The E-Sylum v19#02 January 10, 2016

Sun Jan 10 20:09:58 PST 2016

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The E-Sylum

  An electronic publication of
  The Numismatic Bibliomania Society

Volume 19, Number 02, January 10, 2016
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WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM JANUARY 10, 2016
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KOLBE & FANNING’S NEW YORK BOOK AUCTION RESULTS
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LAKE BOOKS 124TH MAIL-BID SALE CATALOG AVAILABLE
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NEWMAN PORTAL DIGITIZES EARLY DEALER PERIODICALS
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NEW BOOK: COUNTERFEITING AND TECHNOLOGY
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NEW BOOK: ROMANIAN COINS (1989 TO 2014)
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BOOK REVIEW: WHO'S WHO AMONG AMERICAN MEDALLISTS
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BOOK REVIEW: A STUDY IN BANKING (IN SHERLOCK HOLMES)
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PCGS COINFACTS TO BECOME A FREE SERVICE
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DAN HOLMES 1938-2016
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ANA CELEBRATES ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY
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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 10, 2016
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MICKLEY'S DATES OF US COINS AND THEIR DEGREES OF RARITY
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MORE THOUGHTS ON RARITY RATINGS
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LORENZO HARRIS ABBEY (1822-1881)
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MORE ON MAURITIUS DAVID
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HOW TO DO NUMISMATIC RESEARCH
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LITTLETON'S MAYNARD SUNDMAN JOINS APS HALL OF FAME
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SCOTT DOLSON POLITICAL MEDALS AND TOKENS STOLEN
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OLYMPIC MEDALS IN RR AUCTION SALE
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ROBERT EIDLITZ AND HIS BOOK ON ARCHITECT MEDALS
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ON BOOKSHELF MAINTENANCE
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HOW SLAVES EARNED SMALL AMOUNTS OF CASH
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WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: JANUARY 10, 2016
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A COURSE IN MAMLŪK NUMISMATICS
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KING HEZEKIAH'S SEAL 
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MAN HOLDS RECORD FOR NUMBER OF ACTIVE CREDIT CARDS
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OLD-DESIGN PAKISTAN BANKNOTES TO BE DEMONETIZED
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INDIAN OFFICIALS SUSPENDED OVER DEFECTIVE BANKNOTES
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DOG CHEWS CHINESE CASH STASH
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FEATURED WEB PAGE: JOSEPH MICKLEY'S DIARY
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Click here to read this issue on the web

Click here to access the complete archive

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

WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM JANUARY 10, 2016

New subscribers this week include:
Katherine Smoak, 
David McMahon, 
Dan Huntsinger, 
Lee Gast, 
David Bruce, 
David Schwager, 
Dave Reno, and
Marc Schoneman.
We now have 1,923 subscribers.  

This week we open with results of this weekend's Kolbe-Fanning New York book auction, updates from Fred Lake and the Newman Numismatic portal, two new books and two reviews.

Other topics include PCGS CoinFacts, Joseph Mickley, rarity ratings, the Abbey Cent, doing numismatic research, Olympic medals, Robert Eidlitz, Dan Holmes, credit card collecting, and how slaves could earn money.

To learn more about  Fulvio’s Illustrium images, the  Coin Collector’s Journal, escapades of the Secret Service, Sheldon’s color set, modern Romanian coins, chronograms, and bookshelf maintenance, read on.   Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

KOLBE & FANNING’S NEW YORK BOOK AUCTION RESULTS

David Fanning submitted this report on the just-concluded Kolbe-Fanning 2016 New York numismatic literature sale.  Thanks!
-Editor

Kolbe & Fanning held our 2016 New York Book Auction on Saturday, January 9, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. Conducted in conjunction with the 2016 New York International Numismatic Convention, the sale featured the celebrated RBW Library on Roman Republican coinage and other properties. The 455-lot sale brought above its total estimate and was a success on all fronts.

Some highlights included (all prices given below are hammer prices):

Lot 29, Bahrfeldt’s three-part revision of Babelon on Roman Republican coins, was keenly competed for and brought $4250 on a $1000 estimate.

