The E-Sylum v5#45, November 10, 2002

[whomren at coinlibrary.com]

Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 5, Number 45, November 10, 2002:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2002, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


SUBSCRIBER UPDATE

   Recent subscribers include Tom Whittle, courtesy of Brad
   Karoleff, Cr. Gustavo Gil, courtesy of Jose-Luis Rubio, and
   Rick Kay, courtesy of Andy Lustig.  Welcome aboard!  One
   person unsubscribed, leaving us with exactly 500 subscribers.
   Thanks for being with us at this milestone!

   Tom Whittle writes: "I collect early half dollars, Canadian
   tokens and souvenir cards.  Jose-Luis Rubio notes that
   Cr. Gustavo Gil is Treasurer of the Instututo Numismatico
   del Uruguay.


NBS AT THE 2003 ANA MONEY SHOW IN CHARLOTTE

   Howard A. Daniel III reports that he has received a letter
   from Pete Smith, NBS President, approving him adding
   NBS to the joint club table with Numismatics International
   (NI) and the International Bank Note Society (IBNS) for
   ANA Money Shows and Conventions.  He writes: "The
   joint table at  the ANA Money Show in Charlotte for
   March 21-23,  2003 has been confirmed by the ANA
   Convention Department, so NBS will be there and you
   can meet fellow members at it, rest between trips to the
   bourse, etc.  No one has yet applied for an NBS meeting
   at Charlotte, so NBS members can meet at the joint
   NI/IBNS meeting until and if one is arranged.  If you want
   any further information, please contact me at
   Howard at SEAsianTreasury.com."


CONSIGNOR BARDEEN NAME SOUGHT

   Gregg Silvis writes: "The May 7-8, 1929 Henry Chapman sale
   of the Commodore William Colgate Eaton collection also
   included the Bardeen Collection of half cents.  Would anyone
   happen to know the first name of Bardeen?   Thanks!"


NUMISMATISTE

   Hadrien Rambach of Paris, France writes: "About the
   different & interesting words used for numismatics, I can
   also suggest the French equivalents of "numismatist" (the
   collector or scholar, interested in numismatics).

   Nowadays, we French all use the word "numismate".
   But another word did exist (still used, at least, in 1902):
   "numismastiste".

   In a letter, T.M. Dumersan explained that "numismatiste"
   should be preferred to "numismate", because of the
   differences between "diplomate" (the ambassadors, etc.)
   and "diplomatiste" (the scholar in diplomatics).  But this
   argument is not good (I think), as diplomatics was created
   after numismatics, and after the word "numismate".
   Does someone know of an article or other research on
   this subject (numismate vs numismatiste)?"


MUSEUM DISCUSSION CONTINUES

   David Fanning writes: "My last word (promise) on the
   question of curators and collectors: Larry Lee wrote in
   his response to my comments in the previous E-Sylum that
   "In regard to Mr. Fanning's statement that 'the odds are
   good that the coins will end up unlabeled, unattributed
   and stuck in storage somewhere,' I would opine that most
   objects in museums, including coins, are in fact very well
   organized, even if they may not be numismatically
   attributed."

   This, I think, cuts to the heart of the matter: if these coins
   are not numismatically attributed, how then are they well
   organized?  According to what diagnostics or properties
   are they organized?  There are many knowledgeable
   curators out there: I'm simply stating that most museums
   do not have the resources to retain experts on staff and
   that many collectors are at least as knowledgeable about
   their field of specialty as are curators."

   George Kolbe writes: "I, too, see merit in both Larry Lee
   and David Fanning's arguments but it seems clear that in
   practice, whether applicable or not, "archeological context"
   often becomes an excuse for government confiscation.
   And isn't the person who puts out his hard-earned cash
   to buy a coin - or most anything else for that matter - likely
   to be the better conservator?  Or would you be likely to
   pay the same for a car from Hertz or for one from the
   proverbial old lady from Pasadena (I grew up in Pasadena
   and I know MY preference)."

   [When it comes to my own books, I hate to admit that I'm
   not as good a conservator as I'd like to be.  Several items
   could use deacidification, some of the books sorely need
   repairs or rebinding, and much of my ephemera collection
   is a fun but unorganized mess.  "Someday" I'll get around
   to all of these things, but I hope "someday" rolls around
   before I die.

   Few of these items were purchased from collectors or
   dealers; most were discovered in out of the way
   locations, and in one case, I retrieved the items from
   a home, working just steps ahead of a cleaning crew that
   was instructed to toss all of the late owner's remaining
   possessions into a dumpster.  [a couple complete years
   of B. Max Mehl's Numismatic Monthly were salvaged
   from a tool box under a workbench in the basement.]
   So in this case, the scavenging collector saved some rare
   and unique items from certain destruction.  Of course,
   in this case, there was no accompanying archaeological
   evidence to be saved.

