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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 1/8/2025 - Numismatic Antiquarian Bookshop Lang 1/25/2025 - Kolbe & Fanning

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 DECEMBER 22, 2024

New subscribers this week include: Joel Jacobs, courtesy Tracy Ibberson; and Brian R. Welcome aboard! We now have 7,257 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.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to my holiday travel, next week's issue could arrive a day or so late.

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

Other topics this week include the 1715 Treasure Fleet, Roman Provincial coinage, Virginia coinage, French coinage, Nellie Tayloe Ross Day, fixed price and auction selections, an "1822 Half Eagle", and (what else?) Santa Claus notes.

To learn more about the Moneta Collection, the hallmarking of gold coinage in Serbia and Yugoslavia, colonial American Conder tokens, credit cards picturing coins, Emperor Norton, coins of The Mexican Revolutionists, Richard Margolis, misprinted U.S. paper money, rack marks, the Bill Henderson Supper Club, the Abbey Cent, Gnadenpfennigs, and San Francisco Mint vending machine tokens, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 
Image of the week

WORKMAN'S BOOKS SALE 7 REMINDER

 

Workman's Books Seventh sale, highlighted by the David L. Baker Library, is in full swing with only TWO WEEKS left to get registered and start reviewing lots for bidding. David Baker enjoyed a wide-range of interests that are reflected in his considerable library. He collected books that focused on Spanish American, United States, Ancient and British numismatics, sunken treasure, treasure hunting, metal detecting, the American Civil War, the Wild West, Native American artifacts and cultures, Maritime, shipwreck and Florida history, military relics, ancient civilizations, fossils, archaeology and pirates. You can get a feel for the collection through some of the highlights featured below. The sale will be held in one session. Session I lots will begin closing starting at 10:00 AM EDT on January 4, 2025 and includes 733 scarce, vintage, and out-of-print books.

This bid sale is being held through the online venue iCollector, and all registrations, approvals, and bids will be handled there. For this bid sale the lots will be closing on a timed interval with extensions of 1 minute for any bids placed within 1 minute of closing. If you already have an iCollector account, you still must "GET APPROVED" to bid for each sale by entering and confirming your information for this bid sale, like reviewing your shipping information and choosing your preferred way of payment. Remember, tie bids go to the earliest bidders, so don't wait for the lots to close to bid on anything for which you have a strict number in mind.

Now is the perfect time to register for the bid sale, as any registration issues can certainly be accommodated more easily in advance. Do not wait to register the last day. Registration and bidding online are always FREE (no extra fees or percentages for bidding online). Once you are registered and automatically approved, first be sure to bookmark the items that interest you.

PLEASE NOTE: We have also updated the website with over 130 new book titles ranging in topics from numismatics, medals, orders & decorations, history, genealogy, underwater archaeology, treasure hunting, buried and sunken treasure, shipwrecks, lost mines and ghost towns. I also have over 400 auction catalogs that will be added to the website over the next week. Be sure to check out the new listings and make plans to visit often for future updates!

To visit the firm's website:
https://workmansbooks.square.site/

Sale link: https://www.icollector.com/The-David-Baker-Numismatic-and-Treasure-Library-and-other-Consignments-Sale-7_a68681
PDF sale catalog: https://workmansbooks.com/downloads/WB%20Auction%20007%20catalog.pdf
Print catalog: https://www.lulu.com/shop/alan-workman/sale-7-the-david-baker-numismatic-and-treasure-library-and-other-consignments/paperback/product-v8jre6n.html

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
WORKMAN'S BOOKS SALE 7 SELECTIONS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n48a02.html)
WORKMAN'S BOOKS SALE 7 SELECTIONS, PART TWO (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n49a03.html)
WORKMAN'S BOOKS SALE 7 SELECTIONS, PART THREE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a02.html)

COLLECTION MONETA LIQUIDATION SALE

 

Thirty years ago, I created the "Moneta Collection" (www.moneta.be).

At that time, it was obvious that the coming years would be difficult for numismatics, monetary economics and history. Already, credits, positions and resources were beginning to diminish. At the same time, archaeological remains were increasingly looted and coin catalogues remained rare compared to the number of archaeological sites.

It was necessary to find a place to publish without constraints, only according to scientific needs, with the necessary number of pages and plates. Making basic documentation, inventories, photos, new classifications and new studies accessible, that was the goal of the "Moneta Collection": what was published became available to everyone.

The "Moneta Collection" therefore initiated or encouraged publications in many countries. It also served as a support for the conferences organized since the 2010s throughout the world, from Osaka to San Francisco via the main European capitals. These were places of meetings, debates and openness that the proceedings perfectly reflect.

This adventure would not have been possible without the help and collaboration of the late René and Georgette De Meester as well as Jan and Monique De Meester who, for 30 years, supported this project within the Cultura printing house in Wetteren (Belgium).

The "Moneta Collection" is 210 volumes, from 88 to 1,012 pages, a total of 60,933 printed pages.

A new storage organization obliges us to put an end to the sale of volumes 1 to 50. We offer the possibility of acquiring these last volumes with a discount of 50% (+ a flat rate of 15 euros for shipping).

After 31 January 2025, these works will no longer be available. Orders should be sent by mail to info@moneta.be.

To read the complete announcement with a full list of volumes, see:
Liquidation des volumes 1-50 de la "Collection Moneta" (http://moneta.be/pages/Liquidation.html)

 

NEW BOOK: 1715 TRICENTENNIAL DISCOVERY

• In depth analysis of the gold coins discovered
• Full color pictures and identification of each gold coin from the Tricentennial Discovery
• Discussion on the "Royal" gold coins of the Tricentennial Discovery
• Full color pictures and identification of each of the "never-before-seen" missing gold coins of the Tricentennial Discovery that only surfaced in 2024
• Documentation of the discovery in press releases and photos
• Printed on 8.5x11" using 80# coated paper and premium color inks with hard cover
• First edition limited to 100 numbered copies
• Price on the higher numbers (51-100) set at $55+$15 shipping and handling
• 122 pages
• Interested parties can email: sal@historyhunts.com to reserve a copy.

 

For more information, see:
New Book on the 1715 Fleet! (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BHxhG1F8v/)

1715 Fleet Society Chairman of the Board Ben Costello adds:

 

NEW BOOK: HALLMARKING OF GOLD COINAGE

Hallmarking of Gold Coinage in Serbia and Yugoslavia 1882–1941
Aleksandar N. Brik

• ISBN: 978-3-9504268-7-8
• Publisher: Austrian Research Society for Numismatics
• Format: Hardcover, approx. 248 pages
• Language: English
• Release date: November 6, 2024

Between 1882 and 1941, Kingdoms of Serbia and Yugoslavia hallmarked a large amount of gold coinage. This somewhat peculiar practice was regulated by law and executed by state offices using several hallmarks, some of which are documented properly and presented here for the first time. The author describes not only the development of the hallmarking practice itself, but also its historical and ethnographic backgrounds, in particular the use of gold ducats in the ethnic jewelry of the region. Based mainly on his former collection, fully presented here in high-quality color photographs, this book, again for the first time, provides a full catalog of all hallmarks used in different assay offices and all hallmarked gold coins known to the author.

For more information, or to order, see:
Hallmarking of Gold Coinage in Serbia and Yugoslavia 1882–1941

To read a CoinsWeekly review, see:
New Publication on Hallmarks of Gold Coinage in Serbia and Yugoslavia (https://new.coinsweekly.com/news-en/new-publication-on-hallmarks-of-gold-coinage-in-serbia-and-yugoslavia/)

ROMAN PROVINCIAL COINAGE V.2 & V.3 ONLINE

 

RPC volume V.2 and V.3 are now available online. They cover all Roman provincial coinage issues from Pertinax to the death of Macrinus (AD 193-218) in all the Eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. They include over 11,000 type descriptions and over 45,000 coins from 317 cities. The geography extends from Bithynia to Egypt.

Volume V.2 will be edited by A. Hostein and J. Mairat, with M. Amandry, F. Delrieux. and P.-O. Hochard.

Volume V.3 will by edited A. Burnett, with M. Amandry, L. Bricault, J. Mairat, S. Matthies, and D. Miebach.

Further additions and corrections will be incorporated into the printed volume. Please submit feedback through RPC online.

Please note that the European provinces will be covered in Volume V.1, which is not yet online. We kindly ask you to wait until its release before submitting feedback on that part of Volume V.