Lot 42, the very rare catalogue of the Carlos de Beistegui collection, brought $6000.

Lot 48, a copy of Borghesi’s work on Cardinal de Zelada’s aes grave, with wonderful additional illustrations in ink, brought $2250 on a $500 estimate.

Lot 55, the Duke of Devonshire’s exceptional copy of the 1532 Paris folio edition of Budé’s De asse et partibus eius, will be returning to England, selling to a British buyer at $9000.

Lot 110, the 1517 first edition of Fulvio’s Illustrium images, the first illustrated numismatic book, brought $8000 on a $5000 estimate.

Lot 114, a heavily annotated set of Gessner’s rare plates on the Familiarum Romanarum, sold for $1800 on a $500 estimate.

Lot 193, a lovely set of the French first edition of Mommsen’s classic Histoire de la monnaie romaine, brought $3000 on a $750 estimate.

Lot 195, Morell’s 1734 Thesaurus Morellianus, with the rare 1752 continuation, brought $4000 on a $1800 estimate.

Lot 206, a handsome copy of Fulvio Orsini’s 1577 Familiae Romanae, brought $4250 on a $1200 estimate.

Lot 229, a rare complete run of 23 Rodolfo Ratto fixed-price catalogues, brought $2750 on a $1000 estimate.

Lot 369, Duby’s extraordinary works on obsidional and French feudal coins, in Louis XVI bindings, brought $6500.

Lot 423, Bushnell’s legendary 1864-66 Crumbs for Antiquarians, including the second edition of his 1859 work on New York tokens, brought $4500.

Lot 428, an original manuscript record of Cogan’s 1859 Charles B. Foote sale, was the highlight of the sale, selling for $11,000 hammer on a $5000 estimate after very strong floor and internet bidding.

The sale and the prices realized can be observed at 

auction.numislit.com. A formal prices realized list will be prepared and added to the Kolbe & Fanning website at numislit.com this week. We thank all those who participated in the sale for making it such a special event.

LAKE BOOKS 124TH MAIL-BID SALE CATALOG AVAILABLE

Literature dealer Fred Lake sends this notice of the availability of his latest auction catalog.  Thanks.
-Editor

Lake Books has published its catalog for their 124th mail-bid sale of numismatic literature that closes on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 on their web site at 

http://www.lakebooks.com/current.html.  The 496-lot sale includes over 100 lots relating to United States coinage and also features sections that cover Ancient Numismatics, Tokens and Medals, Paper Money and some interesting books on Exonumia and miscellaneous literature. Bids may be placed via Email, US Mail, Telephone or Fax until the closing time of 5:00 PM (EST) on that date. Good Luck with your bidding.  Cordially, Fred

Lake Books
6822 22nd Ave N
St. Petersburg, FL 33710-3918
727-343-8055   fax: 727-381-6822

NEWMAN PORTAL DIGITIZES EARLY DEALER PERIODICALS

Len Augsburger is the Project Coordinator for the Newman Numismatic Portal. He submitted the following note about the digitization of 19th and early 20th century coin dealer periodicals.
-Editor

Newman Numismatic Portal Digitizes 19th and early 20th Century Dealer Periodicals

The growth of the American coin trade in the mid to late 19th century inexorably led to various marketing vehicles, and today the dealer house organs of this era provide an unvarnished view of the American numismatic business in its early stages.  The 1870s and 1880s represented the heyday of the dealer periodical, with Ebenezer Mason, Edouard Frossard, and David Proskey holding forth on a periodic basis under various titles.  

Mason and Frossard in particular were quite colorful and held back little in the way of personal opinion.  Frossard’s July 1884 Numisma, for example, described a Chapman catalog “with margin sufficiently large for corrections.”  Proskey was more circumspect, but his Coin Collector’s Journal remains a substantial record of the time, and contained important research such as Robert Coulton Davis’s pattern listing begun serially in 1885.  