   The tug-of-war between curators and collectors has
   gone on for many years.  The following is taken from the
   Vol 1, No. 1 (March 1905) issue of The Collector, a
   Pittsburgh-based periodical on philately, numismatics
   and archaeology:

   "It occurs to me that so far as it could be accomplished
   without infringing upon the rights of individuals, Museum
   Curators should combine against dealers in archaeological
   specimens.  There seem to be two classes of these men
   and the one should not be confused with the other.  Of
   recent years the the dealers of archaeological specimens
   have increased to an alarming extent.  If these men
   confined their wares to surface-found objects or to
   things procured from Tom, Dick and Harry, scientists
   could have no just grounds for complaint."

   The rant goes on for two pages and was to be continued
   in the next issue.  Alas, this is the only example of the
   periodical I have.  Has anyone ever seen this periodical?
   The issue also has an article on large cents under the byline
   "A. Cent"  -Editor]


MINT PROCESSES SOURCE TRACKED

   R. W. Julian and others reported the source of the
   "Mint Processes" booklet described last week.  As you'll
   see, there is more than one "source".

   Mark Borckardt writes: "Regarding Mint Processes of the
   United States":  On my desk is a copy of the 1896 Mint
   Director's Report.   Included, beginning at the bottom of
   page 112 is an article titled "Mint Processes of the United
   States" which includes exactly 15 black and white photos
   along with articles by some of the same people mentioned
   in the E-Sylum."

   George Kolbe agrees: " I think the "booklet" you allude
   to is derived from the 1896 Mint Report (see Kolbe sale
   89, lot 914)."

   Pulling the '96 Mint Report off my library shelf enabled me
   to confirm the origin of my pamphlet.  It must have been
   some sort of offprint or reprint of that section of the Mint
   Report.  Paul Schultz suggested that since the pamphlet has
   no identifying information, it may have been produced
   as an in-house teaching tool as the U.S. Mint.  Interesting
   possibility.

   The pamphlet, whose pages are numbered 3-39, seems to
   exactly match the content beginning at the end of page 112
   of the 1896 Mint report, and ending in the middle of page
   157.

   Dick Johnson takes the origin of the pamphlet back another
   couple of years, and adds some color on why it was
   produced.  He writes:

   "The 39-page pamphlet titled "Mint Processes of the United
   States" is an offprint from the 1894 Annual Report of the
   Director of the Mint.  My notes on the Charles E. Barber
   essay state these were pages 150-152 from that Mint Report.
   The essays of other mint officials undoubtedly followed that.

   This Mint Report covered the year 1893 since it was
   published following the fiscal year which ended June 30,
   1894. It is a nice thick volume in comparison with the other
   Mint Reports which preceded and followed.

   You have to understand what was going on in the Mint at
   that time. In 1891 they had signed construction contracts
   to build the most modern coinage mint in the world at 16th
   & Spring Garden Streets (the so-called third mint in
   Philadelphia).

   What they wanted from each department head was an
   analysis of what each department did in preparation for
   planning the layout of the new mint building. I did research
   on this era of the Philadelphia Mint's history in preparation
   for a film (which was to be produced for this mint's
   centennial by Mike Craven, but that project was abruptly
   halted by the Mike's death in a senseless roadrage
   killing on an L.A. expressway.)

   I had found the blueprints for the Mint building, and
   physically examined the building on every floor even to
   the two-foot thick walls in the basement where bullion
   and coin were once stored. (The building is now a
   community college, but the name "United States Mint"
   is still above the entrance of the original building.)  The
   old pressroom is now the library.  The old walkway
   where visitors could watch coins being struck now
   houses study carrels.

   The building embraced the first use of electricity for
   running coining presses and other equipment.  It had
   elevators. It had telephones. It had water storage tanks
   in the basement. It was the most modern coinage mint
   in the world at the time (and they copied most of this
   building for the Denver Mint build a few years later)."