Image: Caracalla from Laodicea ad Lycum: Berlin, Münzkabinett der Staatlichen Museen, 18202093. Photographs by Reinhard Saczewski.
https://ikmk.smb.museum/object?id=18202093

Explore RPC V.2 using the interactive map at
https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/search/map?volumed=9

Explore RPC V.3 using the interactive map at
https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/search/map?volume_id=10

NNP ADDS VIRGINIA COINAGE NEWSLETTER

 

Newman Portal Adds Virginia Coinage Newsletter

Published by Bill Veach from 1990-1993, the Generation Newsletter featured content related to the Virginia 1773 halfpence. Veach outlined the rationale in the initial solicitation: "The ‘Generation' is a select group of Colonial Virginia Halfpenny collectors, recently organized in Vienna, VA to protect the integrity and to promote the welfare of these 217 year old specimens of American history. Being the very first authorized (legal) coinage in the American monetary system, it is imperative that they be more widely recognized as such."

Veach distributed the Newsletter privately and included content related to varieties, rarity, pricing, collecting approaches, and member profiles. Veach produced nearly all the copy himself, and ended publication in 1993 by noting that the Newsletter had fulfilled its primary objective to "promote the welfare" of the 1773 halfpence.

As a coda, Veach produced a single issue in 2005 under the title New Generation Newsletter, which was likely inspired by the April 2005 issue of the Colonial Newsletter that included an article by Roger Moore, Alan Anthony, and Eric Newman on Virginia halfpence die varieties. NNP acknowledges Roger Moore for lending his file of the Veach newsletters.

Image: 1773 Virginia Halfpenny, Period, Newman 26-Y. MS64 Brown NGC. Ex. Newman IX (Heritage Auctions, November 2017), lot 15210, realized $1,560.

Link to the Generation Newsletter on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/531574

Link to the Colonial Newsletter on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/511327

A CHRISTMAS GREETING CARD

 

A Christmas Greeting Card

Gold coins make traditional Christmas gifts, and, in 1916, a few fortunate recipients were presented with examples of this encased McKinley gold dollar. The obverse legend of this piece, from the American Numismatic Society, reads CHRISTMAS GREETINGS 1916 / FROM TRACY R. BANGS, while the reverse legend is W.H. BURR MINNEAPOLIS / MINN, presumably identifying the manufacturer. The McKinley gold dollar was struck by the U.S. Mint in 1903 as a commemorative of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which was held in St. Louis in 1904.

Tracy R. Bangs appears in the Official Register of the United States for 1909, as an attorney for the Treasury Department, and is listed again in a similar capacity in 1913. Ancestry.com identifies a Tracy R. Bangs (1862-1936) from North Dakota, and the Fargo, ND Forum of February 25, 1936 included an obituary that noted in part "Tribute was paid to the memory of Tracy R. Bangs as ‘an outstanding citizen, a great lawyer and a faithful public servant' at a memorial service in Cass county district court Monday. Judge Daniel B. Holt declared a recess at 2pm, the time of the funeral."

Image: Encased McKinley gold dollar, ANS 1987.106.2. Images courtesy of American Numismatic Society.

Link to Official Register of the United States on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/536877

VIDEO: COLONIAL AMERICAN CONDER TOKENS

 

Most people that know about these special copper issues of the late 1700's think they are all of British issue. However many were made and destined for the American shores. Learn about this esoteric and interesting area of collecting from Mark Borckardt, one of the country's great numismatists.

 

To watch the complete video, see:
Colonial American Conder Tokens (https://youtu.be/LpEPCkrSi78)

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: DECEMBER 22, 2024

Credit Cards Picturing Coins
Adrian Gonzalez Salinas writes:

 

 

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY NOVEMBER 24, 2024 : Credit Cards! (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n47a18.html)

Another Charleston Communion Token
Ira Rezak of Stony Brook, NY writes:

 

 

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
STACK'S BOWERS NOVEMBER 2024 SELECTIONS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a21.html)

Stack's Bowers to Sell Norton I 50 Cent Note
John Lumea, founder of the Emperor Norton Trust writes:

 

To watch the Facebook reel, see:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1305413400629521

To read the reburial article, see:
Four Previously Unpublished Photographs of the Emperor Norton Reburial Ceremony of 1934 (https://emperornortontrust.org/blog/2024/12/12/rarely-seen-photographs-of-emperor-norton-reburial-ceremony-in-1934)

for more information on Norton, see:
The Life & Legend of Emperor Norton (https://emperornortontrust.org/emperor/life)

MCA Advisory Article on Nobel Prize medals
Michael Wehner writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: DECEMBER 8, 2024 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n49a17.html)

A Cardboard Gothic Crown Greeting

 

 

Thomas Engelen of Lenzerheide, Switzerland writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
UPDATE: CARDBOARD COINS OF GREAT BRITAIN (https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n18a07.html)

Dimes For You at Christmas Time
Pete Smith writes:

 

 

DAVID MUIRHEAD INFORMATION SOUGHT

For many years, I was looking for the Glendining's Catalogue of "The Coins of The Mexican Revolutionists 1913-1917" The Property of David Muirhead, Esq. Wednesday 25 March 1936 auctioned in London, England. Catalog's Features: Soft Covers. 8vo (17.8 x 24.1 cms). Pages: 7,(1). Total Lots: 52.

In the past I had found only two appearances of this catalog:
1) Noonans (London) - 06 July 2005, Lot # 1643
2) Kolbe & Fanning (Gahanna, OH) Select Numismatic Books at Fixed Prices - February 2016 Lot # 18

This catalog can be downloaded from The Newman Numismatic Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctionlots?AucCoId=512958&AuctionId=533612

 

 

Thank god, I was able to find a nice copy of the catalog last month (November 2024). I have attached some pictures of this catalog.

Also, I have been looking for information about David Muirhead, Esq. and I have found only a few references to Mr. Muirhead so I am asking for help from The E-Sylum's readers.

TOM'S SEMI-NUMISMATIC DIARY: DECEMBER 22, 2024

 
Nummis Nova Table from both ends before we
acquiesce to Julian Leidman, the rightful head of any table.

For our holiday dinner, Nummis Nova invites spouses and vows to limit coin talk, instead, swapping family stories with wives who often tell us how much they dislike the time their spouses spend on this hobby. Few invited wives turned out, leaving much of the table free to talk shop. Knowing that we would possibly not talk much shop, some things shared now are "Virtual Show and Shares," that we brought in spirit on our iPhones, much like candid pictures of grandkids that proud oldsters are ready to whip out to assail anyone who mentions their grandkids first.

We met in a fine little corner of Fairfax amid criss-crossing highways at the Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar that was rocking with happy noise and holiday cheer. Several of us handed out gelt coins and good wishes to all.

 
Julien at head of table talks with John Kraljevich /
Tom (our host) as the Spirit of Saint Nicholas

Seen at the table was the 40th largest of the one hundred largest gold nuggets recovered from the wreck of the S.S. Central America, a "Reading Nugget" at 6.23 grams of California gold about the size of a molar tooth. Yes, NGC slabs gold nuggets. Also seen was an 1865 medal for Distinguished Courage for the U. S. Colored Troops in the 1864 Campaign before Richmond for Sgt. Thomas C Burbridge, an uncirculated, rainbow-toned 1880-S Morgan Dollar, a very high grade 1914-D Cent, a (circa 1396 – 1421) Knights of St. John at Rhodes silver medal of Philibert de Naillac, a high-grade, 1866 Hong Kong Dollar with Empress Victoria, a scarce CNG book, Parthian Coins & History…Ten Dragons against Rome by Fred B. Shore from 1993, and a new manuscript Caracalla, Geta & Macrinus: Roman Emperors of Gladiator II.

 

In virtual attendance was this fragile, leather-bound, European merchant's boxed set of thirty-eight brass weights for gold and silver coins with pan scale, circa 1820s. The task is to find corresponding examples of the old coins of France, Italy, Venice, Savoy, Great Britain, German States, Austria, and Bavaria; these weights are made to assess. Table talk at my end of the long table wandered among Taylor Swift concerts in Zurich, classic country music, numismatic education scholarships, small towns in Maine, teaching first graders, laid-back vacation cities and how glad we will be after all the holiday hubbub, when we can relax once again and focus on our hobbies. May your stockings be filled with coins and your holiday table with tenderloin!

