About Us The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit association devoted to the study and enjoyment of numismatic literature. For more information please see our web site at coinbooks.org Subscriptions Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers can go to the following web page Subscribe You may Unsubscribe Here Membership There is a membership application available on the web site Membership Application To join, print the application and return it with your check to the address printed on the application. Print/Digital membership is $40 to addresses in the U.S., and $60 elsewhere. A digital-only membership is available for $25. For those without web access, write to: Jeff Dickerson, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 578, Weatherford, TX 76086 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Jeff at this email address: treasurer@coinbooks.org Submissions To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com BUY THE BOOK BEFORE THE COIN Sale Calendar 2/28/2026 - Kolbe & Fanning George F. Kolbe Anniversary Auction

 

Content presented in The E-Sylum is not necessarily researched or independently fact-checked, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.

WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM FEBRUARY 8, 2026

New subscribers this week include: Mike Miller. Welcome aboard! We now have 6,702 subscribers.

Thank you for reading The E-Sylum. If you enjoy it, please send me the email addresses of friends you think may enjoy it as well and I'll send them a subscription. Contact me at whomren@gmail.com anytime regarding your subscription, or questions, comments or suggestions about our content.

This week we open with two numismatic literature sales, four new books, two obituaries, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, and more.

Other topics this week include U.S. minting technology, overdates, the 2026 Newman Grants, 1794 Large Cents, the 1822 Half Eagle, Larry Jewett, Paul Hollis, the amazing Super Bowl LX toss coin, short snorters, fixed price and auction selections, Swedish mining tokens, Olympic medals, and Bois Durci.

To learn more about the Dr. J.M. Henderson collection, Columbiana, the Banker Who Made America, the Foxfire collection, the Seated Half Society, the Libertas Americana medal, the Quantitative Collectors Group's new coin grading machine, the gold 1962 ANA-CNA Convention medal, Harlan Page Smith, and when Queen Elizabeth II got stung by bees, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

KOLBE & FANNING SALE 176 ANNOUNCED

Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers are pleased to announce that we will be holding our 176th auction sale on Saturday, February 28, 2026. This date marks the 50th anniversary of the first mail-bid sale held by our founder, George Frederick Kolbe, on February 28, 1976. The sale features a wide variety of rare and out-of-print works on ancient, world and U.S. numismatics, including a number of works from Kolbe's personal library.

Some highlights of the sale include:

Lot 43: the impressive five-volume 1708 Antwerp edition of Goltzius on ancient coins, including the magnificent Icones volume, from the library of George Kolbe

Lot 94: a stunning copy of the first book on Seleucid coins, Jean Foy Vaillant's 1732 Seleucidarum imperium, finely bound by Petit-Simier in beautifully decorated crushed morocco

Lot 177: George Francis Hill's classic 1930 A Corpus of Italian Medals of the Renaissance before Cellini, in two massive folio volumes

Lot 241: a large bound volume bringing together twenty-nine Sotheby sales of the period 1840–1870, all but one of them featuring buyers' names, including the 1855 Conder sale

Lot 306: an exceptionally well-preserved copy of Henry Chapman's 1907 sale of the Matthew Adams Stickney sale, with 20 fine photographic plates, from the John J. Ford, Jr. Library

Lot 323: S.H. Chapman's very rare 1921 catalogue of the Dr. J.M. Henderson collection, with four fine photographic plates, one of only eight examples traced

Lot 347: a well-preserved example of Tom Elder's 1929 catalogue of the collection of Dr. George Alfred Lawrence, with 22 fine photographic plates

Lot 351: J. Francis Fisher's "Description of American Medals," one of the earliest numismatic works published in this country, included in the 1837 volume of the Collections of the MHS

Lot 373: a substantial collection of the hardcover numismatic literature catalogues of George Frederick Kolbe, comprising fifty-eight sales as bound in fifty-six volumes

Lot 405: James Mease's 1821 "Description of Some of the Medals Struck in Relation to Important Events in North America," the earliest U.S. publication on American numismatics.

To bid in the sale, see:
https://bid.numislit.com/auctions/1-BXF2NM/important-numismatic-books-sale-176

LANG NUMISMATIC LITERATURE AUCTION 10

We are delighted to announce our 10th auction of numismatic literature, which will take place on February 24, 2026, as usual on the Auex platform.

As usual, you can expect a wide range of literature from various fields of numismatics.

Particularly noteworthy are:

• Several magnificently bound works on French numismatics
• another section of the renowned Jordan Library with a focus on Eastern European
• numismatics Magazines, including a complete series of "Blätter für Münzfreunde" and an almost complete series of "Revue Numismatique" – in particularly attractive bindings
• numerous auction catalogs, including a large number of rare pre-1945 copies from Hamburger, Helbing, Hess, Rosenberg, etc.
• personal copies belonging to the auctioneers of the respective auction houses, including those relating to the Gnecchi and Ebner collections
• duplicates of auction catalogs from the famous BCD library.

Details:

• Date: February 24, 2026
• Location: Online on the auction platform Auex.de
• Time: From 4:00 p.m. CET

As usual, you can find the complete range of items and the option to place advance bids at Auex.de. Advance bids can also be placed via the following platforms: Biddr, Sixbid, or NumisBids.

Please remember to register in good time in order to participate in the auction. If you have any questions or are interested in specific literature, we are of course happy to advise you at this stage.

We look forward to your participation and wish you every success!

For more information, or to bid, see:
Katalog - Auktion 10 - Numismatische Literatur (https://auktionen.numismatisches-antiquariat.de/de-de/auctions/lots?$page=1&$maxpagesize=20&$sortby=lot_number&$sortdir=asc&cat_id=107)

NEW BOOK: U.S. MINTING TECHNOLOGY 1793 - 1840

The Evolution of U.S. Minting Technology
Craig Sholley

2025
$36.00 ppd

As part of our on-going commitment to numismatic education, we are happy to offer EAC member Craig Sholley's book on early US minting technology. Why should you buy this book? We can think of no better words than those in the foreword by noted author John W. Dannreuther:

We would also like to note that Craig has donated the copyright to EAC, so all proceeds from the sale of his book will go to support club activities.

I chose 1840 as the cut-off for this booklet since that was the year Franklin Peale introduced the last of his improvements, transforming the mint from a largely hand-work shop typical of the 18th century into a mechanized manufactory of the industrial age. Future improvements were largely variations on those introduced by Peale, particularly the mechanized presses, rimming machines, and engraving equipment.

The principal sources for this work are the mint records in the National Archives, the July 17, 1852 issue of Gleason's Pictorial Drawing Room Companion, Waldo Abbott's two-part article "Making Money" which appeared in the November and December 1861 issues of Harper's New Monthly Magazine, the mint report for 1896, and "The Art and Craft of Coinmaking, A History of Minting Technology" by Denis Cooper, a former Chief Engineer of the Royal Mint.

I will occasionally reference Don Taxay's "The U.S. Mint and Coinage," along with George C. Evans' "The History of the U.S. Mint and Coinage." However, they are only supplemental sources. Taxay's work, although quite good, contains a number of critical errors, especially on the equipment and processes of the first mint and Evans only covers processes and equipment circa 1890 to 1900. For those wishing an in-depth discussion of minting processes, I strongly recommend reading all of the aforementioned works starting with Taxay and Evans, followed by the 1896 mint report, then proceeding to Waldo Abbot's articles and the "Peale Report" available on the Newman Numismatic Portal. Finish with Cooper, whose work will tie it all together.

For more information, or to order, see:
https://www.eacs.org/books/

NEW BOOK: OVERDATES

Overdates, the Top U.S. Die Variety by Kevin Flynn is currently at the printers. This book is being self-published, with only a limited number printed. The book is 8 1/2 by 11, 240 pages. Softcover Retail $64.95 plus $5 for media rate shipping.

Overdates are one of the most sought after and in-demand type of die variety. An overdate is a coin that exhibits more than one date or part of a date than intended for that coin. Over the 230+ years the U.S. Mint has been striking coins, there are only approximately 112 overdates that have been documented. The majority of these overdates were created in the first 50 years of the Mint's history. Of the 112 overdates known, 71 (67%) were created between 1796 and 1929.

These die varieties are sought after because they are sometimes so dramatic and visually stimulating, especially on the early overdates, whereas you can sometimes see the full current and previous digits overlapping. Rarity is normally relatively high for overdates, leading also to very high demand. Most overdates command a nice premium over the normal date, with the exception only a single die was used for a date in a series and denomination, making all coins struck from that die an overdate.

Many of the early overdates are believed to have been created intentionally with the objective of reusing unused or slightly used working dies from previous year's coin production. Die steel was expensive, the die making process time consuming, and there probably only a handful of coin collectors, which created an environment for saving money and time, without concern of public opinion. Other overdates are believed to have been created accidentally or by inexperienced Mint employees, such as a Mint employee accidently picking up the wrong date punch. Another scenario occurred when the date was part of the working hub and if on subsequent hubbings and working hub with a different date was used. There is a great deal of mystery and lure on how and why they were created. No U.S. Mint records have been located that document the origins or causes for these. For many overdates, the evidence on the coins is the primary resource to learn about these die varieties.

Overdates also present a general mystery on how and why they were created. Were they created intentionally, accidentally, to save time and money in creating dies, not wanting to waste die steel, as a novelty, for financial benefit, to make something cool, or for some other reason. Were overdates created for different reasons during different time periods? What was the process used in creating overdates? Dates were struck into the working up through 1908 by hand. Were dates ever struck into working dies outside of the Mint? What Mint employees were tasked in striking dates into the working dies? Was this the low man of the totem pole responsibility? It is believed that working dies were annealed to soften them to be able to strike the dates into them, were the working dies annealed to a lesser degree than if they were being hubbed? These are only a few of the many questions on overdates and how they were created. There are no Mint archive records regarding the creation of overdates.

Another challenge is sometimes establishing whether a coin exhibits an overdate or is incorrectly listed as an overdate. One of the more frequent problems seen is when a valid overdate is found for a given year and denomination and coins from other dies are classified as overdates, even though the underlying remnants do not have the characteristics of a digit. For example, many of these refuted overdates are more likely the result of a die crack. Take for example the 1869/(8) Two cent piece that has extra metal between the knob and middle of the 9. This was refuted by showing an early die state that did not have the die crack below and through the date and in the 9. By studying all overdates in one book, we can better establish criteria to determine whether a variety should be listed as an overdate. We can also attempt to establish patterns that might help us understand how and why overdates were created.

Price for the softcover is $64.95 plus $5 for media shipping. To order, send a check or money order to Kevin Flynn, P.O. Box 1043, Troy, VA 22974. Venmo is also accepted at kevinjflynn, please write first to kevinjflynn88@yahoo.com.

NEW BOOK: REFERENCING COLUMBIANA, 3RD EDITION

New "Preview Deluxe" reference for World's Columbian Expo collectors

Steve Starlust introduced "Referencing Columbiana - World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago" at the ANA Money show at the Cobb County Convention Center in Atlanta, Georgia last February. He never expected it to be so well received. Nominated by Scott Travers, editor of COINage magazine, it wound up winning Best Reference Book of 2025 (Tokens & Medals) by the Numismatic Literary Guild.

He traveled to Oklahoma City to receive his award from Jerry Jordan, president of the NLG. Todd Imhof, co-owner of Heritage Auctions bought every remaining copy of the second edition "Preview Plus" he had left, to give to preferred clients. Heritage will be auctioning Steve's 1,500 pc. collection, which contains some of the nicest and rarest medals, badges, and souvenirs from the Exposition later this year.

The new "Preview Deluxe" version is now available. It has twenty new pages totaling 325 pages with 80 updated pages. This is a spectacular new edition - completely compiled, designed and presented by Steve A. Starlust. This new book replaces the Nathan Eglit book "Columbiana", printed over 60 years ago. It contains over 1,200 full color images and 500 "new discoveries" never referenced before. All images are to size, enhanced to portray, whenever possible, how the medal would have looked if you acquired it at the fair. Also included is information about the designers, a brief history, country of origin, packaging, and so much more. Grades shown are from accredited grading services. In some cases, the type may be enhanced or recreated and may not be exact, but the integrity of the designs will be as struck. Medals are shown in different metals.

Contents include - Section one medals / coins / key fobs / tickets / Eglit & HK references, Section two "new discoveries", Section three badges & ribbons, and Section four souvenirs & more. New highlights include stories on medals given to the gondola workers who rescued ten people from the 19 foot canal near the Electrical building, rare items, a Tiffany & Co. antiqued bronze medal presented to Expo president Harlow Higinbotham, and the spectacular 36" Columbian Shields designed by Wilhelm Mayer of Stuttgart, Germany. Plus many more.

The book was inspired by Tom Hoffman, one of the premier collectors of our time. Many renowned Columbian Expo experts have lent their expertise and contributed images from their personal collections. Jeff Shevlin, so-called $ guy has praised it. This reference book has been well received as long overdue. All collectors, auction houses and grading services agree, it's time for a new reference book that has as many pictures of medals in as many metals as possible. Well, this is it.

Steve hopes his book will create a renewed interest in this historic 1893 spectacle that attracted 29 million visitors from the United States and around the world to Chicago, and possibly a coffee table book for non-collectors, jam-packed with exquisite designs from talented, world renowned artists.

Lately, Mr. Starlust has been making himself available for presentations to coin clubs remotely.

For more information, or to order the new "Preview Deluxe" edition, contact him at stevestarlust@gmail.com or call him at 631-374-4483. Steve adds: "I will give E-Sylum readers discounted rates. The book has a list price of $75. They can order one book for $65, or $60 each for two, or $55 each for three or more." Prices include delivery in the U.S. Steve accepts PayPal, Zelle, or ­­a check.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW BOOK: REFERENCING COLUMBIANA (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n10a04.html)

NEW BOOK: THE BANKER WHO MADE AMERICA

Dear Delanceyplace friends, I am very happy to report that my new book, The Banker Who Made America, Thomas Willing and the Rise of the Financial Aristocracy, is now available on Amazon. I must say that if you think you know the America Revolution—think again. I've spent a lifetime studying that period of American history, but the life of Thomas Willing brings a depth of understanding of that is far beyond anything I had previously imagined. If you enjoy American history, you will love it. Here's an excerpt from the introduction.

