The E-Sylum v10#40, October 7, 2007

[esylum at binhost.com]

Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 40, October 7, 2007:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM OCTOBER 7, 2007

Among our recent subscribers are Jim Bulmer and Roger Pabian, 
courtesy of Larry Lee, and Anthony Lingner.  Welcome aboard!  
We now have 1,189 subscribers.

This week we open with the announcement of the David F. 
Fanning Numismatic Literature seventh Fixed Price List and 
an update from Fred Lake on the latest Lake Books sale of 
numismatic literature.   Next, Richard Doty reviews a new 
book on counterfeiting in the U.S. and Dick Johnson reviews 
the recent FIDEM Congress exhibition catalog.

Next up are announcements of no less than three new numismatic 
books from Whitman Publishing, plus an update on the nearly 
complete Canadian Numismatic Bibliography project.  Next, I 
pose a question about what is to me, at least, the greatest 
outstanding mystery surrounding the cataloging of the John J. 
Ford collection by Stack's.

In follow-ups from latest week's death announcements we have 
extensive reader reminiscences on Joseph Veach Noble and Arlie 
Slabaugh.  In the news this week are the opening of a film 
about the WWII Nazi 'Operation Bernhard' counterfeiting operation, 
the arrest of dangerous Glasgow counterfeiter "Hologram Tam", 
and the cancelation of the ANA's plans for a Washington, D.C. 
numismatic museum.

To read about the politically incorrect 'Darky and Watermelon' 
coin bank and the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination 
coins, read on.  Have a great week, everyone.

Wayne Homren
Numismatic Bibliomania Society


FANNING BOOKS SEVENTH FIXED PRICE LIST AVAILABLE

[David Fanning forwarded the following release about his 
latest numismatic literature price list. -Editor]

David F. Fanning Numismatic Literature has announced its 
seventh Fixed Price List, featuring rare and out of print 
numismatic literature as well as a selection of current and 
standard references. The illustrated list is available on 
their new Web site at <www.fanningbooks.com> and includes 
some rarely encountered titles. Items range from under $20 
to over $1,000, and from 1808 to 2007. Some highlights of 
this listing include:
 
* Greville and Dorothy Bathe’s outstanding and rare 
biography of Jacob Perkins 

* The complete first series (1857–1859) of Norton’s Literary 
Letter, including the first article published on U.S. 
numismatic literature 

* A fine copy of the Flandin catalogue (1855), the 
earliest sale listed by Adams 

* The first three volumes (1857–1859) of The Historical 
Magazine, also a very early U.S. source of numismatic information 

* The final set of page proofs for Breen’s half cent 
encyclopedia 

* A run of Mason’s Coin Collectors’ Herald, an 
exceptionally rare periodical, including the entire 
second volume. 

David Fanning can be reached at <dfanning at columbus.rr.com>. 
Check out the new Web site: it’s just getting started, but 
we have plans to gradually expand it into a resource for 
collectors of numismatic literature and those who use such 
literature in their research.


LAKE BOOK SALE #90 PRICES REALIZED AVAILABLE

Fred Lake writes: "The prices realized list for Lake Books 
sale #90 of numismatic literature is now available for 
viewing at http://www.lakebooks.com/current.html
 
"Of interest to Numismatic Bibliomania Society members was 
lot I6. The lot contained a complete run of the Society's 
print journal, 'The Asylum', with the first five volumes 
being hardbound. The offering generated a spirited amount 
of bidding with the final price being $900.00.
 
"Lake Books will hold their next sale in January, 2008 and 
new subscribers are solicited to send their emails so that 
they may receive notification of upcoming sales.  Our next 
sale will be held in January, 2008 after the Florida United 
Numismatists show."
 

BOOK REVIEW: STEPHEN MIHM'S NATION OF COUNTERFEITERS

[Richard Doty of the National Numismatic Collection at the 
Smithsonian Institution forwarded the following review of 
a new book on the history of counterfeiting in the U.S.  
-Editor]

'A Nation of Counterfeiters:  Capitalists, Con Men, and the 
Making of the United States', by Stephen Mihm (Cambridge:  
Harvard University Press, 2007), $29.95.

The Smithsonian Institution has approximately fifteen 
thousand “obsolete notes” – currency issued by private 
banks and other entities between 1790 and 1865.  I have 
been working with this collection for more than two decades, 
have written one book, part of another, and more than two 
dozen articles about it.  I love obsoletes.  They are 
historical, whimsical, very often beautiful – and sometimes 
suspect.  Approximately twenty percent of our notes are 
bogus in one way or another:  fakes of real notes from real 
banks;  pieces from nonexistent banks or bearing designs 
never employed by legitimate banks;  altered bills (whose 
names and places of issue were erased, then replaced by 
new ones);  and raised notes (whose original denominations 
were excised, then augmented).  

One in five pieces of paper:  if the proportion of fakes 
in our collection is borne out by the evidence of other 
private and public holdings, then the nature of the nineteenth-
century American economic miracle begs closer scrutiny.  Did 
people at the time realize how many fakes were in circulation?  
Did they care?  How could they tell good notes from bad?   
What were the roles of the federal and state governments 
in all of this?  What were the boundaries between genuine 
and fake?  Were they hard and fast, as they are at present?  
Or were they porous, at times even nonexistent?  At bottom, 
what did nineteenth-century Americans expect from their money?

Stephen Mihm’s 'A Nation of Counterfeiters' goes far towards 
answering these and many other questions.  

Anyone interested in obsolete notes quickly becomes aware 
of the fakery and flimflam surrounding them – they’re part 
of a collective legend and heritage.  But Mihm explains 
in detail how it all came about, in a fast-paced, well-written 
narrative featuring a cast of characters ranging from dapper 
and not-so-dapper crooks, forgers, bunko artists and 
corruptible policeman to bemused bankers, starving and 
not-so-starving artists – and the ordinary men and women 
who put up with and sometimes profited by the monetary 
chaos surrounding them.  His tale embraces an entire continent, 
from Connecticut to California, and his characters and their 
wares march in lock step with a larger movement of people, 
goods, and skills from one coast to the other. 

As I said, I’ve worked with this material for many years.  
But Mihm has delved far more deeply than I, in search of 
different themes; he has emerged with some truly amazing 
information.  For example, there was a vibrant, enduring 
counterfeit connection between New England and Upper and 
Lower Canada:  many of the early forgers straddled both 
sides of a very porous border, posing a headache for 
understaffed authorities on both sides of an ill-defined line.  

Moreover, the ubiquitous counterfeit and forgery protectors 
hawked everywhere at mid-century may have caused more harm 
than good:  they weren’t all that helpful – except to forgers, 
who now knew what to emulate and what to avoid.  Most 
importantly, Mihm penetrates deeply into the nature of 
“real” and fake money, how the two can sometimes be melded 
together in the popular imagination, so that anything, as 
long as it circulates, as long as someone, somewhere, 
accepts it and passes it on, is just as useful and good 
as anything else.  Some of us had wondered whether this 
might have been the case;  Mihm has confirmed it.

His book concludes with the shift from private notes to 
public paper – the new federal currency brought about by 
the fiscal exigencies of the Civil War.  The advent of 
the new money altered perceptions of counterfeiting on 
the part of individuals and their national government.  
Before, paper currency was a commercial convenience; 
now, it was something more, a symbol of the nation itself.  
And while forgery was an unavoidable evil in the first 
instance, it was an intolerable affront in the second.