RICHARD MARGOLIS AND FRENCH COINAGE

 

Richard Margolis (1931-2018), the eminent American professional numismatist, passed away on November 24, 2018. During his lifetime, he developed a real passion for French coinage dating from the French Revolution to Louis XVIII and possessed an incomparable library and collection of nearly 3,000 coins for this period. Behind a great man there is often a remarkable woman. Sara his wife, had always encouraged him in his passion and she was, with her husband, among of the founders of the famous New York International Numismatic Convention. For all French collectors, Richard Margolis will remain a model for his research and publications on our coinage!

The Association of Friends of the Franc (ADF) carried out the archival research on the period of the French Franc. We also photographed the major public numismatic collections (Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Monnaie de Paris, Musée Carnavalet, etc…). Including, the minting tools located in the reserves of the Monnaie de Paris monetary museum. The Association of Friends of Numismatic Authors (ADAN) as well as French and international sponsors and subscribers have cofinanced the publication of this research work. 5 books have already been published (2019-2024) and 3 others are in preparation (2025-2027).

 

The dispersal of the Richard Margolis library by Kolbe & Fanning in 2021, and his coin collection by Stack's Bowers (2024-2025) gives us the opportunity to appreciate their importance.

In this conference, we will use the Richard Margolis collection to show the diversity of French monetary essays.

And, you will discover the significance of his collection as it includes many unpublished essays that are missing from the national collections.

 

We will summarize the great lessons learnt from Richard Margolis and which makes him a model for all collectors.

This collection also shows us the strong ties between the United States and France. With nostalgia, and in memory of Richard Margolis, it might be time to reactivate the SAENF (Société Américaine pour l'Etude de la Numismatique Française)…!

Laurent Schmitt is the Honorary President of the Association of Friends of the Franc (ADF) and the President of the Association of Friends of Numismatic Authors (ADAN).

Philippe Théret is the main author of the following numismatic books: Le Franc, les Monnaies, les Archives (2019), Le Franc d'Augustin Dupré (2021), Le Franc, les Essais, les Archives, Napoléon 1er (1803-1815) (2023), Le Franc, les Essais, les Archives, Louis XVIII (1814-1824) (2024) and Le Franc, les Essais, les Archives, Charles X (1824-1830) (2024).

PS : As Laurent Schmitt (President of ADAN) will be present at NYINC, he can bring copies of deluxe versions of the books of the series "Le Franc, les Essais, les Archives" (see E-Sylum Volume 27, Number 50, December 15, 2024) ordered in advance (before January 10th) thereby avoiding shipping costs for buyers who will collect the books at the convention. For more information about the content of the books or to order the deluxe versions, contact : essais@amisdufranc.org.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW BOOK: LE FRANC - CHARLES X (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a04.html)

RARITIES AT THE 2025 NATIONAL MONEY SHOW

Visitors to the American Numismatic Association (ANA) 2025 National Money Show® (NationalMoneyShow.com) in the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, February 27-March 1, can have the thrill of being close up to more than $100 million of historic rare coins and currency, including famous rarities on display from the ANA Edward C. Rochette Money Museum.

"Money is history you can hold in your hands, and we are proud to have more than $100 million of numismatic treasures for the public to enjoy at the National Money Show," said Thomas J. Uram, president of the nearly 25,000-member ANA (money.org).

"It's incredible that such small treasures can hold so much value and history, and we want everyone to have the chance to see this remarkable show in person," stated Uram.

Among the special exhibits from the ANA Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are two of the world's most famous and valuable rare coins, the McDermott-Bebee 1913 Liberty Head nickel and the Idler/Bebee Type III 1804 Bust silver dollar.

Attendees also will have the opportunity to view one of the approximately 40 known surviving gold 1933 Eagles designed by acclaimed sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Paper money collectors will enjoy seeing a $100 trillion denomination bank note from Zimbabwe, one of the world's most unusual pieces of paper money.

"The Zimbabwe note is an intriguing and often sought-after collector's item now. Because of catastrophic hyperinflation of Zimbabwe's currency, estimated as high as 250,000,000 percent at one point, the value of the $100 trillion notes when they were issued in 2009 was only about $30 each in U.S. dollars," explained ANA Money Museum Director Doug Mudd.

There also will be a display of misprinted U.S. paper money from the Bebee Collection and Bank of the United States bank notes from a donation by long-time ANA advocates John and Nancy Wilson of Florida. The exhibit also will include checks signed by President Andrew Jackson and Winfield 'Old Fuss and Feathers' Scott, a former Commanding General of the United States Army and the 1852 presidential nominee of the Whig Party.

The Museum Showcase display in Atlanta will also feature a selection of Renaissance Medals and a special Silk Road coins exhibit.

"The Silk Road in Eurasia was history's first global trade network. Though inspired by economic motivations, it was a vibrant cultural crossroad that connected empires over vast distances and enabled a flood of goods, ideas and technologies for 1,500 years. The coins that facilitated this long-distance trade are durable records of the stories, innovations and cultures of a world not unlike ours today," explained Mudd.

During the convention, more than 350 dealers from the Southeast and across the United States will be buying and selling rare coins, vintage paper money, medals, tokens, and gold and silver. Many of the on-site numismatic experts will provide free, informal evaluations of the public's old coins and paper money.

Educational seminars and a children's treasure trivia game will be offered during the show, and youngsters – as well as adults – can have photos of their face as the portrait on the front of a U.S. $100,000 bill.

The Georgia Numismatic Association is the host club for the convention.

The 2025 National Money Show will be held in Hall B of the Cobb Galleria Centre at 2 Galleria Parkway in Atlanta. The show will be open Thursday and Friday, February 27 and 28, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Saturday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Admission Thursday and Friday is $10 for adults, children 12 and under admitted free. Admission is free for everyone on Saturday.

Additional information can be found online at NationalMoneyShow.com.

VOCABULARY TERMS: RACK, RADIAL, RAW

Rack Mark. Evidence on a medallic item at three or more points in which coloring, finish or lacquer is missing. The tiny points are where the medallic item was supported while it was worked on, as during a finishing or lacquering operation. Rack marks usually appear at three equidistant points along the edge where the supporting prongs, wires or stilts make a point of contact and thus prevent any finishing at those points. See stilts.

Radial Line Border. A border entirely of rays, a series of raised lines, which if all lines were extended inward they would cross at the center point. Radial lines rise from a field to form a border element; thus they differ from a reeded rim (which is raised lines on top of the rim). An example of radial line border is on the 1797 U.S. half cent.

Railroad Rim. A flanged edge coining error where a piece is struck half within and half outside a collar; a partial collar error, the resulting piece has a flange that looks like a railroad wheel, hence the name. The term is used more by collectors; otherwise called a partial collar strike.

Reference:
NE42 {1982} Doty, p 275-276.

To read the NGC page, see:
1797 PLAIN EDGE 1/2C MS (https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-explorer/united-states/half-cents/liberty-cap-half-cents-1793-1797/11036/1797-plain-edge-1-2c-ms/)

To read the complete entries on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Rack Mark (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516579)
Radial Line Border (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516580)
Railroad Rim (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516582)

BILL HENDERSON SUPPER CLUB

I enjoyed reading Dr. Larry Lee's comments on the Bill Henderson Supper Club. I thought I would share my recollections of one of their dinners.

I spent the first week of June 2013 in Colorado Springs. I was there to do research in the American Numismatic Association Library. Mostly I was making notes on auction appearances of the 1792 half disme. I had an interest in that topic at the time.

I was staying at the Econo Lodge Motel on Nevada Street, across from the Hallenbeck Coin Gallery. Shortly after I got to town, I walked over there. I was amused to see they were using a Yap stone as a door stop. Tom was out of town but Ken Hallenbeck was there.

After we talked for a while, Ken invited me to join the Bill Henderson Supper Club (HSC) later in the week. He disclosed the secret location. Perhaps I was supposed to say, "I'm a friend of Bill," but I may be confused with something else. Speaking of Bill, while I was talking with Ken, Bill Rosenblum came in with another member from Denver. They would both be at the dinner.

I didn't take notes, but I think it was the evening of June 5, 2013, when I showed up at the secret location. A group of the members were gathering at the bar. Bill Rosenblum hit me up for $20 to pay for the dinner.

I was greeted by a white-haired woman that I may not have otherwise noticed. The last time I saw her, Mary Sauvain had black hair. Apparently, retirement caused her hair to change.

Shortly It was time to move into the dining room. I followed Dave Perkins. I had known him for at least ten years. He had been secretary/treasurer of the NBS in 2003.

