The E-Sylum v11#14, April 6, 2008

esylum at binhost.com esylum at binhost.com
Sun Apr 6 18:52:11 PDT 2008


Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 11, Number 14, April 6, 2008:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM APRIL 6, 2008

We have no new subscribers this week - our current count is 
1,142. We open with news of a numismatic literature dealer 
returning to the fold. Also, I review the Robert Bass Collection 
book from Kagin's, and Mike Paradis tells us about a rare pamphlet 
on the New Orleans Mint which recently sold at auction.  Next, a 
web site visitor discovers our earlier articles on Scovill 
Manufacturing, where her father and a family friend worked, 
and Howard Berlin reports on his numismatic travels in Denmark 
and Sweden.

Next are follow-ups on last week's April Fool's story.  I just 
wish I'd been able to dream up something to catch my wife on 
this year.  The best one was when I called her up before our 
wedding and told her a friend of mine had just called and said 
the hall we’d booked for our wedding reception was on fire, 
with three fire crews working to put it out.  She had a bird.

In responses to earlier items, we have information on Arras 
tokens and numismatists Bob Wester and William A. Philpott, Jr.

In the news, charges are dropped against a Liberty Dollar 
proponent in Lancaster, the Royal Mint unveils new reverse 
designs for Britain's circulating coinage, and the National 
Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio accepts 
a donation of Short-Snorter bank notes.

To learn about the ATM that went haywire, which country's 
coins will NOT feature a 'voluptuous female torso', and which
U.S. Mint employee is called The Big Cheese, read on. Have a 
great week, everyone.

Wayne Homren
Numismatic Bibliomania Society


ANNOUNCEMENT: DAVID SKLOW - FINE NUMISMATIC BOOKS

David Sklow writes: "Hello Fellow Numismatic Literature 
Enthusiasts! It is with great joy and anticipation that I 
would like to announce the re-launching of my former Numismatic 
Literature Auction business! David Sklow - Fine Numismatic Books. 
 
"Founded in 1980 in Oscoda Michigan, relocated to Port St. 
Lucie Florida in 1992 as Treasured Books, and now once again 
open for business in the Numismatic Capital of the United 
States Colorado Springs, Colorado!
 
"Our auctions will by mail bid with printed catalogs! 
Preparation of a web site is in the planning and sales will 
also be posted there. My first auction is planned for late 
October 2008.
 
I am now asking for CONSIGNMENTS!  Please contact me if you 
have any Numismatic Literature you would like to consign and 
we can discuss terms.  I look forward to hearing from many of 
you and being able to provide the same first class customer 
service I did in the past!  My contact information is as 
follows. Please send me your mailing address and I will put 
you on the mailing list!
 
  David Sklow
  Fine Numismatic Books
  P.O. Box 6321
  Colorado Springs, CO 80934
 
  Business PH: 719-302-5686
  Home PH: 719-266-9208
  EMAIL: NumismaticBooks at aol.com "

[Welcome back, Dave!  Bibliophiles always have room for 
one more numismatic book dealer.  We'll look forward to 
Dave's catalogs and sales.  -Editor]


BOOK: DOTTIE DOW'S "YESTERDAY'S ELONGATEDS", THIRD PRINTING

Larry Feit, President of The Elongated Collectors writes: 
"Several years ago, The Elongated Collectors (TEC) was presented 
with the copyright of 'Yesterday's Elongateds' by Dottie Dow, 
along with a generous donation to reprint the book.  This was 
done in time for release at the 2004 Pittsburgh ANA convention. 
TEC is now proud to announce that the Third Printing is nearing 
completion and will be available in May. Cost of the book is 
$25.00 postpaid for members and $40.00 postpaid for non-members. 
As an aside, since TEC dues are only $12.50, it is more 
cost-effective to join the club and get the book rather than 
buy it outright. Visit http://www.tecnews.org/ for details. 
 
Active TEC Members can purchase the third printing by the 
full case (expected 12 books per case) at the discount price 
of $18.00 per book (prepaid) which includes shipping. This 
special price expires with orders postmarked on or before 
midnight, August 15, 2008."

[Dottie Dow's book is the key reference for early elongated 
coins (also known as "squished pennies").  -Editor]
 

BOOK REVIEW: THE ROBERT BASS COLLECTION OF PIONEER PATTERNS

'The Robert Bass Collection: The Finest Collection of Pioneer 
Patterns Ever Assembled' is a great little monograph published 
by Kagin's.  It describes the collection of pioneer coinage 
patterns assembled by Robert Bass.  The 89-page perfect-bound 
softcover reference is printed on glossy paper with full color 
photographs of the items.

In a foreword to the catalog Bass writes: "My interest in Pioneer 
Patterns began many years ago.  At first I just bought books on 
the subject to educate myself.  Then I went on to establish an 
extensive library. From those books, the stories of the mining 
camps and the primitive life that was part of the Gold Rush Era 
took hold of my imagination and I was hooked."

"It was fascinating to me the way gold dust was used as a medium 
of exchange and then later on the private assayers would establish 
their own mark on currency.  How extraordinary!  The more I read 
the more I knew I wanted to find these early patterns and start
 my own collection."

"My research taught me that pioneer Gold coins were scarce, 
but the patterns were even scarcer."

In the preface which follows Don Kagin writes: "When I purchased 
his pioneer gold collection in 1999 it was the finest in the 
world but he could not bring himself to relinquish the patterns.
... Robert wanted to acquire every piece listed in my reference 
book, Private Gold Coins & Patterns of the United States."

As his health declined in 2006, Bass finally decided to sell, 
having "assembled  75% of all pioneer patterns issued including 
all denominations and varieties and a substantial amount of 
restrikes, counters, counterstamps, and even fantasies -- well 
over twice that of anyone else in history."   Kagin's firm 
spent over a year "studying, researching, weighing, grading 
and analyzing these specimens" to create the present reference.

In a footnote, Kagin indicates that "over fifty items, 
including numerous unique fantasies and other items" listed 
in his book "have been left out of this reference pending 
additional research."  Many of these pieces will be addressed 
in Kagin's upcoming revised Pioneer Gold Coin book, which 
is underway.

The monograph is promotional in nature, but I don't hold that 
against it. It is meant more as a sale catalog than a reference 
work.  It has relatively little text and no footnotes or 
reference citations.  Nevertheless it is a very interesting 
and useful overview of this narrow, yet fascinating and 
important area of U.S. numismatics.  The color photos are 
nice, and the layout is very attractive.  I enjoyed learning 
(and re-learning) about a number of interesting items, and 
I'll list a couple here.

At the back of the book (one of my favorite places to find 
great information) is a page on counterstamps picturing two 
counterstamps of H.H. Pierson, a dentist who worked for coiner 
Ormsby & Co.  The text says "O.H. Pierson" in error -- the 
stamp looks like "H.H. Pierson" to me.  Brunk's book on 
counterstamps lists "H.H. Pierson" and identifies the two 
known undertypes which match the photos in the Bass book.

The Bass book describes a number of issues "probably struck 
in Birmingham" [England] such as the one piece for the San 
Francisco Standard Mint and a set of beautiful issues for 
"San Francisco, State of California." The collection also 
includes known fantasies and the original dies made for 
Steven Nagy to strike Baldwin & Co, fantasies around 1900.  

The booklet concludes with a seven-page spreadsheet listing 
descriptions and pedigrees for each piece.  All in all, a 
nice reference to have on the shelf alongside the pioneer
gold books of Edgar Adams, Don Kagin, Dan Owens and others. 


1847 JOHN RIDDELL PAMPHLET ON THE NEW ORLEANS MINT AUCTIONED

Mike Paradis forwarded photos and information about an 1847 
John Riddell pamphlet that was in a recent sale by Bloomsbury 
Auctions, Inc. of New York.  Here's how it was described:

John Leonard RIDDELL. The Branch Mint at New Orleans, with 
an Account of the Process of Coinage and Fac-simile Impressions 
of the Coins Manufactured [caption title].

Np [New Orleans?]: 1847. 8vo (230x140 mm). Facsimile impressions 
of obverse and reverse of 8 different coins, on the terminal 
leaf. Contemporary plain wrappers. Condition: minor creases; 
minor tears and chipping to the wrappers. The New Orleans mint 
began to make coins in 1838. Riddell served as one of its first 
melters and refiners at the mint. The facsimile impressions 
are quite intriguing, as the process by which they were 
accomplished is unclear.

Mike writes: "I could not find any previous sale of this 1847 
publication. I knew of his 1845 Monograph of the Silver Dollar 
but not this 1847 publication.  It sold for $1200 to a floor 
bidder on a $200-$300 estimate.  