On July 1, 1776, at the Continental Congress being held in the stately building we now call Independence Hall, Pennsylvania delegate Thomas Willing cast a vote against independence.

In the stifling heat of that day, the Congress was meeting as a "committee of the whole" to take a preliminary vote on the question of independence in advance of the official consideration. Opinions ranged from a passionate endorsement to adamant resistance.

The prospect of a stalemate loomed. As the delegates scheduled the formal vote for the next day, they faced an anxious evening of persuasion and debate.

Most likely, Benjamin Franklin did much of the persuading deep into that night, and specifically with Pennsylvania delegates John Dickinson, an unwavering Quaker who categorically opposed war, and Robert Morris, who was Thomas Willing's business partner and a fellow member of the very small and tight-knit community of Philadelphia's merchant elite, all of whom had deep commercial ties to Britain. Whatever Franklin's arguments might have been, both Dickinson and Morris chose to absent themselves from the next day's vote.

But Thomas Willing did not absent himself. On July 2 he was present and cast another "no" vote, though it was not enough to change the new outcome.

With the two abstentions, Pennsylvania's vote turned in favor of independence by three to two, and with the two smaller states now also both a yes, the momentous declaration of independence passed with twelve votes for, none against, and New York again abstaining (but adding its assent soon after).

Willing's vote against independence was in fact the embodiment of the preference of Philadelphia's elite merchant class. In fact, in 1775, Pennsylvania's government had expressly prohibited its delegates from voting for independence. Though Willing had been Pennsylvania's leader in protesting the Stamp and Townshend Acts, he, along with many of his associates, were deeply entangled with British wealth and did not see the need for revolution. At the same time, they found themselves in the crucible of an internal political war in Pennsylvania that pitted the conservative elite merchant traders in the colony's port city against those middling and lower sorts – the largely rural Scots-Irish Presbyterian farmers and artisans who had been flooding into that colony, who hated the British, who coveted independence, and who were becoming a radical force for political change. The fate of the country hung in the balance as these factions fought a virulent class war within America that has raged episodically and in different guises ever since.

Willing and those in his orbit resisted American independence, and then they bankrolled it. And often on nothing more than their personal wealth, credit, and reputations. They took the lead and the risk in supplying much needed arms, gunpowder, and funds to the Revolution, likely saving it in its earliest and most perilous months. They were crucial to financing a revolution of democratic and egalitarian ideals, and then they inscribed their financial self-interests into the new nation's founding documents. They built their own wealth, and then they built the nation's, because they accomplished one vital thing: they brought a finance and banking revolution to America that bridged the political revolution of 1776 and the industrial revolution of the 1800s.

Stated simply, Willing was the most powerful figure in early American history that you've likely never heard of. He was America's dominant merchant and banker through the Revolution and the earliest days of the Republic and stood at the very heart of America's founding financial elite. This elite's political and economic conflicts with an emerging class of the so-called "middling and lower sorts," and their creation of a new financial system for the young nation, profoundly shaped American history.

To read the complete article, see:
announcing my new book -- 2/4/2026 (https://www.delanceyplace.com/view-archives.php?p=5301)

For more information, or to order, see:
The Banker Who Made America: Thomas Willing and the Rise of the American Financial Aristocracy, 1731-1821 (https://www.amazon.com/Banker-Who-Made-America-Aristocracy/dp/1509569081/ref=sr_1_1)

 

WILLIAM VAN ORNUM: ABOUT MY LIBRARY

A Numismatic Library and the Way I Collect
If you want to understand how a collector thinks, it is often more revealing to look at the books on his shelves than the coins in his cabinet. A numismatic library is not simply a reference tool. Over time, it becomes a quiet record of questions asked, habits formed, and values gradually settled into place.

When I step back and look at my own library, I see that it falls naturally into several families. Each family reflects not only a subject area, but a way of approaching coins—and, ultimately, a way of collecting that has grown more deliberate with time.

Papal and Vatican Coins: History First, Objects Second
My collecting life began with Vatican and papal coins, and that beginning still shapes everything that followed. This part of my library is anchored by Muntoni's comprehensive reference on papal coinage, along with works by Alan Berman and Joseph Coffin's Lives of the Popes. These books do far more than help identify coins. They insist that coins be understood as expressions of office, theology, authority, and historical circumstance.

Alongside these are long runs of Panorama Numismatico, the Italian journal that regularly includes articles on papal and Vatican issues. I often use AI-assisted translation to work through these pieces—not to replace reading, but to make their themes accessible. What emerges, month after month, is continuity rather than novelty. These coins are witnesses to institutional memory.

Selected Acto Numisma auction catalogs and relevant volumes of Coins of the World extend this perspective outward, placing Vatican issues within a broader classical and global context. Even here, I find myself reading for history first, and commerce second.

Classical Literature: Learning Method, Not Mastery
Another family in my library is classical numismatics, though I approach it with deliberate restraint. This section is anchored by long runs of The Celator, which together offer a sustained education in method. The articles show how knowledge in ancient numismatics is built slowly, argued carefully, revised openly, and sometimes left unresolved.

Alongside the journals is a single-volume reference on Roman coins by David Sear. Earlier in my collecting life, I experimented with more expansive, multi-volume works, but I learned that a manageable book often teaches more than a comprehensive set that discourages use.

Complementing these are selected Leu auction catalogs. Their essays demonstrate how careful description, historical sensitivity, and aesthetic restraint can coexist with commerce. The writing is often as instructive as the photography.

I continue a slow, steady study of ancient coins, focusing on procedures rather than coverage. In this sense, ancient numismatics feels familiar. Many of its best practices parallel those of Early American Coppers.

Early American and Canadian Copper: Training the Eye
A large portion of my library—and my collection—is devoted to early American and Canadian copper, especially large cents. Penny Whimsy remains foundational because it demands patience and disciplined observation. John Wright's work reinforces this approach by emphasizing die families and stylistic coherence.

Supporting these are the EAC grading guide, Dave Bowers' volumes on early American coinage, Adams on 1793–1794, and several years of Penny-Wise. These are working books, often open beside a coin.

Canadian material forms a parallel track. Rob Turner's studies, the Charlton guide devoted to Queen Victoria varieties, and journals of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association ask similar questions within a different minting culture.

What Unites These Families
Across all these book families runs a single collecting theme: process over completion. This library supports slow attribution, historical understanding, and comfort with coins that show honest wear.

AI tools assist at the margins—translating foreign-language articles and helping organize thoughts—but they do not replace the central work: sitting with a coin, a book, and a question that does not resolve quickly.

The Library as a Working Space
A good numismatic library should show signs of use. Spines soften. Margins acquire notes. Volumes remain open on desks. When the books are pristine, the collecting is often sterile.

Mine reflects a different aspiration: not mastery, but steadiness; not completion, but coherence. The books are not accessories to the collection. They are the collection—one built of paper, patience, and attention.

CLAUDE E. DAVIS (1926-2025)

Recently, with the passing of Dr. Claude Davis, it has given me the time to reflect on how our friendship developed over the past 50 years. We had many years of great friendship discovering and acquiring coins that would help him build one of the greatest type sets of United States federal issue, Silver and Copper coinage ever assembled. There were many times where we would have wonderful visits discussing our families, important numismatic news of the day, and what the U.S. Coin markets were doing.

I first met Dr. Davis at the 1973 F.U.N. show auction in Miami, Florida. I was working with another friend to help him acquire an 1876 Gem Uncirculated 20 cent piece. My instructions were "not to come home without the coin." I bought that very coin and paid $875, which was three (3) times Red Book pricing, an unheard price at that time. At the end of the auction Dr. Davis approached me, provided me his business card, and stated, "Young man, when you want to sell this piece, I am the buyer. Give me a call." This was the beginning of our incredible coin journey since we lived 65 miles apart from each other, he in Angola, IN and I, in Battle Creek, MI.

A year later, in 1974, I sold my first coin to Doc. It was an 1879 Gem Uncirculated Seated Dime. I was able to acquire this Magnificent Gem from a seasoned collector that wanted $315 for it. That price was $40 over Red Book. The eye appeal and quality of it was superb. Presenting it to Doc, I was surprised when he wanted to negotiate the price which took many hours of discussion between us. He finally paid $325 in the end, and my profit was $10 from this coin! Doc had his own way when it came time to deal. He was stubborn and difficult in buying and selling coins. He knew what he wanted to pay, however, sometimes it wasn't reality for the coins he wanted. This transaction however, was one of the first times he bought a coin over bid simply because he really liked the coin. He was happy. This, I believe set a new mindset in motion for him. Namely, that to acquire the better Gem coins, more money was needed than what he originally had in mind when he set out to build his dream type set.

Over the next twenty years, I was able to show him a few superb gems. The first one was an 1811 Capped Bust Left $5 Dollar Gold piece. The second piece was an 1803/2 $5 Dollar Gold piece. He could not comprehend the high prices due to time and changes in pricing of the marketplace, so he refused to purchase the coins.

Beginning in 1979 through 1980, coin market prices escalated rapidly to an all-time high. Many collectors were priced out of the market. Doc lost interest in collecting coins, and turned to expanding his interest and the acquisition of pocket watches, old cars, shotguns, and buying & selling local real estate. Doc purchased a quantity of property through those years, one of which was a tract of land known as "Foxfire"; Doc developed this into a subdivision that became known as the Foxfire subdivision. Hence, where the collection got its name.

Between 1989 to 1990, coin market prices exploded again. I got the sense that he may want to sell, so I asked Doc about selling his coin collection. However, at this time he told me that he did not want to sell quite yet. In 1992, he contacted me due once again to the coin market having severe price corrections. Doc stated that if he had listened to me, the collection would have been finished properly and he thought now was an optimal time to reenter the coin market. Re-entering the market to focus on a type set of the finest known coins of early Federal Silver and Copper coins gave Doc something to focus on.

We set out to create a list of which coins were still needed for his collection, and also the ones that needed to be upgraded. The majority of his existing coins needed to be upgraded to accomplish the task of all Finest Known specimens. These were extremely rare pieces to find of Gem quality and he provided me with about $100K worth of coins to sell and pay for the new acquisitions we had targeted.

It was 1993, and I located the first coin of merit, a Gem Uncirculated 1795 Half Dollar. What a spectacular coin. The following year we acquired the Garrett Gem Uncirculated 1793 Chain Cent and a 1793 Wreath Cent! Along the way there were a few more coin upgrades.

Doc and I were aware of Lelan Rogers' magnificent collection of early American type coins. Both of us knew him during the 1970's from competitive exhibiting at greater Midwest coin shows. We made contact with the Rodgers family for the purchase of the 1797 Gem Uncirculated Half Dollar. First, I made them a cash offer of $300K, Then a second offer of $325K, and then a third offer at $375K. It didn't work out… and soon after the family decided to sell the collection at auction through Stacks in New York. Doc and I traveled to New York to view the Rogers Coins at Stacks, where we were honored to have Harvey Stack personally present the coin collection to us.

Returning home to the Midwest, Doc and I started to make plans to acquire the 1797 Half Dollar. This type coin is known as the Classic Rarity to an Early Silver type set of U.S. Coins.

Through selling a complete set of seated dimes, an outstanding set of Bust halves, and other coins, mostly unc silver, we were able to raise about $400k. Following this, we returned to New York in 1995 for Lelan's Auction, where we sat in the front row. With about fifteen minutes before the auction started, Doc asked me about his 1895 Proof Set with Gold. He told me that he'd like the sum of $125K for it. Luckily for him, it worked out that I personally knew someone in attendance at the auction who would likely purchase that Gold Set. With the deal done, I was able to get a check for $100K and provide it to Doc, a mere five minutes before the auction started! Doc was satisfied that now he could bid up to $500K for the 1797 Half Dollar. When the 1797 Half Dollar came up for sale, the bidding started at $250K, quickly flew past $400K, and Doc got it for the final bid of $517K. I couldn't believe that we bought this beautiful piece. I never saw Doc so elated! He was like a kid in a candy store. The next day we returned to Stacks to pay our auction tab and then a trip home with the cherished coin.

At this point, we had acquired most of the high-grade type coins required to complete the Foxfire Type Set of Silver and Copper Collection.

By the year 2002, The Foxfire Collection consisted of 174 coins with an average grade of 66.2. At that level it became difficult to upgrade any of the important coins. It was then, Doc decided it was time to sell the collection.

The next step was to get it saleable and I proposed the idea of cataloging and writing the Foxfire collection to Doc that described each coin. He agreed, but did not want to spend the money to have professional photographs taken of the coins. Upon completion of the catalog, only one coin photograph was shown and it resided on the front cover where I had placed a photograph of the 1797 Half Dollar (the photo was a copy courtesy of the Stacks Auction Catalog). Doc had decided he'd take photographs of the coins for the catalog, and in the end, we decided that the coin photos would be omitted because they didn't show the coins well!

Throughout this, Doc decided his asking price would be $6.5 million dollars for the collection. I personally thought that this was an extremely high price tag for all of the coins. The following year, Doc and I presented the collection to several dealers, for which, we didn't receive any offers that came close to Doc's figure. I kept trying to sell the collection, and still, all incoming offers did not come close to what Doc wanted.

It was while I was attending a large coin auction in Chicago, that I met a gentleman, Mr. Brent Pogue. Upon reviewing the Foxfire Collection catalog that I had with me, Brent became very interested in the collection. He immediately asked if the 1797 coin was for sale. My reply was that the collection was to be sold en bloc, with no sale of individual coins. We struck up a conversation that went on for hours about Doc's collection. The next day we met again for about three hours eventually planning a visit to see the collection personally at Doc's home in Indiana. Things looked promising.

A couple of months later, with Brent Pogue's arrival at Doc's home, the collection was viewed with intense conversations of history and quality of the coins. There was a full eight hours of conversations between the three of us. The following day, I drove Brent back to Detroit for his flight. I didn't hear from him until about a month later when he wanted to come back to view the collection again. This time we spent another full day discussing the collection, with him taking notes; another productive meeting.

I didn't hear from Brent for about six more months. At that time, he returned and viewed the collection for the third time, but this time Brent brought a significant offer for Doc. After several hours of negotiations the price and terms were agreed upon. At a later date, the collection was transferred to its new owner, The Pogue Family Trust, which included armed guards and a private jet direct to Dallas, TX. Incidentally, this led to a long-term relationship with me helping the Pogue's acquire coins to build their Pogue Family Trust Collection of coins.

