LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 9, 2025

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 6, , Article 29

Here are some additional items in the media this week that may be of interest. -Editor

Here's an excerpt of a Greysheet article by Michael Garofalo looks at the birth of the Lincoln Cent. -Editor

"Inspiration of the Lincoln Cent" by Joel Iskowitz

As the year 1909 approached, there was great pressure to honor the fallen President. But to place Lincoln's image on a coin would be a real departure from our practice. Up until that point in time no actual historical figures, presidents or otherwise, had appeared on our coinage. The allegorical representations of Miss Liberty had dominated the obverse of our coins. Miss Liberty was our nation's ‘role model,' representing freedom and liberty to all of us.

But our President in 1908 was not one to let conventional wisdom make the rules. Theodore Roosevelt had complained loudly about the ‘Hideous Atrociousness' of our bland coin designs. Roosevelt persuaded his good friend, Augustus-Saint Gaudens, to create coins that would make American coinage the envy of the world. Saint-Gaudens created two spectacular coins. He designed a $10 Gold Eagle coin with Miss Liberty wearing a Native American headdress and he also designed a $20 Gold Double Eagle which depicted Miss Liberty carrying the Torch of Freedom. Even more than 100 years later, they are regarded as some of the most beautiful coins in our history. But he was in poor health and died before he could redesign the one cent coin.

Teddy Roosevelt now had to find a great medallic sculptor to create this one cent coin, in Lincoln's image. A Lithuanian sculptor, at age 19, came to America rather than being exiled to Siberia. Viktoras Baranauskas changed his name to Victor David Brenner.

To read the complete article, see:
The Birth of the Lincoln Cent (https://www.greysheet.com/news/story/the-birth-of-the-lincoln-cent)

This Greysheet article is a press release about the recent World Money Fair in Berlin. Here's an excerpt - see the complete article online. -Editor

The World Money Fair, the world's largest coin fair, attracted more numismatics fans than ever before to the Estrel Congress Center in Berlin from January 30 to February 1, 2025. With over 13,600 visitors counted and more than 300 exhibitors from 50 nations, the event offered a top-class program for collectors, experts and beginners. Fair Director Goetz-Ulf Jungmichel is delighted with the success of his concept, which he developed together with the exhibitors and his team: "The World Money Fair shows that our industry is not only preserving history, but actively shaping the future."

The new Minting Experience Center in Hall 2 was a crowd-puller, with an interactive activity area where visitors could experience the minting process up close and produce their own limited-edition collector's medal. This globally unique concept was developed in cooperation with leading machine manufacturers and suppliers to the minting industry. A total of 1,800 coins were minted.

The Technical Forum is the coin industry's leading innovation platform. One day before the official start of the fair, experts, technology providers and trade visitors came together to discuss the latest technological developments. It became clear that coin production is increasingly being revolutionized by ultra-modern processes. One outstanding example is the company INORCOAT, which offers an environmentally friendly alternative to chrome VI with its PVD coating. Roman Waidelich, CEO of INORCOAT, emphasizes: "Our technology not only enables more sustainable production, but also significantly increases the longevity of embossing dies. The response to our presentation was consistently positive."