and we would show up to discuss these objects, and I would have a piece of sulfur and you'd have a piece of granite, and well, we would simply trade rocks.

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: What a great analogy. That's a great example. Not to say that we're quite on the same level because Geology has much more of a chemical component to it. Though numismatics can be quite complex when you throw in history or economics and then you get technology on top of it. It gets pretty interesting and complex quickly. I'm glad to find somebody else as exuberant about the idea as I am, because, it hasn't worked to this point.

GREG BENNICK: Well, when I read your dissertation, I remember being double digit numbers pages into it, and I thought to myself, "The world must see this guy as a happy lunatic." And that's fine, but it struck me as being the type of thing that somebody is going to pick up off a shelf, blow the dust off of someday, and think, "Oh my gosh, why didn't we hear about this a hundred years ago?" And then all of a sudden, it could take its place in the academic canon of classes. It just struck me as just not being timely, yet interesting and potentially really valuable.

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: Well, I'm glad that long after I'm gone, it's going to be a hit.

GREG BENNICK: And maybe this interview is going to be the method and mechanism by which it, it receives the attention due to it.

DR. LAWRENCE LEE: Let's put it all in the time capsule.

GREG BENNICK: That's what we're doing here today. We're planting the seeds for two hundred years for now for when numismatics becomes the equivalent of Geology and rocks and coins can work together.

About the Interviewer
Greg Bennick (www.gregbennick.com) is a keynote speaker and long time coin collector with a focus on major mint error coins and US counterstamps. He is on the board of both CONECA and TAMS and enjoys having in-depth conversations with prominent numismatists from all areas of the hobby. Have ideas for other interviewees? Contact him anytime on the web or via instagram @minterrors.

NOTE: The interview was conducted in parts via phone, so no video exists, and editing together audio would have been choppy sounding at best. This transcript is an accurate representation of the whole interview experience. Thank you for reading! -GB

To read the full transcript on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Lawrence Lee Interview (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/642577)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
DR. LAWRENCE LEE INTERVIEW, PART ONE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n46a14.html)

WORKS OF SCULPTOR JULIO KILENYI

Julio Kilenyi was born in Arad, Hungary, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in 1885. He studied at the city's Royal Art School, later in Germany, France and South America before coming to America, arriving on December 17, 1915 from Buenos Aires. For reasons unknown, his petition for citizenship reads, "also known as Costao Petrone." He became a citizen on April 1, 1917. His works, of which there are many, include the Harry S. Truman Inaugural Medallion, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Plaque, 1952; Distinguished Service Medal of U.S. Navy, Charles A. Lindbergh Medal, the 1928 Benjamin Franklin 200th Anniversary of the Saturday Evening Post Medal, Battle of Lexington and Battle of Bunker Hill 150th Anniversary Medals, Medal of the 10th Olympiad and the George Washington Bridge Dedication Medal.

Some can be seen in in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Harvard Collection and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. His memberships included the National Sculpture Society, the Architectural League of New York and the American Numismatic Society. Kilenyi died in New York City on January 29, 1959. Of note is that his nephew Edward was a renowned music performer and teacher, one of his pupils being George Gershwin, who studied harmony, counterpoint and form with him.

Consolidated Gas Company

Pershing Bust

Lindbergh Medals

American Society of Mechanical Engineers Medal

1932 Olympics Plaque

10th Olympiad Medal

All America Cables Medal

Harry writes:

NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: NOVEMBER 24, 2024

102930 | AUSTRIA. Sigmund Freud bronze Medal. Issued 1906 for the 50th birthday of the founder of psychoanalysis (59mm, 104.38 g, 12h). By Carl Maria Schwerdtner, Jr. at the Vienna mint. SIEGMVND FREVD WIEN MCMVI, bust right // The Riddle of the Sphinx: nude Oedipus standing left, resting head in hand and holding walking stick; to left, forepart of Sphinx right; to right, ‘OS TA KLEINP' / AINII MAT ‘HI?EI / KAI KPATISTOS ‘HN ANHP (what goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening?). Edge: Plain. Wurzbach 2797; Storer 1127; Optica et Visio in Nummis IV.261 var. (silver). Choice Mint State. Olive-brown surfaces, with a charming matte aspect; a few scattered spots are noted for completeness. Compare to a similar example that realized a total of $450 in Classical Numismatic Group E-535, lot 748. $295.

The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud was born in Freiberg in 1856, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During his extensive and exceptionally influential career, he developed therapeutic techniques, discovered the idea of transference, and established his well-known model of the id, ego, and super-ego. Likely equally well-known is his redefinition of sexuality, including the infantile form, which led to his concept of the Oedipus complex. Appropriately, that served as the inspiration for the reverse of this medal.

