Thanks to everyone who wrote to congratulate me for my run in last week's "5K on the Runway" race at Dulles Airport. One reader hoped I'd publish a photo of my medal, so here goes:

I started the week with a day off; I often do that at the beginning of a new quarter so I can invoice our sponsors and advertisers; even with some recent automation it's still a time-consuming effort. It went smoothly except that I accidentally archived half of the invoice emails and couldn't find them for a few days. Naturally, I found them in the last place I looked. The day also helped me get a head start on this week's issue.

Wednesday morning I got a call from Ben Costello of the 1715 Fleet Society with news of a just-unveiled recovery. Elsewhere in this issue is an article excerpted from their website. A Society representative had been invited to the salvor's press conference announcing the new find.

I went into my office to get confirmation that I'd been furloughed due to the U.S. Government shutdown. I went out for a nice lunch and drove home. On Thursday I pulled some money from savings and paid off our October bills. I also stopped at the branch where I have my business banking account. They recently upgraded their online system and I discovered that now when a wire transfer comes in, I see the date and dollar amount, but not who sent it. Four overseas wires came in over a couple days and I was able to guess who two of them came from, but the others were a mystery. My banker could only help by calling a support specialist. Some "upgrade."

After dinner I took a walk. Finding no interest from my wife or sons I went myself to see a new movie - "One Battle After Another" with Leo DiCaprio and Sean Penn. It was well acted and captivating - it didn't feel long but clocks in at over two and a half hours.

Movies are made by people, and they have a point of view. Audiences are people too, and they will always view films through the lens of their own times and experience, whether that's weeks or decades after their initial release. "One Battle After Another" presents its liberal protagonists as heroes. "Eddington" made fun of liberal protesters and their opponents alike. Like "Sinners," I thought the films were well acted and enjoyable and needn't have devolved into a typical Hollywood climax of blood, murder, and evil villainy. Seems there always has to be an evil villain or conspiracy to rail against. Yes, conspiracies are possible, which makes them compelling and entertaining, but they're also highly unlikely for multiple reasons, including human nature. It's just us - all of us, each with their own unique situation and point of view, having to deal and struggle with everyone else's actions and views.

On Friday afternoon a coin in an upcoming Heritage sale caught my eye and I ended up placing a bid online.

A few months back my wife's mother fell and fractured her pelvis and broke a wrist. Since then she's been in the hospital and a rehab center. She comes home on Monday, and my wife set up a ramp she bought to be able to navigate her wheelchair to the bathroom. Saturday morning she asked me to sit in the wheelchair so she could test out the ramp. "So I'm your crash test dummy, now?," I asked. It was a successful test. We'll see what real life brings this week.

I've only been off work a few days, but already I've reverted to my pandemic self, which I described as a classic dating profile - I like sleeping in, long walks, sunsets, red wine and chocolate. Sorry, ladies - I'm taken.

Finally, here are some interesting non-numismatic articles I came across this week.
'Secret chamber' from 1847 has been discovered beneath the National Mall (https://www.earth.com/news/secret-chamber-from-1847-has-been-discovered-beneath-smithsonian-castle/)
The Future Will Be Mundane (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/opinion/future-ai-adaptation.html)
Trick or Treat: Wild and Historic Halloween Pranks (https://blog.newspapers.com/trick-or-treat-wild-and-historic-halloween-pranks/)

-Editor