The E-Sylum v15#19 May 6, 2012

[esylum at binhost.com]

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


Volume , Number 19, May 6, 2012
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WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM MAY 6, 2012
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KOLBE & FANNING BUY OR BID SALE NO. 1 CLOSES MAY 9. 2012
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WASHINGTON PATTERN COINAGE OF PETER GETZ SUPPLEMENT PUBLISHED
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NEW BOOK: THE WINCHESTER MINT 
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NEW BOOK: 2013 U.S COIN DIGEST, 11TH EDITION
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NEW BOOK: TREASURE HUNT IN THE ENCHANTED FOREST
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A NUMISMATIC LIBRARY ON A CD 
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BOWERS ON THE USEFULNESS OF REAL (PRINTED) NUMISMATIC BOOKS
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EXHIBITION OF GREEK MEDALS AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
<#a09>
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ANS EXHIBIT: SIGNS OF INFLATION
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GEORGE KOLBE ON NUMISMATIC GOSSIP
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QUERY: WHICH IS MORE DESIRABLE: HIGH CONDITION OR ACTUAL USAGE?
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MORE ON THE SCHULMAN MEDALLIC HISTORY OF MONEY AND BANKING
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MORE ON WEARING COTTON GLOVES
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THE MEDALS OF JOHN MERCANTI
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MORE ON FRANKLIN MINT PHILIPPINE ISSUES
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ROCKWELL FRANKLIN MINT SCOUTING MEDALS 
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AUGSBURGER UNCOVERS A NEW IMAGE OF CHRISTIAN GOBRECHT
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WHO WAS HAYIM SOLOMON?
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MORE REFERENCES ON PALESTINE NUMISMATICS
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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: MAY 6, 2012
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YOUNG NUMISMATISTS AT STACK’S
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THE NEW JERSEY NUMISMATIC SOCIETY 
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THE LAST CANADIAN CENT HAS BEEN STRUCK
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2015 SWEDISH BANKNOTE DESIGNS SELECTED
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THE PERTH MINT 
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MORE ON THE ART OF BANKNOTE FOLDING
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MAN ARRESTED FOR CARRYING A REAL $50 BILL
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PSYCHOTIC WOMAN TEARS UP BANKNOTES
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FEATURED WEB SITE: MONEYMUSEUM.COM
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Click here to read this issue on the web

To comment or submit articles, reply to 
whomren at gmail.com




WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM MAY 6, 2012






New subscribers this week include 
Lin Golbeck.
Welcome aboard!
We have 1,549 email subscribers, plus 173 followers on Facebook.
What is it with Facebook anyway?   Our count there has plateaued - no one else likes us, or what?


Anyway, this week we open with a couple notes from Kolbe & Fanning, information on three new numismatic titles and two numismatic exhibits.
Other topics include Christian Gobrecht, numismatic gossip, Greek medals, the medals of John Mercanti and young numismatists at Stack's.


To learn more about the Perth Mint, the Winchester Mint, conservatorship and cotton gloves, the psychotic woman's banknote tantrum, the wisest and wealthiest resident in the Enchanted Forest, and Hayim Solomon and the Star of David on the U.S. one dollar bill, read on.  
Have a great week, everyone!




	
KOLBE & FANNING BUY OR BID SALE NO. 1 CLOSES MAY 9. 2012


David Fanning forwarded this reminder of Wednesday's closing date for his firm's Buy or Bid Sale No. 1.
-Editor




Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers reminds bidders that their first “Buy or Bid Sale” will close on this Wednesday, May 9. The online-only sale is designed to sell hundreds of lots cheaply, giving collectors an opportunity to add to their libraries at inexpensive prices. While hundreds of lots have already been sold, hundreds remain available. The PDF catalogue is available for downloading from the Kolbe & Fanning website at 

www.numislit.com 
.


As the name of the sale suggests, customers may bid on items they wish to acquire or buy them outright at the published price. The Terms of Sale give full instructions on how to participate. Both bidding and buying will end Wednesday evening, with phone calls being taken till 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time and emails, voicemails and faxes received until midnight.


To further encourage participation, the firm is offering free postage to addresses in the U.S. for customers spending at least $500; also, there is no packing and processing fee for this sale. Again, please read the Terms of Sale before participating.


If you wish to be added to Kolbe & Fanning’s email list, or if you have any questions about the sale, please write to David Fanning at df at numislit.com. He can also be reached at (614) 414-0855.



	
WASHINGTON PATTERN COINAGE OF PETER GETZ SUPPLEMENT PUBLISHED


David Fanning forwarded this announcement of a newly=published supplement to George Fuld's recent book on Getz coinage.  Thanks!
-Editor



 
ANNOUNCING AN ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT TO
THE WASHINGTON PATTERN COINAGE OF PETER GETZ


Thanks to the efforts of George Fuld, the above mentioned book, published in 2009, has been brought up to date. For the benefit of purchasers of the original book, one duplication, two additional Getz copper specimens, and one brass Masonic medal have been recorded in the supplement.


