The E-Sylum v14#24 June 12, 2011

[esylum at binhost.com]

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The E-Sylum
  
  An electronic publication of
  The Numismatic Bibliomania Society


Volume , Number 24, June 12, 2011
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WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM JUNE 12, 2011
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NBS EVENTS AT THE 2011 CHICAGO ANA CONVENTION
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RAY CZAHOR'S MAILBID SALE XV CLOSES JUNE 14, 2011
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LAKE BOOKS' 108TH MAIL-BID SALE CLOSES JULY 12, 2011
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KOLBE & FANNING 121ST NUMISMATIC LITERATURE  SALE RESULTS
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NEW BOOK: WHAT ARE DIE VARIETIES? AN E-BOOK BY JAMES WILES
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BOOK REVIEW: STRIKE IT RICH WITH POCKET CHANGE, 3RD EDITION
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BOOK REVIEW: THE MAN WHO LOVED BOOKS TOO MUCH
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SPINK DIRECTOR PAUL DAWSON INJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
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REMEMBERING NBS MEMBER GEORGE FITZGERALD
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NUMISMATISTS ATTEND SERVICES FOR PUBLISHER AL HOCH
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FIRST DENVER MINT CHECK HOARD DISCOVERED
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A NEW CALIFORNIA GOLD CONTROVERSY: GOLD NUGGET LIKELY FROM AUSTRALIA
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"FERRACUTE GOES TO CHINA" EXHIBIT SHOWS MINTING TECHNOLOGY
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ANOTHER RATS OF TOBRUK MEDAL
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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JUNE 12, 2011
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THE NUMISMATOURIST VISITS ITALY
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MAN CHARGED IN THEFT OF RARE ALASKAN NATIONAL BANK NOTES
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JOE FOSTER RECALLS FRANK KATEN
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JOHN DANNREUTHER ON HARRY BASS
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WHY YOU CAN'T PRINT COUNTERFEIT MONEY (AND GET AWAY WITH IT)
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FRED REED ON THE BIG LIE ABOUT COUNTERFEITING IN THE U.S. 
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MORE ON AMERICAN COINS IN THE SHORTHOUSE COLLECTION
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ARTICLE SPOTLIGHTS THE U.S. MINT’S CITIZENS COINAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
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BUCKET LISTS FOR COIN COLLECTORS
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THE ’76 GOLDWATER DIME - COLLECTING COINS OF ALTERNATE UNIVERSES
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FEATURED WEB SITE: FRENCH BANKNOTES  
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Click here to read this issue on the web





WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM JUNE 12, 2011





Among our new subscribers this week is
WJC Mearns.
Welcome aboard! 
We now have 1,430 email subscribers, plus 145 followers on Facebook, including 
Jeff Oseth and Allan Speedy.


This week we open with an update on planned NBS events at this summer's Chicago ANA convention,  updates on literature sales from Ray Czahor, Fred Lake and George Kolbe, and announcements and reviews on three books.  Also, this issue brings sad news of the loss of a longtime NBS member and the serious injuries sustained by a member of the international numismatic community. 


Other topics include reminiscences of Al Hoch, Harry Bass and Frank Katen, a hoard of checks from the first Denver Mint, a new "California Gold" controversy over a whopping nine-pound nugget.  Was someone telling a whopper?


To learn about gold depository checks, Henry Janvier's trip to China, the Numismatic Cabinet of the Municipality of Milan, Harry Bass' sense of humor, the "big lie" about U.S. counterfeiting, an unusual 1972 Kennedy half dollar and Eric Newman's lovely young wife, read on.
Have a great week, everyone!


Wayne Homren
 Numismatic Bibliomania Society




NBS EVENTS AT THE 2011 CHICAGO ANA CONVENTION


The following is adapted from  emails with Numismatic Bibliomania Society President Dan Hamelberg and his President's Message in the last issue of our print journal, The Asylum.
-Editor




Our schedule for the ANA convention this August in Rosemont (just west of Chicago and next to O'Hare Field) is set.  


August 18, Thursday, NBS Symposium  11:30 - 1 PM.  Room to be announced at the convention. Featured speakers will be Joel Orosz and Len Augsburger on their new book, "The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint."  