There were about twenty people seated around the table. I figured that I knew about half of them. Here I was, a thousand mile from home, and four of the people at the dinner had worked for the same coin dealer. That was Gary Adkin's company, Numismatic Services, Inc., and included Ken Bressett, Phil Bressett, Mary Sauvain, and me.

There were three former presidents of the ANA at the dinner including Ken Bressett, Ken Hallenbeck, and Ed Rochette. Ed sat to my left. His health had been declining and he was no longer able to drive to the meeting. Someone else had brought him.

At one point, Ed was staring at his drinking glass. He said he was looking at the face of a cat. Sure enough, the lights overhead reflecting off the facets of the glass, had the appearance of a cat face. Ed saw that while the rest of us were talking about coins.

I understand the HSC has no officers and no rules. They have enough organizational structure to designate a moderator and topic for the discussion. This month Phil Bressett was the moderator and the topic was "small."

For many of the speakers, this represented a small coin. For someone else it meant "few" for a coin with few examples. For another it meant a small amount of time so he described a recent acquisition.

Dick Horst had been president of my local club, the Northwest Coin Club, in 1974 to 1976, before moving to Colorado. That was before I was a member. He commented that, at one time, Paul Runze from Minnesota had exhibited coins that were ten millimeters or less. In 2013, Paul Runze was my employer.

Sitting at the other side of the table was Chris Marchase. He is a grandson of the original Bill Henderson. I don't think we had met previously. I was familiar with his interest in Lesher Dollars. In 2009 he had won the Howland Wood Memorial Award for best-of-show exhibit as a first-time exhibitor. There are few of us with that distinction.

Sitting to my right was Henry Mitchell. His father, Ralph "Curley" Mitchell, was a well-known collector and author from Southern California.

I wish I had taken notes on the others who attended. Since this was membership by invitation, the people attending would be more mature in age and advanced in their numismatic experience. I suspect the ones I did not know may have been as interesting as the ones I knew.

A typical coin club has a constitution, elected officers, dues and they put on public coin shows. The Bill Henderson Supper Club does none of that. Wayne Homren mentions his monthly Numis Nova meetings that are similar social events. I think Bill Murray was involved with a similar club in San Antonio, Texas.

The Attinelli Fellowship is a dinner club on a national level focused on numismatic literature collectors. Like the HSC, attendance is by invitation only. Are there other "secret" clubs operating at a local level? Are there any successful local dinner clubs with open attendance?

Bill Henderson was born on March 30, 1916, and died on June 5, 1989. He was a veteran of the Army Air Corps during WWII. He served as mayor of Colorado Springs in 1959 to 1963 and is credited with getting the ANA headquarters located at Colorado College. His service to the ANA resulted in the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award in 1978 and inclusion in the ANA Hall of Fame.. Henderson was a student of Colorado history and collector of Colorado memorabilia. His collection of Lesher Dollars was the finest known.

I corresponded with Dr. Lee this week. He mentioned that while there was a limit of eighteen active members, there were other inactive members who have moved out of the area or are no longer able to attend. Dr. Lee is one of these inactive members. During Summer Seminar, every member can bring a guest. Those meetings bring in additional experts from around the country.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
DR. LAWRENCE LEE INTERVIEW, PART FIVE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a17.html)

NELLIE TAYLOE ROSS DAY PROCLAIMED

The 100th anniversary of Nellie Tayloe Ross' inauguration as the first woman governor of both Wyoming and the United States was will be recognized as Nallie Tayloe Ross Day Jan. 5, 2025 following a proclamation signed by Gov. Mark Gordon.

A ceremony involving Gov. Mark Gordon reading the proclamation took place Friday at the Sweetwater County Courthouse. Students from Bridgette Nielsen's social studies class, who helped draft the proclamation, were in attendance as well, along with county residents and other elected officials.

The two-year period as governor would not be the only public service Ross was known for. She was appointed the first [woman] director of the United States Mint in 1933 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This would be post she continued to serve in for 20 years, serving under Roosevelt and Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. She retired in 1953 and continued to travel extensively and write for women's magazines. She died in 1976 at the age of 101 and was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Cheyenne.

The proclamation was originally Sweetwater County Historical Museum Board Member Randy Walker's idea. Walker said the idea came because of Ross' accomplishments where important historical events that deserved recognition. The proclamation project was taken up by Nielsen's social studies class at Green River High School, who studied Ross' life and other proclamations to determine how it should be written. The group received praise from both Gov. Gordon and Ross' great granddaughter Nellie Tayloe Sanders, the current Oklahoma Secretary of Education. Sanders provided a brief video message thanking the students and state officials for commemorating Ross' accomplishments.

Prior to issuing the proclamation, Gordon said Wyoming giving women the right to vote was novel in that other states that granted that right would later rescind it, with Wyoming never taking that right away. He said lawmakers had a disastrous territorial election in 1868 where people got into fights and prevented others from going to polling locations. Including women in the voting process was seen as a way of ensuring a more peaceful election, with Gordon saying that the election in 1869 was a model election in part because women were involved. He also said lawmakers made a toast after the state's constitution was signed, saying former Governor Cliff Hansen remembered what was said for that toast.

"Here's to women, first our superiors, now our equals," Gordon said. "It's all true, we are all equal."

To read the complete article, see:
Nellie Tayloe Ross Day Proclaimed in Green River (https://www.sweetwaternow.com/nellie-tayloe-ross-day-proclaimed-in-green-river/)

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NELLIE TAYLOE ROSS BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n11a06.html)
EXHIBIT HONORS MINT DIRECTOR NELLIE ROSS (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v08n40a18.html)

Other References:
Gov. Nellie Tayloe Ross (https://www.nga.org/governor/nellie-tayloe-ross/)
Nellie Tayloe Ross (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellie_Tayloe_Ross)
Nellie Tayloe Ross papers, 1880s-1998 (https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv317842)

NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: DECEMBER 22, 2024

 

102996 | ITALY. Papal States. Pope Pius VII bronze Medal. Issued 1807 for the renovation of the outer wall of the Colosseum in 1806 (68mm, 144.61 g, 12h). By Tommaso Mercandetti at the Rome mint. PIVS SEPTIMVS PONTIFEX MAX, bust left, wearing zucchetto, mantum, and ornate pallium // AMPHIT FLAVIVM REPARATVM, façade of the repaired outer wall of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre); in three lines in exergue, ANNO A NATIVITATE / CHRISTI / CI?I?CCCVI [MDCCCVI]. Edge: Some light marks as made, otherwise plain. Patrignani 45; Bartolotti 78; Weber 232; Bertuzzi 76. Choice Mint State. Deep chocolate brown surfaces, with great depth among the devices and brilliance in the fields. An exceptional architectural type, and one that remains free from the commonly encountered scuffing and bruising that most exhibit. Characteristic die break on the reverse, though still from an earlier state than most. $1,095.

Construction on the Colosseum was begun in the early portion of the reign of Roman emperor Vespasian, with the iconic edifice completed during the reign of his elder son and successor, Titus. Given their importance in its creation, it later gained the name of the Flavian Amphitheatre in honor of their dynastic family. Some estimates point to its capacity being some 80,000 spectators, with crowds likely routinely averaging more than 60,000. While it fell into disrepair during the ensuing centuries, efforts were made to renovate the outer wall during the reign of Pius VII—the event commemorated on this highly impressive architectural medal that predates many of the other Italian, Belgian, and British architectural medals that would come to life in the mid-19th century.

To read the complete item description, see:
102996 | ITALY. Papal States. Pope Pius VII bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102996)

 

102912 | SWEDEN. Oscar II silver Award Medal. Issued circa 1875-1880. Presented for Horse Breeding (43mm, 33.90 g, 12h). By Lea Ahlborn at the Stockholm mint. OSCAR II SVERIGES OCH NORGES KONUNG, bare head right // FÖR HÄSTAFVELNS FRÄMJANDE (for horse breeding), horse standing left; PRISBELÖNING (award). Edge: Plain. Choice Mint State. Rich brown surfaces, with intense lustrous brilliance in the fields. $109.

Awarded annually by the Stuteri Öfverstyrelsen (stud farm executive board), these medals were a continuation of the ideals originally promoted in the 17th century in order to foster a strong supply of horses for the Swedish cavalry. Enacted by decree in 1872, and officially instituted by 1875, these hästmedaljer ("horse medals") were presented, in silver and bronze, to the owners of deceased young horses that were considered by the board to be worthy of such honor and distinction.