To read the complete item description, see:
102930 | AUSTRIA. Sigmund Freud bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102930)

102941 | UNITED STATES & ITALY. Carnegie Hero Fund (Italy) bronze award Medal. Issued 1913. Presented by the Italian chapter (59mm, 84.88 g, 12h). By Marcelle Renée Lancelot-Croce at the Italian Royal mint in Rome. Bust of Andrew Carnegie facing slightly right in frock coat; around, six vignettes with various acts of heroism; in two lines in exergue, FONDAZIONE / CARNEGIE // "VEDI QUANTA VIRTÙ L'HA FATTO DEGNO / DI REVERENZA..." (see just how much virtue made him worthy of reverence, —adapted from Dante's Paradise, Book 6), female figure standing facing, head lowered left, holding laurel branches and embracing shrouded women who holds an infant close by; fallen body on stretcher behind to right. Edge: Plain. Choice Mint State. Deep glossy brown surfaces, with a charming matte nature. $435.

The Scottish-American steel magnate and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, created the Carnegie Hero Fund in 1904 to honor and recognize citizens who performed acts of heroism and bravery in the United States. A few years later, he created a similar fund for other countries in Europe to serve a similar purpose. This piece, designed by the female artist Marcelle Renée Lancelot-Croce, displays a charming Neoclassical-inspired reverse and an obverse that has a nod to Art Nouveau with the use of floral adornments separating the vignettes.

To read the complete item description, see:
102941 | UNITED STATES & ITALY. Carnegie Hero Fund (Italy) bronze award Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102941)

102970 | GERMANY & FRANCE. Satirical bronze Medal. Issued circa 1925. On the French occupation of the Ruhr valley (50mm, 51.64 g, 12h). 'RUHRKRANK' (dysentery), man (with the features of French president Raymond Poincaré and emblematic of the French occupiers) dressed in nightgown, standing left, profusely sweating, and holding hands to his stomach in great discomfort; to left, chamber pot with roll of toilet paper in the form of 1000 Franc notes; other torn notes scattered upon the floor // In five lines, WER / ANDER'N / EINE GRUBE GRABT, / FÄLLT SELBST / HINEIN (He who digs a pit for others will fall into it himself, adapted from various similar passages in the Bible). Edge: Plain. Choice Mint State. Light brassy-brown surfaces. Very rare and amusing, especially given the play on words involving the Ruhr. $295.

Emanating from a series of medals that take issue with the French occupation of parts of Germany in the years following World War I, this particular medal appears to point to the idea that France would soon be on the receiving end of the acts alleged to be occurring under her watch. The reverse legend succinctly conveys this, and the events from less than two decades later would prove it true. On the obverse, this satire is taken a step further through a play on words, showing France sick with dysentery. Rurhkrank in German is dysentery, sharing the same word as for the Ruhr Valley or region—one of the main areas of France's occupation efforts.

To read the complete item description, see:
102970 | GERMANY & FRANCE. Satirical bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102970)

102978 | UNITED STATES. Society of Medalists bronze Medal. Issued 1987. Cat and Mouse (69x54mm, 199.76 g, 12h). By Robert Weinman for the Medallic Art Company. Large piece of Swiss cheese, behind which a cat lurks left, head poked around to right; a mouse hides within the lower right hole of the cheese // The same scene, but represented from the back, showing the full body of the cat. Edge: SOM—115 1987 ROBERT WEINMAN LIMITED EDITION 2500 MACO BRZ. Alexander SOM-115.1; FIDEM '87 1478. Essentially as Made. Some minor discoloration on the obverse. An ever-popular and fairly rare issue from the waning years of the series; though having an authorized mintage of 2,500 pieces, far fewer were actually produced, with a reported mintage of just 750 examples–many of which can exhibit surface issues and spotting. $645.

A rather whimsical work of art that blends the line between medal and sculpture, this free-standing design is a departure from the more "traditional" round medal, but the end product is exceptional. Robert Weinman, a medalist who had previously designed the 1964 entrant (Socrates) into the series, presented a stark contrast here. Born into an artistic family, Weinman, who passed away in 2003, was the son of famed German-born U.S. coinage engraver Adolph Alexander Weinman, designer of the 'Mercury' dime and 'Walking Liberty' half dollar, as well as the official award medals for the 1904 St. Louis/Louisiana Purchase International Exhibition.

To read the complete item description, see:
102978 | UNITED STATES. Cat and Mouse bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102978)

HERITAGE NOVEMBER 2024 TOKENS & MEDALS

1912 Bronze Galvano, Edward Warren Sawyer, CHIEF SOTA, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Geary, South Dakota, Medallic Art Company. Uncertified. 70 mm. Includes original box. The box has a few corner splits and internal separation of the holder ring.