The Supplement has been posted on the Kolbe & Fanning website and interested parties may download it at no cost at

 www.numislit.com
.



To read an earlier E-Sylum article, see:

BOOK REVIEW: THE PATTERN COINAGE OF PETER GETZ BY GEORGE FULD

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n20a07.html)



	
NEW BOOK: THE WINCHESTER MINT 


Tom Fort submitted this information about a newly published book in an email titled "When In Doubt, Gouge the Americans".
-Editor




I recently received a notice that the long promised [since the late 1970s, three of the contributors have died during its long period of gestation] monograph of the Winchester Mint (edited by Martin Biddle) was finally available. While my copy of the work has not arrived, its published table of contents strongly suggests that it will doubtlessly become a standard reference for those interested in the mediaeval English coinage. 


The book is published by our friends at Oxford University Press, which along with their “cousins” Cambridge University Press, have a long history of overcharging foreigners. Especially the Americans, doubtless because we are rich and stupid (many times they are at least half right).


In the US the book will be available from a number of sellers later this month:


Oxford University Press: http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Archaeology/European/?view=usa&ci=9780198131724
Where you can get it for the full retail price of $450.00


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Winchester-Studies-Related-Excavations-1961-71/dp/0198131720/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335880770&sr=8-1
Where it is priced at $414.25


Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/winchester-studies-8-the-winchester-mint-martin-biddle/1103621169?ean=9780198131724
The cheapest at $398.16


The latter two offer free shipping, Oxford will charge you for this service.
However, if you purchase the book from a British dealer the cost is £100.00 (about $150.00)!


It is available from Spink - email their book department at: books at spink.com


Blackwells: http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/id/The_Winchester_Mint/9780198131724


Amazon’s British site has the work at £95.00: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winchester-Studies-Related-Excavations-1961-71/dp/0198131720/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335879975&sr=1-1


I paid, including air post and exchange rate, about $170.00. I will not say from whom, since all of these dealers are reputable.


As I said earlier, from the table of contents this should be a wonderful book for any student or scholar of the British series, but in this case if you live in the US and want to fill the hole in your library — buy British.



	
NEW BOOK: 2013 U.S COIN DIGEST, 11TH EDITION


Another new edition was announced by Krause Publications this week. 
-Editor




A new edition of U.S. Coin Digest, one of the most popular, easy-to-use resources for U.S. coin values, is now available from Krause Publications.


2013 U.S Coin Digest, 11th Edition is a fully illustrated guide to all United States coin issues offering the most up-to-date pricing in up to 11 grades. The spiral binding makes it easy for readers to read about the new Presidential dollar series, First Spouse Coins, Territory Quarters, and America the Beautiful Quarters. It includes all circulating and commemorative U.S. coins and features coins of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Philippines. Clear images and accurate prices make 2013 U.S. Coin Digest the only reference needed for collecting U.S. coins.


Other features include:


• Binding that allows the book to lay flat on a table, creating the perfect "hands-free" tool for researching and pricing 
• More than 1,000 high-quality color images from the nation's leading auction houses 
• Thousands of accurate coin prices including all gold, platinum, palladium, and silver prices fixed to the most current market levels


Author: Editor: David C.Harper 
Market Analyst: Harry Miller
Price: USA $19.99 | CAN $18.99
ISBN: 9781440229596


For more information, see:

http://www.sellcoinbooks.com/us-coin/2013-u-s-coin-digest-11th-edition




	
NEW BOOK: TREASURE HUNT IN THE ENCHANTED FOREST



Author Ian Lucas writes:


I recently co-authored a children's illustrated book on coins and the monetary system, Treasure Hunt in the Enchanted Forest:  The Search for Good Money.  It discusses historical evolution of the American system, the qualities of good and bad money, Gresham's Law, and more.  




There are a number of books about coins for kids out there, but few attempt to tackle the weighty subject of economics.   Below are excerpts from the book's web site.
-Editor




Grandpa Owl, the wisest and wealthiest resident in the Enchanted Forest, teaches his grandkids about kindness, fairness, and the secret to his riches. Follow along with Brother and Sister Owl as they learn lessons that students of top business schools do not receive. When you're done, you will be ready to go on your very own hunt for real treasure!


What others are saying:

Impossibly cute and just a tiny bit cunning, Treasure Hunt in the Enchanted Forest aims to teach kids a profound lesson about currency—one mom and dad surely will find eye-opening as well. History and economic lessons are cleverly hidden within a sweet, beautifully illustrated story crafted to enchant even the youngest readers. If you’re curious about the true “value of a dollar,” Treasure Hunt is worth its weight in gold.