To read the complete item description, see:
102912 | SWEDEN. Oscar II silver Award Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102912)

 

102925 | SWITZERLAND. Frauenfeld. Silver Shooting Medal. Issued 1890. Commemorating the federal shooting festival in Frauenfeld in Thurgau, from 20–30 July (45mm, 38.70 g, 12h). By Hughes Bovy in Geneva. HEIL DIR HELVETIA, personification of Helvetia standing left, head right, holding a sword and shield; Frauenfeld Castle in the background to the left; to right, personification of Thurgau seated left, resting hand upon a garnished cantonal coat-of-arms // EIDGENÖSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST IN FRAUENFELD / JULI 1890, civic coat-of-arms over laurel and oak branches, and rifles crossed in saltire. Richter 1250b. NGC MS-61 Prooflike. Highly brilliant and reflective, with some subtle iridescence sprinkled throughout. Somewhat conservatively assessed given its charming eye appeal. $435.

The shooting festivals—in this sense, at the federal level—are considered one of the most important events in Swiss life, having played a historic role in the establishment of the Swiss state and serving as a vital connection to the nation's past. The first federal shooting festival was held in Aarau in 1824, and subsequent festivals were then held every few years, with numerous cities rotating as host. Since 1985, these festivals have been held at a fixed point every five years, the most recent having been held in July 2021 in Luzern (originally scheduled for 2020, but delayed due to the global pandemic).

To read the complete item description, see:
102925 | SWITZERLAND. Frauenfeld. Silver Shooting Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102925)

 

102803 | ARGENTINA & CHILE. Peace Treaty silver Medal. Issued 1911/2 for the end of the border dispute (58mm, 70.50 g, 12h). INDE PAX UTRIUSQUE PONTI, two battle cruisers (San Martin [Argentina]) and O'Higgins [Chile]) sailing side-by-side; garlanded olive wreath below // PACTIONES ARGENTINO–CHILENSES / 28 MAII MCMII, view of the Andes, with rainbow arcing overtop; POST PACTA, FŒDERA... in exergue. Edge: Plain. Royal Museums Greenwich Coll. MEC2626. PCGS MS-62. Mostly a pale gray-argent, with some hints of iridescence nearer the peripheries, and pattern of color that parallel the rainbow for added effect. A fairly scarce Latin American type with great iconography. $395.

Given their extensive border, Argentina and Chile have experienced their fair share of territorial disputes, as their lengthy neighboring lands run for over 3,300 miles. Following a heated escalation in 1902, King Edward VII of Great Britain intervened, quelling the tensions in an equitable manner. The presidents of the two countries were on board their respective ships (the San Martin and the O'Higgins) and met in the Straits of Magellan.

To read the complete item description, see:
102803 | ARGENTINA & CHILE. Peace Treaty/Rainbow silver Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102803)

ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL SALE 98B SELECTIONS

 

Lot # 24. Bermuda. Monetary Authority and Government, 1937 to 1984, Group of Issued Banknotes. Bermuda, 1937-84. Lot of 9 Issued Banknotes, Includes: Bermuda Government 5 Shillings, P-9b, 1937; 10 Shillings, P-10b, 1937; 5 Shillings, P-18a & 18b, 1952-1957; 10 Shillings, P-19a & P-19b, 1952-57; Bermuda Monetary Authority 1 Dollar, P-28b, 1978-84. Notes range from Fine to VF condition. (9).

To read the complete lot description, see:
Bermuda. Monetary Authority and Government, 1937 to 1984, Group of Issued Banknotes. (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Bermuda-Monetary-Authority-and-Government-1937-to-1984-Group-of-Issued-Banknotes_i55105493)

Lot 81. Egypt. Egyptian Currency, 1940, Pair Issued Banknotes. Egypt, 1940. Lot of 2 Issued Banknotes, Includes: 5 Piastres, P-165b, Brown on yellow underprint with portrait of King Farouk at left; 10 Piastres, P-168a, Blue on green underprint with portrait of King Farouk at right. Notes are in Good-Fine condition. (2).

To read the complete item description, see:
Lot 81. Egypt. Egyptian Currency, 1940, Pair Issued Banknotes. (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Egypt-Egyptian-Currency-1940-Pair-Issued-Banknotes_i55105550)

Lot 125. Schloss Hirschberg Officer POW Camp. ND (1917). Quartet of Notgeld. Schloss Hirschberg ,Germany. Lot of 4 P.O.W. Notes. Officer, Prisoner of War Notgeld Scrip Notes, includes 10 Mark, VF; 5 Mark, Fine w/split; and two 2 Mark notes, one VF and one AU+, the latter without validation handstamp. (4)

To read the complete item description, see:
Lot 125. Schloss Hirschberg Officer POW Camp. ND (1917). Quartet of Notgeld. (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Schloss-Hirschberg-Officer-POW-Camp-ND-1917-Quartet-of-Notgeld_i55105594)

Lot 146. Iceland & Sweden. Rikissjod Islands and Sveriges Bank, 1941-48, Pair of Issued Banknotes. Iceland & Sweden, 1941-48. Lot of 2 Issued Banknotes, Includes: Rikissjod Islands 1 Krona, P-22a, 1941; Sveriges Riksbank 5 Kronor, P-41a, Commemorative Note. Both notes are in AU to Unc condition. (2).

To read the complete item description, see:
Lot 146. Iceland & Sweden. Rikissjod Islands and Sveriges Bank, 1941-48, Pair of Issued Banknotes. (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Iceland-Sweden-Rikissjod-Islands-and-Sveriges-Bank-1941-48-Pair-of-Issued-Banknotes_i55105615)

Lot 202. Philippines. Central Bank, 1949. Collection of Issued Banknotes, XF-AU (6), TDLR. Philippines, 1949. Collection of Issued Banknotes, Includes: 1 Peso, P-133f & P-133h (2); 2 Pesos, P-134d; 5 Pesos, P-135f; 10 Pesos, P-136e. Notes are XF-AU condition. (6).

To read the complete item description, see:
Lot 202. Philippines. Central Bank, 1949. Collection of Issued Banknotes, XF-AU (6), TDLR. (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Philippines-Central-Bank-1949-Collection-of-Issued-Banknotes-XF-AU-6-TDLR_i55105671)

Lot 210. Russia. Government Credit Note, 1917, Issued Banknote Russia, 1917. 250 Rubles, P-36, Issued Banknote, Dark green on brown underprint, Block AG-335, PMG graded Choice Uncirculated 64.

To read the complete item description, see:
Lot 210. Russia. Government Credit Note, 1917, Issued Banknote (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Russia-Government-Credit-Note-1917-Issued-Banknote_i55105679)

Lot 355. France. Domaines Nationaux, 1791 to 1792, Collection of Issued Banknotes. France, 1791-92. Lot of 4 Issued Banknotes, Includes: 5 Livres, 10 Livres (2), and 25 Livres. Notes range from Fine to VF condition. (4).

To read the complete item description, see:
Lot 355. France. Domaines Nationaux, 1791 to 1792, Collection of Issued Banknotes. (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/France-Domaines-Nationaux-1791-to-1792-Collection-of-Issued-Banknotes_i55105824)

 

Lot 436. Connecticut. Promissory Note 1785, £21.16.2, I/C. The Pay-Table (also known as the Committee of Four) managed Connecticut's military finances during the ongoing conflict. John Lawrence (1719-1802) served as treasurer of the Connecticut colony, and later as the Connecticut State Treasurer from 1769 to 1789, spanning the crucial period of colonial rule, through the American revolution, and into the early years of the United States. During the Revolutionary War, Lawrence was commissioner of loans for the new nation. Fenn Wadsworth (1750/51-1785) was a brigade major to General James Wadsworth from 1776 to 1779. He fought in many battles during that time, but his failing health forced him to leave active service. He was involved in Connecticut's early governance, shown by his membership to the Committee of Four in this document. Jedediah (or Jedidiah) Huntington (4 August 1743 - 25 September 1818) was an American general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he served in numerous civilian posts. Interesting piece of military history from the Revolutionary War. VF to XF condition with an interesting watermark on paper.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Connecticut. Promissory Note 1785, £21.16.2, I/C (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Connecticut-Promissory-Note-1785-21-16-2-I-C_i55105905)

Lot 437. S. W. McBride & Co., ND. 1 Dollar Scrip Note "for any adulteration found in this soap." XF to AU condition. S. W. McBride & Co., Advertising Note, like several companies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, issued scrip notes (also known as "trade notes" or "store money") as part of promotional campaigns. These notes were often distributed to incentivize purchases, offering discounts or rebates for their soap products. Scrip was a common practice among businesses during this time, as it encouraged customer loyalty and helped businesses circulate their brand's value directly in the hands of consumers.