"The Numismatist has a similar pamphlet reproduced in the 
April 1968 issue (pages 439 to 445) in an article by Eric 
Newman. Both appear to be from Riddell and are about the New 
Orleans Mint. Where they seem to differ, is with the one in 
the Numismatist is titled 'The Mint at New Orleans' and dated 
1845 and the one in the recent Bloomsbury auction is titled 
'The Branch Mint at New Orleans' and dated 1847."

[I didn't find the pamphlet listed in Charlie Davis' 'American 
Numismatic Literature' or in the Kolbe John Ford library sales.  
-Editor]

George Kolbe writes: "I do not recall ever having handled 
either edition although I have known of the work for some 
time (perhaps from Eric Newman's article). Word on the street 
is that it was sold to a telephone bidder and now resides in 
a prominent numismatic library."

Riddell pamphlet title page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coinbooks/2385323127/  

Riddell pamphlet illustrations
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coinbooks/2386155508/ 

Riddell pamphlet illustrations (closeup)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coinbooks/2385323095/ 


SCOVILL MANUFACTURING EMPLOYEES GRAY BUTLER AND EDWARD DAVIS

Web site visitor Roberta (Butler) Palmeri writes: "I was 
doing some research online, looking for anything about our 
late family friend Edward H. Davis. I was surprised to find 
all of this information about him, and also about Scovill 
Manufacturing of Waterbury CT. My father, Gray L. Butler, 
was a manufacturing engineer at Scovill's for many years, 
and he was a close friend of Mr. Davis. How interesting! 
After my father passed away in 1984, we discovered several 
large metal file cabinets full of patents from Scovill Mfg."
 
"This whole thing started when I began investigating the 
history of a painting hanging in our hallway, a gift from 
Mr. Davis during the 1960's. He was famous for his worldly 
travels and had quite a collection of dusty old things in 
his home back then.

"The history behind any individual can be fascinating ... 
visiting your website surely educated me about such things 
that I thought were permanently buried, along with my father, 
Mr. Davis and Scovill Manufacturing Co."

[I put Roberta in touch with Dick Johnson and George Fuld, 
who had provided us with the information on Scovill.  
Roberta's email address is rpalmeri100 at comcast.net, and 
she would be happy to learn if anyone has additional 
information on her father or Mr. Davis. -Editor]
 
Dick responded: "I did considerable research on Scovill a 
decade ago. My specific interests were the die engravers 
who worked for the company over its history. I found 59 of 
these and documented their vital records (birth, death & 
such). I even tracked down the dies Scovill had on hand 
when they went out of business.

"The best resources I found were at the Waterbury Public 
Library, Mattituck Museum, but best of all, most records 
are in the Baker Library at Harvard Business School at 
Harvard University, where records on the officers are 
located. I searched the dies at the Connecticut State 
Library and Pennsylvania State Library."

  HOW MUSEUMS HANDLE DIES: THE SCOVILL DIE EXPERIENCE
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n09a15.html

  ACCOUNT OF THE FULD VISIT TO SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n12a03.html

  PORTION OF SCOVILL ARCHIVES SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n15a15.html 


JOHNSON'S TEAM CATALOGS MARCEL JOVINE STUDIO COLLECTION OF MODELS

[Today Dick Johnson forwarded the following report on what 
sounds like a fun day of numismatic work.  Congratulations to 
Dick and his team for tackling this rare opportunity. -Editor]

Numismatists are often called upon for unusual tasks. Yesterday 
(Saturday, April 5, 2008) I began cataloging the studio collection 
of famed sculptor-medallist Marcel Jovine. This included, for 
the numismatic items, hundreds of his plaster models of medallic 
work he created for a number of manufacturers.
 
I gathered together a team, conscripted from my local coin 
club, an assistant (club president Mark Satori) and a 
professional photographer (Tom Hines). This took serious 
planning in preparation and scheduling. We had to meet with 
one of the artist's daughters, who had to travel from Washington 
DC to the family homestead in Closter, New Jersey, where the 
collection was housed. And the caretaker of the family home 
had to be present.
 
The scheduling had to clear with the five people involved, 
and some spouses. Prior to this we insisted upon new racks 
to be built for proper storage of plaster models. These had 
to be erected before we arrived.  Also in this time frame 
photographer Hines had to build a portable light box, as I 
insisted every object must be photographed on a full 
light-white background. This drops out every background on 
a print image to the shape of the object. No silhouetting 
necessary after the fact on either digital image or film print.
 
The two and one-half hour drive brought us to the Jovine 
homestead, as we passed by the Belskie Museum of Art and 
Science in Closter where I am curator of medals ("no time 
to stop, fellows, we have a lot of work to do").
 
Unloading and setting up equipment in the basement where 
all models are stored took half an hour. Then a quick 
review of the game plan: I wanted every image photographed 
no matter what media: plaster, clay (if any), metal, rubber 
mold, and every size (up to the 24-inch maximum of our 
light box). 
 
Also I wanted a scientifically accurate measurement in 
centimeters of the image. Not edge to edge of the plaster, 
say, but the image's edge to edge (since every model had a 
flange for handling in numerous steps of manufacturing).  
If the model is square or rectangular, image height comes 
first -- height by width.  I had prepared work pages with 
20 numbers on a page where this measurement was to be 
written next to a number.
 
I appended separate stickers to match those 20 numbers. 
These were to be near the model when photographed and 
placed adjacent to that plaster when stored in the new rack.
 
Accuracy counts, guys. This isn't pit stop team precision, 
but care in handling. Plaster breaks. Every one of these 
plasters is vulnerable. Use utmost care. Mark brings model 
from old rack to work table. Measures image(s) and records.  
Passes model to Tom with sticker. Tom places model in 
camera range and sticker in position. Focus and shoot. 
Mark takes model to new rack and positions sticker. 
Repeat.
 
By lunch time my crackerjack team had photographed 80+ 
models. During the course we found the inevitable -- broken 
plasters, two in fact. One was the Society of Medalists 
Creation Medal #122. The Jovine daughter brought this to 
me in five pieces. "Can we glue this back?" she asked.
 
"Not necessary," I said. "If we can find the original 
mold for this, we can make another plaster cast quicker 
than repairing this one.  Her apprehension was dissipated. 
The other broken plaster -- both of these were broken before 
we got there (thank goodness) -- was Marcel's first medal, 
The 1962 Closter Tercentenary Medal. Same reply applies.
 
By 6 pm quitting time my team had processed a remarkable 
234 models! They faced two more racks of models yet to do, 
perhaps a total of 600 medallic models. They pleaded with 
Jovine daughter: could they come back next weekend to 
finish the job? Amazingly everyone's schedule was free, 
even if it required both days next weekend!


NUMISMA-TOURIST HOWARD BERLIN VISITS STOCKHOLM AND COPENHAGEN

Dr. Howard Berlin writes: "I'm in Stockholm right now. I 
spent a day at the Royal Coin Cabinet, which is the National 
Museum of Economy. Last week in Copenhagen I was at the Royal 
Collection of Coins and Medals, which is part of the National 
Museum. Both institutions also have numismatic libraries.

"The Copenhagen museum's library is open on Thursdays 1-4pm 
but at other times should be by an advance appointment. The 
official museum address is Frederiksholms Kanal 12, but the 
main entrance really is on Ny Vestergade.

"The Stockholm museum's library currently has about 80 active 
periodicals and their total holdings span more than 700 meters 
of shelf space. Interested numismatists and researchers should 
make an advance appointment. The museum is directly across 
from the Royal Palace at Slottsbacken 6. 

"The numismatic exhibitions of both museums are excellent, 
particularly the specimens of their own coins (Denmark and 
Sweden). There are some banknotes on display also. 

"The Royal Coin Cabinet's Swedish medals exhibition occupies 
one floor and over 40 cases. They just opened a Swedish plate
money exhibit with the heaviest coin (19.7 kg - 10 daler plate 
money) and the first Swedish bank note. I was honored to be 
able to see the exhibit two days before it was to open."


<************************** BOOK BAZARRE **************************>

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our Web site at <www.fanningbooks.com>. This just in: Ancient Coin 
Reference Reviews. By Dennis J. Kroh. 1993. 4to., card covers. 107, 
(1) pages. New. A fantastic reference work rating and discussing 
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<******************************************************************>


INDUSTRY COALITION ANNOUNCES NEW PAYMENT TECHNOLOGY: APRIL FOOL!