August 18, Thursday, NBS Board Meeting 1-2 PM.  The annual board meeting will follow the symposium in the same room.
 

August 19, Friday, NBS General Meeting 11:30 - 1 PM. Room to be announced at the convention. Featured speaker will be Elizabeth Hahn, ANS Librarian, on the new and improved ANS literature web site. The general meeting will also include special announcements, board meeting review, election confirmation, awards presentation, and our annual auction.  




RAY CZAHOR'S MAILBID SALE XV CLOSES JUNE 14, 2011


Ray Czahor's upcoming Mail Bid sale has items of interest to Philippine and WWII book collectors.  Here's a note he sent last week.  It didn't make it into the last issue, but it still applies.  The sale closes on the 14th.
-Editor



Mailbid XV is 433 lots and ends at Midnight PST the 14th of June.  Please get your bids in now.   The Sale has an excellent variety of both US and World collecting interest books and WWII history and operations.  I have received bids from 63 bidders but I just counted 140 lots that have not received a bid yet.  If no bids received as of the closing date, they will be offered to the current bidders at the Minimum.  There are some great lots and buys still left.  Next week I will have the current high bids for the sale onto my web site:

mysite.verizon.net/cookiejarpi/





LAKE BOOKS' 108TH MAIL-BID SALE CLOSES JULY 12, 2011


Fred Lake forwarded this notice about his upcoming 108th mail-bid sale of numismatic literature.
-Editor



Lake Books' 108th mail-bid sale of numismatic literature is now available for viewing on their web site at: 

www.lakebooks.com/current.html  
.


The 507-lot sale features selections from the library of Lucien "Lou" Philippon, a noted Early American coppers enthusiast and specialist. You will find reference works on nearly all of the great collections of these coppers within these pages. Also to be found are studies on Ancient coinage along with books relating to European and other World coinage. The section devoted to Tokens and Medals has extensive listings. R.S.Yeoman's ubiquitous "Red Book" is offered in most of the early editions and a few of the rare "Special Editions".
 

The sale has a closing date of July 12, 2011 at 5:00 PM (EDT) and bids may be sent via email, fax, telephone or regular mail until that time. Please note the "Terms of Sale" posted to the web site.
 

Good luck with your bidding !   Fred


Lake Books
6822 22nd Ave. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33710
727-343-8055  Fax 727-345-3750




KOLBE & FANNING 121ST NUMISMATIC LITERATURE  SALE RESULTS


George Kolbe forwarded this press release on the results of the latest Kolbe & Fanning numismatic literature sale.
-Editor




Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers are pleased to announce the results of their 121st sale, which closed on June 2, 2011. It was one of the firm’s largest and most diverse sale offerings in several years. The estimates of the 1576 lots in the catalogue totaled $165,000; the sale, including the buyer premium, brought over $179,000.


The sale started off with the second part of the Alan Luedeking library. The highlights of the Luedeking library were sold for generally quite strong prices this January in New York City by Kolbe & Fanning. Formed with great care and persistence over many years, the second sale of this remarkable library featured over 700 additional lots of works mainly on Latin American numismatics, some quite rare. Many items had never been offered for sale by Kolbe & Fanning or, at least, not in many years, and bidding was intense. 


Luedeking’s comprehensive, often complete, runs of sale catalogues and periodicals were avidly competed for, as were many rare and obscure specialized monographs. Some highlights follow: a complete run of 48 Asociación Numismática Española (A.N.E.) auction sales, 1955–92, were estimated at $400 but sold for $2,070 (prices quoted include the 15% buyer premium); a large lot of 180 auction catalogues and fixed price lists featuring Latin American coins and paper money was the focus of heavy bidding, selling for $1,725 on a $500 estimate; Maury Bromsen’s 1960 tribute to José Medina sold for $276; a lot of 17 pamphlets on Central American numismatics, estimated at $70, realized $374; a featured lot was Jorge Ferrari’s 1976 monograph on the 1828 Vauxhall token, along with a nice example of the token itself, was estimated at $500 and brought $1,322; estimated at $750, a complete set of Freeman Craig fixed price lists and auction sale catalogues along with a later-produced “complete 
 list of prices realized” sold for $1,437; a second example, in lesser condition, of the fabled 1908 catalogue of the Gonzalez collection of Chilean brought $1,265 on a $1,500 estimate (the leather-bound January sale example realized $3,220); and Rosa’s large-format 1904 work on early Latin American medals realized $1,265 on a $750 estimate.