My friend Doc Davis was a great man. He built many things, among them, a magnificent coin collection with which he let me play a major role in consulting, acquiring, and selling the coins. It changed my life and for that I'm forever grateful to Doc. Doc's sense of timing and his ability to take part in market conditions was spot on. A very shrewd negotiator whom I respected and admired. I think the feeling was mutual. It was 2019 when he wrote a letter to me sharing how he got involved in coins, and retelling our first meeting. I've included it here, both in his handwriting and a translated-print version.

I was introduced to coins as a very young child. While exploring the contents of a drawer in the roll top desk in my grandfather's General Store, I encountered both a quarter size coin and a razor blade. The coin was a Two Reale Spanish coin dated 1782. The blade resulted in a lacerated finger resulting in a lifetime scar. To curb my suffering I was allowed to keep the coin. To this day I still have both the coin and the scar.

I grew up in New Albany, IN., spent my military time in the army serving across Europe with the 83rd Infantry Division during WWII. After discharge I returned to finish premed and medical school at the University of Louisville. After a few years in a rural Indiana General practice, I returned to U of L for surgical residency. That completed, I moved to practice as a surgeon in Angola, Indiana where I still reside.

During the early 1960's, I became interested in coins once again. Armed with a 'Red Book of Coins', magnifier and note pad, I attended coin shows and coin shops; I was pleased at the bargains. I managed with my first dozen "gems" I acquired at less that red book value. I soon became acquainted with Leon Hendrickson (Silvertowne Winchester, IN.) and Norman Rau (Wimpy Fort Wayne, IN). Those two friends pointed out all of my "gems" had been "whizzed" and were not numismatic bargains.

Startled and annoyed with myself, I began what became years of study. These years that followed, I built several sets and finally began to build a United States Type Set. My plan was as near as possible to acquire only "Finest Known" of each type.

During this quest my wife and I acquired a property which was known locally as "Foxfire". Using some of the acreage we developed a residential subdivision which became the Foxfire subdivision. At that point our Type Set became the "Foxfire Type Set".

Through the years I was fortunate to have many dealers and fellow collectors across this country. Although I no longer collect coins, I still treasure these associations. One associate has begun in a strange way and has lasted many years and persists to this day. During the 1970's my wife and I attended a coin show at the DuPont Plaza in Miami, FL. During the auction session I really tried to acquire a twenty cent piece. I was finally out bid for that piece by a young man in the back of the room. At the close of the sale I made a point of introducing myself and inquiring if the coin might be available for sale. It was not but this was the beginning of a pleasant relationship with Richard Burdick who was from Battle Creek, MI. He was located only about sixty miles from my home. A long personal and professional relationship developed and continues to this day. I have been truly blessed to have been involved with the numismatic hobby and the many friends and memories that have resulted.

Claude E. Davis, MD. F.A.C.S.
Angola, IN 46703
ANA LM-1023

See also:
The Marvelous Pogue Family Coin Collection, Part 1: Finest 1796 – '97 Draped Bust Half Dollar (https://coinweek.com/marvelous-pogue-family-coin-collection-part-1-finest-1796-97-draped-bust-half-dollar/)
A Coin Purchase by Lelan Rogers (https://coinsite.com/a-coin-purchase/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
CLAUDE E. DAVIS (1926-2025) (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n04a03.html)

PHILIP SKINGLEY (1972-2026)

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of Phil Skingley, a Director of Coincraft and a long-time friend. On the 4th of February 2026, he had a stroke and passed away that night. He was only 54 years old, in my terms a youngster. Coincraft and numismatics in general will be a much sadder place without him. We didn't always agree but always found a way to compromise in the end. He did a lot to make the company what it is today, Britain's Coin Shop. His experience and guidance will surely be missed and not just for his bringing pizzas to the Monday night board meetings. He will be hard to replace with his depth of knowledge of the coin business and the coin trade. In numismatics he was well known and liked by so many people in this country and all over the world.

Phil had spent 20 years working at Spink, where in the end he ran their book publishing side. Many important works on coins and medals were published under his guidance. Ten years ago he left Spink and joined Coincraft, rising to becoming one of our Directors. His wisdom and knowledge of numismatics and publishing will be greatly missed by all in this company and by his many friends in numismatics world-wide.

To his wife and two children we send our deepest condolences. He was a great father who loved his family and was devoted to his sons. There are many people in the coin business who will remember him with a kind thought. His death has come as a shock to us all and at the moment we are all a bit stunned by the quickness of his passing and we are unable to think properly. Rest in peace Phil you will be missed by a whole lot of people but especially at Coincraft.

Douglas Saville writes:

Charlie Davis writes:

Neil Musante writes:

David Fanning writes:

Lee Toone writes:

Steve Hill of Sovereign Rarities writes:

See also:
Skingley, Philip (https://new.coinsweekly.com/whoswho/skingley-philip-2/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NEW BOOK: THE UNIFORM COINAGE OF INDIA 1835 – 1947 (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n02a04.html)
NEW BOOK: THE MODERN COINAGE OF CHINA 1866-1949 (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n42a03.html)
NEW BOOK: COINS OF ENGLAND, 50TH EDITION (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n49a03.html)
NEW BOOK: JUDAEA AND ROME IN COINS 65 BCE – 135 CE (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n02a05.html)
NUMISMATIC LITERATURE DEALERS GATHER IN LONDON (https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n40a02.html)
BOOK REVIEW: MEDALLIC WASHINGTON (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n42a03.html)
https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n23a05.html (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n23a05.html)

 

NEWMAN PORTAL ADDS HALF CRAZY

Newman Portal Adds Half Crazy

The latest issue of Half Crazy, the newsletter of the Seated Half Society, is now available on NNP. The Seated Half Society is an honorary group whose membership is open to those owning significant collections of Liberty Seated half dollars, similar to the Bust Half Nut Club. This issue reports a newly discovered 1878-S half dollar, the 55th example now listed in the Bill Bugert census. Bugert further calls for census information on the 1849 WB-6 Dramatically Doubled Date and 1873 No Arrows Open 3 half dollar varieties. This issue also includes coverage of the 1877/6 and 1842 Small Date, Small Letters varieties. Half Crazy is edited by Dennis Fortier, for more information on this group he may be contacted at ricajun@msn.com.

Image: 1878-S Half Dollar, the 55th example identified in the Bill Bugert census.

Link to Half Crazy on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/548913

2026 NEWMAN GRANT PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society Invites Applications for Newman Grants

The Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society (EPNNES) announces the opening of the application period for the 2026 Newman Grant program. Newman Grants are designed to financially assist numismatic authors and organizations pursuing original research in American numismatics. This program was launched in 2019 and supports research projects related to colonial numismatics, U.S. federal coinage, counterfeit detection, and other areas.

Authors, researchers, and numismatic organizations are encouraged to apply for amounts between $1,000 and $5,000. Awards may be applied toward related research costs including but not limited to photography, reproduction of research material and graphic art services, database access fees, and travel. Electronic publications will be preferred as EPNNES wishes to direct funds toward expenses specifically related to numismatic research, rather than the print publication of research. Newman Grant awardees agree to non-exclusive publication of their research on the Newman Numismatic Portal (NewmanPortal.org). EPNNES intends to make approximately half a dozen grants in 2026.

The Newman Grant program is administered for EPNNES by the Newman Numismatic Portal (NNP). Applications may be found on the Newman Numismatic Portal at https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/archivedetail/530553?Year=2026 and should be submitted to NNPCurator@wustl.edu. The application deadline is April 15, 2026, with the grant awards to be announced on May 25, 2026, coincident with the late Eric P. Newman's birthday.

It is the hope of EPNNES that this program will continue the legacy of Eric P. Newman in a way that would reflect his high standards for numismatic research.

VIDEO: THE HECK COLLECTION OF 1794 LARGE CENTS

Longtime EAC member and former treasurer Chuck Heck has decided to sell his complete collection of Sheldon variety 1794 large cents. He talks about why and also the book he is writing on the subject. Speaker: Chuck Heck, Early American Coppers member, Interviewer: David Lisot, CoinTelevision.com. Running time: 5:51. From the 2016 EAC convention.

To watch the complete video, see:
Chuck Heck Decides to Sell His Collection (https://youtu.be/vK0o5wIV_pc)
Chuck Heck Decides to Sell His Collection (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/540243)

LARRY JEWETT JOINS WHITMAN BRANDS

Whitman Brands™, a leading full-service provider of data, media, and product distribution for the numismatics and collectibles marketplace, is pleased to announce that Larry Jewett, longtime editor at Coin World, has joined the company, strengthening its publishing team at a pivotal moment for the numismatic hobby.

Jewett brings decades of editorial leadership and deep market knowledge, filling the role most recently held by Diana Plattner. "We're thrilled to welcome Larry to Whitman," said Patrick Perez, Chief Publishing Officer. "He's stepping into an important role, and his experience, judgment, and passion for the hobby will help us continue building something truly special."

Whitman released more than 50 new titles and products last year, including the reimagined 2026 Red Book, a redesigned 2026 Stamp Catalog, a new Professional Series of books for advanced topics, and an elevated album line dubbed Whitman Prestige, with an even more ambitious publishing slate planned for 2026.

Jewett will be a key ingredient in elevating content quality across the portfolio—supporting ongoing revisions, strengthening editorial rigor, and launching new projects. His responsibilities include serving as lead editor for the Red Book and Mega Red; editing and developing album and folder content; planning and producing ad-hoc articles for Greysheet, Red Book Quarterly, and Greensheet; and writing and delivering breaking news and major market developments for Greysheet News.

Jewett also brings with him trusted relationships across the numismatic industry, including close ties with industry leaders, the U.S. Mint, and other key institutional partners. "I couldn't be happier to join Whitman Brands at such an exciting time for numismatics," said Jewett. "Whitman has an unmatched legacy of educating and serving collectors. I'm excited to work with this talented team, build on the strong foundation already in place, and contribute to the next chapter of these iconic publications."

Larry Jewett is a respected numismatic editor and journalist with decades of experience covering the rare coin and collectibles markets. A native of Zanesville, Ohio, and a graduate of Bowling Green State University, Jewett earned a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in popular culture.

He began his career in radio in Ohio and Arkansas before transitioning to magazine journalism. His early work focused on the automotive sector, contributing to racing and restoration publications. Concurrently, his role as a host announcer for Monster Jam led to a digital marketing position with Feld Entertainment, where he specialized in digital journalism.

Prior to joining Whitman Brands, Jewett spent many years at Coin World, where he held senior editorial roles and was widely recognized for his deep knowledge of U.S. and world coinage, market trends, and the people who shape the hobby. He currently serves on the board of the Numismatic Literary Guild and is a multiple winner of Best Podcast awards. His collecting interests include birth-year world coins and banknotes with unique serial numbers. He and his wife, Michele, reside in Central Florida.

MINT DIRECTOR PAUL HOLLIS AT FUN SHOW

The next chapter in the storied history of the United States Mint holds promise for coin collecting. A lifelong collector, one with aspirations to the position long ago, has succeeded in becoming the 41st Director of the United States Mint. Paul Hollis was officially sworn in at the U.S. Treasury Building on January 30. House Speaker Mike Johnson administered the formal oath of office a little more than three weeks after Hollis took the oath of office virtually to start his tenure.

As one of his first acts of business, Hollis attended the 2026 FUN convention, joined by Treasurer Brandon Beach. The duo met the public, some not familiar with either one by that point. Hollis was no stranger to coin shows, though, and clearly found himself in his element. With the coin that his grandmother gave him many years ago to start his interest in numismatics tucked in his pocket, the smile never left his face as he greeted the Florida crowd.

In his new position, Hollis will have distractions that come with the responsibilities of overseeing the nation's coin and bullion programs. He is poised, however, to lead the way as the nation has already begun to issue special one-year-only circulating coins to celebrate 250 years of independence. He is ready to lead the charge while maintaining the core responsibilities endured by those before him. The heart and soul of a numismatic enthusiast beats from within the storied institution and a little bit of all of us can feel comfort in the way things may be.

We welcome Paul Hollis. Let's see what happens next.

To read the complete article, see:
Leadership of Paul Hollis at the U.S. Mint Brings Optimism (https://www.greysheet.com/news/story/leadership-of-paul-hollis-at-the-us-mint-brings-optimism)

LIBERTAS AMERICANA SUPER BOWL LX TOSS COIN

Restrike of the Libertas Americana medal with the NFL logo and "HEADS" and "TAILS" on its respective sides. Image courtesy of The Highland Mint

The "coin" to be tossed at the Super Bowl this Sunday is unlike any other. Soon to join the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection, this unique object is not a coin, but rather a small silver medal whose story begins with the founding of the nation 250 years ago.

The National Football League's (NFL) medal is a modern restrike of the Libertas Americana —a medallic masterpiece first made in 1782–1783 to celebrate American victory in the Revolutionary War. The front of the medal features a portrait of the allegorical figure of Liberty, and the back depicts an allegorical battle scene representing the fight for America's independence.

This historic medal was the brainchild of Benjamin Franklin. While he was serving as an American diplomat to France, he personally commissioned the medal as the Revolutionary War was coming to an end. Franklin envisioned an inspiring medal that would commemorate the Continental Army's victories at Saratoga (1777) and Yorktown (1781) as well as honor the crucial role of French support in America's liberation from British rule.

France indeed features prominently on the back of the medal; the nation is depicted as the Roman goddess of war Minerva, who protects an infant Hercules (America) from a pouncing British lion. The Latin message Non Sine Diis Animosus Infans ("The courageous child is not without the aid of the gods") surrounds the scene, emphasizing the transcendent power of France's aid to America.

But it is the engraving of Liberty herself that makes this medal so historically significant and resonant today. Designed in Paris under Franklin's direction by French artists Augustin Dupré and Esprit-Antoine Gibelin, the Libertas Americana's Liberty became the iconic image of the founding ideal underpinning the new nation. This medal showed the world what American liberty looked like: a confident young woman, hair flowing behind her as she charges forward toward possibility and promise, unafraid of what is ahead.

Beyond giving a face to American liberty, the medal helped solidify the practice of representing the new nation as an idea rather than a living person. In other words, the Libertas Americana showed what Franklin thought the nation should be like—a country governed by values rather than individuals.