This month's medals and tokens Showcase auction presents one of the most important offerings in that genre of numismatics that we have recently handled. But it is not a single piece; rather, it is a group of pieces. I am, of course, talking about the Edward Warren Sawyer bronze galvanos, of which many are represented in this auction. The story of Sawyer and his travels, during which he made the original artworks later used for the galvanos, is more engrained in U.S. numismatics than one might assume. Some more advanced numismatists who are familiar with the sculptor Hermon MacNeil (the famous designer of the Standing Liberty quarter—my personal favorite series), may remember that MacNeil was especially fond of depicting Native Americans in his works with a focus on their culture and mythology. Sawyer, the artist behind the Native American portraits represented on these galvanos, was a student of MacNeil's. Each of the Sawyer Galvano lots in this auction has a link to a document that discusses Sawyer and his works, which provides context for the galvanos themselves. These pieces are quite scarce and important relics of not only numismatic association but Native American history and art, and it is quite remarkable that we have such a large offering of them coming to auction.

From The Golden State Collection.

To read the complete item description, see:
1912 Bronze Galvano, Edward Warren Sawyer, CHIEF SOTA, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Geary, South Dakota, Medallic Art Company. Uncertified. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/20th-century-tokens-and-medals/1912-bronze-galvano-edward-warren-sawyer-chief-sota-oglala-sioux-tribe-geary-south-dakota-medallic-art-company-uncerti/a/60407-52520.s)

1909-Dated Abraham Lincoln Plaque - Preserve, Protect, Defend, MS64 NGC. King-304, Smedley-84, Cunningham-24-300Bz. Gilt bronze, 63 mm. Between 1907 and 1909, Victor David Brenner was responsible for a series of Abraham Lincoln plaques. President Theodore Roosevelt was impressed by an example, and commissioned Brenner to design the Lincoln cent still in circulation today. The Preserve Protect Defend design features the head-and-shoulders Lincoln bust familiar from the cent. 100 bronze medals were struck on December 8, 1908, from a modified reverse design with a lower relief eagle. The issue is surprisingly rare, with few auction appearances.

This is an interesting piece not often seen at auction in any condition. Most collectors of U.S. coins will immediately recognize the Lincoln portrait as being similar to that Victor D. Brenner used for the Lincoln cent design. In fact, it was a series of Lincoln plaques like this produced by Brenner that earned him an invitation to design the cent. This piece is one of 100 bronze medals of produced in 1908, and it is gilt. It would do well both in an advanced Lincoln cent collector's cabinet as well as in a dedicated collection of Brenner's works.

From The L. William Libbert Collection.

To read the complete item description, see:
1909-Dated Abraham Lincoln Plaque - Preserve, Protect, Defend, MS64 NGC. King-304, Smedley-84, Cunningham-24-300Bz. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/lincoln/1909-dated-abraham-lincoln-plaque-preserve-protect-defend-ms64-ngc-king-304-smedley-84-cunningham-24-300bz/a/60407-52021.s)

(1781) Libertas Americana Medal, Copper -- Mount Removed -- NGC Details. Unc. Betts-615, Loubat-14. 78 mm. Benjamin Franklin, while serving as an American diplomat to France, is credited with the idea behind the Libertas Americana medal. France as Minerva defends the infant United States from the English lion, as the infant strangles two snakes representing military victories at Saratoga and Yorktown. Augustin Dupré was the engraver, and the Paris Mint struck the medal. The Liberty bust with a Liberty Cap and Pole was later featured on U.S. half cents and large cents. The die break on the obverse rim near 7 o'clock is characteristic of original strikings, of which 100 to 125 bronze examples survive. The present medal has a few delicate pinscratches on the field above the lion, and a blob of solder is noted above the infant.

From The L. William Libbert Collection.

To read the complete item description, see:
(1781) Libertas Americana Medal, Copper -- Mount Removed -- NGC Details. Unc. Betts-615, Loubat-14. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/betts-medals/-1781-libertas-americana-medal-copper-mount-removed-ngc-details-unc-betts-615-loubat-14/a/60407-52005.s#)

(Circa. 1830) Georgius "Wasington", Series Numismatica, MONACHII on Edge, Bronze, Baker-131A, GW-100, MS63 Brown NGC. 41 mm.