~Jenna McCarthy, author of The Parent Trip: From High Heels and Parties to Highchairs and Potties



If anyone would like to write a review, Ian offered to send a copy to an E-Sylm reader.
-Editor



For more information, see:

Treasure Hunt in the Enchanted Forest: The Search for Good Money

(www.treasurehuntkidsbook.com)



	
A NUMISMATIC LIBRARY ON A CD 

Bruce W. Smith writes:


Awhile back I was searching for something on the internet and stumbled on to a CD for sale on eBay. As you may know, genealogy enthusiasts are putting lots of old books, such as county histories and other local history works, on CD and selling them at reasonable prices, usually $10 to $30. Often there are a dozen or more works on one CD. 


I have often wished someone would do that with old numismatic works. Well, someone has. I ordered and received a CD containing around 100 (yes, a hundred) numismatic works, mostly from the 1800's, with a few from the 1700's and early 1900's. The CD also contains about 30 books on gold prospecting, gold refining, and goldsmith and silversmith markings. Some of these works are small -- under 100 pages -- but most run 200 to 500 pages. I have attached a list of some of them.


      I contacted the seller, and he is the "maker" of the CD collection. He says so far he only sells them on Ebay, under the seller name:  used_but_good_stuff. The CD I received is labeled "Vintage Gold and Silver Coins" but the item title on eBay is different. The heading reads: Gold Silver Coins - Hallmarks - Gold Silversmiths 130 Rare.  The seller, Bill in Murrieta, CA says there are 130 titles on the CD. They are in PDF format and the CD is for use in a computer -- he says it won't work in a CD player or DVD player. 


       Most of the books are on Greek, Roman and British coins, but there are works on China, Japan, India, Mexico, Canada, United States and other areas. Also on the CD are single years of American Journal of Numismatics, Spink's Numismatic Circular, and the Numismatic Chronicle (Royal Numismatic Society). Of course, most of these works have been superseded by later works, but it is nice to have the older sources to look at. And the price for these 130 titles?  Only $15.95 plus shipping. The only drawback I have found so far to this and similar CD's I have of Chinese works and works on Missouri history, is remembering what's on each disk




Here's the list Bruce provided.  Thanks!
-Editor





Manual of Gold and Silver Coins of all Nations (1842)

Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gold & Silver Coins of the World (1886)

Numismatic Chronicle (1889; Royal Numismatic Society)

Numismatic Circular (1895; Spink’s)

American Journal of Numismatics (1877)

American Numismatical Manual (1859)

Early Coins of America (1875; Crosby?)

Exhibition of United States and Colonial Coins (1914)

Mexican Imperial Coinage (1899)

Coins, Tokens and Medals of the Dominion of Canada (1869)

Catalogue of English Coins in the British Museum (1887)

Silver Coins of England (1849)

Catalogue of Scottish coins in the National Museum of Antiquities (1901)

A Table of English Silver Coins (1745)

Coins of the Romans Relating to Britain (1836)

Coins of the Ancient Britons (1864)

Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum (1873)

Coins of Ancient Sicily (1903)

Catalogue of the Coins of Alexandria and the Nomes (1892; 531 pages)

Greek Coins and the Parent Cities (1902; 521 pages)

Ancient Coins of Greek Cities and Kings (1731)

Coins of Parthia (1903; 412 pages)

Catalogue of Imperial Byzantine Coins (1908; 455 pages; Wroth?)

Carolingian Coins (1908)

Jewish Coins (1903)

Catalog of Chinese Coins (1892; Lacouperie, 504 pages)

Coins of Japan (1880)

Catalogue of the Collection of Oriental Coins (1774)

Catalog of Oriental Coins in the British Museum (1875)

Catalog of Coins in the Punjab Museum (1914; 583 pages)

Coins of the Urtuki Turkmans (1875)

Early Sassanian Inscriptions, Seals and Coins (1868)

Catalogue of the Collection or Arabic Coins (1897; 387 pages)

Coins of the Moghul Emperors of Hindustan (1892; 587 pages)

Coins of Ancient India from the Earliest Times (1891)




	
BOWERS ON THE USEFULNESS OF REAL (PRINTED) NUMISMATIC BOOKS


e-Books are fine, but let's not forget about the other kind.
On April 30 numismatic author and researcher Dave Bowers published an essay on "On the Usefulness of Real (printed) Numismatic Books".   Here are some excerpts.
-Editor



Time was when there was a huge numismatic appetite for hardcover books. My History of the California Gold Rush book, 2002, was printed to the extent of over 4,000 copies and retailed for $150 or more and is now sold out. In 1979 my History of American Coinage as Illustrated by the Garrett Collection, a deluxe hardbound book, sold its first printing of 4,000 copies almost overnight, and all told 20,000 or more were sold. In 2012 I don’t think that would happen, given equivalent books.