This image of Liberty became so important to the budding American identity that it was replicated on some of America's first federal coins after the founding of the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia in 1792. Use of the image of Liberty established a paradigm for American coin design. While her look evolved over time, Liberty regularly appeared on American coins and banknotes—until the early 1900s, when she was increasingly replaced with historic male figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.

The Libertas Americana's unique design distinguishes it from other major American medals developed during and after the Revolutionary War. Beginning in 1776, the Continental Congress began authorizing production of medals honoring significant Revolutionary War battles and officers in a series, authorized by Congress, that became known as the Comitia Americana.

The first medal commissioned by Congress in the series recalls the Siege of Boston in March 1776 and recognizes George Washington's pivotal leadership with his portrait on the front.

The Libertas Americana, though often considered part of the Comitia Americana series, was never formally authorized by Congress and thus remained a personal project of Franklin's. In 1783 the medal was struck at the Paris Mint. Franklin then quickly began distributing the medals to American, British, and European leaders and dignitaries. As the Treaty of Paris was formally ending the Revolutionary War, Franklin was passing the original medals to those in power, both in America and abroad, thus giving a face to the aspirations of the national project.

The medals were primarily made in silver and bronze. Franklin reserved the only two medals made in gold for the French King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette—a grand gesture of American gratitude which Franklin felt had been in too short supply. These two invaluable treasures are thought to have been lost in the French Revolution just six years later. Still about 20 silver and more than 100 bronze original Libertas Americana medals survive today. One beautiful silver specimen is held in the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection, deposited by Henry Adams, a descendent of President John Adams, in 1900.

As curator of this vast collection, one of my responsibilities is to collect objects that continue to grow our record of the past as well as objects that reflect the present—not just documenting what is new, but also how our history continues to shape our daily lives. The restrike of the Libertas Americana tossed at Super Bowl LX will become the National Numismatic Collection's next acquisition. It was made at the Paris Mint in 2015 and is based on the dies used to strike the original medals. The NFL has additionally engraved the words HEADS and TAILS and the NFL shield on the medal's surface, recording its active use at a major national event.

By placing the Libertas Americana at center stage—or, as it were, the 50-yard line—of the Super Bowl this year, the NFL is recognizing the national milestone of 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. My hope is that this tiny medal's surprising role on football's biggest night also sparks conversations in locker rooms, sports bars, and homes around the country about the importance of our sacred founding value—liberty—and why, like the metal it is made from, it is precious and worth preserving.

Pat writes:

Joel Orosz writes:

Julia Casey writes:

To read the complete article, see:
A tiny medal takes center stage on football's biggest night: The Libertas Americana at Super Bowl LX (https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/libertas-americana-super-bowl-lx)

The Smithsonian has six Libertas Americana medals in its collection, five bronze and one silver. Representatives from the NFL's department of public policy and government affairs visited the museum in December to tour the collection and look for an object that could signify the nation's 250th birthday.

The Smithsonian doesn't loan objects from its collection, so using one of the original medals wasn't an option. The Paris Mint, which struck the original medals in 1783, has produced a series of restrikes, and the NFL acquired one that was sent to a U.S. mint for engraving with the NFL shield.

The NFL owns the medal that will be used in Sunday's coin toss and plans to donate it to the Smithsonian after the game. The medal will be transported by courier from Santa Clara, Calif., to the National Museum and put on display as part of the numismatic collection.

To read the complete article (subscription required), see:
This year's Super Bowl coin is actually a medal — with a Benjamin Franklin connection (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7027699/2026/02/08/super-bowl-coin-toss-2026-benjamin-franklin/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
PAT MCBRIDE AKA BEN FRANKLIN (https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n40a17.html)
TAYLOR SWIFT AND NUMISMATICS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n47a12.html)

MORE ON QUANTITATIVE COLLECTORS GROUP

Bill Eckberg writes:

First let me thank you for your thoughtful and engaging questions. Hopefully, we can shed some light on your issues.

In hopes of trying to add some continuity to my answers, I will address your second question first.

It was also very odd that none of the people involved in creating the system are coin collectors. All of their claimed expertise is in manufacturing, software development and optical technology.

This is very true, as myself and my two partners are not what people would call your traditional coin collector. However, the company was started based on the frustration I experienced when trying to find the value of a 1929 quarter Indian head that was given to me back in 1976. And I started to ask the questions, who can I trust to evaluate my coin? How can I maximize the value of my coin if I want to sell it? How are Sheldon grades determined? What is TPG? I must send my coin where for independent TPG? How long does TPG take? What will TPG cost me? What kind of transparency do I get when my coin is graded by TPG? As you can imagine, it was the answers or non-answers to these questions, combined with my 35 plus years' experience in the world of inspection, while reading ANA grading standards and Jim Halperin's N.C.I grading guide, that led us to the development of the OSC200 CoinGradr. What I can tell you from our collective industrial experience of using computer vision to solve complex inspection problems for some of the largest companies in the world. It's always better to have people from outside of your passion or industry with technical expertise that can dissect the problem without bias as they apply realistic and scientific solutions to some of those problems.

I found it especially curious that neither the press release nor the company's website, nor the video interview with Richard Colonna of QCG ever mentioned anything about the device's accuracy or consistency in grading.

In the world of scientific instrumentation repeatability is the goal we strive for, just ask Google Gemini AI, "repeatability is considered more important than accuracy because consistent, repeatable measurement can be calibrated to correct for systematic errors. If a measurement is not repeatable, it cannot be trusted, regardless of how close a single attempt is to the true value." In other words, anybody can be accurate once, but can they repeat the process? As for the OCS200 CoinGradr, in our light tight enclosure, with illumination feedback, using four different light sources, precision coin placement and calibration we can achieve over 95% repeatability of measurement results from one machine to another.

As for accuracy, we are currently conducting a validation study comparing quantitative coin grading as it correlates to subjective coin grading using the top TPG houses in the United States. What we can tell you from our preliminary results using our empirical data approach is that we stack up very well in terms of cross-over and repeatability percentages versus other TPG houses. Preliminary results of the study can be viewed on our Indiegogo Campaign site that will be launched this month which we will provide when the link to the site is available.

It seems to me that if the goal of your product is to analyze coins, you ought to have someone in the company who knows something about coins.

I'm not sure "knowing nothing about coins" is how I would describe the talent within QCG. In fact, I would go as far as to say we are some of the top experts in the world as it relates to reflections on different types of metallurgy and topography used when minting coins. I would also point out our vast knowledge of the type of lighting to use to extract certain attributes on a coin such as luster, wear, toning, balance, etc. In terms of our expertise in the field of coin grading, we can only say we were awarded a patent on our approach by the US government for coin grading. I would also point out, one needs to remember that quantitative coin grading does not tell you how, why, or where something happened to a coin, but rather measure the attributes that make up the Sheldon Grade and weigh those quantitative attributes using a methodology accepted by the profession. As for experts in the field of Numismatics, we are constantly engaging with and seeking advice from some of the top voices in the field.

So, a few minor questions remain:

Does it give market-acceptable grades?

I'm not sure we are the ones to answer this question. If you're asking, "would quantitative grading be considered technical grading or marketplace grading," I would say technical grading with a twist, as we do evaluate mint state coin criteria and weigh those attributes based on Jim Halperin's N.C.I. Grading guide and we also grade all those attributes on circulated coins. I guess another way to answer the question, is that I have heard it said that any coin can have 2 or three grades in it. It is our belief that the reason for this sentiment is weighed in the fact that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in that one person might put more emphasis or bias toward luster than eye-appeal, thereby giving that coin a higher or lower grade. It is the goal of quantitative coin grading to measure those types of attributes with specificity to help guide the users in a transparent way so they can make a more educated decision based on the coin they are evaluating.

Does it do so consistently?

Much better than humans.

On what denominations and types has the software been trained?

Even though computer vision is considered a subset of Artificial Intelligence, we do not use machine learning to evaluate and grade coins, as coin grading is way too nuanced and complex for that type of approach. Instead, we use empirical data as the backbone of our databases, which just means we measure verified subjective grades evaluated by TPG experts on our device for any type of coin series and type. We then add statistics to that database and compare the images taken by the OCS200 after running specific algorithms for each attribute we are measuring. The results are then compiled, weighed, and documented to the user in 15 minutes.

When we took on this project, our goal is to grade all business strike coin series, type, and variety since the 1792-coin act. Initially the machine will ship grading Lincoln Wheat Cents, Buffalo Nickels, Mercury Dimes, Washington Quarters, and Morgan Silver Dollars, as new coins will be added every month.

How do the machine grades compare to grades assigned by advanced numismatists or third-party grading firms?

We are currently doing a validation study, as mentioned we have some preliminary results and insights which can be viewed on our Indiegogo Campaign, which can be accessed later this month. If you would like to learn about our technology, we would encourage you to visit this site, as we will provide a link when it is released to us.

Paul Hybert writes:

I would like to thank your readers for their insight and comments. Actually, the words used in your readers' comments are very important to us, as we will try to parse the facts.

First …. The article in The E-Sylum is an edited version of an article written in the SME Business Review, which was an edited version of our original press release, which you can access at the original press release link. As you are aware we cannot control the editions of other publications.

As for the facts, in our press release you will notice that we use the word quantitative nine times, which we further embrace in our name. We use the word subjective three times, and we use the word objective one time.

As for definition according to Webster's Dictionary ….

• Quantitative …. is related to measuring something, rather than its quality.
• Subjective …. Based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
• Objective … not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering or representing the facts.

As for what we are touting is the fact that we have built the world's first "quantitative coin grading microscope", which means we created a scientific instrument to measure and analyze things using N.C.I. Grading Guide methodology like wear, luster, toning, strike, etc., for the world of coin collecting. To get a better understanding of this technology we encourage you to visit our website at www.qcgcoins.com, or our Indiegogo Campaign, which will be starting in the next week or so.

As for context of how we used quantitative, subjective, and objective, we will refer to a couple of paragraphs in our original press release.

Interpretation: QCG is not using subjective data in our process

Interpretation: most accurate grading results are when you combine quantitative data and subjective data.

By combining objective data (QCG quantitative) with traditional evaluation (TPG subjective), collectors experience a more balanced, transparent, and trustworthy grading experience.

And, finally I will leave you with a question I asked Google AI:

What is the difference between quantitative data and objective data?

To read the original press release, see:
Quantitative Collectors Group (QCG): Revolutionizing the Way Collectors Assess Coin Value (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kKdTJetD7n-7S3MryhjY19W5V9GoCcwm/view?usp=sharing)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
DIGITAL COIN GRADING MICROSCOPE LAUNCHES (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n05a08.html)

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 8, 2026

Who won an Olympic medal AND a Nobel Peace Prize?
Responding to last week's Quick Quiz asking "Who won an Olympic medal AND a Nobel Peace Prize?", Ira Rezak writes:

Ira adds:

Pete Smith writes:

The serious son of Quaker parents, Philip Noel-Baker was first a scholar, then an Olympian, and finally a Nobel Peace Prize winner. He is the only person ever to have won both an Olympic medal and a Nobel.

By 1912, Noel-Baker had already earned honors in history and economics at Cambridge, and he was on the way to a graduate degree in international law.

To read the complete article, see:
The only person to win an Olympic medal and a Nobel Peace Prize (https://www.popsci.com/technology/philip-noel-baker-olympics-nobel/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 1, 2026 : Quick Quiz: Who won an Olympic medal AND a Nobel Peace Prize? (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n05a09.html)

The Smells of Old Books and Chocolate
Gil Parsons writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
PRESERVING THAT SPECIAL LIBRARY SCENT (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n05a27.html)

More on John Kroll
George Cuhaj writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
JOHN H. KROLL (1938-2026) (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n05a04.html)

Eva Adams Gold 1962 ANA-CNA Convention Medal Sought
Tim Henderson writes:

Pickwick Coin Company Ad

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
PHILIP ERNEST BENEDETTI (1917-2010) (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n05a14.html)

Keinen Mann, Keinen Pfennig Poster

1954 King Farouk Sale Lot 909 Buyer Sought
Cho Chun Loong of the Malaysia Numismatic Society writes:

To read Cho's article, see:
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1814397742832427
&id=100027866574058&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=3jVAgUwIJdKsasdD

 

HARLAN SMITH'S 1822 HALF EAGLE

In 2021, Stack's Bowers Galleries sold a record-setting 1822 Half Eagle for $8.4 million. This coin was previously offered in 2016 as part of the Pogue Collection. It is one of only three known 1822 Half Eagles and the only one held privately. The Stack's Bowers cataloger noted how Harlan Page Smith (1839-1902) owned his 1822 Half Eagle until his death and "was fond of telling the story of his coin's discovery, plucked from a bullion dealer's stock for $6.50." The Smith coin was donated to the National Numismatic Collection in 1967 by Josiah K. Lilly, "the pharmaceutical magnate." Also at the Smithsonian is the third known 1822 Half Eagle, the Mint cabinet specimen.

I recently discovered a fascinating newspaper article in the February 26, 1888 St. Louis Post-Dispatch in which Smith spoke candidly about how he obtained his 1822 Half Eagle. Seeing that Dave Bowers wrote "The 1822 Gold Half Eagle - Story of a Rarity" while promoting the Pogue coin in 2014, I asked Joel Orosz to check his copy (I knew, without even asking, that Joel would have a copy of this book in his extensive library!) to see whether Dave included the Post-Dispatch article's information. Joel reported that Dave had only cited Ed. Frossard's May 1884 Numisma account of the Smith discovery:

In the Post-Dispatch article, Smith builds the story and provides more detail, giving us additional insight into the 19th-century coin-collecting scene in New York City. The reporter asked him, "What is the rarest coin you ever had?"

To which Smith relayed this story:

Smith added, laughing, "If folks get hold of it they go to looking over their old coins and some one will find another one and my bargain will be gone."

Besides the fascinating slice of life this story offers, we are also given a few names and people to investigate. I have not yet been able to pin down the identity of "Mr. Atkins" with whom Smith was discussing coins at the New York Subtreasury. The Subtreasury building was the U.S. Customs House, now Federal Hall at 26 Wall Street; from there, Smith headed north a few blocks up Nassau Street. The Sweeney brothers (John A. & William H.) were banker/brokers at 104 Nassau (corner of Ann).