To read the complete item description, see:
Lot 437. S. W. McBride & Co., ND. 1 Dollar Scrip Note "for any adulteration found in this soap." (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/S-W-McBride-Co-ND-1-Dollar-Scrip-Note-for-any-adulteration-found-in-this-soap_i55105906)

HERITAGE AUCTIONS: ELLSWORTH LARGE CENTS

Magnificent coins from an extraordinary collection of large cents featuring every one of the Sheldon number varieties from 1796 through 1814 will land in new collections when they are sold January 9 in Heritage's The COL Steven K. Ellsworth Collection of US Large Cents 1796-1814 US Coins Signature® Auction as part of the FUN Convention in Orlando.

"1796 was a transitional year in American numismatics," says Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. "That was the year the Mint switched from the Liberty Capped Bust design to the Draped Bust design. This collection starts with the Draped Bust coins, and many of the coins are the finest known, or at least one of the finest known examples."

A collector since he was in middle school, Ellsworth is one of "the most celebrated collectors of these early large cent varieties," a longtime numismatist who enjoys a broad reach within the collecting community.

"Back when these coins were minted, they were the people's money," Ellsworth said in a 2022 interview with PCGS. "These one-cent coins are what people used to buy bread, horseshoes and the other things that people used to buy. If you had a silver dollar or a $2.50 gold piece, you were carrying a lot of money. But large cents were spent on everything, and some of these coins saw thousands of uses … In some cases the finest-known example of a certain variety may be AG3 or G4. Anything XF or over can be exceedingly rare."

Significant highlights from the collection include, but are not limited to:

A 1799 S-189 R2 XF45 PCGS, CAC Approved — the famous "Abbey" cent — has a provenance of 180 years, one of the longest unbroken ownership chains for a US large cent. More importantly, it is the finest that CAC has approved, and has been called the most important 1799 cent. The "Abbey" cent moniker can be traced back to the fact that one of its earliest owners was Lorenzo H. Abbey, a coin collector during the 19th century. In numismatics, it is a rare distinction to be remembered for a single coin, one typically reserved for extraordinary pieces like the 1804 silver dollar or the 1913 Liberty nickel.

An 1801 S-217 R6+ AU58 PCGS is the finest known example of this very rare variety, in spite of slight imperfections. Included in the coin's provenance are stints in the collections of Dr. William H. Sheldon, Barney William "Barney" Bluestone and Walter J. Husak.

A 1798 S-178 R5+, Style II Hair, Reverse of 1795, VF35 PCGS is the discovery coin for the variety, first identified by Philadelphia large cent collector James A. Walker, who joined the ANA in 1909, prior to 1913. Both sides were plated on page 305 in the June 1913 issue of The Numismatist in an article by Dr. Charles E. McGirk announcing the new variety. This is the plate coin for the variety in the Breen encyclopedia and in the 1991 Noyes reference.

An 1803 S-264 R4+, Large Date, Small Fraction, VF20 PCGS is a sharply struck, nicely detailed example of this classic rarity, a "Famous Four" variety that is one of the keys to a "Redbook" set of early cents. It is the plate coin for the variety in the 2000 Breen encyclopedia, and comes with a nice provenance. It is one of just two graded in VF20, with just three others carrying higher grades.

An 1810 S-285 R2 MS66 Red & Brown PCGS comes with an unbroken provenance that can be traced back for more than a century, a provenance that includes several of the "heavy hitters" in the history of large cent collecting, including Colonial collector Hillyer C. Ryder, who was the author of The Colonial Coins of Vermont and The Copper Coins of Massachusetts, which were published in the American Journal of Numismatics in 1919. Both series are still attributed by Ryder numbers. He served the Putnam County National Bank for more than 50 years and signed National currency as the cashier of that bank, and was a member of the New York Numismatic Club and the American Numismatic Association.

The Ellsworth catalog was written by Heritage senior numismatist Mark Borckardt and Bob Grellman of Heritage's partner-firm for this event, Early Cents Auctions.

Images and information about all lots in The COL Steven K. Ellsworth Collection of US Large Cents 1796-1814 US Coins Signature® Auction can be found at HA.com/1369.

KUENKER AUCTION SALE 418, PART TWO

A Unique Ensemble of Gnadenpfennigs

The term "gnadenpfennig" is used by numismatists to refer to a group of heavy gold coins with an elaborate contemporary mount, added to allow the owner to wear the specimen on a necklace or a headpiece. Such gnadenpfennigs were badges of honor given by princes to their most important officials and councilors. The possession of a gnadenpfennig of one or several rulers was a coveted symbol of status and privilege, especially for imperial knights. That is why people liked to wear them on portraits. In fact, very few of these precious objects have survived to this day. And that should come as no surprise. These coins were objects of daily use and therefore subject to wear and tear. In addition, they lost much of their prestige after the death of the prince depicted on them. It is therefore likely that many gnadenpfennigs were later melted down. Only a few of them still exist today. Künker is proud to be able to offer some of them in its Berlin Auction Sale. Here are a few selected examples.

No. 13: Sweden. Gustav II Adolph, 1611-1632. 1631 gnadenpfennig. From the collection of the Grand Duke of Oldenburg. Estimate: 75,000 euros

No. 32: German States / Bavaria. Maximilian I, 1598-1651. Gnadenpfennig n.d. (1623). Estimate: 25,000 euros

No. 682: Spain. Felipe II, 1556-1598. Gnadenpfennig (probably created later). From the collection of Baron Albert von Goldschmidt-Rothschild. Estimate: 25,000 euros

This specimen is not a gnadenpfennig in the strict sense of the word, but rather a token of loyalty that was probably created after the death of King Felipe II. It follows the tradition of Geuzen medals, tokens that depicted the portrait of the Spanish king on the obverse and on the reverse a beggar's sack with two hands shaking. Geuzen medals, which are also referred to as Beggars' medals, are satirical objects. The translation of their inscription reads: Everything for the king, even a beggar's sack. The piece offered by Künker is very different from traditional Geuzen medals. There is no beggar's sack on the reverse, but an elaborately decorated vase with floral ornaments and no inscription. One might wonder whether this piece was inspired by the obverse legend of Geuzen medals, turning their message into a positive one, i.e., transforming the mocking pledge of loyalty to King Felipe II into one an honest one.

Masterpieces of Medallic Art

Are you fascinated by medals? Then you should definitely take a close look at the Berlin Auction catalog, which features the finest and most beautiful medals created between the Renaissance and the 19th century. The medals are from several collections that complement each other. One of them belonged to the German manufacturer and history enthusiast who also created the collection of numismatic issues from the Thirty Years' War.

No. 152: German States / Prussia. Frederick William IV, 1840-1861. Gold medal of 50 ducats, 1851 by F. W. Kullrich, commemorating the completion of the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great on Berlin's "Unter den Linden" boulevard. Extremely rare. About FDC. Estimate: 50,000 euros

No. 158: German States / Prussia. William I, 1861-1888. Gold medal of 120 ducats, 1871, by E. Weigand and F. W. Kullrich. General's medal commemorating the victory over France. Only 25 specimens minted. FDC. Estimate: 75,000 euros

No. 193: Ore Mountains. Gold medal of 10 ducats, 1534, unsigned, probably by Wolfgang Roll. Very rare in gold. Struck original. Extremely fine. Estimate: 75,000 euros

No. 277: German States / Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Frederick II, 1691-1732. Silver pedigree medallion of 7 reichstalers n.d. (1710) by Chr. Wermuth. 3rd known specimen. Extremely fine. Estimate: 20,000 euros

No. 305: German States / Charles V, 1519-1558. Silver medal, 1521, by H. Krafft after a draft by Albrecht Dürer as a gift for the Emperor on the occasion of the planned Imperial Diet in Nuremberg. Extremely rare. Original strike. Extremely fine. Estimate: 100,000 euros

No. 309: German States / Charles V, 1519-1558. Silver medal (1550s), probably by L. Leoni. Probably the only silver specimen on the market. About extremely fine. Estimate: 40,000 euros

No. 462: France. Napoleon I, 1804-1814, 1815. 1806 gold medal by L. Manfredini commemorating the battle of Jena. Extremely rare. Extremely fine to FDC, struck from polished dies. Estimate: 75,000 euros

No. 594: Poland. August III, 1733-1763. 1763 gold medal of 50 ducats by F. A. Schega commemorating the death of the ruler. Probably the only known specimen. Extremely fine +. Estimate: 100,000 euros

No. 701: India. Silver cast medal n.d. (around 1890) commemorating the zoological garden of Alipore near Kolkata. Extremely rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 10,000 euros

In 1876, Edward VII, Prince of Wales, opened the Alipore Zoo, then the finest residential address in Kolkata. At the time, there was already a world-famous botanical garden in the neighborhood, built in the Western style. The zoo was to become famous for its breeding of white tigers, which began in the 19th century. The Aldabra giant tortoise, which was given to the zoo as a gift when it opened, was considered the world's oldest animal in captivity when it died in 2006 at the age of 256.