This is the finest, most readable account of its kind you 
are ever likely to see.  I congratulate Stephen Mihm on an 
extraordinary accomplishment, and I wholeheartedly recommend 
his book to hobbyist and historian alike.

[I ordered a hardcover copy from Amazon for $19.77.  
-Editor]


CATALOG REVIEW: 2007 FIDEM EXHIBITION CATALOG
 
Dick Johnson writes: "If you collect dates and mintmarks 
you will think this catalog has nothing to do with 
numismatics. Oh contraire!  This exhibit is numismatics' 
contribution to modern art. Or modern art's contribution 
to numismatics.
 
"The catalog records the display of the latest creations 
of numismatic objects -- medals and medallic art -- by 
the brightest bas-relief artists from all over the world. 
The display and the Congress this year of the international 
organization of artists, mints and issuers was hosted by 
the American Numismatic Association. It fell to their 
responsibility to mount the exhibit in their Colorado 
Springs headquarters and publish the exhibition catalog. 
The organization has a French name, but to everyone involved 
it is simply 'FIDEM' (for Federation International de la 
Medaille).
 
"And an exceptional catalog it is! Well organized, liberally 
illustrated  (on almost every page), excellent typography, 
color on both covers -- illustrating the official medal, 
mentioned in last week's E-Sylum -- (and a special section 
in the back). Not every medal exhibited is photographed, 
but every artist has at least one photo of his work included.
 
"The logistics and production planning of this catalog must 
have been horrendous. Credit here must be given to the 
Publications Department of the ANA, which accomplished this 
herculean task on top of all their other work!  Editor 
Barbara Gregory was in charge, with help from Marilyn 
Reback, Jerri Raitz and others with only a name mention 
on the Acknowledgments page. That's dedication!
 
"The medals were gathered in the respective countries in 
the later months of 2006. They were juried by their own 
peers and accepted entries sent to Colorado Springs. The 
medals began arriving in February 2007. First task was 
to photograph every one. This was accomplished by Brad 
Armstrong, Colorado Springs photographer.
 
"Then began writing and editing and arranging the text. 
Fortunately, all text was submitted in English. Since an 
overview is given of every country's exhibit this had to 
be translated into French as well -- a longtime custom 
of FIDEM catalogs. Olivia Qusaibaty of Washington DC 
translated the English into French.
 
"Countries are listed in English alphabetical order, 32 
in all. Then within each country section, artists are 
listed in alphabetical order, then from one to six medals 
listed for each artist (up to ten in a special section 
in the back, the parallel exhibit 'FIDEM at 70' past issues 
of invited artists by FIDEM). Well organized. Easy to 
find any artist or particular medal.
 
"The layout was handled by the ANA Creative Services Department, 
and here they used as their model the catalog of the previous 
American FIDEM catalog of 1987 -- also hosted by ANA at 
Colorado Springs. That catalog was the work almost entirely 
of N. Neil Harris, the editor of The Numismatist at the time. 
The present catalog followed his format and style of that 
1987 catalog.
 
"For numismatic book collectors it is almost impossible to 
obtain a complete set of past FIDEM catalogs. Early exhibit 
catalogs were not in separate issues, they were published 
in a host country's numismatic periodical. The first two 
FIDEM Congresses (1937, 1939) were held in Paris and did 
not have exhibitions.
 
"The first exhibit was held at the 3rd Congress in Paris 
in 1949. The 4th Congress was in Madrid in 1959. I have 
only a one-page photocopy of its exhibit (with 4 artists 
from America). The 16th Congress Exhibition Catalog (Prague 
1975) was bound. All other issues have all been paper cover.
 
"Buy a copy of the present 2007 catalog and enjoy looking 
at what modern medallic art is currently producing. It is 
available from ANA Money Market for $37.95 (ANA member price). 
Order online at www.money.org or by phone 800-467-5725, 
email at enterprise at money.org"


NEW BOOK: STRIKING CHANGE BY MICHAEL MORAN

[A new book planned for a December 2007 release is available 
for pre-ordering at the Whitman Publications web site.  
Authored by Michael Moran, the title is "Striking Change: 
The Great Artistic Collaboration of Theodore Roosevelt and 
Augustus Saint-Gaudens".  Below are excerpts from the 
Whitman site.  -Editor]

"Striking Change offers a fresh new look at the life of 
Saint-Gaudens—the man and the artist—and the remarkable 
partnership he forged with Theodore Roosevelt to reinvigorate 
the country’s numismatic art. Author Michael Moran explores 
Saint-Gaudens’s coin designs in the context of his monumental 
sculptures and American culture of the time. Through first-
person accounts, behind-the-scenes conversations, and 
explosive public drama, we come to know the larger-than-
life personalities involved in this renaissance of fine 
art. Striking Change illuminates the politics, the genius, 
the struggles, and ultimately the triumph of an 
extraordinary American journey."

[The following notes were penned by Q. David Bowers.  
-Editor]

"The text is particularly valuable in showcasing the 
sculptor’s activities with important numismatic projects 
beyond the famous 1907 coinage. While the story of the coins 
has been told in depth in several places, including in 
Renaissance of American Coinage 1906–1908 (Burdette, 2007) 
and United States Gold Coins: An Illustrated History (Bowers, 
1982), treatment of the important medals has ranged from 
scarcely anything, to light sketches. Striking Change ends 
that."

"Further, the author gives a comprehensive look at the 
design competition for new United States coins in 1891. 
This involved quite a bit of effort at the time, but 
ultimately ended as a non-event, as outside artists consulted 
in the competition did not seem to have created motifs that 
anyone liked—and Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber of the 
United States Mint ended up creating new motifs for the 
dime, quarter, and half dollar."

"Although the historical and numismatic narrative and 
details are the main focus of this book, it is entertaining 
as well. The net result is a “good read,” in modern parlance—
a book that will inform as well as delight. It certainly 
will be a welcome addition to the literature currently 
available on Augustus Saint-Gaudens, without question 
the most famous artist ever to be associated with American 
coins and medals."

For more information about the book on Whitman's web site, see:
http://www.whitmanbooks.com/Default.aspx?Page=55&HTMLName=ReviewUpcoming_1007 


NEW BOOK: TREMMEL'S 'A GUIDE BOOK OF COUNTERFEIT CONFEDERATE CURRENCY'

[Another upcoming Whitman release is an update to the 
classic reference on Confederate counterfeits.  The 
following is from material provided by publisher Dennis 
Tucker. -Editor]

"Until now, George B. Tremmel’s groundbreaking Counterfeit 
Currency of the Confederate States of America was the 
definitive reference in this fascinating collectibles 
field. In the new Guide Book of Counterfeit Confederate 
Currency, Tremmel not only updates his note-by-note study, 
but also expands his research into counterfeit bonds, 
shinplasters, and Treasury note sheets. Along the way he 
immerses the reader in an engaging history of the events 
and people involved in the production and passing of 
counterfeits during the Civil War, and the countermeasures 
the Confederate Treasury Department took to protect its 
paper money.

"The book will debut in early October at the Whitman Coin 
and Collectibles Atlanta Expo, where Tremmel is scheduled 
to give a presentation on the subject.