To read the complete item description, see:
(Circa. 1830) Georgius "Wasington", Series Numismatica, MONACHII on Edge, Bronze, Baker-131A, GW-100, MS63 Brown NGC. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/washingtonia/-circa-1830-georgius-wasington-series-numismatica-monachii-on-edge-bronze-baker-131a-gw-100-ms63-brown-ngc-41-mm/a/60407-52008.s#)

1905-Dated Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Medal, MS62 NGC. Fuld-RO.1905.2, Dusterberg-OIM-3B44, Levine-TR-3, MacNeil-TR-1905-3, Baxter-207. Bronze, 44 mm. Designated as "official inauguration medal" on the NGC insert, an honor that belongs to the Saint-Gaudens-designed Dusterberg-OIM-2B74.

From The L. William Libbert Collection.

To read the complete item description, see:
1905-Dated Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Medal, MS62 NGC. Fuld-RO.1905.2, Dusterberg-OIM-3B44, Levine-TR-3, MacNeil-TR-1905-3, Baxter-207. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/u.s.-presidents-and-statesmen/1905-dated-theodore-roosevelt-presidential-medal-ms62-ngc-fuld-ro19052-dusterberg-oim-3b44-levine-tr-3-macneil-tr-1905-3-/a/60407-52028.s#)

1838 Token Am I Not A Woman & A Sister, Copper, Low-54, DeWitt-CE-1838-19, HT-81, W-11-720a, R.1 -- Environmental Damage -- NGC Details. XF.

To read the complete item description, see:
1838 Token Am I Not A Woman & A Sister, Copper, Low-54, DeWitt-CE-1838-19, HT-81, W-11-720a, R.1 -- Environmental Damage -- NGC Details. XF. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/hard-times-tokens/1838-token-am-i-not-a-woman-and-a-sister-copper-low-54-dewitt-ce-1838-19-ht-81-w-11-720a-r1-environmental-damage-ngc/a/60407-52090.s)

THE WISDOM COLLECTION OF RENAISSANCE MEDALS

Lugdunum founder Dr. Jonas Emmanuel Flueck writes:

Lot 1: John VIII Palaeologus, Emperor of Constantinople, 1425-1448. Cast bronze medal , undated (around 1438-1439), Ferrara or Florence. Considered the first ever Renaissance Medal and commemorating the participation of the penultimate Byzantine Emperor at the Council of Ferrara. (Ø 103,8 mm; 300,15 gr.) Bust right, with trim beard and moustache, wearing hat with tall crown and large upturned brim, pointed in front, vest and cloak with falling collar ; hair in long curls // OPVS PISANI PICTORIS. The Emperor on an ambling horse right ; wearing hat as on obverse, holding bow at left, quiver at right side ; raising folded hands as he passes at ride side ; behind him, a page on horseback seen from behind ; in background, rocks ; upper half of design bordered by plain line ending in hooks.

Of the highest rarity in this quality. Possibly one of the best known specimens. Museum piece.

Suspension hole. Extremely fine and sharp contemporary cast

Armand I, p. 7, n°20 (Ø 104 mm); Hill, Corpus I, p. 6, n°19 (Ø 103-104 mm); Hill & Pollard (Kress Coll.) n°1 (Ø 103 mm); Scher (The Currency of Fame) 4.

Lot 6: Mohammad II (Mehmed II), Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1451-1481. Large cast bronze medal 1481. (Ø 120,2 mm; 490,33 gr.) SVLTANI MOHAMMETH OCTHOMANI VGVLI BIZANTII INPERATORIS. Bust left, with moustache, wearing turban and cape // MOHAMETH ASIE ET GRETIE INPERATORIS YMAGO EQVESTRIS IN EXERCITVS. The Sultan, in turban and robes, scimitar at side, baton in right, riding left on horseback ; in background, rocky landscape with two leafless trees and castle in distance ; below, on the ground OPVS CONSTANTII.

To watch the video, see:
The medal of Immortality - exceptional medal for the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, The Conqueror (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnWOhUZbpkA)

Lot 17: Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, philosopher, 1463-1494. Cast bronze medal , undated (around 1484-1485). (Ø 85,6 mm; 334,71 gr) IOANNES PICVS MIRANDVLENSIS. Bust right, with long hair, wearing cuirass with winged mask on breast // PVLCHRITVDO AMOR VOLVPTAS. Three Graces, nude; in the middle one, seen from behind, head in profile right ; she embraces the others, who hold ears of corn (on left) and a branch (on right).

To watch the video, see:
The medal of Humanism - unique medal for Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOdpfkv491A)

Lot 21: Camilla Peretta, sister of Pope Sixtus V, died 1591. Cast bronze medal 1590. (Ø 47 mm; 47,65 gr) CAMILLA PERETTA SYXTI V P M SOROR. Bust to right, in veil. Signature D P on truncation // SANTA LVCIA AN D MDLXXXX. Façade of St Lucia at Grottamare.

Extremely fine old cast

Armand I, p. 258, n°27 (Ø 47 mm); Hill & Pollard (Kress Coll.) n°344 (Ø 47 mm).