The New York Times announced the failure of the Sweeney banking house in December 1882, but they must have reorganized, because "J.A. & W.H. Sweeney, money changers and brokers" failed again in May 1884. This would have been the same month that Numisma printed Smith's recounting of his visit there. In the December 13, 1882 New York Times article about the Sweeney firm, it told of how it was originally run by an elder brother, Daniel M. Sweeney, who had been robbed and murdered in 1872, while carrying a box of money home to Brooklyn. It was said that "At this time the principal dealings of the house was in stamps and coins, and Mr. Sweeney made considerable money."

Smith then continued his swagger north, up Broadway, and told us of the distraught shoemaker he visited so that he could continue to boast of his amazing score. It is this shoemaker that Smith, with a bit of artistic license, elevated in Numisma to being "Several so-called New York ‘coin experts'" who "had the opportunity to purchase this half eagle at the same price."

I believe this shoemaker could be Louis Bossuet (1800-1890), the Belgian-born shoe and bootmaker. Bossuet had a shop at 181 Greene Street, two blocks west of Broadway. If so, this would be Bossuet's second documented appearance in numismatic lore. "Bossuet the cobbler" is part of the legend of the Washington half dollar, Musante, GW-23.

Lot 239 of the Allison Jackman (Chapman) sale in 1918 tells of how A.B. Sage in "Recollections of a Coin Collector," (AJN, 1867) stated that "W.J. Howard obtained a very fine collection and I believe sold it to some gentleman in Boston. Mr. Howard was the fortunate possessor of the Washington half dollar described in one of Norton's Literary Letters. He obtained it for a very moderate price I believe from a shoemaker named Bossuet, doing business then and now in Green Street near Bleeker St., New York."

https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-Q4SHM/1822-capped-head-left-half-eagle-bd-1-rarity-8-au-50-pcgs

Catalogue of the magnificent collection of coins of the United States formed by the late Harlan P. Smith, New York City [05/08-11/1906] Chapman, S.H.

https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmagni00chap_2/page/18/mode/2up

See also Joel Orosz' fairly extensive treatment on the Washington Half Dollar that Bossuet sold to Winslow Howard in his Associations column in The Asylum Spring 2023: "Charles Ira Bushnell's Flandin's Catalogue of Coins and Medals: Part IV, Installment 1: The Winslow J. Howard Sale, May 17, 1856"

To read an earlier E-Sylum article, see:
HARLAN PAGE SMITH (1839-1902) (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n43a15.html)

CLARK GABLE SHORT SNORTER EXHIBIT

Tom writes:

For more information on Short Snorters, see:
https://www.shortsnorter.org/

VOCABULARY TERM: SETUP

Setup. The procedure of readying a press for the striking of a new coin or medal. It entails placing the dies in the press, aligning the dies, locking the dies in the chucks, positioning the collar (if any) in the collar plate, adjusting the pressure, taking a first blow, examining the struck trial, and resetting the dies and press until the alignment, pressure and feeding mechanism are perfect. This is the responsibility of the pressman and the foreman of the pressroom.

There are various methods and devices for aligning dies – keying, guide mark, notching, guide pin and bushing – the object is to align the axis of the obverse with the axis of the reverse. Adjusting the pressure must be done carefully not to break a die; too little a pressure will cause a weakly struck piece (die trial) – which is no serious problem –too great a pressure will crack or break a die. See pressroom practice, die alignment, axis, keying, die trial, weakly struck.

To read the complete entry on the Newman Numismatic Portal, see:
Setup (https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionarydetail/516736)

CHARLES EDWARD KIRTLEY (1948-2017)

This week I came across a reference to Charles E. Kirtley. I wondered if he was still living. I don't recall seeing a death notice in any numismatic publication.

Charles E. Kirtley was a dealer in tokens, medals and related literature. He also had an interest in North Carolina currency.

Kirtley was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on October 2, 1948. He was the son of Thomas Mahlon Kirtley (1928-1975) and Margy Ann Hartmann (1930-2024) Kirtley.

Charles E. Kirtley ran ads in Coin World in 1968 before he turned twenty. The address was in Cullowhee, North Carolina, the location of Western Carolina University.

Charles served in the U. S. Army 1969 to 1971.

Kirtley joined national numismatic organizations while in college. As C. E. Kirtley, he joined the ANA in January 1972 as member R-70457 from Flat Rock, North Carolina, the home town of his parents. Later he became LM-4805. He ran frequent ads in The Numismatist.

He joined the Society of Paper Money Collectors (SPMC) as member 3369 in 1972. He advertised that he wanted to buy past issues of their journal.

Kirtley joined the Token and Medal Society (TAMS) in 1972 as member 3463. He ran a half-page ad in the TAMS Journal for December 1, 1973, offering Civil War tokens for sale.

He was married to Margaret Minerva Broyles (1952-2018) on December 15, 1973, while they were both seniors at WCU. Her obituary does not mention a marriage.

He graduated magna cum laud with a B.A. from Western Carolina University in 1974 with majors in history and sociology. Later he received an M. A. from Duke University.

He joined the Civil War Token Society as member 463. Kirtley conducted a mail bid sale in Journal of the Civil War Token Society in 1974.

Kirtley contributed an article on "The Descriptive Grading of Uncirculated Civil War Tokens" to the March 1, 1975, issue of Journal of the Civil War Token Society, In 1975, he had a P. O. Box in Durham, North Carolina, the location of Duke University.

In 1979-80. Kirtley offered a series of fixed price lists out of a P. O. Box in Marble, North Carolina.

He married Rebecca Jane Foster (living, age 75) on July 5, 1980. At the time he was employed at Clinton Precision Instruments. They had one child.

Kirtley became a full-time dealer in 1983. He conducted many mail bid sales and some auctions, probably more than 150 by 2001. His listing in American Numismatic Auctions by Martin Gengerke is incomplete. His business address was in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Kirtley served as vice president of the Civil War Token Society 1986 to 1988.

In the September 2002 issue of The Numismatist, he was expelled from the ANA for failure to respond to ANA correspondence. The Newman Numismatic Portal has no news after that.

Kirtley died on September 22, 2017, at the Charles George V. A. Medical Center in Naples, North Carolina. He is buried at Shepherd Memorial Park in Naples.

Determining the full extent of his fixed price lists, mail bid sales and auctions is difficult. American Numismatic Auctions by Martin Gengerke lists 107 sales by 1993. Gengerke is missing sales at both ends. In my library I have Kirtley's sale 128 closing on April 2, 1996, and his sales continued beyond that. I found a reference to a MBS 157. The Newman Numismatic Portal does not have an archive of his sales.

To read the online obituary, see:
Charles Edward Kirtley (https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/charles-kirtley-obituary?pid=186812666)

NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: FEBRUARY 8, 2026

103396 | FRANCE & EGYPT. Conquest of Lower Egypt silver Medal. Dated Year VII of the Republic (1798/9), but issued circa 1802 (33mm, 13.92 g, 12h). By Nicolas-Guy-Antoine Brenet at the Paris mint.

River god Nilus (Nile) reclining left, head turned slightly right, with eight small nude attendants around, along with crocodile, cornucopia, and sphinx; CONQUÊTE DE LA / BASSE EGYPTE / AN VII in three lines // View of the Giza pyramid complex; in three lines in exergue, DENON DIR G. DU / MUSÉE C. D. ARTS / BRENET. Edge: Plain.

Lecompte 4 Ionnikoff 3; Hennin 850; d'Essling 756; Julius 627; Fonrobert 5081. PCGS MS-62. Brilliant gunmetal gray surfaces, with some wondrous iridescent color across both sides; an old, stray mark in the obverse field is all that prevents an even higher designation. No doubt one of the most of attractive of this larger-sized type in silver that one will encounter. A splendid original striking from an earlier die state, well before a large die crack and subsequent cud would form on the obverse. Compare to a similar example that realized a total of £1,600 ($2,533 after the 20% buyer's fee) in Roma XXIV (28 March 2022), lot 1648.

Napoléon's campaign in Egypt sparked a tremendous interest into all things related to there, with the discovery (and subsequent translation of) the Rosetta Stone allowing for an ever deeper understanding of the ancient Egyptians. Various medals touch upon aspects of this campaign, with some of the more famous channeling ancient coinage for inspiration. One such type commemorates the subjugation of Egypt, with the coinage of Augustus (and a crocodile) serving as the prototype, whereas another (the present type) was inspired by many of the depictions of Nilus (the personification of the Nile River) upon various ancient coins. Here, in addition to Nilus, the Giza pyramid complex is depicted, serving as a representation of this wonder of the ancient world.

To read the complete item description, see:
103396 | FRANCE & EGYPT. Conquest of Lower Egypt silver Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/103396)

103450 | GREAT BRITAIN & SPAIN. Arthur, Duke of Wellington bronze Medal. Dated 1813, though issued 1820 for Mudie's "National Series": The Surrender of Pamplona (40mm, 36.39 g, 12h). By Nicolas-Guy-Antoine Brenet & Jean-Pierre Droz.

ARTHUR DUKE OF WELLINGTON, bare head right // ENGLAND PROTECTS THE TOWN OF POMPEI, Britannia on horse trotting right, approaching female civic personification of Pamplona, presenting keys to the city; in three lines in exergue, CAPITULATION OF PAMPELUNE / OCTOBER THE 31 / MDCCCXIII. Edge: Plain.

BHM 765; Eimer 1037; Eimer, Wellington 30b; Bramsen 2254; Mudie 25. Gem Mint State. Rich chocolate brown surfaces, with intense lustrous brilliance.

James Mudie's provided text for his "National Series" mentions the following regarding this particular medal: "The capture of this fortress, which took place on the 3lst of October 1813, was the concluding event of the war in the west of Spain. Wellington was then hovering on the south-western frontiers of France, which he soon afterwards penetrated, having marched triumphantly from the borders of Portugal, after opening the campaign, without once retrograding."

To read the complete item description, see:
103450 | GREAT BRITAIN & SPAIN. Arthur, Duke of Wellington bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/103450)

103157 | SPAIN. Córdoba. Mosque/Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption bronze Medal. Issued 1859. Most Remarkable Edifices of Europe series (59mm, 102.90 gms, 12h). By Jacques Wiener in Brussels and struck at the Geerts mint in Ixelles.

Interior view of the cathedral from the southwest looking northeast; in five lines in exergue, MEZQUITA ERIGIDA 786 / POR ABD-EL-RAHMAN / CONVERTIDA EN IGLESIA / POR FERNANDO III / 1236 // Interior view of the former mosque with the three arches of the maqsura and the mihrab in the far distance; in two lines in exergue, CATEDRAL / DE CORDOBA. Edge: Plain.

Ross M219 (R1); van Hoydonck 168; Reinecke 59. Choice Mint State. Rich brown surfaces, with great glossiness in the fields; a few very minor spots of corrosion are noted. One of Wiener's more powerful and enticing types, and no doubt a premium-quality example with respect to others of the same grade level. Compare to a vastly inferior example in Stack's Coin Galleries (10 September 2008), lot 1656 (which sold for a total of $1,035[!]). $765.

With a groundbreaking at the end of the 8th century, the edifice that would become the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption began its life as a mosque, being constructed on the orders of Abd al-Rahman I, the founder of the Umayyad dynasty in the Iberian Peninsula. After 450 years, the house of worship fell into Christian hands in 1236 following the Reconquista. It continued to undergo modifications, with some of the more recent restorations leading to new discoveries about the Islamic-era elements and architecture. As such, it was highly influential in its earlier life in the architectural style throughout the Muslim world of the Mediterranean.

From what is today eastern Netherlands and western Germany, the Wieners were a Jewish family of exceptional medalists, especially known for numerous numismatic works throughout the Kingdom of Belgium. Eldest brother Jacob (Jacques), along with younger brothers Leopold and Charles, created some of the finest works of medallic art of the 19th century, and all are particularly noted for their work in the highly detailed and intricate work of architectural renderings.

To read the complete item description, see:
103157 | SPAIN. Córdoba. Mosque/Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/103157)

102953 | FRANCE. Paris International Expo bronze Award Medal. Issued 1900 as the official prize [awarded to the widow Greuillet-Baillargeau] (63mm, 104.77 g, 12h). By Jules-Clément Chaplain at the Paris mint.

REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, bust of Marianne right, wearing oak wreath; oak tree to the left; cityscape of Paris in the background to right // EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE INTERNATIONALE, Victory flying left, with head upturned to the right, holding a wreath and palm frond, and bearing victor, holding a torch, upon her back; view of the expo hall in the background; in exergue, cartouche with "Mme Vve GREUILLET / BAILLARGEAU" embossed in two lines. Edge: «cornucopia» BRONZE.

Button 29; Wurzbach 7193. Choice Mint State. Olive-brown surfaces, with a charming matte nature. Includes original box of issue—rather rare as such.

Visited by more than 50 million visitors, the 1900 Paris World's Fair, styled in French as the Exposition Universelle, ran from 14 April to 12 November, occurring in conjunction with the games of the II Olympiad—also held in Paris. The theme of the expo was a celebration of the century that was and the century that would be. Some of the technological advancements that were exhibited included the diesel engine, electric cars, talking films, and dry cell batteries, with Art Nouveau given a spotlight and being introduced to the world. This particular award was presented to a widow—madame Greuillet-Baillargeau of Poiters—in class 52 (hunting products) for tanned goose skins, with her home of Poitiers being especially famous and renowned for the high quality of its geese.

To read the complete item description, see:
102953 | FRANCE. Paris International Expo bronze Award Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/102953)

HERITAGE: LATIN AMERICAN SHOWCASE AUCTION

Ferdinand VI gold "La Luz" 8 Escudos 1750 So-J MS61 Prooflike NGC, Santiago mint, KM3, Cal-822. First year of issue. Salvaged from the "Nuestra Señora de la Luz" (sunk in 1752 off Montevideo, Uruguay). Softly struck, as usual, but one a reflective planchette. Despite the field marks, expected from a shipwreck piece, this piece retains marvelous mirrored surfaces, making this a prime specimen for both the type and the wreck.

In 1752, the Spanish ship"Nuestra Señora de La Luz" was headed to Cádiz from Buenos Aires carrying gold bars and coinage. While anchored, it was blown by a storm onto rocks. claiming most lives abord. Most of the treasure was contemporaneously salvaged, with the power hold only re-discovered in 1992, when several Santiago 8 Escudos in exceptional condition were recovered.

