"I just wanted to comment on the comment in the last article of The E-Sylum that the "Maritime silk road" began in 700A.D. This trade was going on for millennia before this. I will try to find my references and my paper about this topic. No one wants to publish such stuff for some reason that I don't understand, but I had fun reading and writing it up a few years ago when I had free time. Even the name of the silk road was a late 19th century invention. Maritime silk road name, is a much later invention for which new information was being noted once one knew to look and see that there was such maritime trade. The Zhou/Han Chinese probably flooded the Roman iron market and collapsed the industry (just like today), as one example of this trade which I suspect had to have had a significant maritime component.

"I also don't have any reference to a 5000 year old money shekel as mentioned in the same article. To state it in a "clickbait" manner- no such money item exists. That might start some emails, but I really would just like to learn and have a reference."

Jim Haas wrote a book about Hermon MacNeil, designer of the Standing Liberty Quarter. When he learned I was going to the Chicago area for the ANA show he recommended visiting the Marquette Building (at 140 S Dearborn St, according to Google Maps). He said "Four large, 4' x 8', relief panels produced by MacNeil in 1894 decorate the entrance illustrating scenes from the life of Jesuit Father Jacques Marquette. The building, one of the new-at-the-time, skyscrapers, was named in his honor."

I found this image online. -Editor

Knowing that NBS Board member Shanna Schmidt and Tyler Rossi of Shanna Schmidt numismatics and NAC USA LLC have offices in downtown Chicago, I asked if they were located nearby. -Editor

"That is very cool! It is actually only 3 blocks west and 1 south of our office!"

"A nine minute walk, so yes."

If your convention week travels take you downtown, check it out. I always enjoy seeing sculptures created by the designers of coins and medals. Jim kindly forwarded these images of the four panels. Thanks. -Editor

"This reminded me that in October 1989, just before the Soviet Union and its currency collapsed, the Ruble was referred to as Toilet paper by the locals on the Streets of Leningrad."

"Regarding Baldwin's offering for sale a Medal of Honor, in the past 70 years, more than half of all Medals of Honor were awarded posthumously. Today, there are 70 living recipients.

"Due to the prestige of the Medal of Honor, it is a federal crime to manufacture, sell, or trade these awards without authorization of the federal government. It is also illegal to use unauthorized Medals of Honor to receive benefits, such as money or property.

"Two or three years ago, the German firm Künker had one in an auction. I informed them of the situation and they withdrew the lot. Yes, this is for sale in the UK, in my mind a technicality. The men and women who risked their lives earning this deserve that it will never be treated as a collectible. That is my position."