Collectors have had access to these periodicals through original copies as well as modern reprints, but with today’s scanning technology the full content is now just a few clicks away.  The Newman Portal has digitized many of these - a full list is below.  The Newman Portal acknowledges Joel Orosz for supplying one of the missing issues in the Elder Monthly series.  We also seek copies (unbound preferred) of Elder’s Numismatic Philistine and Elder Magazine (1909-1911), as well as a full run of Mehl’s Numismatic Monthly.

I say "wow" a lot these days.
These periodicals are gems of American numismatic literature, great not only for research but for just plain fun reading.  I encourage readers to follow the links and browse the material.  Hours of numismatic bliss await.
-Editor

Mason’s Stamp and Coin Collector’s Magazine (and related publications): 

https://archive.org/details/newmannumismatic?and[]=mason%27s

Frossard’s Numisma: 

https://archive.org/details/newmannumismatic?&and[]=numisma

Scott’s Coin Collector’s Journal: 

https://archive.org/details/newmannumismatic?&and[]=scott%20coin%20collector%27s%20journal

Elder Monthly: 

https://archive.org/details/newmannumismatic?&and[]=Elder%20Monthly

THE BOOK BAZARRE

 GOLD AND SILVER COINS AND MEDALS.  
Learn the history and enjoy the artistry of more than 150 collectible works of the U.S. Mint, in AMERICAN GOLD AND SILVER: U.S. Mint Collector and Investor Coins and Medals, Bicentennial to Date. Explore the First Spouse, American Buffalo, and America the Beautiful coins, plus dozens of rare modern U.S. Mint medals with hidden potential. Hardcover, 384 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches. By Dennis Tucker; foreword by Q. David Bowers. Available in February. Pre-order your copy now for $29.95 at www.WhitmanBooks.com , 
or call 1-800-546-2995.

NEW BOOK: COUNTERFEITING AND TECHNOLOGY

In a January 7, 2016 Coin Update article,  Caitlyn Trautwein discusses an upcoming new book Counterfeiting and Technology: A History of the Long Struggle Between Paper-Money Counterfeiters and Security Printing which will be published by Whitman in the summer of 2016.
-Editor

 Counterfeit note of the Chippewa Bank, Wisconsin

Since mid-2015 I have had the pleasure of working on a very special project, and now its release is just around the corner. Counterfeiting and Technology by author Bob McCabe is a long-awaited narrative in the world of paper-money accounts. It is an adventurous monument to the history of paper money, and most importantly, to the technology that created it.

Found within are tales spanning from the first paper money ever known to be printed during China’s Tang dynasty to the technology’s journey from East to West. Readers will learn step by step about the art and advancement of line engraving, mechanical engraving, paper-making, ink-making, natural anti-counterfeiting measures, and the modern security printing that goes into making bank notes what they are today.

The chemistries of all the inner-workings of printing are laid out alongside diagrams of printing presses through the ages, from early models to advanced machines that turned out thousands upon thousands of notes during the 19th century. What’s more, these machines are carefully explained so that their functions are easily understood, bringing a whole new life to the paper we use on a daily basis and take for granted without considering its history and evolution. The advancements that finally led to the bank-note–company era, particularly in England and in the United States, are brought forward so that their contributions too can be listed, from small companies to the large “merger” of the American Bank Note Company after 1858. Any student of paper money should have this book to better understand the very foundation of the pieces of history they collect.

But this is not a tale exclusively for the scientifically minded, although those searching for scientific analysis will not be in want. The book is bisected into processes and people, the art of paper making, and those who did the work—including the imaginative and determined rogues who pushed further and further in the art of counterfeiting. In this sense Counterfeiting and Technology is truly an adventure tale, all the more exciting because the stories that are explored within actually happened.

Often the very men who attempted to counterfeit the currency of the time pushed innovators to greater refinements, always seeking designs and securities that fell in line with the highest form of the art. Now, their stories and advancements are captured by author McCabe, who takes readers through early colonial counterfeiting—when counterfeiting could cost a flogging, the loss of an ear (or two), or even death—into the modern day, focusing on the 1800s when the most notorious fraudsters in terms of boldness and technique were at work.