I can readily appreciate why the Encyclopedia Britannica folded its wings—for instead of spending $1,000 (or whatever) for a set of bound volumes, a reader can find much of the same information for free on the Internet. Years ago when I was writing an article and wanted to learn about Gulian Verplanck or Alexandre Vattemare, I needed to go to my reference library, take out a few volumes, look through them, and then pick out what I wanted to include in my research. Today in 2012 a few keystrokes will do it. Amazing.


And yet there is still something comfy about owning a real book. The new 2013 edition of the Guide Book of United States Coins (known as the “Red Book”) is on sale everywhere, backed by a print run in the hundreds of thousands of copies. It is one of the top-selling non-fiction titles ever published in the United States.


My advice: By all means use the Internet for information on poll statistics, the latest news, encyclopedic information, or what the world was like in 1890. But, when it comes to enjoying numismatics, build a library—a shelf full of interesting, useful, and inspiring books. They are something inspiring to hold on to, to have in your hand, and a world of enjoyment is at your fingertips. The list of Whitman titles is a good starting place.


Do you know when the first truly numismatically useful reference book was published in America? Here is the answer:


The year was 1839.


The initial volume of note was Joseph Barlow Felt’s opus published this year, An Historical Account of Massachusetts Currency, an impressive 248 pages in length (first edition), the first book with an American imprint to treat in detail a numismatic subject. The work was not intended for collectors but, as the title indicates, dealt with the history of money and media of exchange of the Massachusetts colony. 


Nevertheless, it was highly valuable and informative to numismatists. Legislation details and information about the well-known silver coins minted beginning in 1652, and of various paper money issues, were presented in a time-line sequence. A later edition of the book was 259 pages in length and included three plates (one of which illustrated the curious 1652-dated Good Samaritan shilling) and an index.


Nearly all of the information presented by Felt in 1839 is relevant and highly useful today. Imagine that!


To read the complete article, see:

On the Usefulness of Real (printed) Numismatic Books

(whitman.com/news/On-the-Usefulness-of-Real-printed-Numismatic-Books+1482)



	
EXHIBITION OF GREEK MEDALS AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY


Alan Stahl of Princeton University forwarded this press release about an interesting new exhibit.
-Editor




To showcase its recent acquisition of a collection of more than 120 medals of modern Greece, the Princeton University Numismatic Collection has installed an exhibition of a selection of historically important pieces in the Boyd Room of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections in Firestone Library. The exhibition has been curated by Mary Thierry, Princeton Class of 2012, who has been working in the Numismatic Collection for the past three years and has taken the University’s graduate seminar in numismatics. The medals will be on display for an indefinite period during hours when the department is open to the public.








The collection was put together by a private collector in Athens and purchased by Princeton with funds from the Stanley J. Seeger Hellenic Fund and the Townsend-Vermeule Fund. It is believed to be the largest collection of modern Greek commemorative medals in an American public collection. Among the highlights of the collection and the current exhibition are a set of medals from1836 by the Austrian engraver Konrad Lange, who also engraved early coin dies for the newly established Greek Republic, and participation medals of the early Olympics, including the national Greek games that preceded the establishment of the International Olympic Games in 1896.








The public is invited to attend a celebration of the opening of the exhibition, and the graduation of its guest curator, on Thursday, May 31, at 4 p.m. in the Boyd Room. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed holidays. Further information can be obtained from Alan Stahl, Curator of Numismatics, at astahl at princeton.edu or (609) 258-9127.


Alan adds:


As this whole field of early Greek medals is very poorly studied, I would appreciate any information your readers might have that would help us in cataloguing them.




	
ANS EXHIBIT: SIGNS OF INFLATION



François R. Velde writes:


You might want to mention the American Numismatic Society exhibit at the New York Fed on "signs of inflation".  It was reviewed in Newsweek.




The exhibit opened at the end of March, and runs in conjunction with the ANS’ long running exhibit Drachmas, Doubloons & Dollars: The 
History of Money, featuring over 800 pieces from the Society’s collection, including a Brasher doubloon, an 1804 dollar 
and a Confederate half-dollar, as well as the world’s most valuable coin – a 1933 Double Eagle (on loan).  Here's an excerpt from the Newsweek review.
-Editor








The worse a nation’s economy, the more inflated its currency.