"Features of the Guide Book of Counterfeit Confederate Currency:

* Two new appendices: bogus (fantasy) signatures 
and margin imprint locations
* Expanded historical narrative, with additional illustrations
* Three new chapters: shinplasters, bonds, and note sheets
* Revised rarity ratings based on empirical data
* Comprehensive catalog with detailed images
* Market valuations in multiple grade levels
* More than 350 full-color images
* Extensive endnotes and bibliography
* Complete index with 450+ entries "


NEW BOOK: '100 GREATEST AMERICAN MEDALS AND TOKENS'

[Yet another upcoming Whitman release is '100 Greatest 
American Medals and Tokens'  We've discussed the book 
in prior E-Sylum issues and it will be great to see the 
finished product.  Below are excerpts from the publisher's 
marketing materials.  -Editor]

"100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens, by Katherine Jaeger 
and Q. David Bowers, will debut at the Whitman Coin and 
Collectibles Atlanta Expo, October 11–13. In this beautifully 
illustrated book, the authors take the reader on a personal 
guided tour of these historical artifacts of colonial America, 
the early states, the Confederacy, the U.S. Mint, and private 
issuers.

"“Each of the 100 Greatest was voted into place by leading 
exonumia dealers, researchers, collectors, and historians,” 
says Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker. Inside the reader 
will find prized and seldom-seen rarities—the unique and 
high-valued pieces that collectors dream about. The famous 
Libertas Americana medal, featured on the front cover, is 
significant for its influence on the United States’ first 
coinage. The book also explores more readily available 
and widely popular medals and tokens: pieces so beautiful 
or with such fascinating stories that everybody wants one. 
The “Am I Not a Man and a Brother?” token that implored 
against slavery, the copper Civil War tokens that circulated 
in place of regular coinage in the early 1860s, the Indian 
Peace medals given to chiefs in the Old West, and dozens 
more are pictured in striking full color.

"The book includes a foreword and appreciation by numismatic 
legends Russ Rulau and David Alexander. An illustrated 
introduction tells the history of medals and tokens in 
America and how they evolved. Prices from the past and 
present, recent auction results, and tips on collecting 
each of the 100 Greatest give a view of today’s market. 
The authors describe how to collect and enjoy medals and 
tokens, aspects of the marketplace, grading, conservation, 
and smart buying. And an information-rich appendix 
describes the pieces voted 101–200, offering the reader 
a springboard for further exploration.

"“100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens is not just a 
price guide or a fancy picture book,” says Tucker. “It’s 
a time machine that takes the reader to a hundred different 
points in American history. And it’s a fascinating introduction 
to the hobby of collecting these important pieces of 
material culture.”

"The book is coffee-table-size, 148 pages, full color, 
with photographs and stories for each piece. It also includes 
market values, field populations, quantities struck, and 
catalog references. Retail price is $29.95. A special 
collector’s leather-bound Limited Edition is available 
for $69.95.

"100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens will debut at the 
Whitman Coin and Collectibles Atlanta Expo (October 11–13). 
After that it will be available online and at hobby shops 
and bookstores nationwide."

[The late Arlie Slabaugh was one of the token and medal 
experts who nominated pieces for inclusion in the book.  
I was delighted to be asked to be one of the voters who 
helped winnow the nominee list down to the chosen 100.  
It was a tough job, but quite enjoyable.  I was familiar 
with many of the pieces, but given the wide range of 
possibilities I doubt if more than a few of the voters 
came into the task fully aware of all the pieces.  Time 
and again I found myself faced with Sophie's Choice - 
forced to rank two equally beloved pieces.

The final list and ordering of the list has been a carefully 
kept secret, giving a "cue the drumroll" reality-show flavor 
to the unveiling of the finished book.  I'm looking forward 
to it, and hope to hear reader comments once the book hits 
the streets. -Editor]


CANADIAN NUMISMATIC BIBLIOGRAPHY PRINTED AND BOUND, SHIPPING SOON

Darryl Atchison provided the following update on the Canadian 
Numismatic Bibliography.   He writes: "The books have been 
printed and bound and sent to Ron Greene who will start 
shipping them out in the next couple of weeks.  I can tell 
you that I will breathe a huge sigh of relief when Ron 
tells me that all of the books are shipped and this 12-year 
odyssey is finally over!"

Ron Greene writes: "I received the books on Tuesday and 
have ordered shipping boxes to suit, so I expect to start 
numbering the books later this week and hope to start 
shipping very shortly, in the order in which orders have 
been received."  

[Paid subscribers to the CNB project can reach Ron at 
ragreene at telus.net to confirm the shipping address for 
their copy of the book.  Some additional copies are available 
for sale.  Ron adds: "With the increase in the Canadian 
Dollar vis-à-vis the U.S. Dollar our price will be $225 
plus $23 postage to U.S. addresses, payable in either 
currency.  Shipment to Canada will be $225 plus $16 
postage."  –Editor]


SO WHERE’S THE 1783 NOVA CONSTELLATIO PATTERN SET?

Last week my copies of parts 20 and 21 of the Stack's 
John J. Ford collection catalogs arrived in the mail.  
Part 20 (er, XX) consists of Western Territorial Americana, 
and part 21 (XXI) consists of Western Assayer's Ingots.   
The preface material to part XXI indicates that it is the 
last of the series of sales.   The long-anticipated dispersal 
of the Ford ingot collection will certainly be a topic of 
discussion for many E-Sylum readers, and I welcome any 
and all comments.  But I have a burning question of a 
different sort this week:

Did I miss something when I was in London?  What happened 
to Ford's 1783 Nova Constellatio pattern set?  Designed by 
Benjamin Dudley for Gouveneur Morris to represent his 
concept of a coinage system for the new nation, the silver 
"Mark" (1,000 units), "Quint" (500 units), and "Bit" (100 
units) and the copper "Five" (5 units) were patterns for 
a decimal-based coinage system.  I know Stack's tried to 
find a buyer for the set several years back, but I didn't 
think it sold.  I sat mesmerized while I viewed his 
historic set with Ford years ago in a meeting I wrote 
about following his death:

  Bumping into him at subsequent ANA conventions was always a thrill.
  I recall sitting with him at the Stack's table at the Detroit ANA,
  where I had been viewing his Nova Constellatio silver pattern
  set, which he was offering for sale through them.  I was transfixed
  as I examined what I still feel is one of the most important sets
  of U.S. coinage ever made.   John had told me about how he
  bid on the pieces he bought from the Garrett sales while we
  spoke at Champa's.   I have an audio tape of his story of how
  he acquired the missing piece needed to reunite the set.

  JOHN J. FORD, JR.
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v08n28a01.html

Ford's reuniting of the long-lost unique copper "Five" with 
the remainder of the set (which he purchased in the Bowers 
and Ruddy Garrett Sale in 1979) was a singular achievement 
in American numismatics.  To me, this set was the crowning 
glory of the John J. Ford collection, eclipsing even the 
King of Siam proof set of 1804 dollar fame, which I doubt 
Ford would have even cared to bid on.

So where IS the 1783 Nova Constellatio pattern set?  Has 
the Ford family decided to hold on to it?  Will they donate 
it to the Nation?  Or has it been broken up and sold 
privately?  In any event, with the set missing there is 
a HUGE gaping hole in the Ford collection catalog series, 
and this diminishes the value of the catalogs as the 
official record of the core Ford holdings.

Regardless of the reason for not offering the set, why 
not spare a few extra pages to document it?  There is 
precedent in a number of catalogs for including descriptions 
of relevant important pieces even when not actually in the 
sale.  In fact, this is done in Ford XXI, where five ingots 
Stack's says were stolen during transit are fully pictured 
and described even though unavailable for sale (see lots 
3509, 3515, 3521, 3527 and 3552).  Can anyone shed some 
light on this mystery?