April Fool!   Last week's item on a new electronic payment 
medium ("Quions") was a complete fabrication.  The historical 
facts are true, as most numismatists are aware.  Federal currency 
once included the name of an issuing institution (National 
Bank Notes) and money has indeed incorporated advertising 
(such as the Civil War-era encased postage stamps mentioned 
in the article, as well as the now-illegal late 19th-century 
practice of counterstamping coins.

Other parts of the article (like reusable coins) are pretty 
far-fetched, but fiction has been known to become fact at times.  
The basic concepts aren’t so far-fetched and next-generation 
Internet features such as address space, mobility and security 
just might make interactive money possible someday sooner than 
you might think.  Ever since the invention of the telegraph 
businesses and individuals have been “wiring” virtual money 
across long distances, so it wouldn’t be much of a stretch 
to transfer it wirelessly across much shorter spans.  

One E-Sylum reader said: "Wow !!"  One of my high school 
buddies wrote: "Do they/you really think this type of 
technology would really take off in mainstream America?  
Or is it some 'pie in the sky' geek fantasy?  I'm sure you 
as a numismatist think it is possibly the greatest concept 
since sliced bread, but I being the pragmatist don't see 
it really catching on with the general public, let alone 
trying to retrofit all of the existing vending machines to 
accept the new fangled coin.  Look at the problems they 
had with the changes made to the paper denominations and 
the vending machines receiving the new bills."

Dave Perkins rightly noted the dangers of hackers taking 
control, forwarding this USA Today article about a Google 
search hack some cybercrooks are using.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2008-03-31-javascript-hackers_N.htm

Bob Fritsch writes: "Nice April Fool's scam with the Quions".  
Joel Orosz writes: "How quaint that this news release about 
quoins was quietly dated April 1.  A queer quoincidence?  
I quite quonsider that the quontrary is true.  Still, I got 
a big quckle out of it!"

Harry Cabluck writes: "On the subject of the new payment 
technology Quoin, it was named by an eastern European printer 
who coined the word Quoin from Quoins used in holding type 
together before printing.  His name was Dren Ekoj.  He named 
his device the Loof Lirpa.  The battery he used for the memory 
chip in 1845 was not perfected well enough to last longer 
than six weeks.  Also, when the quoin was exposed to inclement 
weather it exploded and of course became worthless, leaving 
the owner a really small hole in his purse."

[An urgent email sent Tuesday afternoon by a community activist 
in Northwest Washington said "A loof lirpa had escaped from 
the National Zoo and was galloping around the streets of 
Cleveland Park. A careless zookeeper had been distracted 
while the animal's enclosure was unlocked, and the 350-pound 
lirpa, which has 'gazelle-like horns,' hurtled off."  D.C. 
Police Cmdr. Andy Solberg chimed in to alert residents that 
"a department helicopter was on the case. DO NOT TRY AND 
CAPTURE THE LOOF LIRPA ON YOUR OWN."  The commander laid it 
on thicker saying "the lirpa was planning to mate this 
weekend and is so nearsighted that it could mistake a golden 
retriever for a potential partner."  -Editor]

Len Augsberger writes: "I read as far as Linden Labs before 
my BS detector went off."  Bob Leuver writes: "Very cute. 
If this made it to the main channels it might be picked up 
as true!  Virtually true, that is."

Len Augsburger forwarded it to a friend who responded "Sadly, 
not even close to clever enough to fool me - although "Bernard 
von NotHaus' reminded me of "Nuthouse", which was kind of nice."

"Dick Johnson writes: "With this talent the writer of this 
farce should be writing fiction.  It contains just enough 
truths, however, to make it believable. For example, von 
NotHaus could have said what the writer quoted here.

"Where he slipped up was placing words in the mouth of Mint 
Director Edmund Moy. As a bureaucrat he would never make the 
statements attributed to him here. If he did he would know,
not only that he would be cashiered from his job, but stoned 
by his own employees. 'Bad Mint Director, Bad man! Bad! Bad!'  
An enjoyable read, but tell the author to go back to his 
Kool Aid!"

Tom Kays writes: "Bravo!  Have you considered submitting 
this to Halfbakery.com?  They vote in croissants for the 
best idea that should've worked. You get low score if the 
concept has actually been invented "baked" (often a surprise 
to the baker), or if it lacks all links to reality.  The best 
are those that seem obviously doable and impracticably useful.  
People are invited to follow-up with quips and half-baked 
comments."

[I didn't submit the idea, but here's an example of another 
crazy (or not) idea from HalfBaked.com.  -Editor]

  Liquid Currency
  Never have to make or carry change ever again.

  The problem with money is that its in these inconvenient 
  discrete units (the penny, for example)  If money were a 
  liquid, there would be no such thing as getting change. 
  A wallet would look approximately like a fancy fountain pen, 
  with a clear glass cylinder, filled with some liquid, 
  preferably really cool looking, like mercury.

  When a purchase for cash for cash exchange was made, one  
  would place    their "wallet" into a machine designed to 
  extract the exact amount of liquid cash. Two "wallets" 
  could be plugged together for person to person exchanges. 
  Gradations on the glass chamber (think titration tube, or 
  similar) would let the two parties be sure that the correct 
  amount of currency has changed hands.

To read about the National Zoo's Loof Lirpa escape, see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040101850.html 

  INDUSTRY COALITION ANNOUNCES NEW PAYMENT TECHNOLOGY
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n13a27.html


NOTES ON BIBLIOPHILE ROBERT I. WESTER

Last week I asked what became of NBS member Bob Wester.  
Dave Harper of Numismatic News writes: "Bob Wester retired 
to Costa Rica. He became an active collector there and a 
good friend of Numismatic News writer Paul Green's. 
Unfortunately, he died of prostate cancer at the age of 65 
on May 27, 2003.

"I gave him the nickname 'Survivor Bob.' He retired from 
his job in February of, I believe, 2000. He presented himself 
at Paul Green's table at the Gran Hotel Costa Rica in March 
of that year and told Paul that he had retired there because 
of Paul's column. I met him several weeks later. We had a 
nice conversation and we hit it off. I warned him of the 
travails of the rainy season that was set to begin in a few 
short weeks. When I returned just after Thanksgiving, he came 
to see me and told me he had survived his first rainy season, 
and the nickname was born.

"Wester had a habit of talking about himself in the third person. 
He would take a problem and address himself as 'Robert' and 
then vocalize the issues as others listened. He did this so 
often that Paul Green's Costa Rican wife, Mayela, blurted out 
in the middle of one of those conversations, 'Who is Robert?' 
We all laughed, Survivor Bob most of all."

Bob Fritsch writes: "Bob Wester was a major force in New 
Hampshire Numismatics for years.  I first met him in 1988 
at the New Hampshire Collectors Club -- he was the permanent 
Exhibit Chairman for that club's annual Tri State Exhibition.  
Around 1999-2000 he offered to sell me several scarce-to-rare 
New Hampshire Town Medals to finance his move to Costa Rica.  

"I next heard of him through Paul Green's column in World Coin 
News, getting the name 'Survivor Bob'.  He had the gift of gab 
and could charm anyone out of whatever treasures they had that 
he wanted.  From Paul's reports, Bob amassed a collection of 
Costa Rican banknotes and nobody knew where he got them.

"We were surprised when suddenly he showed up at a local show.  
He had come home to die of cancer.  It is too bad he did not 
get to enjoy a long and well-deserved retirement.

"Proving it is a small world after all, I met a nephew of 
Bob's in Okinawa when I was sent there for a special mission 
for the Navy in 2003."

Alan V. Weinberg writes: "I knew Bob Wester fairly well and 
bought most of his American Agricultural and Mechanical Society 
silver and gold medal collection intact around 1990.
 
"He was a quite knowledgeable numismatist and serious collector. 
A very nice guy. He always came up with great numismatic items.  
I distinctly recall Bob sold at auction through Bowers & Ruddy 
(or Bowers & Merena) Sylvester S. Crosby's ANS silver membership 
medal and his personal silver inscribed pocket watch which, if
memory serves, Tony Terranova bought.
 
[Bob indeed had the gift of gab, in a disarmingly honest and 
charming way.  Until Dave mentioned it I had forgotten about 
Bob's unusual habit of addressing himself in the third person.  
It was all part of his charm.  Thinking through a problem that 
way may seem goofy to the rest of us when vocalized, yet it 
can be extremely effective in getting to the heart of the 
matter at hand.    I think that helps explain his great success 
in ferreting out rare items in out-of-the-way places the rest 
of us wouldn't think of looking in.