In vivid detail McCabe explores the lives and histories of the men who made ingenious advancements to the chemistry and mechanics of America’s paper money. Anecdotes of daring escapes, chases, undercover investigations, and bold court defenses intermingle with the inception and escapades of the Secret Service and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Fraudsters, mostly unknown or unrecognized for their own dishonest cleverness, are finally brought to light by portraits from the National Archives and the U.S. Secret Service Archives.

To read the complete article, see:

Bob McCabe Readies New Book on Bank Note Counterfeiting and Technology

(news.coinupdate.com/bob-mccabe-readies-new-book-on-bank-note-counterfeiting-and-technology/)

NEW BOOK: ROMANIAN COINS (1989 TO 2014)

A new book on modern Romanian coins is described in an article by Ursula Kampmann in the January 7, 2016 Coins Weekly.
-Editor

Erwin Schäffer, Romania - Designs, Pattern Coins and Catalogue of Issued Coins. Vol II. Guttenbrunn 2015. 480 p., color illustrations throughout. Hardcover. Thread stitching. 21 x 30 cm. ISBN 978-973-0-19455-5. 65 euros.

Nothing is more revealing about the self-understanding of a country than the images, symbols and persons it choses as self-representation on coins. A coin’s path of development is likewise particularly important in this regard. It says a lot about the society and the image of women when – to mention an example from Swiss numismatics – a Federal Council can take exception to the frivolity of a forelock of Helvetia to the effect that the artist is forced to submit a defrivolitized version of his Helvetia.

This is why Erwin Schäffer’s catalog of Romanian coins, patterns and essays is considerably more than a simple price guide. It presents the material required to assess how much the self-understanding of Romania has changed after the abolition of communism, which people, events and images are deemed supportive of the state nowadays, thereby replacing the most favorite motif of the past, the oil refinery. 

The work prepared by Schäffer is impressive. In format and numbering, it is a follow-up of the first volume about Romanian coinage that focused on the coins and essays between 1860 and 1989. This time, the catalog proper is preceded by an introduction into the monetary policy in post-communist Romania, written by Silviu Cerna. A contribution of Johann Jakob gives an outlook of Romania’s current position in the development towards the euro. 

The catalog is next, divided into patterns and issued coins. Every piece has a thorough description, with mintage, as far as is known, and further specifics of numismatic importance. As for the pattern and commemorative coins, a price is given for the grade “proof” while the section on circulating coins states prices for up to five different grades. Design drawings, where available, have been incorporated into the pattern section. 

Convenient, in terms of chronological overview, is a table that lists all coins with their specific issuing date. 

Furthermore, the author has included both the coin sets and some private sets in his catalog. 

Information about the national mint, artists and Romanian monetary acts conclude the new standard work of reference on present-day Romanian coinage.

See the complete article online for ordering information.
Thanks to editor Ursula Kampmann for enabling this republication.
-Editor

To read the complete article, see:

Romanian Coins (1989 to 2014)

(www.coinsweekly.com/en/News/4?&id=3840)

To subscribe to the CoinsWeekly newsletter, see:

http://coinsweekly.com/en/Subscribe-to-CoinsWeekly-Newsletter/37

BOOK REVIEW: WHO'S WHO AMONG AMERICAN MEDALLISTS

David Alexander wrote a review of Dick Johnson's new book on American medallists in the January 5, 2016 issue of Coin World.  Here's an excerpt.
-Editor

I have collected medals since 1953 and have written extensively in the field. In the interest of full disclosure, I worked for Dick Johnson and his partner Chris E. Jensen as director of publications and auction cataloger for their partnership of Johnson & Jensen, leaving in 1981.

Johnson has labored long in the field and introduced many brilliant ideas for which he has seldom received the credit deserved. He was the first editor of the weekly newspaper Coin World. His formulation of methods for coherent and replicable cataloging of medals transformed the auctioning of these collectibles...

Right or wrong, Johnson seldom shrank from controversy. Behind the title page appears a 10-line statement, “Spelling of the word “medallists.” He begins by stating quite correctly “In America the word is spelled with one L. In England the word has two Ls.” He then asserts that he is using the “two L” form throughout, “this continues a tradition established in 1907 when the Medallic Art Company chose this spelling, continued in 1930 with the creation of the Society of Medallists, both with two L.”

