TOM'S NUMISMATIC DIARY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

It was ‘back-to-school night' at the September Nummis Nova dinner with sixteen folks in attendance. We commandeered a long table in the Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar at the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia.

 

Julian Leidman presides at the East head of table with Julian's guest Erik Douglas, Wayne Herndon's guest Evan Saltis, Steve Bishop, Eric Schena, Dave Schenkman, Wayne Herndon, and Mike Markowitz disappearing in the distance on the left.

 

Lorne LaVertu presides at the West head of table with Jon Radel, Chris Neuzil, Wayne Homren's guest John Kraljevich, Daryl Haynor, Tom Kays (presently invisible), Wayne Homren, and Mike Packard on the left.

With so many high caliber coin folks in one place, the numismatic excellence of ‘show and shares' was simply overflowing, nearly never ending, and blinding with luminous objects of high interest. Highlights in the order I saw them (many photographed under restaurant mood lighting) include:

• R. S. Nelson – Aluminum Good for Five Cents in Trade Token (circa 1900) which was an African American- owned Saloon once located somewhere between Henrico and Richmond, Virginia (a very rare item);
• A large silver medal (circa 1850) presented to Officers of the Palmetto Regiment for Mexican American War battles of Vera Cruz, Contreras, Churbusco, Chapultepic, and Caritas;
• The book Carnival Panorama – New Orleans Mardi Gras Medals and Krewes 1884 – 1965 with inset 1966 Official Parade Schedule medal in golden aluminum available exclusively to purchasers of this book, by Jay Guren and Richard Ugan;
• An 1876 Philadelphia, Lingg & Brothers trade token for Watches and Jewelry (Established in 1857) in an NGC MS-65 holder;

 

• A Byzantine, Constantinople gold Semissis of Emperor Leontius (AD 695 – 698) wearing crown and loros, holding globus cruciger / VICTORIA AVGUS with cross potent on globe (pictured here when still having his nose, a long story);

 

• A flyer calling for support for House Resolution 7865 – A Bill to facilitate the lawful trade in coins. H.R. 7865 would amend the Cultural Property Implementation Act to facilitate lawful trade in numismatic materials. Specifically it would allow for the import of coin types of "designated lists" as long as there is evidence that the numismatic item was acquired lawfully, is a known type, and is not the direct product of illicit excavations within a State Party after the effective date of any import restrictions on coins. Contact Peter Tompa at pkt@pktcounsel.com for any questions;
• A 1934 "Genuine Fish Skin Parchment" Certificate redeemable by the Hackett-Larson Post No. 165 American Legion of the State of Washington at Friday Harbor for twenty-five cents in United States Coin or Currency;

 

• An 1837 Milford, Connecticut, Two Dollar on-demand note issued by the Connecticut Mining and Manufacturing Company in a PMG Choice Uncirculated 63 holder;
• An 1830s Millsborough, Delaware one-dollar note issued by Gardiner H. Wright with vignette of the Delaware Furnace;
• A handsome 19th century one-dollar Commission Scrip issued by James Bown & Sons of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dealers in Guns, Rifles, and Pistols including double barrel shot guns, and the celebrated ‘Kentucky Rifle,' redeemable with at least a ten-dollar purchase at their arms store;

 

• Three ‘saddle blanket size' National Currency Notes - Ten-dollar National Currency Note of 1875, from Auburn, Maine, issued by the National Shoe & Leather Bank (Charter 2270) with Five-dollar and One-dollar National Currency notes of 1875, from Lewiston, Maine, issued by the First National Bank of Lewiston (Charter 330), all secured by bonds of the United States deposited with the U.S. Treasurer at Washington;
• State Copper selections from the Sydney F. Martin collection including a 1787 Connecticut copper (Miller 53-FF) in XF-45 condition and Massachusetts Cent (Ryder 2b-E) in AU-55 condition;

 

• A Numismatic Literary Guild Award "The Ribbit" awarded to Wayne Homren in Chicago in August 2024 with plaquette and the wondrous, breathtaking, and prestigious gold "Hoppy" an amphibian of mysterious meaning, known only to the NLG and award recipients;

 

• A nice set of Draped Bust silver dollars including a 1795 (Small eagle) in AU condition and 1798 (15 stars reverse) in Extra Fine condition;

 

• A ten-cent 1863 U. S. Postage Currency dime pattern (Judd-325) in Proof-63;

 

• The Naseby Cup (not in person but you never know with Nummis Nova) – a book about the coins and medals of the English Civil War by Benjamin D. R. Hellings from the Yale University Art Gallery. The Naseby Cup was commissioned by John and Mary Frances Fitzgerald, Lord and Lady of the Manor of Naseby to commemorate in Victorian times, the Battle of Naseby fought in 1645 between King Charles I, and the British Parliament, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell. Seventy-two coins, counters, and medals were hammered into the cup from the time of battle including a New England Shilling of 1652.
• An impressive array of pamphlets, magazines and ephemera brought back from the recent ANA World's Fair of Money – too large a spread to individually address but worthy of individual attention, nonetheless;
• A frame of old coins, tokens, medals, (and replicas) intended to strike the fancy of some of the newer Nummis Nova members, as the long timers are next to never impressed by mere blue-collar pocket money like this motley assemblage including a Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel "Wildman" half thaler of 1614, 1852 Half Dime, 1792 Half Disme, 1597 and 1687 Campen Leeuwendaalders, 1615 Seville Four Reales, 1761 Potosi Two Reales, 1820 George III Death Medal by T. Wyon, 1876 George Washington / Independence Hall Centennial Medal, 1860 Friend & Black, Electrotypers New York Token, 1699 William III Farthing, 1808 Potosi Four Reales, 1749 Mexico Two Reales, 1703 Queen Anne "VIGO" Shilling, 1758 George II Six Pence, and 1852 One Dollar Gold Piece.

 

• Other mysterious items such as soon-to-be published numismatic articles not to be shown just yet.

With a crowd of this size, many simultaneous numismatic and otherwise conversations took place in unison, lending a babble of fine talk at a cozy venue with great American food that lasted well past some of our bedtimes, but it was well worth it. In my vicinity we discussed the Museum of Victorian Mourning at the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, Fairfax Coin Club Quizzes, Nummis Nova guests who recently moved to Northern Virginia (NOVA territory) and their impressions of Fairfax, books we ought to write, Tobacco Lord John Glassford, relic hunting along the Bull Run, and Chinese counterfeits, among other genteel topics of dinner conversation. When you have a super-majority of numismatists in the room, discussions like these are just the tip of the iceberg. No telling what transpired down table to the ends of the east and west.

 

Julian Leidman examining 1792 Half Disme replica as Evan Saltis observes.

 

Another group shot during dinner. Clockwise from far left: Lorne LaVertu, Jon Radel, Chris Neuzil, John Kraljevich, Daryl Haynor, Eric Schena, Dave Schenkman

 

Tom Kays took this photo of my haul of ephemera from the 2024 ANA World's Fair of Money®. In my hand I'm still clutching the shrinkwrap I'd just taken off my new copy of the Naseby Cup book.

   

Hiram Birth's Legal Paper
Perhaps my favorite of all the items I saw at dinner was this strange scrip note brought in by Dave Schenkman.

 

 

Dave writes:

Far less famous than San Francisco's eccentric Emperor Norton, Hiram Birth's scrip is even more rare - this is the first I've seen or heard of him. The article mentions a $1.25 denomination with different text. Is anyone aware of other examples or denominations? Are these cataloged anywhere?

   

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