That’s one of the takeaways from Signs of Inflation, a new exhibition at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The show, presented by the American Numismatic Society, looks at the history of inflation through the 7th century B.C. to present day. (Yes, even Ancient Rome experienced inflation—it needed to finance those wars.) Signs of Inflation includes almost 200 monetary objects, ranging from engraved gold coins and cowrie shells to twisted iron rods and handwritten IOUs. But it also demonstrates the myriad, complex ways a bank note—or coin, shell, or what have you—reveals a society’s political and economic health. And it does so through treating money as partly an objet d’art


The exhibition’s largest bill, in terms of monetary units, is from 1946 Hungary: a bank note, printed in July but never circulated, worth 1 sextillion pengö. The bill’s design, which features a beautiful, serene-looking young woman, belies the fact that the country’s monetary system was on the brink of collapse. Its worth at the time: 50 cents. Its worth after Hungary’s new currency, the forint, was introduced in August of that year: 1/10,000,000 of a cent.


Visitors must make an appointment in advance to view the show.


To read the complete article, see:

The Value of Worthless Money

(www.thedailybeast.com//content/newsweek/2012/04/29/exhibit-considers-the-politics-and-art-of-inflation.html)


To read the complete Press Release, see:

Signs of Inflation

(numismatics.org/wikiuploads/NewsEvents/SignsofInflationPressRel.pdf)


For more information, see:

Signs of Inflation

(numismatics.org/Exhibits/SignsofInflation)



THE BOOK BAZARRE
DAVID SKLOW - FINE NUMISMATIC BOOKS offers Mail Bid Sale No. 16 on 
June 2, 2012, including:
 
The Complete Guide to Lincoln Cents, by David Lange, Deluxe half morocco limited number edition, No. 1 of 25.

www.finenumismaticbooks.com.
PH: (719) 302-5686, FAX: (719) 302-4933.  EMAIL: numismaticbooks at aol.com. USPS: Box 6321, Colorado Springs, CO. 80934. Contact me for your numismatic literature needs! 




	
GEORGE KOLBE ON NUMISMATIC GOSSIP


George Kolbe submitted these thoughts on earlier writings by Alan Weinberg and Paul Bosco.
-Editor



I disagree with Paul Bosco about his disagreement "with Charlie Davis about the Alan Weinberg recounting of his besting of Jack Collins and John Ford."


More to the point, dear editor, you have compounded the poor judgment exercised by running the initial account. Now, we are being treated to unwarranted assumptions about the matter based on, as Paul Bosco accurately puts it: "gossip". 


"Just because it is gossip does not mean it is not information." Really? It is an unverified account that reflects unfavorably on the co-founder of NBS and another past member, neither of whom are around to defend themselves. "Others were more concerned about not have [i.e., having] to pay 'all the money' to some old lady." Really? How can that conclusion be properly made without input from the parties involved?


Three questions:


1) Would the recounting have been written if Jack and JJF were still around?
2) Would it have been published if Jack and JJF were still around?
3) Would Paul Bosco, assuming an affirmative response to queries 1 & 2, have made the same response if Jack and JJF were still around?


I have no way of gauging the accuracy of Alan Weinberg's commentary. Perhaps it is accurate; perhaps it is not. Assuming that it is, at the very least, context is lacking and it is incorrect to conclude that "Others were more concerned about not have [i.e., having] to pay 'all the money' to some old lady." If all three parties were great collectors, were not the two vying for the prize both "most concerned about acquiring a great piece" and were not both of them attempting to buy it at the lowest possible price?


It is wrong to print gossip, particularly when it reflects poorly on those who are no longer able to defend themselves.


In brief: gossip + conjecture = b--- s---.


To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:


NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: APRIL 29, 2012: Bosco on Numismatic Gossip

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n18a16.html)


ALAN WEINBERG RECALLS JACK COLLINS

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n13a05.html)



	
QUERY: WHICH IS MORE DESIRABLE: HIGH CONDITION OR ACTUAL USAGE?



Dave Hirt writes:


This week I re-read the adventures of Alan Weinberg obtaining the James K Polk Indian Peace medal. While thinking about it, I recalled a post by Harvey Stack a few weeks ago, where he told about Lammot Dupont when he was buying
an early American silver coin was not interested in a BU piece, but rather a lightly circulated one that had been handled by people, perhaps even some of our nation's founders.


 The described Polk medal is a beautiful proof, but surely has never been on an Indian reservation. So, which would be more desirable -  that piece, or an identical one, say, fine with some nicks and scratches and a small hole that was worn by a real Indian chief? (Living history.)


In my library I have books that picture Indian chiefs proudly wearing their medals, the oldest being Red Jacket wearing a large engraved medal of Washington.   I guess it would depend on collector himself. Probably the condition fans would outnumber the history fans. 




Great question!  I know I fall more into the History camp myself, preferring for instance, issued and circulated obsolete currency to pristine proofs or unsigned remainders.   But desirability is in the eye of the beholder.  What do readers think?
-Editor



To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:


HARVEY STACK REMEMBERS LAMMOT DUPONT

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n13a13.html)


ALAN WEINBERG RECALLS JACK COLLINS

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n13a05.html)



	
MORE ON THE SCHULMAN MEDALLIC HISTORY OF MONEY AND BANKING


Dick Johnson submitted this follow-up on the Schulman series of medals on the Medallic History of Money and Banking. Thanks!
-Editor




I'd like to encourage Paul Bosco to recall the events he mentioned in last week's E-Sylum. He had a ringside seat to many numismatic bouts in New York City for the last three decades. His observations and commentary would certainly be of interest, irrespective if he was participant or observer.
 