Two things: the adjective “medallic” with one L would be improper anywhere in the English-speaking world. The bold assertion that “medallists” with two L’s “continued in 1930 with the creation of the Society of Medallists” is startlingly wrong, as can be seen in my book American Art Medals, 1909-1995, Circle of Friends of the Medallion and Society of Medalists, American Numismatic Society, 2012.

Not all works of all artists can be included in any book, however ambitious, and no book is free of typos and slips of the pen. Most puzzling is the failure to record Geri Jimenez Gould’s creation of the last medal of the Society of Medalists, following Afghan sculptor Amanullah Haiderzad’s uniface, rectangular SOM medal, Kabul Bazaar.

The bibliography at the end of the volume is hard to follow, with titles listed chronologically in order of publication. New, revised or updated editions are generally ignored, such as the update of the great Cornelius C. Vermeule’s Numismatic Art in America, vastly enlarged and published by Whitman in 2007.

Long listings of initials, exhibitions and their catalogs bring up the rear.

Successful use of this book will call for a degree of memorization to enable readers to relocate listings sought since there is no comprehensive alphabetization that covers all contents. Nonetheless, Who’s Who among American Artists should be acquired by any serious medal collector, student or medallic library. Priced at $65 postpaid, the book may be ordered from Signature Art Medals, P.O. Box 920, Groton, MA 01450.

To read the complete article, see:

Reviewing Johnson's U.S. medal designers book

(www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/2016/01/david-alexander-reviews-dick-johnson-medallic-artists-book-guest-commentary.html#)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:

NEW BOOK: WHO’S WHO AMONG AMERICAN MEDALLISTS

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n37a06.html)

BOOK REVIEW: WHO'S WHO AMONG AMERICAN MEDALLISTS

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n40a05.html)

BOOK REVIEW: A STUDY IN BANKING (IN SHERLOCK HOLMES)

Numismatics in fiction is a recurring topic in The E-Sylum.
In his blog The Fourth Garrideb on the Numismatics of Sherlock Holmes, Greg Ruby published a couple items this week on banking in the Arthur Conan Doyle canon.
-Editor

In the Sherlock Holmes Society of London’s District Messenger #87 (June 29, 1989) was this announcement:

Over the weekend we were also introduced to our member James Cuthbertson’s delightful little book A STUDY IN BANKING: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF MR SHERLOCK HOLMES WITH HIS BANK (“said by experts to be the last word upon the subject”). It costs £3.25 (including postage) from Mr Cuthbertson at ...

Obviously, this monograph is out of print, but can be found at some online book selling websites for under $20. Spend a few minutes and look for it – it’s well worth the time and dollars.

With only 27 pages, it is a quick read and features an illustration on almost every page, none of which are numismatic related. Cuthbertson breaks the manuscript down into seven sections, making the information very easy to comprehend and not overwhelming the reader. The chapter dealing with Holmes’ banking transactions was especially interesting, in my opinion.

In 1994, Cuthbertson would issue an “addendum” called The Banking Connection 1894-1994 which can be read HERE.

The Fourth Garrideb has donated a copy of this monograph to the libraries of both the American Numismatic Society in New York and the American Numismatic Association in Colorado Springs. The ANA Library does allow its members to borrow books via mail.

In a second blog post Greg reprints a chapter in the Sherlock Holmes Society of London’s book, Back To Baker Street: An Appreciation of Sherlock Holmes & London about the . Cox & Co. bank.
-Editor

Which of us cannot recall the thrill when we experienced our first reading of Dr. Watson’s electric opening words in Thor Bridge, a thrill we still feel whenever we have occasion to turn to them again –

“Somewhere in the vaults of the bank of Cox & Co., at Charing Cross, there is a travel-worn and battered dispatch-box with my name, John H. Watson, M.D., Late Indian Army, painted upon the lid. It is crammed with papers…”

What endless vistas are conjured up of scandals, crimes and crises, national and international, financial and personal, should it be possible  for some of these explosive records to see the light of day – our latter-day political tremors and media revelations would surely seem but trifling in comparison.