Lot 89: Allegorie der Vanitas. Ovale Silber-Gussmedaille 1618. (Ø 58,9 x 47,6 mm; 48 gr) NE GLORIERIS IN CRASTINVM. Weibliches Brustbild links, im Haar Schmuckwerk, Ohrgehänge, dünnes Gewand, das die Brust unbedeckt lässt, Anhänger an Schnur. Am Armabschnitt vertieft 1618 // MEMOR ESTO QVONIAM MORS NON TARDAT. Skelett als Brustbild rechts, Tuch um die Schultern, auf dem Kopf Kröte.

The Trinity medal by Hans Reinhart ‘the Elder'. Leipzig 1544. Silver 257 g.; 103 mm. The obverse bears the representation of the Trinity, known in German as ‘the Gnadenstuhl'. God the Father is seated on a richly ornamented throne holding orb and sceptre. Before him, the crucifix surmounted by the dove of the Holy Spirit, Angels and cherubs are surrounding the throne. On the reverse, two standing angels hold a large tablet bearing the famous Athanasian Creed as a long inscription.

This large Silver Medal cast in very high relief, is not only a real artistic tour de force, it can also be seen as a very high value diplomatic present used in a desperate attempt to safeguard peace and prevent one of the first religious wars between Protestants and Catholics in Central Europe.

Although this attempt had not worked out the way Maurice had hoped, and Europe would be almost destroyed by these religious wars for many following decades, this medal, one of only 15 estimated to exist (10 of which are in museums) is for us today an exceptional testimony of an attempt to use the power of beauty and art, in a desperate effort to safeguard peace.

To watch the video, see:
The Trinity Medal - An exceptional silver medal for Maurice, Duke of Saxony (1521-1553) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-1pfqkud8g)

For more information, see:
https://lugdunum.auex.de/

Link to the printed Catalog online Reader:
https://lugdunum.auex.de/img/lose/Kataloge/Auktion_24/index.html

Link to the online catalogue:
https://lugdunum.auex.de/Auktion/Onlinekatalog?intAuktionsId=1558

WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY NOVEMBER 24, 2024

Tuesday November 19, 2024 was the night of my monthly numismatic social club, Nummis Nova. Roger Burdette was our host. We met at J. Gilbert's Steakhouse in McLean, VA. Parking was tough, with the lot completely filled and no valet parking. I found street parking around the corner next to the neighboring McDonald's.

Many of the regulars were already there and seated in the small room they set aside for us. It was about to get smaller as we added a table to accommodate later arrivals. So it was tight, noisy, and difficult to move around, but as always, we made it work. Here are some of my photos.

Above is the tight room and one of the books I brought. Inspired by Ted Puls' recent review, I ordered myself a copy on AbeBooks. Other books were recent acquisitions mentioned in other earlier E-Sylum articles, and two catalogs picked up at Gerry Fortin's table at last week's Baltimore show. I bought the U.S Mint Braille Education Set at Wayne Herndon's table, to add a braille item to my ephemera collection.

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
THE EARLIEST KNOWN CURRENCIES (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n45a10.html)
WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY NOVEMBER 17, 2024, PART TWO (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n46a19.html)
NEW BOOK: THE GOLD SOVEREIGN SERIES, 3RD ED. (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n40a03.html)
NEW BOOK: PAPER DREAMS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n45a03.html)

Here's a better angle. Clockwise from left are Julian Leidman, Dave Schenkman, Eric Schena, Chris Neuzil, Mike Packard, Wayne Herndon, Daryl Haynor, Roger Burdette, (my empty chair), Steve Bishop (mostly hidden), Mike Markowitz, Jon Radel, John Kraljevich and Julian's guest Curt Gammer. Present but not shown are Julian's other guest Erik Douglas and Wayne Herndon's guest Evan Saltis.

Curt's a student at American University, and it was his first time as a guest at Nummis Nova. It turns out he already knew Evan from when they were in the same session at Witter Coin University.

That's a wood slab under the fish, not a slice of ham. Not that that wouldn't be yummy.

I've been adrift as a collector since I sold my U.S. Civil War and merchant counterstamp collections in 2006. I've dabbled in other areas but nothing really "stuck." Maybe this won't either, but I was intrigued enough by this off-center Liberty Nickel at the Northeast Numismatics table that I asked Tom Caldwell for the price, and decided to buy it.

People say "Wow!" when they see it, even Greg Bennick, whom I showed it to after my purchase. Maybe his talk on error coins at the Fairfax Coin Club helped. I've always enjoyed seeing off-center type coins, and at the dinner I recalled how I loved a bright red off-center Indian Cent a collector showed me at the 2004 Pittsburgh ANA convention.