REMEMBRANCES OF JOSEPH NOBLE
 
Regarding last week's item about the late Joseph Veach Noble, 
Dick Johnson writes: "Joe Noble came on board Medallic Art 
Company as director of the Society of Medalists when I was 
still employed by the firm. I had interviewed him previously 
when he was a director of the New York City Museum. However 
to him I was still hired help. But our respect for each 
other grew when I left the firm, to become a medal dealer 
while he remained in charge of the Society of Medalists.
 
"Gosh, here was someone I could talk to -- someone who 
knew the language! -- and our paths crossed frequently. 
He had been trained in art, long before becoming a curator 
at the Metropolitan Art Museum, and was extremely proficient 
in the art field. He knew the meaning of 'surmoulage,'  
'contraposition,' 'superimpose,' 'replicate' and 'fecit,' 
for example.  We could communicate and know what the other 
was talking about.
 
"It is the last term, 'fecit,' he once told me (at a reception 
at ANS in the old building) that one artist would use this 
term talking to another artist, but change it slightly for 
its humorous effect. "Oh, I see you signed the model 'faked 
it.'" But the artist had to be of equal reputation. I don't 
see any sculptor saying this to a Paul Manship or a 
Picasso, for example.
 
"For Don Scarinci's book on the Society of Medalists, I 
arranged for Don and I to interview Joe. Three of us, Don, 
my wife and I met at his home in New Jersey. We turned on 
the tape recorder and pestered him with questions. That 
interview is the property of Don and I hope he will relate 
some of those comments. They reflected the humor, the 
knowledge, the experience of this fine gentleman. He knew 
the field and he knew the artists. We will miss him.

"On another occasion we were talking about plaster models. 
He related that the Metropolitan Art Museum has one of the 
largest collections of such plaster models and these are 
stored in an old sealed-off subway tunnel beneath the 
Metropolitan. He was in charge of those models. He told 
me "I knew those plaster models so well you could turn 
off the lights and I could walk among them and never 
stub my toes."

  MEDAL EXPERT JOSEPH VEACH NOBLE 1920-2007
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n39a08.html


REMEMBRANCES OF ARLIE SLABAUGH 

Regarding last week's item about the Arlie Slabaugh, John 
and Nancy Wilson write: "It is hard to believe that we have 
lost one of the greatest numismatists of all time with the 
passing of our good friend Arlie Slabaugh, from Springfield, 
PA on September 26, 2007.  This renowned numismatist was
a collector, exhibitor, researcher, author, coin club 
officer and worker.  In 1941, Arlie joined the American 
Numismatic Association and later that year he was stricken 
with meningitis (in the pre-penicillin days) and subsequently 
became permanently deaf.  

"This illness never stopped Arlie from his numismatic pursuits.  
In 1989, he received the Krause Publications Ambassador Award.  
The ANA honored him with their Lifetime Achievement Award in 
2004, the Medal of Merit in 1991, the Glenn Smedley Award in 
1997 and the President’s Award in 1997.  In 1981, he received 
the coveted Numismatic Literary Guild Clemy Award. This 
numismatic icon received many coin club, literary and other 
awards during his lifetime which are way too numerous to mention.  

"When Arlie was seven, he found an 1864 Indian head penny 
near his parents' farmhouse and though it fascinated him, 
he didn’t start collecting until the age of 16 (around 1938) 
when he sent ten cents to a coin dealer for a banknote and 
foreign coin.  Arlie is well known for his numismatic writing.  
He had his own collector magazine in the late 1930’s or 
early 1940’s, “The Hobby Spotlite,” and in 1954 he was 
appointed Associate Editor of Numismatic Scrapbook magazine.  

"Following this, he went to work for the Franklin Mint in 
1967.    Arlie has also written for Numismatist (1948-49), 
Paper Money (SPMC), Krause Publications (now F+W) for which 
he had a column, and others.  He is well known for his 
Confederate States Paper Money book which is in its 10th 
Edition.  Besides those mentioned, he has written several 
other references.  Arlie told us that he has been writing 
since the late 1930’s.  Arlie was very proud of his 
assistance to younger collectors which took place in 
the 1970’s.  

"We visited Arlie not too many years ago and were amazed 
at his many collecting interests.  Like us, he collected 
everything in the numismatic hobby (except ancient coins) 
and even had a complete set of the wonderful publication 
“Hobbies Magazine.”  Rest in peace Arlie, as your numismatic 
legacy will live on forever. The below obituary was found 
in a local newspaper where Arlie resided."

  Arlie R. Slabaugh of Springfield, PA died on Wednesday, 
  Sept. 26, 2007.

  He was the beloved husband of the late Margaret M. (nee 
  Williams) Slabaugh; and dear father of Brenda Keech (Bill), 
  Wendy Turner (Michael), and the late Kathryn Douros. He is 
  also survived by 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.  
  Relatives and friends are invited to attend Arlie’s Life 
  Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 9 to 10 a.m. at James 
  F. Knoetgen Funeral Home, 746 Kedron Ave. (Route 420), Morton, 
  followed by his funeral service at 10 a.m.  Interment will 
  be in Edgewood Memorial Park. 

Joe Boling writes: "I was there the night that Arlie won 
the NLG Clemy Award. Being deaf, he was not easy to 
understand. He did not speak in public often (maybe not 
at all), but he delivered an acceptance speech that night 
that was moving in its courage."

Tom DeLorey writes: "I did not know Arlie well, but the 
fact that I had written for The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine 
in the last year of its existence (1975 to March, 1976) put 
me in good standing with him. We chatted at ANA conventions, 
and though his deafness gave his speech an interesting, 
lilting cadence, it was easy to understand, and he lip-read 
beautifully. I liked him, and am sorry to hear that he 
is gone.
 
"After I published my article on Elder medals in the June 
and July 1980 issues of The Numismatist, he came up to me 
at the American Numismatic Association banquet the next 
month and congratulated me on the article, and with a 
great big smile said "You know the 'Numismatic Knights 
of the Round Table' piece in silver that Elder called 
unique? I have it!" I solemnly shook his hand, and said 
'Congratulations! So do I!' It was my first confirmation 
that Elder frequently lied about his mintage figures."

Marc Charles Ricard writes: "I was saddened to hear of 
the passing of Arlie Slabaugh, who I met through my father 
in the early 1970's and saw many times at subsequent 
numismatic conventions.  He was the first hearing-impaired 
person I had ever come in contact with, and because I didn't 
have a real understanding of the numismatic subject matter 
being discussed, I focused on the way he communicated.  

I will always remember that throughout their conversations 
over the years, and several pages of hand-written notes 
on his indispensable note pad, they would always seem to 
come away with a better understanding of the hobby, and 
each other.  I recall the twinkle in his eyes as he 
discussed numismatics, and it was that joy of the hobby, 
albeit gained peering over my father's shoulder at Arlie's 
note pad, that I will always remember. His publications 
are not the most expensive in my library, but they are 
among my most valued."

Clifford Mishler writes: "While I do not recall just 
when I first established contact with Arlie Slabaugh, 
it would have been back around 1959 or 1960. Our initial 
contact would have been via correspondence, and I probably 
didn’t meet him until the 1962 ANA convention in Detroit. 
>From the beginning and going forward we were in regular, 
though not necessarily frequent contact. Our last exchange 
came during the Christmas season of 2005, at which time 
he was resident at the Sunrise for Seniors facility in 
West Chester, Pa.