Yes, Cox’s was no ordinary bank: it was in a class of its own, and in more ways than one.  It began life in the mid-18th century as Agents through whom the Government of the day channelled  pay for the Regiments and Services of the Armed Forces, and whilst maintaining this function it evolved into a specialist bank for serving and retired officers of the Forces. Thus it was that when in 1878 Dr. Watson was gazetted into the Army Medical Department and attached to the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers, he would automatically have had an account opened for him at Cox’s, into which his pay and allowances were henceforward credited monthly.

To read the complete articles, see:

Book: A Study In Banking (1989)

(http://fourthgarrideb.com/2016/01/book-a-study-in-banking-1989/)

The Banking Connection: 1894 – 1994

(http://fourthgarrideb.com/2016/01/the-banking-connection-1894-1994/)

PCGS COINFACTS TO BECOME A FREE SERVICE

Good news for U.S. numismatic researchers!
In a press release forwarded by Donn Pearlman on January 8, 2016, the Professional Coin Grading Service announced that beginning February 3, 2016 its www.PCGSCoinFacts.com website will no longer have a paywall and will once again become free to the public.
-Editor

As part of a year-long 30th anniversary celebration, Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) has unveiled an impressive array of products and services to assist and benefit collectors and dealers.  
They include ending the annual $149 subscription fee to now make the popular www.PCGSCoinFacts.com website free to everyone; new developments for the PCGS Restoration Service; and offering “retro-looking” green insert labels on holders of coins submitted by PCGS Collectors Club members.

“PCGS has been serving the numismatic community for 30 years.  This is our gift to you for all your support,” said PCGS President Don Willis.  He made the announcement at the PCGS Set Registry® luncheon held at the Florida United Numismatists convention in Tampa, Florida on January 8, 2016.

PCGS CoinFacts is the internet’s most extensive resource for information and images about United States coins, from Colonial era to modern commemoratives.  The continually updated site now lists over 37,000 different coins, nearly 300,000 images and nearly 3 million auction prices listed. 

Effective February 3, 2016, which happens to be the exact 30th anniversary of PCGS’s launch in 1986, the entire website will be available free.  PCGS will also launch a new Android mobile application which will join the existing Apple iOS app, allowing anyone to easily access and view PCGS CoinFacts on a mobile device.

For additional information about PCGS products and services, call (800) 447-8848 or email 

info at pcgs.com

CoinFacts.com was begun in 1999 by Ron Guth and was later acquired by PCGS, which put the updated version behind a paywall in 2009, leaving only the older stagnant site available free to the public.  
This is a welcome move which will enable more people, researchers, collectors and the general public alike to access the most up-to-date numismatic information available.
-Editor

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:

COINFACTS.COM EXPANSION IN WORKS

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n01a03.html)

PCGS LAUNCHES NEW VERSION OF COINFACTS.COM

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n31a14.html)

DAN HOLMES 1938-2016

Pete Smith submitted an article on the late Large Cent collector Dan Holmes which was published in CoinWeek January 6, 2016. 
-Editor

Between 1973 and about 2002, Dan Holmes acquired the most complete collection of United States large cents ever assembled. This was sold in a series of four auctions by Ira and Larry Goldberg in 2009 to 2011.

I met Dan when I attended the EAC convention in Cocoa Beach, Florida, in January of 1979. As I recall, Dan took a dealer table although he did not consider himself a dealer. The dealer fee supported the club and the table gave him a place to sit and talk with his friends. His friends were many.

Dan Holmes, Jr. was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 24, 1938. He earned a bachelor’s degree from New York University and went on to earn his MBA there. Later he studied management at the Harvard Business School.

In the 2009 catalog for the sale of his early date cents, Dan told an amusing tale of his summer in 1960. He worked as a guide for the “Three-Corner-Round Pack Outfit” in the southern Sierra Mountains. At the end of the summer he hitchhiked around the west and headed home. He was wearing clothes made from elk hide and had a full beard with curly hair. He carried a recurved bow, a quiver of arrows and had a bowie knife on his belt. He linked up with a group of hobos.