I must correct his entry, however, on the Schulman series of medals, the Medallic History of Money and Banking. They were struck by Medallic Art Company not Franklin Mint as he stated (this negates two paragraphs of his entry).   
 

The series began in 1971, issued monthly for 12 issues into 1972. The obverses were modeled by different sculptors, I have record of Patrick Whitaker creating number one, two and twelve. The reverse was modeled by Ramon Gordils from a single design, creating a common reverse for all. The choice of these sculptors tells me the series was on a fast track to prepare these quickly, rather than a more studied, artistic effort by perhaps a different set -- or a single sculptor.
 

In one of his statements, Hans Schulman stated that he choose Medallic Art Company because he could literally walk across Manhattan to Medallic Art's plant -- then at 325 East 45th Street -- from his office, then at 25 West 45th Street.
 

My records on this series are incomplete, and the reason for this is that Medallic Art was in a six-month planning and moving session during that first half of 1972 to relocate to Danbury Connecticut. This took place with the final day, June 2, 1972.
 

This had an effect on the Schulman series and reason for the fast-track sculpture, die making and striking before all the equipment was disassembled for the move to the new plant in Danbury.
 

At the time I cataloged the medals I had on hand and assigned the series a catalog number of 71-156. In 2000 the master number was revised to 1971-156. Each of the 12 medals carried their suffix serial number. 
 

My appeal for information on this series mentioned in The E-Sylum brought a useful reply from Holly Ponsell, who earns my grateful appreciation. She furnished a scan of  six pieces of literature, which, with my incomplete Medallic Art Company records, allowed me to piece together an account of this series  I still cannot document fully who modeled issues three through eleven.
 

However, here is a list of the twelve medals in the series:
 



1971 Babylonian Marketplace Medal (obv by Patrick 
Whitaker, rev by Ramon Gordils) . . . .MAco 1971-156-001

1971 Croesus Establishes First Coinage Medal (obv by
Patrick Whitaker, rev by Gordils) . . .  MAco 1971-156-002

1971 Shekel Coin of 66-70 AD Medal . . . . . MAco 1971-156-003

1971 Marco Polo Discovers Paper Money 
Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-156-004

1971 Accounting by Van Reymersvalle                   
Medal  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MAco 1971-156-005

1971 Leonardo da Vinci Invents Coin Stamper
           Medal    . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-156-006

1972 Rothschild Family Banking Dynasty
Medal    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1971-156-007

1972 Benjamin Franklin Medal. . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-156-008

1972 David Rittenhouse Medal. . . . . . . . . .  MAco 1971-156-009

1972 American Gold Rush Medal. . . . . . . .  MAco 1971-156-010

1972 International Trade Dollar Medal. . . . . MAco 1971-156-011

1972 New York Stock Exchange Medal (obv by Patrick 
Whitaker, rev by Gordils) . . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-156-012



The common reverse features an Egyptian Pharaoh Treasurer weighing gold rings with a Calf's-head weight. The scene is an exact reproduction of an Egyptian tomb painting (about 1400 BC). At left is a box containing additional gold rings, and above are other symbols of wealth, including a libation saucer and a bolt of exotic cloth.
 

Again, with additional thanks to Holly Ponsell. And a closing statement how useful sales literature and contemporary advertising can be for medallic research.


To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:

BOSCO ON THE SCHULMAN MEDALLIC HISTORY OF MONEY AND BANKING

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n18a13.html)



	
MORE ON WEARING COTTON GLOVES



Anne Bentley writes:


In reply to Kay Freeman’s query regarding gloves…At the Massachusetts Historical Society we require gloves for everything except books and manuscripts.  We discovered that researchers do more damage to paper when they are wearing cotton gloves, since they aren’t used to them and are clumsy in handling paper.   Of course, we request that they wash their hands before sitting down to work…especially after lunch!



John Kleeberg writes:


The British Library receives this query a lot.  White gloves are no longer considered best practice when handling manuscripts and rare books.  The following two links explain why.




Thanks!  Here are some excerpts.
-Editor




In general we do not use or provide 
white gloves for use with collection 
items. Clean dry hands, free from 
creams and lotions, are preferable in 
the majority of circumstances. 
Wearing cotton gloves when handling 
books, manuscripts or fragile paper 
items reduces manual dexterity and 
the sense of touch, increasing the 
tendency to 'grab' at items. The cotton 
fibres may lift or dislodge pigments 
and inks from the surface of pages 
and the textile can snag on page 
edges making them difficult to turn. All these factors increase the risk of damage to 
collection items.