Arlie was, indeed, deaf, but one could converse with him 
on a limited basis, as he could read lips and enunciate 
on a limited basis. In that connection I’ll never forget 
the experience of going out to lunch with him in Chicago 
back in the early 1960s, during an ANA or Central States 
convention. I remember him trying to carry on a conversation 
with me as we walked beneath the “L” tracks structure, on 
Wabash Avenue as I recall, which was certainly an exercise 
in futility. During the course of many convention encounters 
over the years, I carried out many extended “note pad” 
conversations with him.

Arlie also visited Iola on two or three occasions between 
my arrival there in 1963 to join the Numismatic News staff 
and his departure from Chicago in 1967 to join The Franklin 
Mint. In later years, following his separation from the 
Franklin Mint, as a result of my having acquired rights to 
the “Numismatic Information” series booklets from Lee Hewitt, 
I interacted with him in exploring ongoing publication of 
titles from the series which he authored, in particular 
the Confederate currency title which went through several 
subsequent editions.

Also, through the years, I acquired from Arlie three or 
four of the specialized exonumia collections that he had 
assembled. In particular, there was his collection of 
encased coin issues, which included a number of rather 
exotic and rare pieces. These I have melded in with 
selections also acquired from the collection of young 
Mike Kolman when it was auctioned by Kurt Krueger, and 
my own significant accumulations through the years.

And, by the way, I am also the owner of a set of “The 
Emergency Money Collector,” mine missing issues number 
one of both volume one and two, which I believe a acquired 
from one of Frank Katen’s offering lists back in the mid-
1950s. That was back in the dark ages, so to speak, when 
one really had to scratch around for reliable numismatic 
information. At the time, I was endeavoring to build a 
numismatic library of sorts, with most of what I acquired 
eventually being absorbed into the Krause Publiations 
library, which I did not seek to retrieve upon my retirement. 
Arlie’s publication, however, was not among the items that 
were so dispatched; I also have four editions of “The Hobby 
Spotlight,” from January 1942 to Winter 1942-43 kicking 
around as well.

Arlie certainly was an outstanding numismatist, both as a 
collector and as a writer. He was both selective and 
perceptive in his collecting. His technical accuracy as 
a writer was outstanding from the standpoints of both 
historical accuracy and presentation. During his time 
with the Franklin Mint he was responsible for developing 
the accuracy of the historical contexts of both programs 
and issues. By and large, his travels through our hobby 
community circle were beneath the radar. He plowed a 
good bit of virgin ground in his pursuits."

Katie Jaeger writes: "Arlie Slabaugh was one of the nominators 
for the '100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens' project.  
He had been an active contributor to the Token and Medal 
Society Journal from 1960 onward.  I'm in the process of 
creating a searchable cumulative index of the TAMS journal, 
and I found the following articles listed under his name."

Amendment to Our By-Laws 14-230
American Labor on Tokens and Medals 7-133
Additional American Labor Tokens and Medals 9-116
Announcement 20-166
Another AB.T. Bill Changer Token 7-182
Antiquary, The 20-226
Baby Ruth has a Twin V-64
(biographical sketch) 14-114; 18-126
"Bone" to Pick, A 7-90
Child's Bimetallic Tokens 9-159
Civilian Conservation Corps, The 7-106
Classification of Medals and Tokens, The V-9
Coal Mine Scrip 6-25
Collecting Coal Mine Scrip 6-71
Collecting Trade Tokens by Denomination, 1/10¢-$100.00  8-36
Countdown, The 11-120
Cut-Out Tokens 7-169; 8-2, 192
Denomination Tokens 10-62
"Embossed or Shell Store Cards" 15-105
Encased Coins 7-45
First Impressions of Europe 16-92
France-An Empire that Was 6-78
Frank Buck 6-121
George T. Morgan was an Englishman 10-21
Help Needed on Encased Coins 18-150
Here's Bryan! 6-46
Holyland Souvenir, A 8-115
Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, The IV-40
It's Greek to Me!! 7-44
Ku Klux Klan Tokens and Medals IV-11, 99
Largest Embossed Cards? V-156
Largest Token? 8-143
Lawyers do not Advertise V-32
Marines "George Medal," The 8-59
Peep Show Token, A IV-150
Phone Your Wife You'll be Late from Work 8-29
(photo) 8-145; 14-186; 20-181
President Cleveland Takes a Bride 7-69
President's Message, The 18-189, 234; 19-7, 108, 156, 191, 236; 20-8, 60, 97, 145
Rambler-The Bicycle that Became a Car II-118
So-Called Dollars Update 18-188
Some "Civil War Tokens" that are not Civil War Tokens 6-105
Some Unlisted Shellcards 45-136
Stevens-Duryea Car, The IV-87
United States Token with a Chinese Reverse, An IV-31
Unlocking Prison Exonumia  22-84
When Kaiser Bill Made a Bad Trade V-189
Which is the Oldest Private Mint? 20-104, 188
Who's My Double? 7-154

The citations are to Volume and page number.  At the 
beginning of the index is shown the pagination in each 
volume, like this:

Volume 9, 1969
  1-32 February
  33-64 April
  65-92 June. "

[So those seeking more background on Arlie Slabaugh should 
be sure to look for the biographical sketches of him in 
the TAMS Journal: Vol 14, page 114 and vol 16 p126.   
Many thanks for our readers for their interesting comments 
on Slabaugh.  -Editor]


TAMS JOURNAL INDEX UPDATE

I asked Katie Jaeger for more information on her effort to 
update the index of the journal of the Token and Medal Society.  
She writes: "It has bugged me endlessly, during research, that 
I can't search the TAMS index with a computer.  Realizing no 
one else was likely to create a searchable text, I volunteered. 
I've scanned and proofread Edgar Heyl's 20-year index covering 1
960-1980, and I'm now in the process of pasting in entries 
from the remaining 25 annual indices. 

"When I'm done, the current editor can easily add the 
previous year's index to the master in an hour or two, to 
keep it current.  This is time consuming and tedious, but 
I'm getting a lot out of it as I go along - learning more 
about the vast scope of exonumia, and the changing interests 
of collectors over the years, just from the titles."

[Many thanks to Katie for taking on this important and 
thankless chore.  Periodical sets are nearly useless to 
researchers without a good, updated index.  -Editor]


VOCABULARY WORD: SURMOULAGE

I’m sure there are plenty of E-Sylum readers far smarter 
than I about medal terminology, but when I read the word 
“surmoulage” in Dick Johnson’s item on Joseph Veach Noble, 
I just had to ask him what the word meant.  He writes: 
“From my encyclopedia:
 
Surmoulage.  A second generation cast from an original 
pattern or cast original; a duplicate of a cast. In 
numismatics a more preferred term is after-cast, especially 
for the cast medals of the Renaissance. The term surmoulage 
is used, somewhat, as an evasion of the fact a cast item 
is an after-cast by persons who wish to deceive others who 
may be unfamiliar with the term.

"O46 {1987} Pollard; 'Surface Characteristics of Renaissance 
Medals and Their Interpretation' by Arthur Beale, pp 27-33."


PUBLICATIONS FOR MEDAL COLLECTORS AND DEALERS

Sam Pennington, Publisher of the Maine Antique Digest writes: 
"One of the most frequent requests I get as a columnist on 
medals is where to buy and sell them - that is, who are the 
dealers? Coin dealers are easy to find --they have Coin World 
and other magazines to advertise in and we can then find them. 
Not so medals dealers, who have no publication.