I can almost hear him now:  "Well, Robert, where do you think 
you'd find Sylvester Crosby's photograph, or correspondence?  
Well, probably in the hands of a family member, maybe a daughter 
or granddaughter.  So where would you look for Crosby's family 
members, Robert?   Well, Crosby was from New Hampshire, so I 
could start with a phone book and make some calls..."

Robert's search led him to the Crosby family where he discovered 
and purchased Crosby's medals and "Crosby's Crosby", the author's 
own copy of his classic work on U.S. Colonial Coinage.  He wrote 
articles about Crosby and other numismatic topics in The Asylum,
our print publication.  

  The Crosbys of Charlestown, New Hampshire II/1:1-4 
  Engraving Art, Science in Book (W. L. Ormsby volume) III/1:4-9 
  ANS Plans New Building ... in 1906 III/3&4:6-7 
  The Vermont Coinage by Reverend Edmund F. Slafter IV/4:5,8 
  Ormsby's Bank Note Engraving VII/1:21


MORE ON ARRAS TOKENS

Regarding last week's item on Arras tokens, Ken Berger writes: 
"Yes, it is true arras are found in many weddings which have a 
Spanish tradition. I disagree however that they are always gold 
coins. The Philippines, for example, used silver coins. In the 
past these were primarily pesos. 

"The coins are supposed to be dropped from the groom's hands 
into the bride's hands in a 'more or less' cascading action. 
However, if any of the coins are dropped then bad luck is 
believed to be likely to occur in the marriage. In order to 
prevent such bad luck from occurring, the coins often had a 
hole drilled into them so a string could be passed through 
them & they could be tied together. These coins were to help 
the new couple with expenses as they started their life together. 
It is also possible that they were used as the lucky coins, 
one of which would be placed under each of the main pilings 
at each of the four corners of their newly-built house.

"Thus, crown-sized coins with holes in them were possibly 
used in arras. However, it is also possible that they were 
worn as a piece of jewelry, or even served as teething rings.

  ARRAS TOKENS DEFINED
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n13a24.html


WIKIPEDIA NOW HOLDS 10 MILLION ARTICLES
 
Dick Johnson writes: "A milestone was reached last week when 
a German reader added an article on 16th-century painter 
Nicholas Hillard to Wikipedia.  It was the 10 millionth 
article on the Internet encyclopedia.
 
"Have you searched a numismatic term or personality on 
Wikipedia recently?  I have and I can see ample room for 
additional updates. Since the site is entirely reader written, 
it is amazing how accurate it can be, and how uniform the 
entries are.
 
"While it is an excellent place to start a new research 
project, it cannot serve as the last word. You still must 
dig and check on your own."
 
To read the complete article, see:
http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/5554

To search the Wikipedia, see:
http://www.wikipedia.com 


DIGITIZING BOOKS HELPS RESEARCHERS DO THEIR HOMEWORK

Dick Johnson writes: "Last week Editor Homren asked readers' 
opinion of digitizing out-of-print published works.  It is 
indeed the godsend he suggested. Even when you go to the 
big box library or archives, the more you know in advance, 
the more you will accomplish on site.  Do your homework first 
before heading off for any research.
 
"This applies to that important background data that you 
won't find in numismatic literature. Since so many items 
we write about existed prior to any recent copyright 
expirations, access to these publications is a tremendous 
advantage. Research projects differ of course. Some are 90% 
numismatic, 10% other. Some are only 10% numismatic --  
where you know most everything about the items you are 
researching -- but want that background data.  The 90% of 
the information will come from printed and archive resources 
not found in numismatic volumes. That would be the greatest 
area where digitized books can be of extreme usefulness to 
the numismatic researcher. You must do a lot of reading.
 
"In such research you will always, always! find leads to 
another avenue that should be researched. Track down that 
lead, but you must learn to channel your searching (or you 
will spend a lifetime in one area). Concentrate your effort 
on one topic at a time. Don't be sidetracked.
 
"Put your goal in words and write it down.  What specifically 
are you seeking? Come up with as many keywords you can 
think of that are appropriate. Let the librarian or archivist 
know this in advance of your arrival.
 
"Know the Rule of Propinquity (nearness in time and place).  
Where did the object or event take place and when? Always 
keep this in mind.
 
"In your final writing you will want to answer every question 
an intelligent reader might ask about your subject. Beat him 
to it. Ask these questions yourself and seek the answers.
 
"In numismatics we do HISTORICAL RESEARCH (with a little 
ART RESEARCH on the artists and the designs as well).  To 
aid your historical research read "The Modern Researcher" 
by Jacques Barzun, any edition (latest: 6th edition, 2004).  
This book will hone your research methods and give you great 
background information. I am always inspired after rereading 
this book.
 
"Also peruse (skim if you must) "A Guide to Historical Method" 
by Gilbert J. Garraghan. This book was mandatory two decades 
ago (before the Internet), but it will guide you in your 
search today.
 
"So digitizing will supply us with the published information 
of the past that we can obtain at home. Read these before you 
go to the big box libraries and archives. But you must do both.  
Let editor Homren know how you are doing.  Good Luck!"

Former American Numismatic Association Librarian Nancy Green 
writes: "I must comment on John Nebel's input of last week. 
He is absolutely right, the Kirtas book scanner would be 
wonderful for ANA's Dwight Manley Library but as always the 
stumbling block (aside from the $150,000 cost of the machine) 
is the cost of personnel to run the machine.

"Books as tools for research are, to a large extent, being 
replaced by content on the Internet, although I think the 
main value of the web is to locate information, not necessarily 
get it directly. The value of the Internet is incredible and 
will only increase. But books will never be replaced by 
anything more beautiful or functional. 

"The physics of the book is a wonderful thing and when the 
power goes out or your battery fails, nothing is better than 
a book and a candle. I don't believe there is any laptop that 
can match the aesthetics of a beautiful book. Most of us have 
been through the technology of Beta and 8-track. And who can 
forget 78s and 45s. Media in these formats is now pretty much 
unusable but books remain, and even damaged, can provide 
extensive information and enjoyment."

[Nancy is absolutely right.  As she, Dave Bowers and others 
rightfully point out, electronic media changes quickly with 
the times and quickly becomes outmoded.  Transferring knowledge 
from one format to another is always a quandary.  While digitizing 
books for easier access is great, the institutions should NEVER 
dispose of the original source material, although of course 
many do so anyway.  -Editor]

  PUBLIC DOMAIN NUMISMATIC BOOK PUBLISHING EXPERIMENT
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n13a11.html


ON PROTECTING LIBRARIES FROM FIRE AND WATER DAMAGE

Regarding the discussion initiated by Ken Hallenbeck on 
protecting libraries from fire and water damage, former 
Bureau of Engraving and Printing Executive Director Robert 
J. Leuver writes: "The interested parties might with to 
contact either the BEP's assistant director for technology 
or the safety officer.  In my time (nine years at the BEP), 
Clayton Pettaway was our safety officer.  Clayton, however, 
died recently.
 
"BEP has a serious interest in fire suppression systems as 
paper and the printed products of U.S. currency and postage 
stamps have to be protected in storage, during printing and, 
ultimately as finished products.  BEP has unique systems of 
fire protection depending on location or production points 
of the 'products' and printing equipment.
 
"Of course, even the best systems fail.  In the early 1980s, 
I was acting director when Harry Clements, the director, 
was out of town on business.  I received a call about about 
6:30 AM, just as I was about to leave our home for my morning 
run.    Ray Lavan, the chief of security, called to tell me 
of a 2 AM fire in the Cotrell press room.   He said there was 
no reason to call earlier as the fire was in progress and the 
Washington, D.C. fire department was both in charge and had 
taken control of the fire.  He further said that a Bureau 
security vehicle was already at my home to take me to the BEP.
 
"I rushed to the Bureau, just beating the horrendous backup 
of traffic on 14th Street and the ensuing back-up on I-95 
(now I-295).  Four Cottrell presses were in ruins.  The 
commemorative postage stamps being printed were slated to be 
issued in about two weeks.  By 11 AM, Milton Seidel, the 
assistant director for research and engineering, stated that 
he could get two presses back into operation within a week, 
while the other two had to be dismantled.  I directed that 
such action be taken immediately and so informed U.S. Treasurer 
Bay Buchanan and Treasury Secretary Donald Regan.  