To read the complete article, see:

The use of white cotton gloves for handling collection items

(www.bl.uk/aboutus/stratpolprog/ccare/introduction/preservation/usingcollections/whitegloves.pdf)


Awkward mobility. Loss of feeling. Impaired sensations.
These are not descriptions of a trip to the dentist, but
rather a visit to the reading rooms of many special 
collections where the experience of handling valuable
rare books and documents is synonymous with 
donning white cotton gloves. This paper examines the
effect of this well-meaning effort to protect our 
irreplaceable holdings from soiling in light of the
potential for damage introduced by handicapping 
the handler. Routine hand washing is recommended as
a more effective means of preventing the spread of dirt
while improving the user’s haptic response to and 
tactile appreciation of the collections.


To read the complete article, see:

Misperceptions about White Gloves

(archive.ifla.org/VI/4/news/ipnn37.pdf)


To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: APRIL 29, 2012: On Wearing Cotton Gloves

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n18a16.html)



	
THE MEDALS OF JOHN MERCANTI


Last week Dennis Tucker issued a request for help locating images of a number of U.S. Mint medals for an upcoming publication.   He asked,  "What do all of these medals have in common (other than being U.S. Mint products)?"
-Editor



Bill Burd writes:


What do they have in common?  They all required Congressional approval.



Pete Smith writes:


I suggest there are at least two common elements in the list of medals mentioned by Dennis Tucker.
 

1.  None of them are listed in Julian's Medals of the United States Mint The First Century.
 
2. All were executed by Mint sculptor/engraver John Mercanti.



Dennis Tucker writes:


Mercanti it is! That was the connection I had in mind. 
We’re working with Mr. Mercanti on a book about the American Silver Eagle (he designed its reverse, of course), and one of the appendices is an illustrated catalog of his numismatic works.   As far as I’m aware, this will be the first book-length study of the ASE ever published.



To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:

QUERY: U.S. MINT MEDAL IMAGES SOUGHT

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n18a17.html)



	
MORE ON FRANKLIN MINT PHILIPPINE ISSUES





 Franklin Mint Phillipine coin types - image courtesy Griff Ruby



Regarding Griff Ruby's questions about Philippine items issued by the Franklin Mint, Ray Czahor writes:


I have been a collector/dealer in Philippine Numismatics for the past  
49 years.  Yet I don't know the answers to most of the questions asked  
about Franklin Mint issues and don't know where there is a source  
other than maybe the Central Bank of the Philippines if they  
maintained any historical records on why the decisions were made.   

 
Many of the Franklin issues do sell for less than original price but  
so do many recent US Mint issues.  But there are Philippine collectors  
out there who will pay the going market price for these issues(much  
more than silver value)--I sell many of them in my annual Philippine  
Mailbid sales which I have been doing since 1999.  


Also, especially  
since the gold market has increased significantly, thus the Franklin  
Philippine gold issues bring nice premiums now.  Example, the  
relatively common KM213 President Marcos 1000 Piso Gold which  
originally sold for $125 from Franklin Mint, now sells for $500+.  I  
hope this information helps.



To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:

QUERY: FRANKLIN MINT PHILIPPINE ISSUES

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n18a14.html)



	
ROCKWELL FRANKLIN MINT SCOUTING MEDALS 






Boy Scout medal (left); Girl Scout medal (right)



Regarding Dick Johnson’s piece on Franklin Mint medals, Greg Adams writes:


He mentions  “A Boy Scout medal series by Norman Rockwell sells at the greatest premium over original cost to my knowledge.”  I suggest Dick take a look at the Silver and Bronze Girl Scout set (also with Rockwell images) that were issued  a few years after the Boy Scout set.  They are about 10 times rarer than the Boy Scout set, but still occasionally show up on eBay and sell for substantially more.




Greg provided links to pages at the Franklin Mint web site maintained by dealers Bob Sheraga and Earl Morris.  Thanks!
-Editor




Franklin Mint Rockwell - Boy Scouts Spirit of Scouting Medals

(www.franklin-mint-silver.com/franklin-mint-rockwell-boy-scouts-medals.htm)


Franklin Mint Rockwell - Girl Scouts Medals

(www.franklin-mint-silver.com/rockwell-girl-scouts-medals.htm)


To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:

DICK JOHNSON'S ADVICE FOR FRANKLIN MINT CUSTOMERS

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n18a15.html)



THE BOOK BAZARRE
RENAISSANCE OF AMERICAN COINAGE:  
Wizard Coin Supply is the official distributor 
for Roger Burdette's three volume series that won 
NLG Book of the Year awards for 2006, 2007 and 2008. 
Contact us for dealer or distributor pricing at
www.WizardCoinSupply.com .