Following the remainder of the Luedeking library, nearly 200 additional lots from the Dr. Ira Rezak library were featured in the sale, including a number of seldom-seen works on Russian coins and medals. Highlights from the Rezak library produced extremely strong results in the January 2011 New Sale and the trend continued in this second offering. Auction sale catalogues featuring Russian coins and medals were in great demand: a lot of six American and European sales were estimated at $100 but realized $345; an unplated example of the 1950 Christie’s George Michailovitch sale catalogue, handpriced, sold for $374 and another annotated unplated copy brought $356, estimated respectively at $75 and $50. Estimated at $500, Ira Rezak’s research files on Russian numismatics were a highlight, selling for $1,265. A complete set of the Journal of the Russian Numismatic Society, 1979–2010, so ably edited by Randolph Zander in the earlier years and currently by Robert Julian, was another
  high point, bringing $920 on a $500 estimate.


The remaining 650 lots, the property of well over a dozen consignors, covered the numismatic spectrum. Some highlights include: a plated example of the 1929 Thomas Elder sale of the George Alfred Lawrence realized $2,875 on $2,250 estimate; an exceptionally well-preserved example of Snowden’s 1861 classic on Washington medals sold for $1,552; a fine original 1875 Crosby opus on American colonial coins, with the rare 1873 title and introduction, went for $3,105; a nice example of Strigerwalt’s little 1884 Illustrated History of United States Coins had an estimate of $300 but sold for $$575; the first three Pridmore volumes on British Commonwealth coins realized $489 though estimated at $200; an interesting volume containing fifteen priced W.E. Woodward sales issued on thick paper brought $1,552; a substantial run of The Numismatic Chronicle, 1881–2004, was estimated at $6,000 and realized $5,635; a very rare 1861 flyer promoting a lottery scheme by Augustus B. Sage of coins, m
 edals and tokens realized $1,610 on a $350 estimate; and an original 1863 San Francisco Mint payroll document confirming the employment there of author Brett Harte brought $920.


A few printed catalogues are still available and may be obtained by sending $10 to: KOLBE & FANNING NUMISMATIC BOOKSELLERS LLC, 141 W JOHNSTOWN ROAD, GAHANNA OH 43230-2700. On January 7, 2012, Kolbe & Fanning will be holding a public auction at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in conjunction with the New York International Numismatic Convention. Consignments of exceptional numismatic works are now being accepted. Inquiries may be directed to David F. Fanning at df at numislit.com, (614) 414-0855, or to George F. Kolbe at gfk at numislit.com, (909) 338-6527.




NEW BOOK: WHAT ARE DIE VARIETIES? AN E-BOOK BY JAMES WILES


Harry Cabluck forwarded the following press release from author James Wiles on his new e-book on errors and varieties.  Thanks!
-Editor




How long have you been waiting, longing, for a simple, yet elegant way to explain die varieties? Your wait is over. This new E-Book by Dr. James Wiles provides a clear explanation of die varieties, including their definitions, classifications, history, and pricing schemes. Over 6000 photos tell the story, making this E-Book the most comprehensive work on die varieties to date.

 
What will you find in the What Are Die Varieties? E-book?


An overview of the entire die variety field, including design changes, mintmark styles, doubled dies, and repunched mintmarks. Such a complete work has never before been available to collectors.

Exhaustive lists of many known die variety categories, such as over-mintmarks, inverted RPMs, Class III doubled dies, and many more. Each variety is not only listed, but is given detailed photographic coverage.

All known U.S. mint set varieties. This feature is sure to be popular with collectors because nowhere else can you find such a thorough, comprehensive list. Each mint set variety has been meticulously photographed to reveal every detail.

A cherrypicker's playbook. In other words, all the categories to look for and many of the most significant twentieth century varieties are included. With 6000+ photographs and 400+ varieties, there is something here for every collector!