   [My library has a hole - I have the '93, '95 and '96
   mint reports, but no '94.   I'll put it on my Christmas
   wish list.  -Editor]


PRISON TOKEN BOOK PUBLISHED

   Jørgen Sømod writes: "The prison employee's coin club in
   Denmark has just published a booklet written by me,
   "Fængselsmønter" (prison tokens). It includes 18th century
   tokens from Norway and a 19th century token from Glückstadt
   in present Germany.  All types are illustrated and there are
   also pictures of the different prisons.  The book is of course
   printed in a prison.  All text is in Danish only. 32 pages. The
   price is $ or € 7,- sent worldwide."   [For more information,
   contact Jørgen at numis at vip.cybercity.dk -Editor]


CONTEMPORARY BRITISH COUNTERFEIT REFERENCE

   Clement V. Schettino writes: "Even though I am not announcing
   a hard copy book (yet) I thought it might be appropriate to
   make this announcement here anyway.  I am sure that I
   correctly assume that many, if not all, of you are interested in
   all publications dedicated to numismatic research and information.

   I have recently created a few web pages
   (http://www.geocities.com/copperclem/), and there are a few
   pages dedicated to Contemporary Counterfeit British & Irish
   1/2d & 1/4d
   (http://www.geocities.com/copperclem/Counterfeits_page1.html).
   On the last page you will see that I am offering for sale a CD of
   my reference collection.  If  you have any comments or
   information on this subject please email me privately at
   copperclem at attbi.com"


WASHINGTONIA IN STACK'S AMERICANA SALE

   In the Colonial Coins mailing list, Mike Hodder reported
   that "Stack's 2003 Americana sale (next January) will include
   some nice stuff in coins, medals, and tokens."  One highlight
   he mentioned is the "Western Reserve Historical Society's
   collection of Washingtonia, with two gold funeral urn badges
   (round and oval), two badges in silver (one a skull &
   crossbones type), the fifth known WM piece with GW on
   the pedestal, a Getz Masonic medal in sound VF, lots of
   other neat stuff, much ex Norweb...   The catalogue is being
   written now. Look for it sometime around Xmas."

   [The George Washington papers web site at the University
   of Virginia has a great section on the death and mourning
   of Washington.  -Editor
   http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/exhibits/mourning/front.html
    ]


VATICAN COLLECTIONS GOING ONLINE

   Dick Johnson pointed out the following article, published in
   Vatican City on October 29, 2002.  It mentions the
   Vatican Numismatic Library and a catalog of 300,000
   coins in the Vatican collection.

   "The Vatican Apostolic Library is in the process of posting
   hundreds of thousands of historical manuscripts, previously
   accessible to a privileged few, on its Web page."

   "Manuscripts of Emperor Justinian, love letters of King Henry
   VIII to Anne Boleyn, and missives of Lucrezia Borgia to her
   father, who had become Pope Alexander VI -- all may be
   consulted at www.vatican.va."

   "Father Raffaele Farina, prefect of the library, talked about
   the new features of the library's computer system.  He
   explained that since 2000, projects have been under way to
   digitize and catalogue descriptions of the graphic material
   (prints, illustrations and drawings) of the Print Library and
   the numismatic material (coins and medals) of the Numismatic
   Library.

   In addition, he said, the database offers a public catalogue
   which contains descriptions of books and magazines, prints,
   illustrations, drawings, copper engravings, photographs, coins
   and medals and even musical scores, recordings and CDs,
   for a total of 700,000 bibliographic entries."

   "The Vatican Apostolic Library, founded by Pope Nicholas V
   (1447-1455), is specialized in humanistic areas (paleography,
   history, art history, classics, philology) and has 1.6 million
   ancient and modern printed volumes;  83,000 incunabula
   (editions printed from the invention of the press to the start of
   the 16th century), 150,000 manuscripts and archive volumes;
   300,000 coins and medals, and more than 100,000 prints.

   To give an idea of the quantity of the bibliographic material
   in the Apostolic Library, Cardinal Mejía said the shelves to
   store it would stretch about 90 kilometers (55 miles)."

   http://www.mirifica.net/wmview.php?ArtID=280


MISSING DOTS: WHY?

   Jose Luis Rubio, Telephone Token student and President
   of the International Telephone Token Association writes:
   "I would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows why
   there is no period after the last abbreviation-letter of some
   Telephone Tokens, like the Italian "S.E.T",  the South
   African "H.P.K" or most of the French products coined at
   the Paris Mint House, that bear the classic abbreviation
   "P.T.T"  as at the classic 1937 token made in huge quantities,
   and several phone-tokens made there for the French Colonies,
   which also lack of the period after the last letter.

   I strongly suspect that this period was not "forgotten" by
   coincidence, but omitted for some special telephone cue...
   My email address is:   rubiojl at adinet.com.uy.  Thank you."


GLASS-ENCASED COINS

   Ed Krivoniak reports: "When I toured the Corning Glass
   Museum in the late sixties I saw 2 or 3 examples of the type
   of glassware mentioned by Mark Borchardt in last week's
   E-Sylum."


BOOK INSCRIPTIONS:  GOOD OR BAD?