"Both Buchanan and Regan concurred in my decision, as did 
Director Clements.  This was over the objections of Clayton 
Pettaway and the D.C. fire marshal, who wanted an investigation 
as to why the four pressmen 'got out so quickly' and the fire 
suppression systems failed to work.  Security and Safety had 
a good suspicion as to what happened, but it was essential to 
get the first day issue of the commemorative stamps distributed 
at least in part. The fire had obviously spread across the 
floor and up the wall and knocked out the controls for the 
fire suppression system.  
 
"The commemorative stamp on the Cottrell press?  The Fire 
Pumper stamp."

  PROTECTING LIBRARIES FROM FIRE AND WATER DAMAGE 
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n13a16.html


QUERY: JOHN FREDERICK LEWIS DESIGN FOR 1926 SESQUICENTENNIAL HALF DOLLAR

Roger Burdette writes: "If I may, I’d like to tap into the 
knowledge base of E-Sylum readers.  Nearly all articles and 
books about Franklin half dollars state that mint engraver 
John Sinnock “borrowed” the Liberty Bell design from “…artist 
John Frederick Lewis…” for the 1926 sesquicentennial half 
dollar. Sinnock later was said to have used the same design 
on the half dollar. 

"Has anyone actually seen this design or drawing by Lewis? 
(Lewis was a lawyer, served on many Philadelphia civic 
commissions and collected oriental manuscripts. His personal 
papers are at the University of Delaware.)  Thank you.  My 
email address is accurateye at aol.com."


NEW ZEALAND COIN ISSUING AUTHORITY: ANOTHER CLARIFICATION

In an earlier item correcting a listing in Whitman's Modern 
World Coins book, Martin Purdy stated, "The correct issuing 
authority for current New Zealand collector issues is: New 
Zealand Post".

Kerry Rogers then noted: "In point of fact The Reserve Bank 
of New Zealand has the sole authority to approve any issue 
of New Zealand currency.  Currently, the Bank has a commercial 
contract with New Zealand Post."

Martin Purdy now adds: "While Kerry's comment is strictly true, 
the point (and the purpose of my publicising the error in the 
catalogue appendix) is that if collectors want an address to 
turn to to acquire current New Zealand 'collector' issues, it 
is NZ Post's address that they need, not that of the Reserve Bank."

  NEW ZEALAND COIN ISSUING AUTHORITY: A CLARIFICATION
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n13a10.html


ALAN WEINBERG ON HARVEY GAMER AND HERITAGE EXONOMIA SALES

Alan V. Weinberg writes: "A significant negative development 
has occurred this week in the field of exonumia. Exonumia as 
a highly collectable field has been growing apace in the past 
several years as more and more dealers and collectors have 
been attracted to it due to the outrageous price structure 
of coins and currency. The major factor in this growth (aside 
from eBay) has been Heritage's sophisticated auction catalogues 
and the development of their Exonumia Dept under the leadership 
of Harvey Gamer who had moved from Canada to Dallas for this 
position.
 
"All of this came to a sudden halt the middle of last week 
when Heritage suddenly dismissed Gamer for what he termed 
minor misunderstandings &  miscommunications. With Harvey's 
dismissal, the continued existence of the Heritage Exonumia 
Department is put in great jeopardy and likely cannot survive 
as they have no one else capable of and knowledgeable enough 
to handle this field.
 
"I have been in Exonumia for 40 of my 50 years collecting 
and I know of no one in the hobby who is knowledgeable 
enough and available to take on Gamer's responsibilities 
and move to Dallas. No one. The next exonumia sale had been 
scheduled for September. 

"What a shame. What was Heritage thinking...or were they? 
Heritage has become the 800 lb gorilla of the exonumia auction 
field under Gamer's watch. Exonumia as a field will be 
significantly set back."

[Time will tell how the situation develops at Heritage and 
their competitors.  The genie is already out of the bottle 
in terms of the popularity and price advances in exonumia, 
so I expect this is a train that will continue hurtling down 
the tracks regardless of engineers at the controls.  But one 
person can make a huge difference at one firm.  Again, time 
will tell, and consigners and collectors alike will be watching.  
A number of Heritage folks are E-Sylum readers, and perhaps 
they'll keep us posted on developments. -Editor]


GRANVYL HULSE ON CHOP MARKS

Granvyl Hulse writes: "What goes around comes around. I was 
in the local grocery store yesterday and the person ahead of 
me handed the clerk a $100 bill. The clerk reached in a drawer, 
pulled out a special pen and swiped the bill.  The first thought 
that came to my mind was 'chop marks'. I went back home and have 
pulled out an old Peru 1807 8 real coin that I keep to illustrate 
chop marks when I do the Boy Scout merit badge and am going to 
take it back to the store to show them what the Chinese used to 
do 201 years ago. My, how times have not changed except for 
the method."

[I've had similar thoughts watching store clerks do this - 
someone in front of me at the grocery store Friday paid with 
a $100 bill.  There are three differences between pen marking 
and counterstamps, though: 

1. the pen mark is a test, not the affirmation of the result 
   of testing

2. the pen mark is anonymous - it doesn't identify the 
   merchant who made it

3. the pen mark isn't permanent - it disappears in time

Still, there are interesting parallels with the old chopmark 
practice.  Same idea, different era.  -Editor]
	

WILLIAM A. PHILPOTT, JR. (1885-1971)	

[Last week I asked for more information on William A. Philpott, 
Jr.  Harry Cabluck forwarded a link to a web page on Philpott 
at the University of Texas web site. Here are some excerpts.  
-Editor]

Nestled in the file folders and portfolios comprising the 
William A. Philpott, Jr. Collection, documents significant 
to the study of Texas history have lain in quiet repose for 
decades. Their arrival in Special Collections in July, 2004, 
signals a new chapter in an odyssey that has taken many 
interesting twists and turns. 

Dallas resident, William A. Philpott, Jr. (1885-1971), served 
as Secretary of the Texas Bankers Association from 1915 through 
1964. For over fifty years, Philpott assembled and nurtured an 
acclaimed collection of books, maps, historical manuscripts, 
national bank notes and coins. In 1969, Philpott prepared for 
the dispersal of his manuscript materials by publishing a 
Texiana catalog, including two addenda. A third addendum 
followed in 1973, after his death. In the introductory remarks 
to Texiana, Philpott reflected on his collecting career: "…The 
project was an all-consuming hobby, and has paid off adequately 
by pleasant excursions with great men and events of the past; 
in promoting mental composure; and in lasting satisfaction of 
the soul.…I am sad at heart to contemplate passing on these 
treasures to others…." 

A Houston businessman purchased a significant portion of 
the Philpott Collection in 1973. The new owner later pledged 
his Philpott documents to a Houston bank as collateral for 
debt obligations. In l986, a portion of the pledged collection 
was publicly auctioned by a Dallas art gallery; the remaining 
documents continued to secure the debt. Through a series of 
bank mergers, custody of the remaining documents ultimately 
passed to Wells Fargo Bank Texas, N.A. in 1996. Recognizing 
the historical significance of the materials, Wells Fargo sought 
a public institution where its Philpott Collection would be 
available for research and study. In July, 2004, through the 
generosity of the Summerlee Foundation in Dallas, the William 
A. Philpott, Jr. Collection was acquired by The University of 
Texas at Arlington Libraries Special Collections where it will 
soon be available for research.

The Philpott Collection is comprised of some 215 Texana and 
other historical documents and manuscripts, divided into 185 
lots. Diverse in nature, the documents reflect its creator’s 
collecting interests. The oldest item is a 1633 French document 
signed by the Engraver of the Mint under King Louis XIII. The 
most recent is a 1956 Texas Bankers Association Dallas convention 
program.

[The article mentions another University holding, "the Texas 
Currency and Land Scrip Collection" which should be of interest 
to numismatists.  -Editor]

To read the complete article, see:
http://libraries.uta.edu/SpecColl/crose04/Philpott.htm


CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST LANCASTER, PA LIBERTY DOLLAR PROPONENT 

[Liberty Dollar proponents are still in the news. John Eshbach 
forwarded this item from the Lancaster Intelligencer-Journal. 
-Editor]

Theft charges against a Clay Township man who paid a utility 
bill last fall with privately made coins were dropped Friday 
after the man paid the bill in U.S. currency.

Fritz Schrom, a 47-year-old Constitution Party activist, was 
charged Jan. 31 with theft by deception for using silver and 
copper coins made by Liberty Dollar to pay an electric bill 
at a Weis Markets in Penn Township.

Schrom's preliminary hearing was scheduled for Friday. But 
before it began, he and his attorney, public defender David 
Blanck, agreed to pay the $111 bill with U.S. dollars, and 
the theft charges were withdrawn.