"So I'm asking any of your readers who deal in medals 
to give me their names, specialties and whether they wish 
to respond to inquiries.  E-mail samp at maineantiquedigest.com 
or snail mail me at Sam Pennington, c/o Maine Antique Digest, 
PO Box 1429, Waldoboro, ME 04572. Thanks"

[Well, while there is no popular newsstand magazine or 
newspaper in the U.S. devoted exclusively to medals, there 
are at least two specialty organizations to refer people to - 
the Token and Medal Society (TAMS) and the Medal Collectors 
of America (MCA).  The TAMS Journal does run display and 
classified advertising from medal dealers, and there are 
also some who advertise in the MCA Advisory.  The web 
addresses for the organizations appear below.  -Editor]

The Token and Medal Society, Inc. (TAMS)
http://www.tokenandmedal.org/ 

Medal Collectors of America (MCA)
http://www.medalcollectors.org/


OPERATION BERNHARD FILM RELEASE: THE COUNTERFEITERS

[Earlier this year we reviewed "Krueger's Men: The Secret 
Nazi Counterfeit Plot and the Prisoners of Block 19" and 
noted plans for an upcoming film focusing on Adolf Burger, 
one of the WWII concentration camp inmates forced by the 
Nazis to counterfeit British banknotes in Operation Bernhard.  
Newspapers in Britain are reporting on the film's opening.  
Below are excerpts from one of the articles.  -Editor]

"Adolf Burger is a fighter. He spent his youth battling 
against the Nazis, and even now, at 90, he is still engaged 
in active struggle against the poisonous ideology that 
killed his wife, parents and millions of European Jews. 

"Burger has flown into Britain to promote The Counterfeiters, 
a gripping and moving Oscar contender by the Austrian director 
Stefan Ruzowitzky. The film is partly based on Burger’s 
wartime memoir The Devil’s Workshop, which details the 
biggest currency forgery scheme in history. It’s a story 
so incredible that it can only be true. 

"The Slovakian-born Burger was a communist and anti-Nazi 
activist, forging identity papers and baptism certificates 
to save the lives of fellow Jews. He and his 21-year-old 
wife Gisela were deported to Auschwitz in August 1942. She 
was murdered soon afterwards. 

"Burger was spared a similar fate only when Major Bernhard 
Krüger, a textile engineer, plucked him from Auschwitz to 
work on a top-secret Nazi project. He was moved to a specially 
isolated barracks in Sachsenhausen concentration camp near 
Berlin as part of Operation Bernhard, an audacious scheme 
to counterfeit millions of pounds to undermine the British 
economy. The 142 special inmates were isolated from regular 
prisoners in superior conditions, but death was ever present. 
They printed around £134 million, equivalent to over £3 
billion today. 

"According to Lawrence Malkin, in his book Krüger’s Men, 
the counterfeiting operation was initially opposed by 
several high-ranking Nazis. Even Goebbels called it 
“grotesque”. But the scheme was eventually approved and, 
after a few false starts, began in earnest in 1942. 

"What happened after The Counterfeiters ends almost 
deserves a film of its own. Retreating German forces 
dumped most of the fake currency in Lake Toplitz in 
Austria. Several sodden, mouldering crates have since 
been recovered. Meanwhile, with so many forgeries 
already in circulation, the Bank of England was forced 
to withdraw all notes larger than £5 and redesign 
the banknotes. 

"Burger returned to Czechoslovakia, settled in Prague 
and worked as a printer. After experiencing so much 
tragedy so young, he appears to have lived a happy life. 
“When I was liberated by the Americans I went home very 
calmly, never had a bad dream,” he says. “For years I 
was silent, I didn’t want to speak about this any more. 
It was only when the neo-Nazis started with their lies 
about Auschwitz that I began to travel through Germany 
and give my speeches, to tell people what happened.”"

To read the complete article, see:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article2582131.ece 

  DEAD MEN ON VACATION: BOOK AND MOVIE HIGHLIGHT NAZI WWII COUNTERFEITING
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n04a07.html


ATOMS FOR BITS EXCHANGE PROPOSED

Regarding Dan Gosling's 'Book Burning' editorial reprinted 
here last week, Ron Abler writes: "Mr. Gosling is right on 
the mark, and I couldn't agree more with all of his points.  
However, I have reached an impasse in the form of limited 
storage space versus my happy marriage.  My spouse 
irrationally thinks that cardboard boxes filled with 
reference books, auction catalogs, loose-leaf binders 
filled with Xerox copies, and a myriad of other printed 
materials somehow detract from the décor and utility of 
our home.  She believes that more than just the bathrooms 
should be free of the archival evidence of my acquisitive 
and conservative nature.

"I am sure that Mr. Gosling would agree that losing a 
spouse is also bad.  Would you please send me his shipping 
address so that I may designate him as my off-site storage 
custodian, knowing that my treasures and their responsibility 
will be in the best of hands?  In return, if he will scan 
everything and send me the CDs, I will gladly serve as his 
off-site electronic repository.  I have lost only one 
electronic file since 1995."

  THE ELECTRONIC EQUIVALENT OF BOOK BURNING
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n39a11.html


ANA CANCELS PLANS TO DEVELOP WASHINGTON, D.C. NUMISMATIC MUSEUM

According to a press release published on Friday, "The American 
Numismatic Association has halted plans for a previously proposed 
museum in Washington, D.C. 

"'At this point in time we can't make the financial commitment 
to raise over $20 million that would be needed for the Washington 
project. When the association's finances allow us to do so, 
we may revisit this proposal in the future,' explained Barry 
Stuppler, ANA President. 

"At its upcoming October 15 and 16 meetings the ANA Board 
will consider whether to proceed with earlier announced 
plans for expanding the museum facilities at its Colorado 
Springs, Colorado headquarters and whether to continue 
the association's participation in development of the 
American Money and Gold Rush Museum at the old mint 
building in San Francisco."


1804 U.S. TEN DOLLAR GOLD SELLS FOR $56 MILLION

[An Associated Press article discusses the recent sale 
of a rare 1804-dated Eagle - some excerpts are reprinted 
below.  Is this the King Farouk collection specimen?  
-Editor]

"A rare $10 gold coin made for President Andrew Jackson 
to give as a diplomatic gift during trade missions to 
Asia was purchased Thursday by a private collector for 
$5 million.

"The 1804-dated Eagle coin — which was actually struck 
in 1834 at the Philadelphia Mint — is one of only four 
surviving examples of the special coin.

"'The buyer and seller want to remain anonymous. Both 
are northeastern United States entrepreneurs who have 
been collecting coins since they were young boys,' said 
David Albanese, president of Albanese Rare Coins, which 
handled the sale.

"The same coin sold for $1 million in 2003 and again in 
2005 for $2.47 million, said Dean Albanese, the company's 
chief executive officer.

"'It is one of the rare U.S. coins out there. They are 
neat pieces in that in one sense they are not really a 
coin made in 1804, even though it is dated 1804 ... it 
is sort of a created coin,' said Douglas Mudd, curator 
of the American Numismatic Association Museum in 
Colorado Springs, Colo.

"The $5 million purchase price was the highest price 
ever paid for an 1804-dated $10 gold piece and shares 
the record for the world's second most valuable rare 
coin with a 1913 nickel that sold this year, Dean 
Albanese said. The world's most valuable coin is a 
1933 Saint-Gaudens gold Double Eagle that was purchased 
at auction in 2002 by an anonymous buyer for $7.59 million.