A complete and easily referenced introduction to all of the Variety Vista die variety attribution guides. Thus if you want an overview of the field, this is the place to start. Or if you need to brush up on the technical language or refresh your mind on the minting process, it is all here ready for your review.



If you have friends, colleagues, even customers who want to learn about die varieties, What Are Die Varieties? will get them started and will continue to educate them as they grow in the hobby. We have taken the breadth of an overview and added the depth of research to produce a must have volume. You will find many extensive lists, most exhaustive, and all fully illustrated. You will find new varieties never before published as well as fresh presentations of your old favorites. There is something here for everyone. No matter what your level of expertise, you will find yourself referring back to this book over and over.

 
And best of all, it's still just $30 + $4 shipping and handling. At that price why not buy two, one for you and one for a friend.
Check out the Book Store on www.varietyvista.com for additional E-Books and discounts.
You can send check or MO (payable to James Wiles) to 1490 Trail View Lane, Frisco, TX 75034
OR
You can Paypal the monies to me at jameswiles at sbcglobal.net.


For more information, see:

www.varietyvista.com





BOOK REVIEW: STRIKE IT RICH WITH POCKET CHANGE, 3RD EDITION


John and Nancy Wilson submitted this review of the latest edition of a book on U.S. error coinage by Ken Potter and Dr. Brian Allen.  Thanks!
-Editor




Strike It Rich – With Pocket Change – Error Coins Bring Big Money, 3rd Edition by Ken Potter and Dr. Brian Allen is an inexpensive reference which will get everyone looking through their change for that scarce coin that will be worth hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in profit.  We know that other coin books on error coins have been written, and we have some of them in our library.  This soft cover book has 352 pages that contain many illustrations of just about every modern error coin that can make you money.  The enlargement of the illustrations makes it very easy to see the error on the coin(s).  All the illustrations are in black and white.   As the book states, "There is no need for previous knowledge to get started."
     

     When you open up the cover of the book, you cannot miss in the lower left the words “No Experience Needed.”  These are key words because the book is so well written that you can open it up to any page and find great information on some coin that you probably knew nothing about.  Go to page 116 in the book, and it has information on, The “Perfect” Circulation Strike which shows a 2003 Lincoln Cent in MS-70 Red which sold in a Teletrade Auction for $13,500.  The authors state that the chance of finding a “perfect” coin in circulation is remote.  They tell the reader to “Look at:  Uncirculated Coinage, especially “Bank Wrapped” rolls.”  Look for:  High grade examples.” 


     The well done Foreword by John Wexler lets you know that, “By becoming familiar with the contents of this book you may soon be finding some truly valuable coins for face value.”   We wholeheartedly agree with this quote and recommend this reference for beginning collectors, advanced collectors, coin dealers and treasure hunters.  Both of these authors are experts and well known leaders in the field of error coins.  Ken Potter has a web page which is updated with new discoveries and absolutely full of interesting information about error coins.   http://koinpro.tripod.com.


     The Table of Contents is the nuts and bolts of this publication.  If you recently purchased this book you can go immediately to the page(s) containing the coin you think might be something special.  If you have a coin that isn't listed, you truly might have something that will be very valuable.  You will find coins listed from 1959 to 2009 including information on the 50 State Quarters (1999 - 2009), and the U. S. Presidential Coin Program.  You will find a lot of useful information regarding just what error coins are.  


We liked the Chapter on, "Valuable vs. Other Forms of Doubling."  The seven pages containing this information will be all you will ever need if you wondered just what doubling on a coin meant.  "Planchet Errors and Varieties," is another Chapter in the book that will explain in excellent detail information regarding these errors.  If you find an error coin, the  Chapter on, "Buying and Selling Error, Variety Coins," contains 15 pages of information.  You will find all the sources that will help you dispense of, or find more information regarding the coin you wish to sell.  