To read the complete item description, see:
Ferdinand VI gold "La Luz" 8 Escudos 1750 So-J MS61 Prooflike NGC, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/chile/chile-ferdinand-vi-gold-la-luz-8-escudos-1750-so-j-ms61-prooflike-ngc-/a/61595-25050.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-1-coinus-news-tem020326)

Philip IV Cob 8 Reales 1628 RN-E VF30 PCGS, Cartagena mint, KM3.4, Cal-1233, Restrepo-M43.3. 26.00gm. Conservatively graded, this impressive Cartagena Cob displays crisp peripheries with a luminescence in the motifs, and die-polish lines amply visible throughout the crevices. The Cob type collector knows how challenging it is to find dated Colombian pieces, so to encounter an appealing one with bold mint/assayer and a full date--with a possible unlisted 1628/7 overdate--is a reason for excitement.

To read the complete item description, see:
Philip IV Cob 8 Reales 1628 RN-E VF30 PCGS, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/colombia/colombia-philip-iv-cob-8-reales-1628-rn-e-vf30-pcgs-/a/61595-25063.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-2-coinus-news-tem020326)

Republic gold Proof Prueba "Triumph of the Revolution" 100 Pesos (1 oz) 1999 PR64 Ultra Cameo NGC, Havana mint, KM-Pn10, cf. KM-710 (standard issue), Fr-93 (same). Triumph of the Revolution - 40th Anniversary. A captivating "Prueba" or test/trial example of this scarce Revolution Anniversary 1 Oz gold issue. A Prueba of the 1 Oz silver version of the type realized nearly $1000 ($960 to be exact) in a 2024 Heritage sale.

To read the complete item description, see:
Republic gold Proof Prueba "Triumph of the Revolution" 100 Pesos (1 oz) 1999 PR64 Ultra Cameo NGC, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/cuba/cuba-republic-gold-proof-prueba-triumph-of-the-revolution-100-pesos-1-oz-1999-pr64-ultra-cameo-ngc-/a/61595-25157.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-3-coinus-news-tem020326)

Republic 4 Reales 1855-GJ MS62 PCGS, Quito mint, KM37. A seldom-seen portrait type in a scarce Mint State, complete with crisp devices and neat fields. Scattered areas of weakness toward the peripheries are easily overlooked when admiring the bloom and hints of sunny tone across the surfaces. Very rare in this condition, with a desirable provenance to boot.

Ex. Pat Johnson Collection (Stack's Bowers Auction, August 2022, Lot 34103); Ex. Norweb Collection

To read the complete item description, see:
Republic 4 Reales 1855-GJ MS62 PCGS, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ecuador/ecuador-republic-4-reales-1855-gj-ms62-pcgs-/a/61595-25162.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-4-coinus-news-tem020326)

Ferdinand VII gilt-silver "Olancho" Proclamation Medal 1808 AU Details (Mount Removed) PCGS, Grove-F-70, Herrera-44, Medina-334. By P. García Aguirre. Issued by La Oficina del Batallon de Milicias. A FERNANDO VII EL AMADO Bust of Ferdinand VII wearing Order of the Fleece // SIEMPRE FLORECIENTE COMO LA PALMA, palm in center dividing EL BATA LLON DE / OLAN CHO; 1808 in exergue. Very rare Proclamation medal issued for the mining region of Olancho, now in Honduras. Limited handling overall, with interesting tone from the gilding.

To read the complete item description, see:
Ferdinand VII gilt-silver "Olancho" Proclamation Medal 1808 AU Details (Mount Removed) PCGS, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/honduras/honduras-ferdinand-vii-gilt-silver-olancho-proclamation-medal-1808-au-details-mount-removed-pcgs-/a/61595-25200.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-5-coinus-news-tem020326)

Ferdinand VI 8 Reales 1758 Mo-MM MS63 NGC, Mexico City mint, KM104.2, Cal-494. High-grade Pillar Crown with beautiful polychromatic silhouetting. Very difficult to source in Choice, just a single example certifies higher at NGC.

To read the complete item description, see:
Ferdinand VI 8 Reales 1758 Mo-MM MS63 NGC, (https://coins.ha.com/itm/mexico/mexico-ferdinand-vi-8-reales-1758-mo-mm-ms63-ngc-/a/61595-25207.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-6-coinus-news-tem020326)

HERITAGE: MACEDONIAN KINGDOM SHOWCASE

What was once a small kingdom surrounded by dominate city-states, the Macedonian Empire , in less than forty years, would become the largest empire of the time. It not only defined the culture of the Hellenistic period but went on to shape the empires that followed - most notably, Augustus' Rome. The success of Macedonia is credited to the military abilities of Philip II and his son, Alexander III. While true, it was the strategic use of currency that would be the foundation of the empire's expansion, both for funding expenditures and soliciting their imperial image.

The minting of coinage for use of royal funding began with Alexander I (498-454 BC), whose silver tetradrachms featured parallels to Macedonian warriors. Mintage significantly increased with Philip II (359-336 BC) during his military expansion out of Pella into Thessaly, Illyria, Paeonia, and Thrace. With Philip II came gold staters, displaying not only mythology, but varying symbols which designated the cities in which they were minted. Following the success of Philip II was Alexander III (336-323 BC), whose imperial expansion as far south as Egypt and as east as Punjab made Macedonia the most powerful in the world. The coinage of Alexander III surmounted that of his father, both in quantity and in image popularity. Like his predecessors, Alexander III used mythology to replace his likeness. On his silver and bronze issues, he used the demigod, Hercules, who not only represented a divine familial connection, but a model for Alexander III's own military success. This visual became well practiced, becoming a symbol of the height of Macedonia's supremacy with over thirty mints recorded under his reign.

With the death of Alexander III came the death knell of the Macedonian Empire. During the reign of Philip III (323-317 BC), the empire began to collapse. Eventually it would fracture into five states, each led by Alexander III's generals: Cassander, Lysimachus, Antigonus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus Nicator. Despite the empire dissolving, Macedonian culture remained ingrained in the region, beginning what is now known as the Hellenistic Period. The heroization of Alexander III as Hercules carried into the coinage of this new Macedonia, with his successors, and even individual cities, continuing the visual practice into their own coinage. The coinage of Macedonia is simultaneously diverse and cohesive, capturing the empire's swift rise and ultimate fall - becoming one of the earliest case studies of visual tradition in coinage.

MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AR tetradrachm (26mm, 17.14 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5, scuff, flan flaw. Late lifetime-early posthumous issue, Aradus, ca. 328-320 BC. Head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied before neck / A?E?AN?POY / BASI?EOS, Zeus enthroned left, left leg drawn back, feet on groundline, eagle in outstretched right hand, grounded scepter in left; ? in left field, A above P below strut. Price 3320. Wonderfully, intricate detailing.

Alexander the Great, born in 356 BC in Pella, Macedonia, was one of the most renowned military leaders and conquerors in history. He ascended to the throne after the assassination of his father, Philip II, in 336 BC, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign of expansion. His conquests included the Persian Empire, Egypt, and large parts of Asia, reaching as far as the Indus River in India. Alexander's military genius, charismatic leadership, and ability to inspire loyalty among his troops were instrumental in his success. His kingdom brought about significant cultural and political change, spreading Greek culture throughout the known world. He died in 323 BC at the age of 32, under mysterious circumstances in Babylon, marking the end of his extraordinary reign.

To read the complete item description, see:
MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AR tetradrachm (26mm, 17.14 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5, scuff, flan flaw. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/greek-macedonian-kingdom-alexander-iii-the-great-336-323-bc-ar-tetradrachm-26mm-1714-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-3-5/a/61596-21072.s?ctrack=200071&type=collectora-1-coinus-news-tem020326)

MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AV stater (21mm, 8.55 gm, 12h). NGC MS 4/5 - 2/5, scratches, die shift. Ca. 315 BC, uncertain mint. Head of Athena right, hair flowing loose and over left shoulder, wearing pendant earring, necklace, and triple-crested Corinthian helmet pushed back on head, with short intersecting crest ends, bowl decorated with coiled serpent right / A?E?AN?POY, Nike standing facing, head left, wreath in outstretched right hand, stylis cradled in left arm; vertical ?IO monogram in left field, ?P monogram in left field below wing. Price-. cf. 1358 (Lampsacus) and 3171 (Salamis) for similar types. Seemingly unpublished and unfound in sales archives.

Alexander the Great, born in 356 BC in Pella, Macedonia, was one of the most renowned military leaders and conquerors in history. He ascended to the throne after the assassination of his father, Philip II, in 336 BC, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign of expansion. His conquests included the Persian Empire, Egypt, and large parts of Asia, reaching as far as the Indus River in India. Alexander's military genius, charismatic leadership, and ability to inspire loyalty among his troops were instrumental in his success. His kingdom brought about significant cultural and political change, spreading Greek culture throughout the known world. He died in 323 BC at the age of 32 under mysterious circumstances in Babylon, marking the end of his extraordinary reign.

Price 1358, with conjoined horse foreparts in the left field and ?IO monogram below the wing in left field is usually attributed to Nicocereon of Salamis, a Cypriot city-king who supported Alexander while he was besieging Tyre in 331 BC. In return, Alexander permitted him to retain his kingdom. After Alexander's death, Nicoceron supported Ptolemy in overthrowing his other Cypriot city-king rivals of Cyprus who were allied with Antigonos Monophthalmos. Ptolemy was victorious and elevated Nicoceron to king of Salamis, Citium, Lapithus, Ceryneia, and Marion. This unpublished stater, displaying monograms found only on staters from Lampsacus (?IO) and Salamis (?P) may have been struck in after his elevation and perhaps by a celator that worked at both mints or transferred from one to the other to train a new die cutter. The obverse die is typical in style for Lampsacus.

To read the complete item description, see:
MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AV stater (21mm, 8.55 gm, 12h). NGC MS 4/5 - 2/5, scratches, die shift. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/greek-macedonian-kingdom-alexander-iii-the-great-336-323-bc-av-stater-21mm-855-gm-12h-ngc-ms-4-5-2-5-scr/a/61596-21081.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-2-coinus-news-tem020326)

MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Perseus (179-168 BC). AR drachm (15mm, 2.67 gm, 7h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5, brushed. Pseudo-Rhodian, Greek mercenaries issue, ca. 175-170 BC, Ermias, magistrate. Head of Helios facing, turned slightly right, hair parted in center and swept to either side / EPMIAS, rose with single bud on tendril to right; ?-O flanking stem. SNG Keckman 793-795 (Thessaly). Price, Kraay-Mørkholm Essays, pp. 241-242 (Northern Greece). SNG Copenhagen Supp. 358 (Rhodian Peraia).

From The JGC Collection.

As the illegitimate son of Philip V, Perseus was threatened by his younger, legitimate half-brother, Demetrius, for the position of heir. Thus, he would forge a letter from a Roman general that warned Philip V of Demetrius' plan to overthrow him. Convinced, he would execute Demetrius. He himself would die the next year, allowing Perseus to take the throne in 179 BC. By 171 BC, he would enter the Third Macedonian War against Rome, which swiftly ended with his surrender to Lucius Aemilius Paullus. He was held captive by Rome for two years until his death in 168 BC - his conditions which are contradicted by Plutarch and Livy. His young son, Alexander, was taken to be raised and integrated into Roman society. Alas, with no other heirs: Perseus' death marked the end of the Macedonian kingdom.

To read the complete item description, see:
MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Perseus (179-168 BC). AR drachm (15mm, 2.67 gm, 7h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5, brushed. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/greek-macedonian-kingdom-perseus-179-168-bc-ar-drachm-15mm-267-gm-7h-ngc-ms-5-5-4-5-brushed/a/61596-21091.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-4-coinus-news-tem020326)

MACEDON UNDER ROME. First Meris. Ca. 167-148 BC. AR tetradrachm (31mm, 16.58 gm, 11h). NGC VF 5/5 - 2/5, smoothing, scratches. Diademed, draped bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder; all within the tondo of Macedonian shield / MAKE?ONON / ?POTHS, club of Heracles right; ??YO(?) monogram above, all within oak wreath, thunderbolt in outer left field. SNG Copenhagen 1310-1311 var. (monogram). HGC 3.1, 1103. AMNG III/1, 158. Very rare monogram for this type.

After the defeat of the Macedonian Kingdom in 168 BC, the Roman Republic allowed the empire to become a protectorate. It was split into four administrative districts with capitals in Amphipolis, Thessalonica, Pella, and Pelagonia. To prevent economic growth within the districts, limitations on mining gold and silver were implemented. Only two districts were allowed to mint their own silver without association with Rome - one of them being Amphipolis, the first district or "meris." This period of coinage lasted only for two decades until the districts became a unified Roman province.

To read the complete item description, see:
MACEDON UNDER ROME. First Meris. Ca. 167-148 BC. AR tetradrachm (31mm, 16.58 gm, 11h). NGC VF 5/5 - 2/5, smoothing, scratches. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/greek-macedon-under-rome-first-meris-ca-167-148-bc-ar-tetradrachm-31mm-1658-gm-11h-ngc-vf-5-5-2-5-smooth/a/61596-21093.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-5-coinus-news-tem020326)

MACEDON UNDER ROME. Aesillas, as Quaestor (ca. 95-65 BC). AR tetradrachm (30mm, 16.44 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF 4/5 - 4/5. Uncertain mint. MAKE?ONON, head of Alexander the Great, with horn of Ammon; T behind / AESILLAS, money chest, club and quaestor's chair; Q in right field, all within wreath. SNG Copenhagen 1330.

Aesillas served as quaestor in the Macedonian province during the transitional period in which Rome established control of Greece. His coins notably united Macedonian and Roman tradition, blending Hellenistic iconography with the ideals of the Republic - most prominently seen on his silver tetradrachms.