"The coin sold Thursday was lost until the 1960s, 
he said, adding that it had three previous private 
owners that he knows about. Its history before 
that is 'sketchy.'"

To read the complete article, see:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5idRo2xGIIQrV8p_bNNoUcuQqC3XAD8S2KIU80


GRANVYL HULSE'S FUN FARTHING FIND

Last week Bob Lyall wrote: "I recall youngsters collected 
British pennies out of circulation by date until we went 
decimal.  That was one way youngsters started to collect 
coins; sadly, there is no interest in collecting like 
that now as the oldest coin in circulation will be 1970's 
whereas pre-decimalisation we could find Victorian coins 
still circulating."

This week, Granvyl Hulse writes: "Bob's last comment 
struck a memory cord. I started collecting when I was 
in England back in the early '60's. Following an American 
custom I would go to a local bank each Friday, pick up 
a Five Pound bag of pennies, and on Saturday afternoon 
while watching the races on TV I would go through the 
bag looking for the odd coin I needed for my collection. 
The coins were in five shilling paper sacks. I had extra 
pennies so if I took one from a sack I put in one to 
replace it. When I was finished I marked the bag with 
a piece of chalk and then took it back to the bank the 
next Friday and asked for another. 

"I had been doing this for a number of months when the 
teller asked me if I was interested in half-pennies as 
they had sacks of them in the basement that had not seen 
the light of day in years. I said that I was, took a Five 
Pound sack home with me, and on Saturday afternoon I found 
that I had died and gone to heaven. The half-penny bags 
were loaded with farthings, many of them pre-Victorian 
that dated back into the early 1800's. This got me hooked 
on farthings which today are my only collecting interest."

  WHAT IS A COIN COLLECTING BOARD?
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n39a05.html

			
GLASGOW MASTER COUNTERFEITER 'HOLOGRAM TAM' ARRESTED

According to a report in The Times of London, "Magic fingers 
and an unerring eye gave “Hologram Tam”, one of the best 
forgers in Europe, the skills to produce counterfeit 
banknotes so authentic that when he was arrested nearly 
£700,000 worth were in circulation. 

"Thomas McAnea, 58, who was jailed for six years and four 
months yesterday, was the kingpin of a professional operation 
based in Glasgow that, according to police, had the capacity 
to produce £2 million worth of fake notes a day – enough 
potentially tom destabilise the British economy. More may 
remain out there undetected. 

"When detectives from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement 
Agency raided his tiny print shop last January, £500,000 in 
Bank of Scotland £20 notes were being printed. The gang 
also had in their possession €500,000 (£350,000) in forged 
notes. 

"As a result of the raid, another £672,880 worth of 
counterfeit notes were recovered from the banking system. 
“Some of Hologram Tam’s money is still out there. It’s 
that good that if I gave you one of his notes, you wouldn’t 
know it,” a police source said. 

"Operation Fender began in October 2005 after a tip-off 
from the Metropolitan Police that an unusually large 
number of fake Bank of Scotland £20 notes were in circulation 
in London. The force had also recovered a suitcase that 
contained almost £3 million worth of fake euros, awaiting 
watermarks and holograms. It was established that these
notes were destined for McAnea. 

"Graeme Pearson, the head of the Scottish Crime and Drug 
Enforcement Agency, said that McAnea, a former print union 
official, “had the touch of the geek about him” and said 
that he was content with the sentences. He said “People 
think it’s a bit of a wheeze, a B movie, producing banknotes 
in your kitchen, but in actual fact what we have is 
something that enables criminal gangs to profit.”" 

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article2578281.ece


TRAVELEX CREATES MONEY FOR USE IN SPACE: QUIDS

Dick Hansom forwarded this BBC article and press release 
about a new form of money being promoted for use in space.

"It is called the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination, 
or Quid. 

"It is designed to withstand the stresses of space travel 
and has no sharp edges or chemicals that could hurt space 
tourists. 

"It was designed for the foreign exchange company Travelex 
by scientists from the National Space Centre and the 
University of Leicester. 

"'None of the existing payment systems we use on earth - 
like cash, credit or debit cards - could be used in space,' 
said Professor George Fraser from the University of Leicester. 

"'Anything with sharp edges, like coins, would be a risk 
to astronauts while the chips and magnetic strips used in 
our cards on Earth would be damaged beyond repair by cosmic 
radiation,' he added. 

"Different value 'coins' come in different sizes and 
colours 

"Using any sort of technology that involved sending 
and receiving information from Earth would also be 
impractical because of the distances involved. 

"Quids are made of the polymer best-known for its use 
in non-stick pans. 

"The Quid 'coins' have moulded edges so that they will 
not damage anything if they accidentally float free in 
zero gravity. 

"National Space Centre scientists predict that regular 
trips into space will be commonplace in the next five 
years and that tourist facilities on the Moon are a 
distinct possibility by 2050." 

To read the complete article, see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7029564.stm

To read the complete press release, see:
http://www.travelex.co.uk/press/ENG/DOC_QUID_10042007.asp


CARSON CITY MINT PRESS #1 STRIKES NEW MEDALS

A newspaper article this week covered the striking of new 
medals by the old #1 press from the Carson City Mint:

"In a special ceremony on Monday, Oct. 1 at the Nevada 
State Museum, a commemorative silver coin was produced on 
historic Coin Press No. 1, symbolizing the 100th anniversary 
of one of the state’s most enduring institutions -- the 
founding in 1908 at the University of Nevada of the Mackay 
School of Mines.

"For Jim Taranik, the executive director of the Mackay 
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, the silver coin 
brought back a flood of memories.

"“To kick off our 100th anniversary celebration in this way 
is very special,” said Taranik, who has been associated 
with Mackay in one form or another for the better part of 
three decades. “Using the Carson City mint and the original 
Carson City press here in the Nevada State Museum to produce 
this coin really underscores a number of great partnerships 
our school has had over the years.”

"Then Taranik smiled. The allure of a shiny new coin, 
made possible from a generous contribution from Coeur 
d’Alene Mines Corporation, filled his mind with recollections 
of his youth.

"About 2,500 Mackay centennial coins, produced on Coin Press 
No. 1, which was delivered to Carson City in 1869 as part 
of the original Carson City mint, will be made available 
for purchase. The numbered coins are part of a year-long 
celebration and series events this spring to commemorate 
the 1908 founding of Mackay."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.unr.edu/nevadanews/detail.aspx?id=2362


CANADIAN NEWSPAPERS TOUT CENT DEMISE
 
Dick Johnson writes: "It is happening all over Canada. 
Newspapers are carrying articles stating the inevitability 
of the abolishment of their lowest denomination coin, 
the cent.
 
"It is insidious, pervasive. I have seen dozens of such 
articles. Below is a link to one of the best from the 
Saskatoon Star Phoenix. It cites the cashiering of the 
cent by the Australians in 1992 and the New Zealanders 
earlier in 1990.
 
"It even offers up a political reason: 'After all, we 
know Prime Minister Stephen Harper is a soul mate of A
ustralian Prime Minister John Howard. They see eye to 
eye on world terrorism, they take a similar approach 
to climate change, and certainly Harper has borrowed 
from Howard on how to run an election campaign.'
 
"'Can Canada,' questions the newspaper, 'be far behind?'
 
"Maybe Americans should ask 'Are we next?'.
 
