"Siege Library - Consolidating a life-long collection and looking to find a nice home for my original editions of rare books on siege coins. Have been rebound in leather. Mailliet (His two-volume catalog with plates and both volumes of the sale of his personal collection), Duby, Brause-Mansfeld, Nelson, and a rare 18th century work on obsidional coins by Klotz. Also, there are a few rare books on the history of various sieges. Complete list upon request."

These look great! Interested bibliophiles and researchers can contact me or message Larry on Instagram (link below). -Editor

"I just want to say how much I appreciate The E-Sylum each week. It keeps me in contact with the numismatic community. Because of health issues, I seldom travel outside of Colorado so the E-Sylum plus the phone and email are my only life lines, I appreciate all the hard work you do to publish this every week. Here it is late on a Saturday night and I just finished reading last week's E-Sylum and ready for the new issue Sunday night or Monday morning. Keep up the great work!"

Thanks for your nice words - we're very glad to do it. Knowing the work is appreciated keeps all of us going each week. -Editor

"The long overdue abolition of the cent seems now to be likely in the near future. The newspaper reports printed in the last edition of the E-Sylum unfortunately illustrate what little the national media know about our monetary system. The statement, for example, in the Washington Post that Congressional action is necessary is not true. The savings, however, would be significant, several tens of millions.

"Some remarks on the situation are in order: In the first instance there is a precedent in place to give the president authority to stop production of a given denomination. In 1804, on his own volition, Mint Director Elias Boudinot stopped production of silver dollars and gold eagles. The last dollars were struck in March and eagles in December of that year. As an influential stockholder and director of the Bank of the United States Boudinot persuaded the Bank president to make a formal request stopping this coinage to the Secretary of State; this was then accepted by President Thomas Jefferson. Striking of these two denominations resumed only under presidential authority, the dollar under Andrew Jackson in 1836 and the eagle by Martin Van Buren in 1838. The precedent seems clear enough.

"In order to continue the Lincoln cent the same procedure could be used as for the Kennedy half dollars - basically for collectors. It should be proof only, however.

"In 1890 the Philadelphia Mint stopped striking the three-cent piece and one- and three-dollar gold coins in anticipation of the September 1890 Congressional act abolishing the two denominations. This was done by the mint director but likely under the authority of the Treasury and president. This is again a precedent for the present time.

"The second point concerns the nickel. I think that the zinc interests would be satisfied by creating a nickel coin of nickel-plated zinc, similar to the present cent except for the plating. There would be a change in weight but as nickels are rarely used in vending machines there would be few problems. I do not know for certain if Congressional action would be necessary for a nickel-plated coin but think not. Those conversant with the law on this point could publish the necessary information."

Great points. Thank you. -Editor

"I'd like to comment on the 1871 Carson City Mint document discussed by Holabird in the latest E-Sylum.

"He notes that there is not much research work done on the inner workings of the Carson Mint, and this sparked my interest. The reason why is that I have been using Newman's Numismatic Portal online to put together a day to day early New Orleans Mint history treatise which covers such material (158 pages long). That work is complete from 1837-1861, and is available on the portal. However, I am now working on a Treatise for the early Charlotte Mint (1838-1861), and that new challenge will take much time to complete.

"Anyway, the Carson Mint article made me curious as to what is available for that mint in the portal - for maybe a possible treatise for that mint as well. I do have about 41 notes from that mint in my research in the past of the portal, but a treatise has never been thought about. But now? Maybe that will change.

"Thanks for all your work on The E-Sylum,"

Glad to do it - it's very rewarding to work with people around the community each week. -Editor

"Regarding the comments by a collector who remembers the proof error coins auctioned by Butterfield's,

"The famous safety deposit box deal of U.S. proof error coins (which I referenced) was auctioned by the State of California, after being examined, authenticated and determined to be legal to own by the U.S. Secret Service. This group was not auctioned by Butterfield's.

"If there was a group auctioned by Butterfield's, it was a smaller group and a decade earlier."

Yes, a different sale. Thanks. -Editor

Last Sunday after getting the issue out, I asked Scott Miller, "Did you notice this Lincoln plaque in the Oval Office? Any idea who made it? " -Editor

"I have been trying to figure it out, but so far no luck. "

OK, so I wasn't the only one to notice this in the background of last week's Elon-n-Trump presser. Looks like a nice piece. Can anyone help identify it? -Editor

"I may be late to the party, but Jeff Zarit a few weeks ago mentioned a former show in Zurich. It might not be what it once was, but there is still an annual show in Zurich toward late October. Usually the big Swiss auction houses (Sincona in particular) stage multiple auctions around that time.

This year's event is scheduled for Oct. 25.
https://www.tradefairdates.com/Zurich-Coin-Fair-Muenzenmesse-M4963/Zurich.html ."

Thanks. Interesting. We stayed at the Zurich Marriott when we went to the Taylor Swift concert in September. Very nice place. Very expensive. -Editor

Kavan Ratnatunga passed along this British Museum description of the famous Cruikshank satire note. Thanks. -Editor

"Cruikshank states that he engraved this after seeing the gibbet at the Old Bailey when women had been hanged for passing forged £1 notes, that its publication stopped the issue of £1 notes by the Bank of England, that hanging for forgery ceased, and the resumption of cash payments followed. Actually, Romilly raised the matter on 25 Feb. 1818, alluding to the execution of two women (18 Feb.); it was taken up by Macintosh who associated the forgeries with Bank Restriction, see No. 13197. A Royal Commission was agreed to on 13 May 1818, to examine methods of preventing forgery by the better printing of notes. Many notes were (optimistically) submitted to them as forgery-proof, and a preliminary report was made on 22 Jan. 1819."