When Schrom emerged from the courtroom, about eight supporters 
— most of them wearing "Ron Paul for President" buttons — 
congratulated him.

He estimates he's paid for about $80,000 worth of goods and 
services with Liberty Dollar coins over the past 18 months, 
spending most of the money in Lancaster County.

Schrom said he was prepared to fight the charges against 
him to the Supreme Court, if necessary.

The theft charges stemmed from his payment Oct. 20 of a 
$110 PPL bill and a $1 service fee at the Weis Markets in 
Manheim Shopping Center.

He paid the clerk with five $20 coins, one $10 coin and 
one $1 coin made by Liberty Dollar, which has been minting 
the coins since 1998.

The clerk accepted them and gave Schrom a receipt, he said. 
When Weis took the coins to a bank and it refused to accept 
them, Penn Township police became involved.

Schrom acknowledged that banks don't recognize the coins 
as legal tender but said they are designed to be private 
currency for people to use as a form of barter. About $20 
million of them are in circulation nationwide, he said.

He is now attempting to get his coins back from Penn 
Township police. Because of recent declines in the value 
of the dollar, they are now worth much more than face value, 
Schrom said.

To read the complete article, see:
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/219006


ROYAL MINT UNVEILS NEW CIRCULATING COIN REVERSE DESIGNS

[On Wednesday Phil Mernick forwarded a copy of the Royal 
Mint's press release announcing the new reverse designs for 
Britain's coins.  He writes: "Very different!"   Indeed, 
the new designs will likely take some explanation and some 
'getting used to'.  As Dick Johnson notes below, the concept 
is borrowed from the medallic world, although the young 
designer may well have conceived of it independently. Here 
is a short excerpt from the Mint's release. -Editor] 

"Today, the Royal Mint is proud to unveil the new designs 
for the reverse of circulating coins used in the United 
Kingdom. It has been almost 40 years since the most current 
reverse designs were introduced and the new designs will 
renew and reinvigorate the UK’s coinage.

"A different detail from the shield of the Royal Arms is 
shown on the reverse of the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p 
coins and when placed together the coins reveal the complete 
shield.

"The Shield of the Royal Arms has been given a contemporary 
treatment and its whole has been cleverly split among all 
six denominations from the 1p to the 50p, with the £1 coin 
displaying the heraldic element in its entirety.  This is 
the first time that a single design has been used across a 
range of United Kingdom coins.

"Against all the odds, a young artist has won a public 
competition and devised a stunningly original series that 
stands as an imaginative and clever solution."

To view all of the Royal Mint's materials on the new design, see:
http://www.royalmint.com/newdesigns 

[Dick Johnson was the first to forward a newspaper article 
about the Mint's announcement.  He also sent a copy of it to 
friends at the American Medallic Sculpture Association - 
here's an excerpt of his reactions. -Editor]

In America the U.S. Mint redesigns one coin denomination at 
a time. Obverse by one artist, reverse by another. How much 
better to have one artist design multiple coins at one time. 
This is exactly what happened this week in England (at least 
new reverse designs, with the same portrait of the Queen on 
the obverse).  But note the touch of creativity:  the six 
coins, one of each denomination, can be placed adjacent to 
each other "to form a complete image of the royal shield of 
arms. The £1 coin features the complete shield."  That is 
medallic charm! 
 
For more information on the American Medallic Sculpture Association, see:
http://www.amsamedals.org/ 

[The following are excerpts from The Independent's article 
on the Mint's announcement. -Editor]

In the biggest change to coinage since decimalisation, new 
designs were introduced yesterday that form a jigsaw-like 
image of heraldic symbols when the various denominations 
are laid out next to each other.

When correctly assembled the "tails" sides of six coins from 
1p to 50p form an image of the royal coat of arms, carrying 
the symbols of the nations of the UK. 

Each denomination carries parts of two sets of three lions 
passant guardant, the Scottish lion rampant and the harp of 
Ireland. The new £1 coin carries the complete image. 

The coins, the heads sides of which retain the 1998 portrait 
of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley, are believed to be the 
first in the world designed to form a unified picture when 
put together. 

None of the new coins carries the ancient symbol of Britannia, 
who has guarded the nation's currency for 1,000 years but who 
may return on one-off commemorations for special events. 

Other symbols heading for the smelter of numismatic history 
are the portcullis and chains (1p); ostrich feathers (2p), 
thistle (5p), lion (10p), rose (20p). Britannia appeared 
on the old 50p. 

Matthew Dent, a 26-year-old designer from Bangor, north 
Wales, designed the reverses after winning a competition 
launched by the Royal Mint in 2005. It is the most significant 
redesign of the country's coins since 1968. 

If some of the other 4,000 designs pitted against Dent's 
work had been chosen, the new sides of the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10, 
and 50p might have been a Spitfire, a DNA double helix, 
fish and chips or a pint of beer. 

Entrants were given a free hand to come up with ideas but 
were advised to consider heraldic motifs and themes. Mr Dent, 
whose winning idea earned him £35,000, explained: "I felt 
the solution to the Royal Mint's brief lay in a united design. 
The idea of a landscape appealed to me – perhaps this landscape 
could stretch off the edge of one coin and appear on the edge 
of another. Then I decided to look at heraldry." Speaking at 
the launch at the Tower of London, the historic home of the 
Royal Mint, Mr Dent said: "I would love it if the coins are 
played with by everyone from kids at school to folks in a pub." 

Sir Christopher Frayling, chairman of the design board, which 
picked out the design from among those from 500 entrants, said: 
"I think these designs will become a classic in the history 
of coin design." 

*Coins tend to be changed when a monarch dies but, after 56 
years of the Queen's reign, the Royal Mint decided its metallic 
art had been "around a long time". 

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britannia-banished-as-coins-get-a-makeover-803983.html

[It was a nice touch to hold the announcement ceremony at 
the Tower of London, the early home of the Royal Mint.  
Below are excerpts from another story on the new coins from 
The Telegraph, along with some reader comments. -Editor]

The apprehension felt before the publication of designs for 
the new coinage was understandable. Britain has had a lacklustre 
coinage since 1968, and it should not have lasted this long; 
but trends in design being what they are, and political 
considerations interfering, something frightful might have 
emerged.

The new coinage does not match the glory days when the designs 
of Pistrucci, de Saulles or Mackennal: but it could have been 
far worse. 

The new reverses are clean, spare, and their sequence logical. 

The abstracts of royal arms will not be to everyone's taste, 
but they strike the eye immediately as handsome, and in their 
way are more in keeping with the traditions of the coinage 
than the first decimal designs were.

The absence of Britannia, which is surely no political statement, 
is sad: but it would be a rash numismatist who believed she has 
brandished her trident for the last time.

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/04/03/dl0303.xml

One reader commented: "This looks like a government plot to 
stop even the most hardened Euro-skeptics grieving over the 
loss of our much-loved coins and accept the Euro.... if Welsh 
nationalists, angry with Matthew Dent's omission of the Welsh 
dreagon, decide to burn down his Bangor home, the government 
should give him free accommodation in a building which, 
fittingly, used to house the Royal Mint - the Tower of London."


MATTHEW DENT, DESIGNER OF THE NEW ROYAL MINT COIN REVERSES

[The Times of London published a profile of Matthew Dent, 
the 26-year-old graphic designer who was paid £35,000 (about 
$70,000) for his winning entry for the new circulating coin 
reverse designs. -Editor]

Matthew Dent was 8 when he fell in love with coins. It was 
1990 and his friend brought a recently introduced 5p into school. 
“It was shiny and I wanted one,” said Mr Dent. “It just looked 
amazing.” Now, the 26-year-old graphic designer has been 
announced as the creative force behind the first new British 
coin series since decimalisation in 1971. 

His vision for the coins beat more than 4,000 entries in a 
2005 Royal Mint competition to find fresh designs for seven 
of Britain’s eight circulating coins, from the 1p piece to 
the £1 coin. The £2 will remain unchanged. 

That moment will have been a long time coming for Mr Dent, who 
continued his job at a design company throughout the process. 
“The committee would meet and set deadlines and I would work 
frantically. Then we would have long breaks,” he said. 

“I was working weekends and evenings. I was going to bed at 
three in the morning. I spent a lot of time apologising to 
my girlfriend,” he said. 

But, despite 16 stages of revision and a committee veto on 
a “voluptuous female torso” intended for the 50p, Mr Dent 
said the final designs were true to the original. The images 
on the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p can be pieced together to 
form a whole royal shield of arms. The £1 coin, or “jigsaw box 
lid”, features the complete picture. 