Here's the full story from Canada:
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/columnists/story.html?id=ab4558d6-829c-45fd-b1d3-ed949472536d&p=2


HOW MUCH FOR A PICTURE OF A CANADIAN CENT?
 
Dick Johnson writes: "You won't believe this story. The 
Royal Canadian Mint has demanded '$47,680 for using a picture 
of the “tails” side of a Canadian penny in its brochures, 
banners and advertisements for the [a] campaign, aimed at 
persuading Ottawa to set aside one cent of every six collected 
under the goods and services tax (GST) for municipalities. 
The mint is also seeking compensation for the city’s use of
the phrase “one cent” in the campaign.'
 
"Ever since photography was invented the illustrations of 
coins have been in public domain. Likewise the phrase 
'one cent' cannot be copyrighted. It belongs to the people.
 
"This is the most unwise move by a mint anywhere in the 
world. Numismatic literature is affected. Keep an eye and 
ear out for how this turns out. As devotees of numismatic 
literature with coin illustrations we could be affected."
 
To read the complete article, see:
http://communities.canada.com/nationalpost/blogs/toronto/archive/2007/10/05/city-outraged-over-mint-fee-for-one-cent-campaign.aspx

[Here are a couple excerpts from the article Dick 
forwarded.  -Editor]

"Mr. Wanagas said the mint has been in contact with city 
officials since the campaign began last February but he 
rejected suggestions that the city is negotiating with 
the federal agency over use of the penny or the phrase 
“one cent.” He said the city has every right to use 
pictures of the most common of Canadian coins.

"“The penny is public domain,” Mr. Wanagas said. “This 
is a coin that many people, if they see one on the ground, 
they won’t even bend over to pick it up. So let’s be real here.”

"Alex Reeves, a spokesman for the mint, said the federal 
agency has no political motives for the dispute with the 
city but is intent on protecting its coins. “They are 
registered trademarks of the Royal Canadian Mint,” he 
said in an interview from Ottawa. 

"He said the mint calculates the price of using its coins 
or other associated images, words or phrases based on the 
type of use and how widely it is distributed. Mr. Reeves 
would not confirm the amount of money that the mint is seeking."


STECKBECK MECHANICAL BANK COLLECTION TO BE AUCTIONED

"The guest of honor at last week’s Mechanical Bank 
Collectors of America convention wasn’t a person; it 
was a collection of 489 incredibly rare antique mechanical 
banks – the Stephen and Marilyn Steckbeck collection. 
Clubmembers had the opportunity to view the collection 
in the Steckbeck home one last time before all of the 
banks were packed up and swiftly transported to the 
Geppi-owned Morphy Auctions gallery in Denver (Adamstown), 
Pa. There they will remain on display for public preview 
until Oct. 27, the auction date circled on every bank 
collector’s calendar.

"Acknowledged by experts as one of the all-time greats, 
the Steckbeck collection was built over a 53-year period, 
and was seeded with rarities from earlier collections of 
now-historic stature, e.g., those of corporate CEO Edwin 
H. Mosler Jr., automobile titan Walter P. Chrysler and 
pioneer collector F.H. Griffith. There are buying opportunities 
to please every pocketbook, but because there are so many 
unique or extremely rare examples included in the collection, 
some observers are speculating the sale could end up grossing 
between $5 million and $8 million. In that becomes the case, 
the Steckbeck sale will make its mark in history as not only 
the highest-grossing bank auction ever, but also the highest-
grossing toy auction of all time.

"While most of the Steckbeck banks are of cast iron, many 
others are of lithographed tin, white metal, aluminum, 
wood and other materials. Some are exceedingly rare, like 
the Presto Coin Disappears (one of three known), the Darky 
and Watermelon (one of four known), Darky Fisherman (one 
of two known), an extraordinary near-mint Jerome Secor 
Freedman’s Bank, and one of the few all-original examples 
of the Kyser & Rex Merry-Go-Round. The Steckbecks’ North 
Pole bank, ex Hegarty collection, is one of the finest 
known; and their Kenton Hardware Mama Katzenjammer, which 
came straight from the manufacturer’s showroom, is in 
superior, near-mint-plus condition. Among the collection’s 
acknowledged “unique” examples are a nickel-plated Chrysler 
Pig, originally owned by Walter P. Chrysler; a Safe Deposit 
Tin Elephant, and a stock-market-theme Bull and Bear."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.news-antique.com/?id=782938&keys=antique-auction-Steckbeck 


'IN GOD WE TRUST' RUMORS SPREAD ABOUT LINCOLN CENT REDESIGN

Rumor-smashing web site Spones.com has a nice piece this 
week debunking the rumors that the new proposed Lincoln Cent 
designs are part of a plot to remove the motto "In God We 
Trust" from U.S. coinage:

"September 2007 the U.S. Mint announced that in 2009, to 
commemorate the <00th anniversary of the birth of President 
Abraham Lincoln and the <NOBR>100th anniversary of the 
introduction of the Lincoln Cent,  it would update the 
venerable U.S. penny by introducing four rotating designs 
depicting different aspects of Lincoln's life.  Some of 
the designs under consideration by the Citizens Coinage 
Advisory Committee include a log cabin (to represent 
Lincoln's birth), and, as shown above, Lincoln reading 
a book (to represent the future president's early life), 
and Lincoln on the floor of the Illinois Legislature (to 
represent his early adulthood).  

"Predictably (given similar recent and inaccurate rumors 
about the new presidential coins), rumors have already begun 
to swirl that the upcoming redesign of the Lincoln Cent is 
yet more evidence of an insidious atheist plot to remove 
the motto "In God We Trust" from U.S. coinage. Two simple 
facts shoot down such rumors, however:

* The prospective designs recently exhibited to the public 
are simply a few concepts that the CCAC has so far decided 
to recommend.   That panel is but one of three advisory 
groups (along with the Commission of Fine Arts and the 
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission) offering suggestions 
on the Lincoln Cent redesign to the Mint.  The final choice 
of design(s) ultimately rests with the Secretary of the 
Treasury, who is free to accept or reject any of the 
groups' recommendations.

* All of the designs under consideration are intended to 
appear on the reverse of the coin, replacing the current 
engraving of the Lincoln Memorial.  The obverse of the coin, 
which features the famous profile of Lincoln underneath 
the words "In God We Trust," is slated to remain intact."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/lincoSlncent.asp  


THE DOLLAR AND THE CENT

James Higby writes: "When I read the story submitted by 
Dave Bowers, I was again reminded of this gem, which I 
remember originally appeared in a coin publication ca. 
1960.  I remember reading it over the phone to a coin 
collecting friend at the time.  When I took a long shot 
and tried to find it again on the internet, to my 
amazement, there it was."
 
A big silver dollar and a little brown cent 
Rolling along together went
Rolling along on the smooth sidewalk, 
When the dollar remarked (for dollars can talk!)
 
"You poor little cent, you cheap little mite,
I'm bigger and more than twice as bright.
I'm worth more than you, a hundred fold,
And written on me in letters bold
Is the motto drawn from a pious creed,
'In God We Trust', which all may read."
"Yes, I know," said the cent, 
"I'm a cheap little mite, 
And I know I'm not big, nor good, nor bright,
And yet", said the cent, with a little sigh,
"You don't go to church as often as I!"


FEATURED WEB PAGE: FARTHING COINS

This week's featured web page is Farthing Coins from 
the Pictures of Coins of the UK pages by Tony Clayton.

http://www.ukcoinpics.co.uk/farth.html


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