“Thus I began a new career as a hobo. Since I was headed for Cleveland, the advice I received was to wait for a train that would be headed for Kansas City or Chicago. In the meantime we just hung out under the loading dock and watched the trains. Eventually one came along and parked near us. It included a tank car that was leaking. We were nervous that the leak might be dangerous so one of the hobos volunteered to check it out. He came back with a coke bottle full of a dark red liquid and reported that he had struck gold – it was a wine car! We all grabbed our bottles and headed for a fill-up!!!”

In 1962, Dan Holmes, Sr. bought Morrison Products, makers of fans for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R). Dan Holmes, Jr. joined the firm in 1971 as a foreman in the manufacturing plant. He moved up to become President of the firm in 1979.

Dan Holmes, Jr. married Joan Rice on September 1, 1962. Their son Wyandt was born in 1966 and daughter Anne in 1968.

Wyandt worked as a paramedic in Fort Collins, Colorado, and was spokesman for Poudre Valley Hospital EMS. He is married with a daughter. Anne joined the management at Morrison Products and was married in 2010.

When I remember Dan, I think of Sheldon’s color set that he showed off at the EAC conventions. He would tell about meeting Dr. Sheldon in 1976 and acquiring the color set shortly afterward. This was a black leather tray with six columns and eleven rows holding 66 pill boxes. The 60 large cents and six Colonials came in as many colors as there were slots in the tray. There were shades of brown ranging from light tan to charcoal gray. These browns could be mixed with shades of red.

In the other direction were browns mixed with various shades of green. Dan paid $3200 for the set on March 29, 1976. The set remained intact and was sold at auction on September 6, 2009, for $37,950.

The annual EAC auctions included serious offerings of some great copper coins. For comic relief the auctioneer would put up a six-pack of some local beer with the proceeds to benefit the club. Dan was a frequent winner of these beer lots. As winner of the lot, he would present the first bottle to the under bidder. On one occasion when he could not attend the sale, he won the beer lot with a mail bid.

Dan Holmes, Sr. Died in 1984. With success in business, his son had the assets to pursue a serious collection of United States large cents.

By 1986 Dan had completed a collection of the varieties of middle date cents 1816 to 1839. Previous “complete” collections were completed by Frank DeWette Andrews with 205 varieties in 1883 and by Floyd T. Starr with 243 varieties. Three new discoveries brought the Holmes set up to 246 pieces. His collection of middle date cents, 1816-1839, was sold by the Goldbergs on May 30, 2010.

On March 20, 1997, Dan bought the last variety needed to complete a collection of early date large cents 1793-1814 according to the 295 Sheldon numbers. He was the twelfth person to complete such a collection. He also had 52 of the “NC” varieties, missing one unique piece held by the American numismatic Society. This early date collection was sold at auction by the Goldbergs on September 6, 2009.

Dan served as President of Early American Coppers in 2005. He was diagnosed with ALS and resigned his presidency in April 2009. He was 70 years old and understood that continued involvement with the hobby would be limited. He gradually lost control of his muscles but never his mind, which remained sharp.

The last time I saw Dan was at the May 2012 EAC convention in Buffalo, New York. I am sure that travel was a challenge for him in his motorized wheelchair. He came to see his friends and his many friends were glad to see him.

Dan died on January 5, 2016.

I met Dan myself on a couple occasions and can attest that he was quite approachable, personable, and enthusiastic about numismatics.  He will be missed.
-Editor

Pete adds:

Attached is a picture taken in 2007 of EAC President Dan Holmes, in the dark jacket, offering encouragement to a young EAC member in the light jacket. The picture was provided to me by Al Boka.

The "young man" of course, is St. Louis collector Eric P. Newman.
-Editor

To read the complete article, see:

In Memoriam – Dan Holmes 1938-2016

(www.coinweek.com/people-in-the-news/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-dan-holmes-1938-2016/)

Pete also forwarded a link to Dan's online obituary.  Thanks.
-Editor

To read the complete obituary, see:

DANIEL W. HOLMES Jr.