“I want my new designs to intrigue, to entertain and to raise 
a smile,” Mr Dent said. 

Andrew Stafford, chief executive of the Royal Mint, said that 
the designs were contemporary but retained “the gravitas and 
reference to history required for the UK’s coins”. 

Phillip Mussell, director of the magazine Coin News, was 
generally complimentary about the design, but expressed 
concern that the lack of numerals would pose difficulties 
for visitors from foreign countries. 

To read the complete article, see:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/architecture_and_design/article3671083.ece

[The Royal Mint's web site has this profile of Matthew 
Dent. -Editor]

As an artist his inspiration comes from many sources and 
he explored a number of options before finally developing 
his ideas for an heraldic set. The result is a set of coins 
firmly rooted in the heraldic traditions of the British
coinage yet beautifully contemporary. 

In seeking to spread a single design across six denominations, 
Matthew Dent conceived an idea that has never been realised 
before on the British coinage. To have the £1 as the unifying 
coin only emerged towards the end of the design process. 
Matthew Dent has commented that ‘the addition of the £1 coin 
design to the set was as a way of defining the whole series. 
A key coin uniting the designs’. Against all the odds, a 
young artist has won a public competition and devised a 
stunningly original series that stands as an imaginative 
and clever solution. 

‘I felt that the solution to the Royal Mint's brief lay in 
a united design - united in terms of theme, execution and 
coverage over the surface of the coins. I wondered about a 
theme of birds or plants, but also considered buildings and 
coastal scenery. The issue with this for me lay in their 
distribution; how to represent the whole of the United Kingdom 
over six coins. The idea of a landscape appealed to me; perhaps 
using well-known landscapes from different areas around the 
United Kingdom which could stretch off the edge of one coin 
onto another. This seemed like a good solution but I also 
wanted to look at other options and themes. 

I thought the six coins could make up a shield by arranging 
the coins both horizontally, as with the landscape idea, as 
well as vertically, in a sort of jigsaw style. I liked the 
idea and symbolism of using the Royal Arms, where individually 
the coins could focus on specific elements and when placed 
together they reveal the complete Royal Arms. 

I found the idea that members of the public could interact 
with the coins the most exciting aspect of this concept. It's 
easy to imagine the coins pushed around a school classroom 
table or fumbled around with on a bar - being pieced together 
as a jigsaw and just having fun with them.’ 

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.royalmint.com/newdesigns/theDesigner.aspx 

[I'll be curious to see the new coins in person.  They are 
already being manufactured at the Mint.  What do E-Sylum 
readers think? -Editor]


MOVIE REVIEW: THE BANK JOB

On Wednesday evening I told my son that "me and Pap-Pap are 
going to a Prayer Meeting."   Translation: my father-in-law 
and I were going out to a movie.  We saw "The Bank Job", a 
new heist movie based on a true story.  Set in London in 
early 1970s, it chronicles the unlikely tale of a group of 
amateur thieves who break into a safe deposit vault and 
unwittingly stumble into a rabbit's nest of spies, mobsters 
and cops on the take.

As a collector who's had a safe deposit box since I was twelve, 
I've always enjoyed the mystique of the safe deposit vault. 
Having already seen countless heist films in my childhood, 
entering the vault for the first time felt like going to church 
- a sacred place.  Tucked down in the basement of a big bank 
building, the vault was attended by the prim purveyors of an 
ancient ritual - the signing of forms, the checking of signatures, 
and the turning of multiple keys (kind of like launching an ICBM 
from a missile silo beneath a Kansas wheat field).

One can't help but wonder just what treasures are held in 
those antiseptic little metal boxes, or to fantasize about 
what it would be like to ransack them and haul off the loot.  
Does that box hold a coin collection like mine?  Gold bars?  
A dusty diary?  What's in that BIG one?  Antiques?  Paintings?  
Maybe, maybe not.  Some boxes may hold little other than birth 
certificates or other documents.   There's an old story about 
a man who visited his safe deposit box every weekday for years 
on end.  The staff was dying to know why.  Finally they did 
learn what he kept in his box - salt and pepper shakers.  He 
ate his lunch there because it was cheaper and more convenient 
than restaurants.

I was also interested in the film because of my recent stay 
in London.  I wasn't disappointed - locations included the 
Tottenham Court tube station and the Paddington train station, 
both places I passed through frequently.  In the film, spooks, 
crooks, mobsters and Lords met there to make deals and trade 
hostages and compromising documents and photographs.

Paddington looked just like I remembered it although I could 
tell right away that the tube station scenes were filmed 
elsewhere.  Tottenham Station had been modernized.  According 
to a note on the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) Aldwych 
station was chosen to film the underground scenes.

The web site also notes a numismatic anachronism: "although 
the film is set in 1971, signs on various shop doors seen in 
the film advertise that credit cards 'Visa' and 'Mastercard' 
are accepted. The name 'Visa' was not used for the charge 
card before 1977 (replacing Barclaycard in the UK); 'Mastercard' 
was 'Master Charge' until 1979."

Goofs like that are a reminder that movies being what they 
are, it may have only the slimmest connection to reality.  
It is true that on the night of September 11, 1971 a gang 
tunneled into a branch of Lloyds Bank at the intersection of 
Baker Street and Marylebone Road in London and robbed the safe 
deposit boxes there.  Beyond that, it's anyone's guess as to 
how accurately the film depicts the actual events.  Truth 
really is stranger than fiction, though.

The producers claim that they have an inside source who 
served as an advisor on the film.  Was the real goal of 
the robbery to obtain compromising photos of a member of 
the royal family?  We may never know.  Four people served 
time for the robbery, but little of the loot was ever 
recovered.

None of that should matter to the average filmgoer, though.  
It's a very well done and entertaining film, but not one to 
take young children to.

To read a review of The Bank Job in The New Yorker, see:
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2008/03/10/080310crci_cinema_denby

To read a review of The Bank Job in The Telegraph, see:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/02/15/bfbankjob15.xml


SHORT-SNORTER COLLECTION DONATED TO AIR FORCE MUSEUM

[Richard Giedroyc published a Numismatic News Viewpoint 
article titled "Share numismatic wealth with museums" 
describing his recent donation of a collection of short-snorter 
notes to the National Museum of the United States Air Force 
in Dayton, Ohio.  Here are some excerpts.  -Editor]

There are a lot of coin collectors who if they could would 
find a way to take their collection with them to the afterworld. 
A few of these collectors may will their possessions to a 
museum, however the vast majority will hope the family will 
keep the collection as a legacy. In fact if there are no other 
collectors in the family at that point the collection will be 
sold, many times incorrectly since collectors are not great 
at leaving instructions.

Understand this, you don’t have to have a million dollar 
collection for it to be worthy of being contributed to a 
museum. You don’t have to wait until you’re dead to donate 
either. 

Putting my money where my mouth (or in this case my pen) 
is, this is exactly what I did during late 2007. I contributed 
my entire collection of Short Snorter bank notes to the National 
Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. 

The Air Force museum proved to be a good choice. They were 
thrilled. According to Archives Assistant Christina Douglass, 
the museum previously had but a single note, that note having 
been received with some World War II memorabilia. Here was 
their opportunity not only to receive additional notes, but 
notes that someone had taken the time to research regarding 
who signed them, where they were signed, when, and other 
historical background information of value to future researchers. 
The notes, furthermore, are often within the realm of military 
history. 

Why am I publicizing this contribution? Because the museum 
would be pleased to add additional examples to it, if other 
collectors are willing to add their contributions rather than 
leave the fate of such collectibles to their relatives once 
the collector in the family is gone. Does this take the notes 
off the market as far as collectors are concerned? Of course! 
But, you know what, there is no guarantee the notes would 
survive in the long run considering eventually it will sooner 
or later come down to non-collectors having to dispose of 
something of which they know nothing about. 

Anyone interested in adding further Short Snorters to this 
collection should first contact the Department of the Air 
Force, National Museum of the United States Air Force, 1100 
Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433-7102. 
I would love to see my contribution be simply the nucleus for 
an even larger museum collection.  Any takers?

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.numismaticnews.net/Default.aspx?tabid=459&articleid=10475&articlemid=1391#1391Articles


SWEDES FIND VIKING-ERA ARAB COINS

[Dick Hanscomb forwarded this article on a recent hoard 
find.  -Editor]

Swedish archaeologists have discovered a rare hoard of 
Viking-age silver Arab coins near Stockholm's Arlanda airport. 