Please note that, unlike previous years, the auction will not take place on the Thursday before the World Money Fair, but on the Wednesday, 29 January 2025!

To order a catalog contact Künker, Nobbenburger Straße 4a, 49076 Osnabrück; phone: +49 541 / 962020; fax: +49 541 / 9620222; or via e-mail: service@kuenker.de. You can access the auction catalogs online at www.kuenker.de. If you want to submit your bid from your computer at home, please remember to register for this service in good time.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
KUENKER AUCTION SALE 418, PART ONE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a19.html)

COINS OF KINGDOM COME: DELIVERANCE II

On February 11, 2025, Czech videogame developer Warhorse Studios will release the much anticipated sequel to their 2018 action roleplaying game Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The game, set in 15th-century Bohemia, follows the events of the war between King Wenceslaus IV and Sigismund, then King of Hungary. For the sequel, Warhorse Studios will continue the story of the first game and offer players an even richer and more realistic experience, including an expanded map that brings the medieval city of Kutná Hora to life as well as a large playable area in the Bohemian countryside.

This realism is front and center in both games, with local customs, clothing, and architecture well-researched and faithfully presented. Even the game's economic system is based on the coinage of the period – and gamers might be surprised to know that many of these coins are affordable and collectible. In this article, CoinWeek Ancients writer Mike Markowitz provides an important overview of those coins and the historical events surrounding their issue. This deep lore undoubtedly will elevate one's understanding of the game upon its release.

Wenceslaus IV

Wenceslaus IV became King of Bohemia on the death of his father, German Emperor Karl IV, one of the most powerful European monarchs of his time. Wenceslaus (Wenzel in German, Václav in Czech) reigned from 1387 to his death in 1419. He was also Duke of Luxembourg and titular "King of Germany" from 1376 to 1400 (failing to obtain election as Holy Roman Emperor). A weak ruler, he was often in conflict with Bohemian nobles and his younger half-brother Sigismund, King of Hungary. Wenceslaus supported the religious reforms of Hus and his followers, but after he died in 1419, events quickly spiraled out of control.

Gold gulden of Wenceslaus IV, 1378-1419. Auerbach Mint. Value: $15,500.
Image: Sincona AG/CoinWeek.

Wenceslaus issued rare undated gold florins (gulden in German) from the mint of Prague, and a rare gold gulden from Auerbach in Franconia (today part of the German state of Sachsen), which he controlled. On the obverse, St. Wenceslaus holds a banner and a shield emblazoned with the imperial eagle. The Latin inscription ("Wenceslaus, by the Grace of God") continues on the reverse ("King of Bohemia and the Romans") which bears the heraldic lion of Bohemia. Used mainly for foreign trade in luxury goods, gold coinage did not circulate much in Bohemia.

Silver groschen of Wenceslaus IV, 1378-1419. Value: $80. Prague Mint.
Image: Tauler & Fau/CoinWeek.

Wenceslaus issued silver groschen from the mint of Kutná Hora. The obverse bears a stylized crown surrounded by the royal name and title in two concentric lines. On the reverse the coin identifies itself: GROSSI PRAGENSES (groschen of Prague) inscribed around the Bohemian lion. The same mint issued a debased heller weighing just a fraction of a gram that bears the king's facing crowned head on the obverse.

To read the complete article, see:
The Coins of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (https://coinweek.com/the-coins-of-kingdom-come-deliverance-ii/)

1715 TREASURE FLEET FIND: 200 MORE COINS

 

Treasures and mysteries are still being found in equal measure on the seafloor off Florida's Atlantic Coast where a fleet of Spanish ships sank during a 1715 hurricane.

Among the latest finds over the summer: 200 silver coins, a flintlock, an unusual tan vase and a mysterious set of bronze keys, according to a news release from 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC.

Even more startling, Capt. Mike Perna and shipmates Milan Kalelkar and Levin Shavers found "the remains of a wooden box that has been submerged in the ocean for over 300 years."

The artifacts were recovered along a mile-long "trail of shipwreck scatter" created when as many as a dozen treasure ships spilled their cargo.

Perna said he has been salvaging artifacts off 1715 Fleet for 25 years, and this is the first flintlock he has ever found.

For that reason, he suspects it may end up in the hands of Florida's Division of Historical Resources, which has a collection devoted to the unusual artifacts pulled off the wrecks.

His team was working in about 12 feet of water when they found the weapon concealed in 5 feet of sand. It was surrounded by other artifacts linked to the 1715 Fleet.

The 200 silver coins, found scattered and in stacks, are what most people want to imagine finding on shipwrecks.

 

To read the complete article, see:
A cocked flintlock and 200 silver coins found on 1715 shipwreck off Florida, divers say (https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article296821429.html)

For more images, see:
Mighty Mo strikes again! (https://www.1715treasurefleet.com/single-post/mighty-mo-strikes-again)

2024 ADVENT COIN CALENDAR, PART FOUR

19. Cake

Divus Antoninus Pius, Denarius, 161, bare head right, rev. CONSECRATIO, crematorium of four tiers, surmounted by quadriga.Everyone likes cake especially at Christmas. I know this is not a cake but it looks like one.

20. Bells

Another coin from Latvia who have produced beautiful seasonal coins

21. Charity

It is traditional to think of people in need at this time of the year. we can contribute to food banks, homeless charities or community Christmas meals

Poland 2 Zlots 2012 - 20 Years of The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

22. Inn

Jesus was born in a stable as there was no room in the inn.

Inn Tokens, Bewdley, Angel Inn, John Oakes, brass Threepence by Pope; Fox Inn, James Griffin, brass Threepence by Pope, Extremely fine, both rare. This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Worcestershire Tokens from the Collection of the late John Whitmore.

23. The crib scene

Pope Clement VII commissioned a special issue of commemorative coins, including a silver quarter-ducat. The reverse shows the pope wielding a ceremonial pick to open the bricked-up Holy Door of St. Peter's. The obverse is our familiar Nativity scene, surrounded by the Latin inscription Hodie Salus Facta Est Mundo: "Today the salvation of the World is accomplished."

Photograph used by kind permission of CoinWeek

24. This is my favourite coin - in fact a jeton from the Low Countries. It includes the Wise men adoring the infant Jesus.

Spanish Netherlands AE jeton Antwerp (?) mint 1562: the stars show the kings the way - the three kings / wise men before Jesus

Obverse: G DV BVRREAV DES FINANCES 1562, laureate and cuirassed bust of Philip II right

Reverse: MONSTRANT REGIBVS ASTRA VIAM, the three kings / wise men bringing gifts to the newly born Jesus

I could have chosen other Christmas related coins, medals and tokens. Every year I discover more items with a seasonal feel. What would you choose? Whatever you are doing have a brilliantly uncirculated holiday and a proof-like new year.

Illustrations

Illustrations 1,2,9,13, 19,by kind permission of Noonans Mayfair

https://www.noonans.co.uk/

Thanks to others for help. Every effort have been made to trace copyright owners of photos.

David Pickup December 2024

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
2024 ADVENT COIN CALENDAR, PART ONE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n48a22.html)
2024 ADVENT COIN CALENDAR, PART TWO (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n49a22.html)
2024 ADVENT COIN CALENDAR, PART THREE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a22.html)

SAN FRANCISCO MINT VENDING MACHINE TOKENS

 

To read the complete lot description, see:
Lot 850T: OFFICIAL INNER-OFFICE MONEY OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MINT (https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/OFFICIAL-INNER-OFFICE-MONEY-OF-THE-SAN-FRANCISCO-850T-c-EFB400E936)

 

Obverse
Stars and eagle

Reverse
Lettering:
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM CALIF 10 ¢ 1984

Edge
Plain

Comments
San Francisco, California (San Francisco County), U.S.A. Used by U.S. Mint employees in vending machines within the mint. Business Enterprise Program is a nation way program inside the state correctional (prison) system. Inmates learn a skill/trade while some company gets some very affordable labor. At some facilities inmates where paid in tokens with could be used in the inmate commissary. There is also a 1985 version of this token. California Correctional Industries is headquartered in Folsom (Sacramento County).