	
AUGSBURGER UNCOVERS A NEW IMAGE OF CHRISTIAN GOBRECHT


The April 2012 issue of The E-Gobrecht, the electronic newsletter of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club has an article by Len Augsburger where he announces his discovery of two archival items relating to U.S. Mint engraver Christian Gobrecht.  With permission, here's an excerpt.
-Editor



 
A recent research trip to Philadelphia uncovered
a new image of Christian Gobrecht, drawn
c. 1900 and based on a miniature of Gobrecht which
has appeared elsewhere (for example, in Gobrecht
Dollars Illustrated by the Collection of Julius Korein,
M.D., published by Heritage in 2009). A caption
reads "From a miniature in the possession of his
grandson, Chas. Gobrecht Darrach." 
Darrach was a
grandson of Gobrecht who donated certain Gobrecht
papers to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in
1906. 



 
Also found was a trade card of Christian Gobrecht,
with the inscription “C. Gobrecht / Die
Sinker / and / Seal Engraver / 220 / Walnut St. /
Philadelphia." Gobrecht, in his pre-Mint days, engraved
dies used for embossing cards and book covers.
This, his personal calling card, is a skillful tribute
to the engraver. Illustrated here is the familiar
eagle with talons bearing arrows and leaves, all surrounded
by a glory (evocative of Gobrecht's 1836
pattern gold dollar and later essayed on the 1853 arrows
& rays coinage), while profiles of Lafayette
and Washington grace the lower portion of the card.


Gobrecht no doubt impressed many examples of this
trade card, presumably one is out there waiting for a
knowledgeable collector to find it!


Great sleuthing!  There are many great items out there waiting to be found, but it takes someone with the initiative to actually go looking.  Good work, Len!
-Editor



To more information on the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, see:

www.lsccweb.org




	
WHO WAS HAYIM SOLOMON?



A couple weeks ago, I got a note from Dave Hirt, who wrote:


This is a chain e-mail I received. Perhaps it would be interesting to our readers.



The note began:


Who Was Haym Solomon?
Read this fascinating history of the $1 bill -
all the way to the bottom to know about Haym Solomon.
 

You may be in for quite a surprise



I didn't have time to look into it, but it had the feel of an urban myth.  The message began with a description of a number of the familiar elements of the One Dollar bill and the Great Seal of the United States, and the many instances of the number 13 - some intentionally, some coincidentally - representing the original 13 colonies:


13 signers of the Declaration of Independence ,
13 stripes on our flag,
13 steps on the pyramid,
13 letters in 'Annuit Coeptis',
13 letters in ' E Pluribus Unum,'
13 stars above the eagle,
13 bars on that shield,
13 leaves on the olive branch,
13 fruits, and if you look closely,
13 arrows.


And finally, notice the arrangement of the 13 stars in the right-hand circle.
You will see that they are arranged as a Star of David.



I had seen the 13 stars a zillion times, but never saw them as a Star of David.  This was news to me.   But the email helpfully included a diagram connecting the dots.  Hey!  Maybe it was a Star of David.







The email went on to say:


This was ordered by George Washington who, when he asked Haym Solomon, a wealthy Philadelphia Jew, what he would like as a personal reward for his services to the Continental Army. Solomon said he wanted nothing for himself, but he would like something for his people.  The Star of David was the result. Few people know it was Solomon who saved the Army through his financial contributions ...then died a pauper.



I Googled around and learned that Solomon did indeed exist, but how could anyone prove the assertion that Solomon inspired the arrangement of stars on the Seal?   I have a few books on the Great Seal on my shelves, but as much as I love numismatic research, I didn't have the time to review them.


Luckily, one of my favorite web sites came to the rescue this week.  Snopes.com, a site that examines and busts Internet myths, published an article about this email.  They write:


Hayim Solomon (whose name is also rendered as Haym Salomon) was a real person, a Polish-born Jew who immigrated to the American colonies in the 1770s, joined the New York branch of the Sons of Liberty, and performed many services on behalf of the American independence movement,  most notably helping to provide funding for the colonial war effort during the American Revolution. 


However, the claim that George Washington ordered the Great Seal of the United States to incorporate a Star of David element as a token of thanks to Solomon is apocryphal: Washington had no input into the design of the Great Seal, and the
original design specification for the Great Seal included no instructions about how the constellation of 13 stars on the obverse side should be arranged.  


The reason why artist Robert Scot chose to arrange that constellation of 13 stars into the shape of a hexagram when engraving the first die of the Great Seal in 1782 (a design feature that has been reproduced in all subsequent dies of the Great Seal) is unknown, but the best guess is that he was emulating the arrangement of stars on the first American flag.



So that's that - an interesting story, but most likely a tall tale.


To read the complete article, see:

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