     You will also find applications to join the American Numismatic Association - ANA – www.money.org, Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America - CONECA – www.conecaonline.org, and the National Collectors Association of Die Doubling - NCADD – www.ncadd98.org.   Following this Chapter, you will find information regarding, Myths About Various Coins.  It starts out with the Wheat Cent, including the 1943 Varieties.  A quote in the book is "Age Does Not Always Equal Value," is certainly true in several areas, especially when it comes to the Wheat Cent.  They have been replaced over 50 years ago with the Memorial Cent.  Today, it would be very difficult to find a bag of Wheat Cents that haven’t been searched, “numerous times.”  


Following the Wheat Cent are the Bicentennial Coins, Susan B. Anthony Dollars, Double Headed (usually a Quarter) Coin, Common Novelties (Coins that have added engravings such as a State outline and Presidential face) and finishing with Coins with No Mintmarks.  Some "Common Currency Questions" and how to find a "Web Note" is also contained in this reference.  The information on "Circulating Silver Coinage" will be useful to the beginning collector.  Information on "Tissue Overlay" detection of Silver Coins was very interesting and will show you how to detect 1965 Washington Quarters that were struck on a silver blank.


     The one page information on the Estimated Silver-Coinage Value Chart (provided by Krause Publications), will give you values of the Jefferson War Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, Washington Quarter, Kennedy Half (90% and 40% Silver).  You can quickly see the prices per ounce from $5.50 to $15.50.  These figures are very low today.   Hopefully a 4th Edition will contain values up to $50.  


"Coin Terms And Definitions," the "Bibliography,"  "Recommended Reading" and a page on "Final Tips" finishes out the book and we like the quote, "Perseverance is the key to Strike it Rich with Pocket Change.  We like the famous quote, "A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted."  If perchance you pass on a rare coin to someone, and they later tell you about it, you will shake your head and wonder why you didn't look at the coin before passing it on.   Al Jolson sang the song, “Brother Can You Spare A Dime,” which had become popular during the Great Depression.  Who knows, the dime that was given to someone during the depression could have been a rare date or variety.  Today, you could pass on a rare dime or other coin to someone and later find out about it.  A little knowledge would have prevented this from happening.


   All the Chapters in the book are interesting and fun to read.  Numismatic education is power, and if you read only a small part of this book it can help you to make money in an area you never thought possible.  These authors have hit the jackpot and authored a reference that will help everyone in their knowledge and pursuit of error coins.    It is a super bargain at the retail price of $19.99 (it recently was reduced to $13.59) from the publisher at:  Krause Publications, a division of F + W Media, Inc., 700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001, (715) 445-2214 or (888) 457-2873 or visit www.krausebooks.com




BOOK REVIEW: THE MAN WHO LOVED BOOKS TOO MUCH


Len Augsburger submitted this review of a book published last year about a modern  biblioklept - "book thief".  Bibliophiles, beware.
-Editor



 
By chance I picked up a copy of "The Man Who Loved Books Too Much," which George Fuld mentioned in the 2010 Esylum.  The book detail the exploits of John Gilkey, a rare book thief who will do pretty much anything to pilfer a book.  Libraries and dealers alike, beware!  He steals, gets caught and prosecuted, only to steal again after his sentence is served.  The author, Allison Hoover Bartlett, leaves us little assurance that the cycle will ever be broken. 


 Bartlett's point of view reminded me a lot of Alison Frankel's book on the 1933 double eagle - bringing an outside journalist's eye to what is primary a middle-aged male endeavor.  Book collectors, it turns out, like coin collectors, tend to be older males.  As such, the book is a little bit painful to read - she has no axe to grind with the collector per se, but she is telling it like she sees it.  The scary part is that most collectors will see a bit of themselves in Gilkey, who she thoroughly dissects over a series of interviews.  


The primary source material is the author's extensive interviews with Gilkey and Ken Sanders, a rare book dealer responsible for bringing Gilkey to justice.  Bartlett made the decision early on to inject herself as a character into the book - perhaps self indulgent in some situations, but necessary in this one.  She develops a relationship with Gilkey over a period of years, and if she doesn't amplify the reader will be left curious.  


As my wife, not a numismatist, tells me, the story behind my books ought to be a book itself.  The book is a quick read (not sure why the publisher chose to double space it, perhaps to help justify the cover price) and with used copies on Amazon starting at $2, is a no-brainer for all of us who love books too much.



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