To read the complete entry, see:
Numista › Catalog › United States › United States Modify or add data on this page 10 cent - Business Enterprise Program California (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia316502.html)

 

Like most mints, the San Francisco mint prohibited employees from possessing coins while working in the mint in order to reduce the opportunity for theft. These brass tokens were used during the 1980's and 1990's for vending machines and the canteen inside the mint. One side depicts an American eagle surrounded by stars. The other side has the legends "BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM" "CALIF" "1984" and the denomination. The sizes of the tokens are slightly smaller than their corresponding U.S. coin: The 5 cents is 20mm, 10 cents is 16.5mm and the 25 cents is 23mm. Similar tokens, dated 1985, were used in California prisons.

To read the complete listing (scroll down), see:
https://www.joelscoins.com/tokens.htm

JOHN FERRERI'S 1822 HALF EAGLE

Shown below is the only 1822 $5 gold piece I will ever own. That's OK! One is enough. I don't think I could put up with the notoriety if I had two. It's hard enough to keep the numismatic media away as it is. My specimen is in good shape but not perfect. I never even bothered to have it slabbed! That costs money, you know!

The best part of this story is the amount I paid for this rare fella! I bought it in 1995, about 35 years ago when prices were a lot lower. For that I remain, thankful. If I remember correctly I paid less than one hundred dollars for it. Of course I have been approached many times by collectors and dealers who were interested in purchasing it. Unfortunately I didn't personally know any of them. If I am going to sell this rare piece it is going to be to someone I personally know who will take good care of it, as well as I have.

Some collectors can become too protective about some of their better purchases and not even display them at a club meeting. I think they are afraid of someone else getting wind of such a desirable piece and subsequently speaking too loudly about it to folks outside of our collecting fraternity. Then, you know what could happen!

I have taken pains in scanning this trophy so you all can see it at least in the pages of this journal. Unfortunately there was not enough room on this page so it will appear just around the corner on the following page. Enjoy!

This note drawn on the Exchange Bank of Providence, R.I. clearly claims to be an 1822 five dollar gold piece! Notice the date! Notice the engraving of the half eagle! Collectors all know that half eagles were worth $5 when minted. The value as seen in the Red book for an item of this date and denomination and quality is in excess of $8,000,000,000. Look it up! Please! No calls! I think I will just keep this rarity.

For more information on the New England Numismatic Association, see:
https://www.nenacoin.org/

STACKS BOWERS NOVEMBER 2024 SANTA SALE

On November 22, 2024, Stacks Bowers held a "Showcase" auction that featured a selection of Santa Claus notes and related items. As major collectors of these types of items, we registered to bid on some lots that would help our collection. Our collection includes 28 Santa Claus Notes which include all known vignettes (one is unknown) and most of the cities that issued them. We also have all but one of the known stock certificates. We also have collections of other related ephemera and tokens and medals.

The "Santa Claus Collection," as this selection was called, only had nine lots with most of them belonging to Candace Kagin. It is not very easy to find issued and circulated Santa Claus Notes, but this sale had four of them with three probably being unique. Most of the Santa Claus Notes that you find today came from the 1990 Christie's sale of the American Bank Note Company archives which John attended. Several other collectors of Santa Claus notes and vignettes were Roger Durand, John Ford and Herb and Martha Schingoethe. All of these great collectors are no longer with us and the sale of their collections were attended by us. Out of these, Roger Durand had the largest collection of Santa Claus Notes and vignettes. In 1988 Roger Durand authored a soft bound limited to 300 numbered copies reference called "Interesting Notes About Christmas." If you have an interest in these notes and vignettes, we recommend you purchase it. All the known and unknown notes and vignettes along with other Santa ephemera are listed in the reference.

 

None of the prices mentioned in our coverage include the buyer's fee The first Santa Note was Lot 7035 was a PMG VF 20, $5 Howard Banking Company Boston MA. Contemporary Counterfeit with a Type l Vignette. It opened at $1,300 and sold for $1,350. The estimate was $300-500. Lot 7037 was a Pittsfield Bank, MA. proof sheet $5, $10, $20 (Santa Type lll), $50. The note had an orange-tinted lathe underprint and was graded PMG 62. It opened at $5,250 and was quickly hammered down at $5,500. The 1990 Christies had seven of these proof sheets in varying grades that were sold. The sale by Christie's held in 1990 had multiple lots that contained Santa Claus sheets. Like the one in this sale most of the sheets sold by Christie's were cut up and the Santa's were sold separately. Our collection contains three Santa sheets which includes a similar one to the one sold in this sale.

 

Lot 7043 was a punch canceled Santa was a Saint Nicholas Bank, 1859 $1 PMG VF Net and Type 2 vignette. This bank issued many different Santa Claus Notes. Estimated at $1,500-$2,500 it opened and closed at $900. If the signatures on the note weren't redrawn it would have sold for a lot more. Lot 7044 contained a very rare Type lll Santa Claus Vignette encountered on an issued note. The $1 Iron Bank of Plattsburgh NY Note was graded VG 10 by PMG. Though this vignette is encountered on a lot of different notes this is the only one that is on an issued note and the others are all on proofs. It opened at $4,900 and sold to a floor bidder for $6,250. The estimate was $3000-$5000. We had an interest in this lot.

 

Lot 7045 was an $1 Atlas Bank Providence RI Type ll Vignette with a Green ONE Protector. Durand has this note listed as an R-7. Estimated at $3,000-$5,000 it opened at $4,600 which was jumped to $6,250 and was hammered down for $7,500. We already own an $1 Atlas Bank with a Red ONE Protector.

 

Lot 7048 contained an Issued $5 obsolete Type lV Bank of Milwaukee (2nd 1855), WI. in PMG 15 Choice Fine. Our collection contains an uncirculated remainder on this bank. When we saw it in the catalog, we were amazed and evidently forgot that we saw this note when we lived in Milwaukee. This note is pedigreed to the collection of A. P. "Del" Bertschy who was a good friend when we lived there. Stacks/Bowers (or their name then) sold this note in 2009 for $19,500. This time around it opened at $12,500 and sold for $18,500. The estimate was $10,000-$15,000.

 

Lot 7050 contained three Durand Type l, ll & lll Santa Claus Vignette Cylinder Dies. The Type lll contained on the back a vignette of Jesus Christ preaching to a group of children. Cylinder dies like this very rarely come to the marketplace. Estimated at $2,000-$5,000 it opened at $3,150 and sold for $4,200.

 

A lot of eight Santa Claus Vignettes and associated reference material was in Lot 7051. Of better value were four engraved Santa Claus Vignettes (all graded), Two Souvenir Cards, a Christmas Wonder Mining Co. stock certificate with Santa at center, three Durand references – two Interesting Notes about Christmas and the RARE leather hardbound copy of the Durand collection which he had specially made at a high cost. He sent one to us because of our very long-time friendship. Estimated at $1,250-$1,750 it sold for $2,600 after opening at $975.

 

This portion of the sale closed with Lot 7052 which contained four Santa Claus related Harper's Weekly Prints and Covers. Estimated at $400-$600 it sold for $290. All of the lots in this Santa Claus section were well illustrated in color. With the sale of the Roger Durand, Herb and Martha Schingoethe, John Ford Jr. and Candace Kagin collections we still have our Santa Claus Note collection intact and only lack one unknown vignette and a few banks to be complete.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage of this sale.

John and Nancy, nickname mrmrsclaus

For all paper money lots in the sale, see:
https://archive.stacksbowers.com/?q=5c7fa14e-9659-4f46-ad11-7344396bb40c

ABOUT THIS ISSUE: DECEMBER 22, 2024

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
GREYSHEET LAUNCHES RED BOOK PODCAST (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n50a09.html)

 
Editor Wayne Homren, Assistant Editor Garrett Ziss

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.

 
Contributors Pete Smith and Greg Bennick

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.

 
Website host John Nebel and webmaster Bruce Perdue

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.

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