About 470 coins were found on 1 April at an early Iron Age 
burial site. They date from the 7th to 9th Century, when 
Viking traders travelled widely. There has been no similar 
find in that part of Sweden since the 1880s. 

Most of the coins were minted in Baghdad and Damascus, but 
some came from Persia and North Africa, said archaeologist 
Karin Beckman-Thoor. 

The Vikings travelled widely in their longships in the 
Baltic region and Russia from the late 8th to the 11th 
Century. They are known to have travelled as far as North 
Africa and Constantinople (now Istanbul). 

To read the complete article, see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7330540.stm


THE NEW YORKER ON THE PENNY DREADFUL

[Harry Waterson forwarded this article by David Owen in the 
March 31, 2008 issue of The New Yorker.  Owen delves into 
the problems with the nation's lowly cent coin and along the 
way visits with personnel at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. 

Dick Johnson and Dave Kellogg of Syracuse, NY (who admitted 
to being behind in reading The E-Sylum) also mentioned it.  
Dave adds: "Why, you might well ask, have I had time to read 
the New Yorker but not the E-Sylum?  The answer is 'March'.  
That's maple syrup season, and I have been occupied in the 
sugar shed boiling, boiling, boiling maple sap.  Magazines 
are allowed; a computer is not."  Here are several excerpts 
from Owen's wonderful article. -Editor]

Several years ago, Walter Luhrman, a metallurgist in 
southern Ohio, discovered a copper deposit of tantalizing 
richness. North America’s largest copper mine—a vast open-pit 
complex in Arizona—usually has to process a ton of ore in 
order to produce ten pounds of pure copper; Luhrman’s mine, 
by contrast, yielded the same ten pounds from just thirty 
or forty pounds of ore. Luhrman operated profitably until 
mid-December, 2006, when the federal government shut him 
down.

The copper deposit that Luhrman worked wasn’t in the ground; 
it was in the storage vaults of Federal Reserve banks, and, 
indirectly, in the piggy banks, coffee cans, automobile 
ashtrays, and living-room upholstery of ordinary Americans. 
A penny minted before 1982 is ninety-five per cent copper—which, 
at recent prices, is approximately two and a half cents’ worth. 
Luhrman, who had previously owned a company that refined gold 
and silver, devised a method of rapidly separating pre-1982 
pennies from more recent ones, which are ninety-seven and a 
half per cent zinc, a less valuable commodity. His new company, 
Jackson Metals, bought truckloads of pennies from the Federal 
Reserve, turned the copper ones into ingots, and returned the 
zinc ones to circulation in cities where pennies were scarce. 

Luhrman’s experience highlights a growing conundrum for the 
Mint and for U.S. taxpayers. Primarily because zinc, too, has 
soared in value, producing a penny now costs about 1.7 cents. 
Since the Mint currently manufactures more than seven billion 
pennies a year and “sells” them to the Federal Reserve at their 
face value, the Treasury incurs an annual penny deficit of about 
fifty million dollars—a condition known in the coin world as 
“negative seigniorage.” 

In January, I fulfilled a long abandoned schoolboy ambition by 
taking a field trip to watch coins being manufactured, at the 
Mint in Philadelphia. On arrival, I was required to empty my 
pockets of change, to make it easier for the Mint’s police 
force to determine later whether I had tried to smuggle anything 
out. Then I met John M. Mercanti, a substantial, bearded
middle-aged man, who is the Mint’s supervisory design and 
master tooling development specialist, and is identified by 
a sign on his office door as the Big Cheese. “My wife laughs 
at me, but I pick up pennies,” he said. “To me, a penny is a 
work of art that a lot of time and effort have gone into, and 
I’m not just going to let it lie on the sidewalk. It becomes 
a personal thing.”

New coins begin in Congress, which sets the themes, the 
metal content, and other details in consultation with the 
Mint and various interested parties, including coin collectors 
and historians. Next, the designs are created by Mercanti’s 
staff of six in-house artists and a larger group of freelancers. 
For about a century, the Mint’s sculptors have made eight-inch 
prototypes from clay and other materials, after which a machine 
called a Janvier transfer engraver has rendered those images 
onto coin-size metal dies. Now the Mint is moving toward an 
entirely digital system. 

I met Joseph Menna, a young staff artist who earned a master’s 
degree at the New York Academy Graduate School of Figurative Art, 
and he let me try his virtual-engraving tool, which looked like 
a dentist’s drill and gave realistic tactile feedback as I 
slashed away, on a computer tablet, at the face of James Madison. 
One of the biggest challenges of coin design is portraying 
realistic-looking three-dimensional facial features on a metal 
surface that is nearly flat. This difficulty explains why the 
faces on coins are almost always shown in profile: doing so 
keeps noses recognizable. The 2006 nickel, which features a 
likeness of Jefferson and was sculpted by Menna’s former 
colleague Donna Weaver, is the first circulating U.S. coin 
to have a forward-facing portrait; it is considered by coin 
aficionados to be an engraving tour de force.

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/31/080331fa_fact_owen/ 


REBUTTAL: COUNTERPOINT: STEEL CENTS COULD WORK
 
Responding to Jeff Kelley's comments on his piece about Steel 
Cents, Dick Johnson writes: "Each of the three points you brought 
up in the counterpoint in favor of steel cents last week have 
already been refuted. Your points concern: (1) copper plated 
zinc and steel cents circulating side-by-side, (2) rounding 
off to nearest 5 cents, and (3) penny vending machines.
 
"When two coins of unequal value circulate side-by-side, the 
lesser value will always drive out the dearer value. If you 
suggest a steel cent valued at one cent would circulate with 
a copper coated zinc cent valued at slightly more than one 
cent Gresham's Law comes into play. If you think not, then 
why didn't the silver-manganese wartime nickels stay in 
circulation for a couple of years longer than they did (when 
their value was only one or two cents more).
 
"Rounding off has proved successful whenever it has been 
tried. For every apocryphal story you could relate, even from 
overseas, I could match it with another. Not every merchant 
will always round up. I like the story of the Israeli drug 
chain that advertised it would only round down. It won a 
marketing advantage over their competitors for only a few 
cents per purchase. Great point to advertise, which they did.
 
"As for penny vending machines:  Show me one.  Few if any 
are active today. It is not cost effective to stock and 
retrieve cent coins from such a vending machine.  Further, 
vending machines do not reject foreign coins and slugs by 
magnetism.  It is done by surface resistivity of acceptable 
alloy coins.  But thank you for writing, Jeff. Please do 
write again."

  DICK JOHNSON: STEEL CENTS WON'T WORK!
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n11a20.html

  COUNTERPOINT: STEEL CENTS COULD WORK
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n12a14.html


BRITISH ATM GOES HAYWIRE, DISPENSING DOUBLE CASH

[Reuters published the following article about a haywire 
automated teller machine. -Editor]

A British cash machine became a big hit this week after it 
started paying out twice as much money as it should.

The ATM, outside a supermarket in they city of Hull in 
northern England, began spewing out double the money Tuesday 
afternoon and continued doing so for several hours, drawing 
a crowd of hundreds eager to cash in on the mistake.

Those requesting the maximum daily withdrawal of 300 pounds 
($600) were being given 600 pounds and a receipt for 300.

"People were calling their mates up and telling them to get 
down there," the Hull Daily Mail quoted a passer-by as saying.

After several hours the machine finally ran out of money.

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2041413420080320

[So what happened?  Did someone load 20-pound notes in the 
10-pound slot?  Did the onboard computer slip a binary digit?  
What makes this incident interesting is not so much that an 
error occurred but that how rare such incidents are given 
the billions of transactions handled yearly by ATMs worldwide.  
-Editor]


FEATURED WEB SITE: PERSPECTIVES IN NUMISMATICS

This week's featured web site is Perspectives in Numismatics, 
a compendium of studies presented to the Chicago Coin Club.  
Originally published in 1986, the volume was edited by Saul 
B. Needleman.  Not all of the book's articles are online, 
but several are, including:

  Medieval European Coinage by John F. Lhotka, Jr.
  A Coin Called Peso by Miguel L. Muñoz
  Economics of English Coinage Denominations 
     by Saul B. Needleman
  Early Coinage of Moscow by Gerard Anaszewicz
  English Merchant Tokens by Richard Doty
  Collecting U.S. Tokens: Challenges and Rewards by 
     Robert D. Leonard Jr.
  Jetons - Their Use and History by Bert van Beek 
  Caudillism as Demonstrated by Bolivian Propaganda Coinage  
     by George Lill III

http://www.chicagocoinclub.org/projects/PiN/ 


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