To read the complete item description, see:
MACEDON UNDER ROME. Aesillas, as Quaestor (ca. 95-65 BC). AR tetradrachm (30mm, 16.44 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF 4/5 - 4/5. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/greek-macedon-under-rome-aesillas-as-quaestor-ca-95-65-bc-ar-tetradrachm-30mm-1644-gm-12h-ngc-choice-xf-4/a/61596-21095.s?ctrack=200071&type=featured-6-coinus-news-tem020326)

DAVISSONS CUPBOARD SALE 3

Cupboard Sale 3 is online now, a test drive for our new auction platform. Our "No Estimate Over $100" selection features interesting, collectible, desirable coins, tokens, and medals that fill in important parts of any numismatic collection that seeks to be comprehensive. It also enables us to publish an auction with less time, energy, and capital investment than our E-Auctions or our major sale. There are many high quality lots in this sale, some estimated below our cost, alongside some unplanned-for bargains, particularly in terms of silver. Silver was near $80 per ounce at Christmas but opened January 26 at over $116 per ounce. (We changed no opening bid numbers.)

In this sale: A run in interesting ancient Greek and Roman coins, and British hammered and milled pieces including some high grade 20th century pieces (British history offers a couple millennia of numismatic interest, the 20th century is often ignored by collectors because it seems so "new"). Also take note of interesting medals in choice condition, and a good run of high quality 18th century provincial tokens ("Conders" as many Americans call them). Look carefully at some of these and their $80 opening, then look at what is being offered elsewhere in a fixed-price format, and expect to spot some bargains.

We usually begin a calendar year with our most significant auction of the year—a sale featuring some of the most important consignments and material we have gathered over several months. But this year technological change has caught up with us. While our auction platform has served us well (it was developed in house), some of the underlying software is no longer being supported. So, this sale is a test of a new auction platform as well as a way to begin 2026. Then, coming in later February, Auction 45, planned to close on March 25th. It is a strong and diverse sale, with exceptional consignments of English, Scottish, Danish, and ancient Greek and Roman. The Greek section will continue the Peter Bartlett Collection, featuring seldom seen rarities such as the electrum 1/3 trite of Phanes of Ephesos; the earliest coin issue to include a legend. The extensive o?ering of 18th century trade tokens ("Conders") introduces the substantial collection formed by Harold Welch, the researcher who has published a definitive bibliography of literature related to the British token series including an exhaustive survey of the current location of the rarer and more significant volumes from this series. And much more.

Warm Regards,
Allan, Marnie, & Lief Davisson

.33 gm. 10 mm. Contemporary barbarous imitation. Diademed head of Arethusa right / Wheel of four spokes. Cf. Boehringer B25ff. Cf. HGC 2, 1371. Cf. SNG ANS 116. Near Extremely Fine; rich old pewter-colored tone with iridescent highlights; perfectly centered and struck on broad full round flan. Fascinating and rare.

To read the complete item description, see:
SICILY. Syracuse. Hieron I. 478-466 B.C. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/sicily.-syracuse.-hieron-i.-478-466-b.c.-f17ca)

2.25 gm. 15 mm. Reduced standard. Ainetor, magistrate. Head of Helios facing slightly right / Rose with bud to right, butterfly to left, "P-O" below. HGC 6, 1453. Ashton 282. HN Online 863. SNG Keckman 586. Good Very Fine; lovely style and toning; flan chip at 3' exposing crystallized metal on edge.

To read the complete item description, see:
ISLANDS OFF CARIA. Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 205-190 B.C. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/islands-off-caria.-rhodos.-rhodes.-circa-205-190-b.c.-458bf)

9.14 gm. 21 mm. Female head (Arethusa?) facing slightly left, hair in ampyx, wearing single-pendant earring and necklace / Bearded male head (Ares?) right, wearing crested Attic helmet with three olive leaves on visor. Casabonne series 3. SNG France 248. Fine; slightly iridescent tone on porous surfaces; good style portraits, struck well centered on a broad flan.

To read the complete item description, see:
CILICIA. Tarsos. Pharnabazos. Persian military commander, 380-... (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/cilicia.-tarsos.-pharnabazos.-persian-military-commander-380-3743-b.c.-3fafe)

6.16 gm. 20 mm. Po. Ailios Dionysios Sabinianos, magistrate. Draped bust of youthful Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath; ???????O? / Mask of Silenos atop cista mystica with serpent; ??? ????VC??C. RPC IV.2 Online 2114. BMC 96. SNG Copenhagen 532. Extremely Fine; fine style, lovely portraits; attractive glossy black-green patina; light cleaning marks. Choice example of this fascinating type. Sharp, attractive in hand, but hard to photograph.

To read the complete item description, see:
PHRYGIA. Laodicea ad Lycum. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Temp. Ant... (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/phrygia.-laodicea-ad-lycum.-pseudo-autonomous-issue.-temp.-antoninus-pius-a.d.-138-161.-1df95)

13.2 gm. 27 mm. Aurelius Gallus, consular legate. Struck A.D. 203. His laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; AY MAP AYPH ANTONIN[OC] / Dionysos standing left, holding long filleted thyrsos and pouring wine from kantharos; Y AY GA??O? MAP-K-IANO?????O. H&J 6.18.8.1. Cf. Varbanov 916. Good Very Fine; smooth dark glossy green patina; striking split at 3'. Crisp, with a fine style young boy's portrait and impressive reverse.

Ex Vineyard Collection. Ex Gorny & Mosch 122 (10-13 March 2003) lot 1660.

To read the complete item description, see:
MOESIA INFERIOR. Marcianopolis. Caracalla. A.D. 198-217. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/moesia-inferior.-marcianopolis.-caracalla.-a.d.-198-217.-b552b)

2.81 gm. 18 mm. Rome mint. Struck A.D. 221. His laureate head right; IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG / Victory flying left, holding diadem, a small shield at feet to either side; star to left; P M TR P IIII COS III P P. RIC IV.2 45. RSC 195a. Extremely Fine; beautiful iridescent tone; bold handsome portrait, touch of verdigris at eye; reverse lightly granular. Exceptional fine style portrait.

To read the complete item description, see:
Elagabalus. A.D. 218-222. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/elagabalus.-a.d.-218-222.-2f5e7)

2.94 gm. 19 mm. Rome mint. Struck late A.D. 236-237. His laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM / Fides standing left, holding signum in each hand; FIDES MILITVM. RIC IV.2 18A. RSC 9. Good Extremely Fine; struck on a broad flan; beautiful lustrous tone; small old scratch on neck, otherwise choice. Superb portrait.

To read the complete item description, see:
Maximinus I. A.D. 235-238. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/maximinus-i.-a.d.-235-238.-1f716)

4.89 gm. 27 mm. His bust right, sixth bust with long and curly hair / Flat-topped shield. S. 2668. N. 2124. Fine+; evenly clipped; nicely toned.

To read the complete item description, see:
James I. 1603-1625. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/james-i.-1603-1625.-3fd20)

.45 gm. 13.5 mm. Undated. English shield with laurel and palm branches / English and Irish shield, •1• at top. S. 3222. N. 2729. ESC 228 (2263). Near Very Fine; well centered and struck; toned; bend.

To read the complete item description, see:
Commonwealth. 1649-1660. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/commonwealth.-1649-1660.-747b7)

11.28 gm. 31 mm. (1883) mdccclxxxiii. Her crowned bust left / Cruciform crowned arms; roses, a thistle, and a shamrock in angles. S. 3900. ESC 2905 (859). Near Extremely Fine; luster in legends and reverse.

To read the complete item description, see:
Victoria. 1837-1901. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/victoria.-1837-1901.-b9649)

14.18 gm. 31 mm. Old Head. 1899. Her bust, Jubilee style, left / Crowned shield. S. 3938. ESC 733. Extremely Fine; luster, light toning, minor marks, scratches on obverse.

To read the complete item description, see:
Victoria. 1837-1901. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/victoria.-1837-1901.-0ac93)

8.43 gm. 29 mm. 1797. A mail coach pulled by four galloping horses; MAIL COACH HALFPENNY PAYABLE IN LONDON around; TO TRADE EXPEDITION & TO PROPERTY PROTECTION below / TO J. PALMER . ESQ THIS IS INSCRIBED AS A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE FOR BENEFITS RECED FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MAIL COACHES. Uncirculated; lightly toned over original surfaces.

To read the complete item description, see:
Middlesex 363. Mail Coach. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/middlesex-363.-mail-coach.-a0f28)

10.96 gm. 30 mm. 1794. Front facing bust of Elizabeth I; QUEEN ELIZABETH / Chichester Cross; CHICHESTER HALFPENNY 1794. Edge: PAYABLE AT DALLYS CHICHESTER. Good Extremely Fine; even dark tone.

To read the complete item description, see:
Sussex 15. Chichester. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/sussex-15.-chichester.-08470)

13.83 gm. 34 mm. 1765 E. Armored draped bust right; CAROLVS D G BR ET LVN around / Leaping horse left; NVNQUAM RETROSVM 1765 around above. KM 973.1. Evenly toned Very Fine with slight rainbow overtones; mount removed.

To read the complete item description, see:
GERMANY. Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel. Charles I. 1735-1780. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/germany.-brunswick-wolfenbuttel.-charles-i.-1735-1780.-89add)

14.1 gm. 35 mm. 1700 KB. His bust right; LEOPOLD D G R I S A GER HV BO REX around / Crowned arms ARCHID AV DVX BV MAR MOR CO TYR 1700 around. KM 251. Very Fine; old toning; good metal.

To read the complete item description, see:
HUNGARY. Leopold I. 1657-1705. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/hungary.-leopold-i.-1657-1705.-87ed1)

24.85 gm. 37 mm. .7234 ASW. 1880 B F. Arms with a radiant wreath above, B (no dot) underneath; REPUBLICA PERUANA LIMA 9 DECIMOS FINO B F around; CINCO PESATAS below / Woman's head with headdress left; PROSPERIDAD Y PODER POR LA JUSTICIA around. KM 201.1. Near Extremely Fine; even gray toning; aesthetic dies; attractive.

To read the complete item description, see:
PERU. Republic. Peseta Coinage. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/peru.-republic.-peseta-coinage.-5d9bd)

38.27 gm. 48 mm. E. Thomasan. 1820. Royal coat of arms; THE ELGIN MEDALS DEDICATED BY PERMISSION TO HIS MAJESTY GEORGE IV / A fragment from the frieze of the Marbles showing surviving parts of horses and riders. BHM 1061. Good Extremely Fine; some light marks, toned designs, and mirror luster in fields.

To read the complete item description, see:
GREAT BRITAIN. CELEBRATING THE ELGIN MARBLES. George IV. 1820-... (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/great-britain.-celebrating-the-elgin-marbles.-george-iv.-1820-1830.-ad6b2)

18.07 gm. 39 mm. By J. HInks, Birmingham. 1858. Conjoined busts of Prince Frederick William, bareheaded, and Princess Victoria, wearing a chaplet of roses, left; THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA & THE PRINCESS OF ROYAL OF ENGLAND around / Conjoined shields of England and Prussia; MARRIED JANY. 25, 1858 below. BHM 2622 WM, (Rare). Near Extremely Fine; obverse lightly toned, lightly marked and with a stain at 1 and raised edge scrape at 2; the reverse is fresh uncirculated.

To read the complete item description, see:
GREAT BRITAIN. Marriage of the Princess Royal and Prince Frede... (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/great-britain.-marriage-of-the-princess-royal-and-prince-frederic-of-prussia.-victoria.-1837-1901.-44ea8)

14.35 gm. 35 mm. 1897. A small photograph of the Queen in an oval bezel attached to a brass medal in the form of a cross with triangular arms; 1837 — 1897 on the horizontal cross bar / Legend in 8 lines: TO COMMEMORATE THE 60TH YEAR OF HER REIGN HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA 1897. Near Extremely Fine.

To read the complete item description, see:
GREAT BRITAIN. Victoria. 60th Year of Reign. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/great-britain.-victoria.-60th-year-of-reign.-c8579)

15.56 gm. 30 mm. Struck at the Ottawa Mint to commemorate the visit of the King and Queen to Canada. 1939. Their crowned and jugate busts left / A finely detailed map of Canada showing their travel route; the Canadian Arms above, 19 — 39 beside; REGEM * ET * REGINAM * CANADA * around. WE (Whittlestone & Ewing) 7826. Toned Uncirculated, substantial luster.

To read the complete item description, see:
CANADA / GREAT BRITAIN. George VI. 1936-1952. (https://auctions.davcoin.com/auction/cupboard-sale-3-1000/canada-great-britain.-george-vi.-1936-1952.-b34e5)

QUEEN'S PORTRAIT DRAWS CRITICISM IN AUSTRALIA

The Royal Australian Mint's latest commemorative coins, marking 100 years since Queen Elizabeth II's birth, have sparked a colourful mix of reactions online.

The design features a portrait of the late Queen surrounded by symbols of her life, passions, and reign, including horses, corgis, theatre, art, and her favourite flowers

But not all collectors are convinced. Some said the portrait bore little resemblance to the monarch with one adding that it "doesn't even look remotely like her".

To read the complete article, see:
New Queen coin divides collectors (https://au.news.yahoo.com/queen-coin-divides-collectors-074530096.html)

For other coverage, see:
Coin portrait of late Queen draws criticism in Australia (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70l0wzww50o)
Queen's image on Australian commemorative coins likened to Shrek (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/06/australian-coins-celebrating-queen-elizabeth-ii-criticised-poor-likeness)

To read the Royal Australian Mint announcement, see:
Stunning heavenly hundredth birthday coin celebrates Queen's remarkable life (https://www.ramint.gov.au/media-releases/stunning-heavenly-hundredth-birthday-coin-celebrates-queens-remarkable-life)

RESEARCHING SWEDISH MINING TOKENS

Diving head-first into a new numismatic field is as exhilarating as it is daunting. As always, we numismatists stand on the shoulders of those before us, deeply dependent on their printed works. Not all books and catalogs are easy to use; many older ones have no illustrations, some use antiquated measurements or odd abbreviations, and some are not readily available online or at the local library. Any swan dive could see you stuck in a proverbial quagmire.

Then again, sometimes such a dive, regardless how poorly executed, opens a new, marvellous world like that I experienced while working on the March 18-19 Collectors Choice Online Auction of selections from the L. E. Bruun Collection.

Lars Emil Bruun had a large collection of Swedish coins, medals, and tokens. With few exceptions, the coins and medals were purchased en bloc when he acquired the amazing Countship of Brahesminde Collection, just a year before his passing. The Counts Bille-Brahe had amassed their collection over generations and often travelled abroad to attend important auctions in person.