Here are some other items that made their way around the dinner table. More about some of these below.

Merchant Counterstamps
John Kraljevich notes:

Advertising Notes
Dave Schenkman recently added these two advertising notes to his collection. Thanks for the images. The first one is for an appropriately money-themed show.

Scovill Medal
Dave adds:

Steve's Beauties
Steve Bishop shared another nice group of U.S. type coins.

Interesting woodgrain surface on the obverse. Best seen in person.

Credit Cards!
My final Baltimore impulse purchase was too unwieldy to pass around the table, but I showed a few people at the end of the evening. I have a nice collection of U.S. charge coins, the forerunners of credit cards. I also have a small collection of credit cards. So I jumped on the opportunity to acquire an extensive collection of expired credit cards when I saw them at the table of numismatic literature dealer Charlie Davis.

Someone joked that I could sit at the bar and keep trying cards until one worked, but the most recent expiration date I've seen is 2004, with most being from the 1980s.

Wrapping Up
Our resident polymath Roger Burdette shared a non-numismatic document he recently authored - proposal for a lunar radio telescope experiment.

Before we broke up I overheard a long conversation between Roger and Wayne Herndon about proof and uncirculated coins, the fine line between the two due to mint practices, and the way grading services like to highlight "discovery" specimens that Roger thinks aren't special at all.

Thanks everyone. It was another great night of numismatic fellowship. I made my way back to my parked car and headed home. 'til next time.

MILWAUKEE SOCIETY 90TH ANNIVERSARY MEDAL

The Milwaukee Numismatic Society celebrated its 90th Anniversary at its monthly meeting on October 17th, 2024. Founded on October 29, 1934 the MNS is one of the largest and most active numismatic societies in the State of Wisconsin. To commemorate the event medals were offered to all members in attendance. These were struck by Joe Paonessa of the Root River Mint in Racine, WI. Similar medals were also struck for sale at the MNS-NOW coin show held on November 10th, 2024, with the Numismatists of Wisconsin seal featured on the reverse. Both were struck on brass planchets and measure 30mm in diameter.

Specimens are being made available to collectors while supplies last. Price is $12 each postage paid. Interested parties can send payment by cash or check to the below address. Please indicate design type wanted, quantity of each, and where it should be mailed.

MNS
PO Box 26886
Wauwatosa, WI 53226-0886

Please direct any questions to Justin at masters1122@yahoo.com.

HOW TO (ROUGHLY) DATE A NOTE

How does one even date a note? Often confusion and questions abound, as the answer is not as straightforward as dating a coin. Collectors will often jump to the conclusion that just because a note says Series of 1880, it was printed in 1880.

Such a finding couldn't be further from the truth. Prior to the Series of 1974, the series date only changed with a major (or sometimes minor) design variation, as opposed to political appointments which often precede a series change in the present.

Take the Rosecrans – Jordan signature combination for example. Both Rosecrans (Register of the Treasury) and Jordan (Treasurer) served concurrently in their respective positions from 1885 to 1887. In the latter year, Jordan resigned and became president of the Western National Bank of New York (Charter# 3700), after the death of ex-Treasury Secretary Daniel Manning who had previously served as president of the bank.

The same logic can be applied to just about every other signature combination; exceptions are found with National Bank Notes, some Legal Tender Notes, and mules that used old no longer current face plates.

A $2 Legal Tender Note issued under the Series of 1928G can be roughly dated to a period between 1949 to 1953, knowing who had served as Treasurer and Treasury Secretary during the second Truman Administration. This method can also be applied to a Series of 1914 $10 Federal Reserve Note with the Glass – Burke signature combination, which can be dated to the short concurrent tenure of Carter Glass and John Burke from December 1918 to February 1920.

A caveat should be noted as printing plates were often used until new plates with the current signature combination were delivered. In any case, knowing such information will eliminate much in the way of guesswork and will allow assignment of rough, albeit accurate, dates to a collector's notes.

To read the complete article, see:
The Dilemma of a Series Date: How to (Roughly) Date a Note (https://stacksbowers.com/the-dilemma-of-a-series-date-how-to-roughly-date-a-note/)

VICTORIA CANADA 1870 $2 BANKNOTE DISCOVERY

In what can be considered one of this century's most exciting discoveries in Canadian numismatics, a previously unknown Dominion of Canada 1870 $2 banknote issued in Victoria, British Columbia, has surfaced. Long thought to be non-existent, this note is an extraordinary rarity. Only 24,000 $2 notes were printed for Victoria—just a fraction of the 764,000 issued in Montreal and 728,000 in Toronto. The other denomination issued in Victoria, the $1, is also extremely rare, with just three examples known, including one permanently impounded in the National Currency Collection of the Bank of Canada. Even the National Currency Collection lacks an example of the 1870 $2 issued in Victoria; none has ever been seen or even rumored to exist, until now.