   Subscriber Nick Graver is the newest member of one of
   my local clubs, the Western Pennsylvania Numismatic
   Society.  He and his wife were in town for our annual
   Social Meeting on Tuesday.   He sent the following note
   the next day:

   "I enjoyed E-Sylum, which was waiting for me upon return
   to Rochester.  It makes me wonder where all my numismatic
   books went after Frank Katen sold them.   I should have
   had my name in each, just to give some collector an idea
   where they originated.  Of course, that would mark them,
   and we were "drilled" in school to not deface books.

   There is a topic for a future issue: "Books in "Mint" condition,
   versus books having bookplates, autographs, inscriptions,
   date received, and all the various entries that make them
   interesting, but no longer "Mint" condition."

   [This is an interesting topic.  I've never put a bookplate in
   any of my books, yet I do appreciate it when books come
   to me with a bookplate or inscription noting where they've
   been.   When I've added books from notable collectors
   (such as when I purchased the libraries of James O. Sloss
   and Donald Miller) I made up slips of paper with the
   previous owner's name and date of acquisition, and slipped
   them into each book.  I guess I'm of the same school as
   Nick - I can't bear to place a mark on any of my books.
   But a label of some sort, if it's small and unobtrusive,
   would be a good way to indicate ownership.  One exception
   would be ephemera - when I see a one-page pamphlet
   with someone's stamp or label on it I see red - what
   buffoon would deface the item's only page with such
   nonsense?  What do our readers think?  -Editor]


MILITARY "COINS"

   An article on U.S. Army "Coins" appeared in the August 6,
   2002 issue of The Wall Street Journal.  With the latest U.N.
   resolution on Iraq, the subject may become more topical.
   Here are a few excerpts:

   "Army Maj. Dave Daigle will never forget the first time he
   was "coined." He had spent several weeks running a war
   game in Germany 13 years ago when his colonel, Eric K.
   Shinseki, now the Army's top general, gave him a small
   bronze disk bearing the unit's insignia.

   "That one was really special," says Maj. Daigle, who still
   carries it in his wallet.

   Maj. Daigle, who today is stationed at Fort Knox, Ky.,
   still has that one, too, and 50 more. He got many of them,
   he says, for just doing his job.

   Napoleon observed in 1802 when he initiated the French
   Legion of Honor that "it is by such baubles men are led."
   These days, the U.S. doesn't have a lot of opportunities to
   dole out combat ribbons and medals. So commanders are
   minting commemorative coins, paid for with unit morale
   funds, to reward the rank and file for everything from
   putting in overtime to blasting "enemy" tanks in a training
   exercise.

   In the process they have triggered a full-fledged coin craze.
   Today, just about every Army and Air Force command has
   a coin."

   "No one knows just when this practice began. The 10th
   Special Forces Group, a cadre of Green Berets, first began
   minting its own coin in the 1960s. It was one of only a handful
  of units with a coin until the mid-1980s. With every passing
   year, the coins have grown larger, flashier, and more plentiful.
   Today's coins, which are typically about twice the size of a
   silver dollar and weigh nearly 10 times as much as a quarter,
   frequently have beveled edges and enameled reliefs of
   exploding missiles, satellites and tanks. Some come in the
   shape of dog tags or tank tracks."

   "Last year, the Army, concerned that the coins were losing
   their meaning, tried to rein in the craze...    The proposal,
   which needed congressional approval, caused an explosive
   reaction. Soldiers flooded the Army Times, an independent
   newspaper, with angry letters, saying their coins meant
   more to them than service medals and ribbons."

   On August 10, 2002, this letter appeared, correcting the
   paper's incorrect use of the word "coin":

   "In regard to your Aug. 6 page one story "Army Calling Cards":
   It is the authorization of a government that makes a coin a coin.
   Under Article I of the Constitution, the power to coin money is
   expressly granted to Congress. The Oxford English Dictionary,
   Second Edition defines "coin" as "a piece of metal (gold, silver,
   copper, etc.) of definite weight and value, usually a circular
   disc, made into money by being stamped with an officially
   authorized device." The variously shaped pieces of metal
   described in your article may be medals or medallions. They
   may even be metal calling cards. They are not, however, coins.

   Franklin L. Noel
   Chief Magistrate Judge
   United States District Court
   District of Minnesota"


FEATURED WEB SITE

   This week's featured web site is a history of military
   "coining" on a commercial site for collectors:

      http://www.militarycoins.com/history.html


  Wayne Homren
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society


  The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a
  non-profit organization promoting numismatic
  literature.   For more information please see
  our web site at http://www.coinbooks.org/
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