In the back of the Bruun 1928 catalog, as nos. 18589-18732, are the Swedish Tokens. Most are mining tokens, issued by local mines, iron and copper works, or factories. Issued in the 17th to 19th centuries, they were used as proof of delivery of a specific service, as payment for work, or as passage tokens. Often rather primitive yet at the same time often carefully made with intricate details, the tokens seem at the same time rough and elegant.

Another contradiction lies in the fact that while on the fringe of numismatics, many were used in copper and iron works where coin metal was made, some in the works where the famous Swedish plate money were made – the very heart of Swedish numismatics.

Getting hold of the right literature was paramount. While in the office library we had the 1872 ‘bible' on Swedish tokens by Stiernstedt, recommended was the 2024 book ‘Sveriges äldre polletter' (Sweden's Older Tokens). What a joy to find a book which supplements its 150-year-old predecessor, adding much new research and knowledge, and best of all, lots of photos.

While not registered as such in the 1928 catalog, I discovered most of the tokens could be pedigreed to a specific sale, the 1851 Johan Scharp sale in Stockholm. As if the 1922 Brahesminde pedigree wasn't impressive enough, another 71 years was added, making it an unbroken, 175-year-old line of provenance!

While many of the tokens are extremely rare (some might even be unique), the pedigree itself is enough to make any of them highly desirable. I cannot recommend strongly enough that you join me, take the plunge, dive into to world of Swedish Mining Tokens, or at least take the opportunity to see the collection. It rivals most, if not all, collections offered in decades, and it will be a long time before a collection of this importance is presented again.

To read the complete lot descriptions, see:
https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/auctions/3-1Q8AAQ/february-2026-world-collectors-choice-online-auction-selections-from-the-le-bruun-collection-session-2-coins-of-germany-norway-sweden-medals-of-denmark-germany-great-britain-norway-and-sweden-lots-16001-16457?limit=36&jump_to_lot=16384

To read the complete article, see:
Take the Plunge (https://stacksbowers.com/take-the-plunge/)

THE WORLD'S FIRST OLYMPIC MEDAL

As the Olympic Winter Games are currently taking place in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, a unique piece of Olympic history has found its way to our auction house. It is none other than the world's first Olympic medal from 1896.

Have you always dreamed of owning an Olympic medal but never competed among the world's top athletes? Now you have the chance to bring home an exceptionally rare piece of sports history. This is an original winner's medal from the first modern Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896.

Zeus, Nike, and the Parthenon
The medal was engraved by French artist Jules-Clément Chaplain. The obverse features a laureate head of the Greek god Zeus holding a globe, upon which the Goddess of Victory, Nike, stands with an olive branch. The reverse depicts the Acropolis rock with the Parthenon and the Greek inscription "??e??e?? ???µp?a??? ????e? – ????a? 1896," referring to the International Olympic Games in Athens.

Silver Medals for the Winners – Including a Dane
The first modern Olympic Games took place from 6 to 15 April 1896, with 241 athletes from 14 nations competing across nine sports and 43 events. At the time, silver medals were awarded to the winners and bronze medals to runners-up – the gold medal was introduced at later Games.

Denmark was among the participating nations, and Danish athlete Viggo Jensen won in weightlifting, becoming the first Danish Olympic champion. However, it is not known for certain whether the medal now offered at auction once belonged to him.

To read the complete article and lot description, see:
The World's First Olympic Medal (https://bruun-rasmussen.dk/m/news/2609_olympiskelege)
1 Mar 2026: World's First Olympic Medal 2609/?5000 (https://bruun-rasmussen.dk/m/lots/08A7F1D4D36E)

THE 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS MEDALS

Athletes on the podium at the Winter Olympics in Italy this month will be awarded the most expensive medals in the history of the Games, thanks to soaring precious metals prices.

More than 700 gold, silver and bronze medals will be presented to the world's top winter sports athletes taking part in events from skiing and ice hockey to figure skating and curling.

And while the sentimental value is immeasurable, in pure cash terms, those medals will be worth more than ever before. Since the Olympic Games in Paris in July 2024, the spot prices of gold and silver have skyrocketed some 107% and 200%, respectively, according to FactSet data.

Those eye-popping gains mean that, based on the metals prices alone, gold medals are now worth around $2,300, more than double their value at the Paris Olympics. Second-place silver medals are worth almost $1,400, or three times their value two years ago.

Winners will receive medals crafted from recycled metal by the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute. But not all that glitters is, in fact, gold.

In a gold medal, only six grams out of a total of 506 grams (16 troy ounces) is pure gold. The rest is made from silver. Bronze medals are made from copper and, at a weight of 420 grams (15 ounces), are worth only about $5.60 a piece, according to data published by the event organizers. (A troy ounce is around 10% heavier than a regular ounce.)

Olympic gold medals have not been made from pure gold since the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, according to London-based auction house Baldwin's.

However, as collectors' items, Olympic medals can sell for far more than their monetary value, said Dominic Chorney, head of ancient coins at Baldwin's.

To read the complete article, see:
This year's Olympic medals are worth more than ever (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/olympic-medals-worth-more-ever-050146173.html)

OLYMPIANS SELLING MEDALS

It's a long fall from the Olympic podium to financial ruin — but it's not an uncommon path. Some of the golden girls and guys that nabbed medals, headlines and hearts years ago are now strapped for cash, selling their medals and even their bodies for money.

"People spend the better part of a decade trying to make an Olympic game or two. And when they finally decide to hang it up, they are behind their friends who entered the workforce a decade ago," Tom Jackovic, CEO of the USA Track and Field Foundation, told The Post. "It's always a struggle."

Ryan Lochte competed in four summer games — 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 — and became one of the most decorated swimmers in Olympic history, winning six gold medals, three silver and three bronze.

But, last month, the 41-year-old sold three of his golds at auction for a combined $385,520. He defended the move to fans on Instagram.

"I never swam for the gold medals," he wrote on Instagram. "They were just the cherry on top of an incredible journey."

The sale would seem to just be the latest troubled chapter for Lochte. In 2019, he told CNBC that he'd gone from making "well over $1 million" per year to just $75,000 from one sponsor and was living paycheck to paycheck.

In 2022, he sold his silver and bronze medals for $122,000. Last year, amidst his divorce from wife Kayla Reid, it was revealed that the couple were nearly $270,000 in debt.

Olympic diver Greg Louganis can relate. In 2025, he revealed that he had sold three of his five medals — two golds and one silver — for $437,000. He also said he'd sold his house because he "needed the money" and was moving to Panama.

"If I had proper management, I might not have been in that position," Louganis, considered by many to be the greatest diver of all time, said.

To read the complete article, see:
Hard-up Olympians selling medals — and their bodies — and living in their cars to make ends meet (https://nypost.com/2026/02/02/sports/hard-up-olympians-selling-medals-and-their-bodies/)

1715 FLEET: IRON CANNONBALL

This month's featured treasure is an item that sold for a considerable amount of money at our conference banquet and auction a few weeks ago. This iron cannonball was found in July 2015 by Chris Tisack, who was the captain of the MV AU Royal, a recovery vessel operating near the Sand Point wreck site, a few miles south of Vero Beach. Several iron cannonballs were found attached to the hard bottom, which is common to that area. The extraction process was slow and deliberate so that the cannonballs were not damaged in the process.

Our featured treasure weighs about 6 pounds and has a smooth, dark coating, which is from the conservation of the item. Without proper conservation, this iron cannonball would simply disintegrate over time, leaving behind a rusty pile of debris. This process can be seen with unconserved iron cannons and anchors located in front of government buildings in some Florida towns and cities. Fort Pierce, for example, has a rather large collection of cannons decorating the lawns of public buildings and property in that city. Regretably, they are deteriorating at a rapid rate. (See our Treasure of the Month for October 2020.)

The damage caused by these seemingly small projectiles was devastating. Spanish iron cannonballs would create an avalanche of wooden splinters when they impacted. These pieces of wood, sharp and pointed, would cause horrible injuries to combatants that were unfortunate enough to be in the way.

In addition to cannonballs, there were hand-thrown incendiaries, which were a smaller form of cannonball. These weapons were hollowed-out iron balls packed with explosives, which were ignited by a fuse attached to a small hole in the grenade. However, they were small enough and light enough to be thrown by hand. Iron grenades of this nature were often recovered from 1715 Fleet wreck sites. Several cast-iron grenades were also found aboard the wreck of the Fleet-era pirate ship Whydah, which sank in 1717.

Iron cannonballs came in different sizes and weights. Our little ball, though small, made a big bang at our conference banquet and silent auction, where it sold for a whopping $2,000.00, drawing the highest bid of the 34 items sold!

Special thanks to Sal Guttuso (Member #226), Director of Operations for 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC, for providing images. Also, some information used in this post was obtained from Small Arms of the Spanish Treasure Fleets, by Noel Wells (Member #227).

To read the complete article, see:
February 2026 — Treasure of the Month (https://1715fleetsociety.com/february-2026-treasure-of-the-month/)

LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 8, 2026

Defaced U.S. Mint Coinage Dies

Since at least 1995, the United States Mint has operated a program that sells retired and defaced coinage dies to the public. Each die is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). These certificates document key technical and operational details from the die's service life.

The certificates typically list the die's date range of use, the number of strikes produced, the denomination, the press type, and the stated reason for retirement. Additional information sometimes appears as well. Together, these records offer an unusually detailed view into modern Mint production practices.

This article summarizes findings from a growing body of certificates and explains why this information matters to collectors and researchers.

The data referenced here comes from two primary sources. The first includes publicly posted images of Certificates of Authenticity and their corresponding dies on online selling venues. The second consists of certificate copies provided directly by private individuals.

At present, the dataset contains just over 150 recorded dies. While this sample size limits statistical certainty, it still provides meaningful insight into press configurations, die orientations, and common causes of die retirement.

To read the complete article, see:
Certificates of Authenticity for Retired U.S. Mint Dies: What the Records Reveal (https://coinweek.com/certificates-of-authenticity-for-retired-u-s-mint-dies-what-the-records-reveal/)

What a Crock! It Fetched $32K

A 30-gallon stoneware crock sat in the corner of Lois Jurgens's back porch for nearly three decades, collecting dust through Nebraska summers and snow through the winters. Her late husband used it as a makeshift table to rest grilling tongs and platters. They almost never thought of it.

On Jan. 10, that same crock sold at auction for $32,000.

"I just couldn't believe it," said Jurgens, who turned 91 on the day the crock was sold. "It's the biggest thing I've ever gotten on my birthday."

The crock was manufactured by Red Wing Stoneware, probably between 1877 and 1900. The nearly knee-high crock features molded side handles and a cobalt blue butterfly, along with the company name stamped twice. Unlike later models finished with a smoother zinc glaze, the crock is salt glazed, giving it a coarser texture. Despite its many years outdoors, it is still in good condition.

To read the complete article, see:
She planned to sell her old pot for $20. It just fetched $32K at auction. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2026/01/29/crock-auction-sale-nebraska-32k/)

A Dealer's Life on the Road
Gerry Tebben writes:

Doug Roberts from McLean, VA., near Washington D.C., has been a traveling dealer for years but went full-time after retiring from his job in January. He sells at around 40 shows a year.

"It's a hectic schedule because I travel all over the place. One weekend, I'll be in Ohio, the next weekend in Pittsburgh, and Virginia Beach the next weekend," Roberts said. "Sometimes I'm by myself and sometimes I work with a partner."

When he's not traveling to or from a show, he's spending time during the week organizing the inventory to get ready for the next stop.

"It's always a quick turnaround. I get in late at night to unload and set up the show and after the show, I pack up and get right back on the road," Roberts said during a stop in the Pittsburgh area. "During the week, I have to look through everything I may have bought at the show before, and process what I want to take to the next show because every show is different."

To read the complete article, see:
Life on the Road is a Fun Ride for Traveling Card Show Dealers (https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/sports-card-show-dealers-traveling-life/)

FEATURED WEBSITE: BOIS DURCI

This week's Featured Website is Harold Mernick's Bois Durci site, recommended by his brother Philip. Thank you! Brett Follmer asked for more information about this material last week.

https://www.mernick.org.uk/BDWeb/

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 1, 2026 : Bois Durci Information Sought (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n05a09.html)

ABOUT THIS ISSUE: FEBRUARY 8, 2026

Wayne Homren
Wayne Homren is the founding editor of The E-Sylum and a consultant for the Newman Numismatic Portal. His collecting interests at various times included U.S. Encased Postage Stamps, merchant counterstamps, Pittsburgh Obsolete paper money, Civil War tokens and scrip, Carnegie Hero Medals, charge coins and numismatic literature. He also collects and has given presentations on the work of Money Artist J.S.G. Boggs. In the non-numismatic world he's worked in artificial intelligence, data science, and as a Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Garrett Ziss
Garrett Ziss is a numismatic collector and researcher, with a focus on American paper money and early U.S. silver and copper coins. He is also a part-time U.S. coin cataloger for Heritage Auctions. Garrett assists Editor Wayne Homren by editing and formatting a selection of articles and images each week. When he's not engaged in numismatics, Garrett is pursuing a Master's Degree in Quantitative Economics at the University of Pittsburgh.

Pete Smith
Numismatic researcher and author Pete Smith of Minnesota has written about early American coppers, Vermont coinage, numismatic literature, tokens and medals, the history of the U.S. Mint and much more. Author of American Numismatic Biographies, he contributes original articles to The E-Sylum often highlighting interesting figures in American numismatic history.

Greg Bennick
Greg Bennick (www.gregbennick.com) is a keynote speaker and long time coin collector with a focus on major mint error coins and US counterstamps. He is on the board of both CONECA and TAMS and enjoys having in-depth conversations with prominent numismatists from all areas of the hobby. Have ideas for other interviewees? Contact him anytime on the web or via instagram @minterrors.

John Nebel
Numismatist, photographer, and ANS Board member and Fellow John Nebel of Boulder, CO helped the ANA and other clubs like NBS get online in the early days of the internet, hosting websites gratis through his Computer Systems Design Co. To this day he hosts some 50 ANA member club sites along with our coinbooks.org site, making the club and our E-Sylum archive available to collectors and researchers worldwide.

Bruce Perdue
Encased coinage collector (encasedcoins.info) Bruce Perdue of Aurora, Illinois has been the volunteer NBS webmaster from its early days and works each week to add the latest E-Sylum issue to our archive and send out the email announcement.