Beyond its rarity, the note's impeccable state of preservation makes it even more remarkable. All Canadian 1870 $2 notes are difficult to find, and examples in grades above Fine are exceptionally rare. The PMG population report shows no examples of this type ever having been graded above Very Fine 20. This newly discovered example, graded Choice Very Fine 35 by PMG, boasts crisp paper, vibrant inks, and detailed engravings that remain as vivid as when they were first printed. A comment for lightened stains does little to detract from the piece's overall appearance. As such, not only is it unique for its place of issue, but it is also the finest example of this important Canadian type.

The design of the 1870 Dominion of Canada $2 incorporates several elements of Canadian history. At its center is a striking vignette of an Indigenous person watching a train pass by from a bluff. To the left is General James Wolfe, the British commander who secured a decisive victory against the French at the Battle of Quebec in 1759, a turning point in the Seven Years' War. On the right, General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, Wolfe's French adversary, is depicted. The intricate engravings and detailed craftsmanship of the note not only tell a historical narrative but also utilize advanced security features for the time, aimed at deterring counterfeiters.

At the time this 1870 $2 was issued, western Canada had a sparse population and few financial institutions, resulting in limited issuance and circulation of paper currency. British Columbia, which became a province of Canada on July 20, 1871, had a population of about 36,000 at the time. Victoria's financial landscape in the early 1870s had been shaped by its status as a frontier economy and its strategic role in British Columbia's integration into Canada. The city had emerged as a commercial hub during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush (1858–1860), when it attracted miners and merchants. However, by the early 1870s, the gold rush had largely subsided, and Victoria's economy shifted to industries like logging, fishing, and trade with the United States and Asia.

Victoria had a population of just 3,630 people in April 1871. Its remote location, reliance on gold and silver coinage, and competition from U.S. and private bank currencies reduced the need for large quantities of government-issued paper money, even after British Columbia entered the Canadian Confederation. It is quite surprising then, that after British Columbia became a Canadian province, such notes were even issued. But as the capital of British Columbia, issuing these notes, payable at Victoria must have been thought an important contribution to the growth of the region.

Stack's Bowers Galleries is proud to present this world-class rarity in our first exclusive Canadian Collectors Choice Online Auction, to be held on January 28, 2025. For further inquiries about this sale please contact Adem Karisik at akarisik@stacksbowers.com or call our Vancouver office at 778-403-6677.

To read the complete article, see:
Stack's Bowers Galleries Presents a Historic Discovery: Dominion of Canada 1870 $2 Issued in Victoria (https://stacksbowers.com/stacks-bowers-galleries-presents-a-historic-discovery-dominion-of-canada-1870-2-issued-in-victoria/)

 

A GREEK SHORT SNORTER

It's a strange story, one that involves a Greek banknote, a teenage currency collector, a North Saanich historian — and a Second World War aircrew who made it home alive.

A five-man crew from Royal Canadian Air Force 437 Squadron — including pilot Reginald Barnhouse and flight officer Wilfred Louis Karp — were celebrating their return to Canada at a pub in a Montreal suburb.

Nobody's sure about how they got their hands on a 100 drachma Greek bill, but several of the aircrew signed it that night on Jan. 28, 1946, with the inscription "Lachine: Our First Bar in Canada."

Fast forward 78 years to last May, when 16-year-old Karolis Zegunis of Maple Ridge, a keen collector of currencies, walked into a local coin shop and bought a box of foreign bank notes for $400.

"There was a whole bunch of random stuff in there from all over the world," Zegunis said in an interview. "Soviet notes, Germany, Africa — even some from the Sandwich Islands."

But the one with ink signatures and a Second World War story caught his eye. "The ones with signatures can have a lot of value," the teenager said.

Zegunis posted a photo of the Greek bank note to a Reddit forum devoted to the transcription of handwritten documents.

That caught the attention of Second World War historian and former school teacher Peter Brand in North Saanich, who is well-versed in researching Commonwealth airmen, and had only signed up to Reddit a few days before.

Inspired, Brand set out to not only transcribe the signatures on the bank note, but to identify them and possibly locate their descendants.

Brand dove into a series of internet searches using the RCAF Squadron 437 website, Ancestry.ca, Newspapers.com, LinkedIn, Canada411 and Google. It paid off, and he was eventually able to find the extended family of the two pilots.

To read the complete article, see:
How a Greek banknote connected the families of a Second World War aircrew (https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/how-a-greek-banknote-connected-the-familes-of-a-second-world-war-aircrew-9788006)

HIGH INFLATION IN ARGENTINA

But most everybody wants to get the dólar blue, a black market exchange rate that was worth almost twice the dólar oficial rate when I moved to Argentina a year ago. When you buy or sell a house, a car, or something of great value, such as a computer or cell phone, this quote is used.

To get the coveted dólar blue rate, Argentinians must physically exchange pesos for dollars in person. Many people go to cuevas, where they'll find money dealers. Some of these money dealers ride motorcycles to their clients' houses. Other Buenos Aires residents visit Florida Street, which is full of shops and vendors who've taken in US dollars from tourists.

On this pedestrian-filled thoroughfare, cueva operators say, "Cambio? Cambio? Cambio?" every few meters. If they catch your eye, they'll beckon you to offer you their dólar blue rate. If you accept, they'll guide you to a clandestine cueva where the money deal can be made, sometimes a small office tucked away within a shopping center or at the back of a florist.

The exchange rates don't always make sense: You get more pesos for a newer $100 USD note than an old one. These exchanges are technically illegal, but this black market is tolerated and at least half of the country reportedly does it. After police have strolled through Florida Street, cuevas pop straight back up.

To pay off my landlord and obtain cash for other expenses, I go to Western Union to have money transferred from my Australian bank account to pick up in pesos. Until very recently, the largest banknote was for 1k pesos (worth around $1 in the dólar blue exchange rate). I'd bring a big backpack to Western Union just to cart them all home and then call my cueva — introduced to me by my landlord — to come over on his motorcycle to deal me USD.

I save the rest of my pesos for smaller, everyday expenses, but not at a local bank. My apartment, as well every apartment I toured, had an in-built safe for storing money; few trust the banks because during the 2001 financial crisis the government froze bank accounts.

Sometimes I have to return to the safe half way through my day to refill my deflated wallet and make it fat with pesos again.

To read the complete article, see:
I moved from a country with almost no inflation to the country with the highest (https://thehustle.co/originals/i-moved-from-a-country-with-almost-no-inflation-to-the-country-with-the-highest)

LOOSE CHANGE: NOVEMBER 24, 2024

Keeling Cocos Islands Numismatics

The Keeling-Cocos islands are a small atoll in the Indian Ocean around 3,000km north-west of Perth and only around 1,300km from Indonesia. It was most recently in the news for suffering the impact of unprecedented swells and tides, as well as the Island's largest employer entering administration. As an Australian Territory, it became a hugely-popular holiday destination with West Australians living behind that State's impenetrable COVID border.

The money used on this group of tiny islands has appealed to collectors the world over for decades. Keeling cocos Islands coins provide a gateway to learning the history of this beautiful and isolated Australian territory.

To read the complete article, see:
The Coins and Notes of the Keeling Cocos Islands: Used on a Tiny Island and Collected Around the World (https://www.sterlingcurrency.com.au/blog/news-research/world-numismatics/the-coins-and-notes-of-the-keeling-cocos-islands-u/)

ATM Radar Note Find

Jay Herrin went to an ATM near his home in Mobile to take out $60, but what he withdrew ended up being a far more valuable denomination. He told Newsweek that his "heart started racing" when he looked at the $20 bills closely as he realized they were uncirculated notes in mint condition.

One of the notes had a serial number of PL 58888888 H, while another was PL 58888885 H, which made them very rare finds. Indeed, the latter serial number is known as a super radar note, meaning the serial number is exactly the same forward and backward. Palindromic serial numbers like this are highly sought after by collectors.

To read the complete article, see:
Man Discovers Something Very Unusual About $20 Bills Withdrawn From ATM (https://www.newsweek.com/unusual-banknotes-withdrawn-atm-1981243)

Pricing the Anonymity of Banknotes

Banknotes are useful. Not only do they provide their owner with a standard set of payments services, they also offer financial anonymity. This post introduces the idea of trying to price the anonymity component. To help think about why we might want to price anonymous banknote usage, I'm going to make an analogy. Imagine Walmart sells special suits that allow people to become invisible. While most Walmart customers always pay for the goods they find in the aisles, a few try these invisible suits on, grab a bunch of stuff, and sneak out without paying. The product is weaponized and turned against its provider.

This same sort of weaponization characterizes the modern provision of banknotes. The government, like Walmart, provides citizens with a privacy-enhancing product: cash. Because its coins and banknotes don't leave a paper trail, they act as a financial cloak. In the same way that an invisible suit can be used to evade Walmart's checkout counter, a government-issued banknote can be turned against its provider by allowing users to avoid paying for the government services they have consumed.

To read the complete article, see:
Pricing the anonymity of banknotes (https://jpkoning.blogspot.com/2024/11/pricing-anonymity-of-banknotes.html)