(http://obits.cleveland.com/obituaries/cleveland/obituary.aspx?pid=177216795)

ANA CELEBRATES ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY

Congratulations to the American Numismatic Association on their quasquicentennial anniversary year!  Here's an excerpt from their press release, published January 6, 2016.
-Editor

In the 19th century, information about specialized subject matters was hard to obtain, particularly about something as curious as numismatics – the study of coins, paper currency, tokens and medals. Meeting fellow collectors was nearly impossible, especially for those who lived too remote to take advantage of numismatic societies in large cities. 

Such was the dilemma of Dr. George Heath of Monroe, Michigan, a coin collector whose efforts at obtaining additional knowledge of the hobby and specimens for his collection were hampered by his location.  
Supported by his conviction that there was a need for an organization that would reach all collectors, Dr. Heath posed the question, “What is the matter with having an American Numismatic Association?” And so in 1891, Dr. Heath and other numismatists met in Chicago and with 61 charter members founded the American Numismatic Association. “There is nothing like the alliance of kindred pursuits to stimulate growth and interest,” Heath said.

In the last 125 years, the ANA has grown to become the largest nonprofit numismatic organization in the world. The Association provides its 24,000 members access to the best educational programs in the hobby – seminars, lectures, correspondence courses and online learning opportunities – plus the opportunity to engage with like-minded collectors at two annual conventions. 

In the early years, conventions provided the opportunity for members to come together, but relatively few took part due to the limitations of travel. The strength of ANA membership depended upon the quality of The Numismatist, a publication first printed and published by Dr. Heath in 1888. Heath did his best to spark interest and provide a wide array of articles, biographical sketches, news items, and the ever-interesting tidbits.

Today, The Numismatist remains the gold standard of hobby publications.  In December 2015, the ANA digitized all 127 volumes -- 110,000-plus pages of numismatic history available at the click of a mouse. The online digital editions look exactly like the printed originals, allowing users to experience The Numismatist in its historical context.

National recognition was achieved by the ANA in 1912, when it was granted a Federal Charter, signed by President William H. Taft. An amendment to make the charter permanent was introduced in 1962, and was signed by President John F. Kennedy. 

As the Association flourished, a call was made for a national home and headquarters, and a building fund was established in 1961. Sixteen cities in the central region of the U.S. bid for the location. Ultimately, Colorado Springs, Colorado was selected, and ground-breaking ceremonies were held in 1966.  Thanks to the contributions of nearly 4,000 donors, the ANA headquarters was dedicated and opened on June 10, 1967.

The organization's flagship publication was begun in 1888, so The Numismatist celebrated its quasquicentennial back in 2013.
-Editor

To read the complete article, see:

THE NUMISMATIST CELEBRATES ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n05a13.html)

NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 10, 2016

 Boxer John L. Sullivan 

Dave Ellison writes:

In reference to your Quiz Question in “Handling Coinage in San Francisco in 1885,” as to who is the 'Sullivan' referenced in the article:   He was John L. Sullivan, aka the Boston Strong Boy, who is recognized as the first Heavyweight Champion of gloved boxing.  He held the title from 1882, to 1892, and  won more than 450 fights in his career.

Pablo Hoffman  writes:

Too easy !  

Everybody knows John L. was the most famous, and I believe the last, champion of the bare-knuckled generation of prize fighters.

Correct!  But not everybody in the younger generations would know that, I’ll bet.  
-Editor

Pablo added:

An advantage to being a charter member of the E.A.O.F.B.  (Exalted & Aristocratic Old Farts Brigade.)

Jeff Starck of
Coin World writes:

I believe Sullivan refers to boxer John L. Sullivan, who DOES have a numismatic connection.
The Franklin Mint honored him as part of the Gallery of Great Americans medal series in 1974.   Not as neat as the Corbett-Fitzsimmons So-Called Dollar medals, but still neat.

Corbett-Fitzsimmons Boxing Bout Medal

Yes nice medal.
David Luftig also correctly identified Sullivan.  Thanks, everyone.
-Editor

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:

HANDLING COINAGE IN SAN FRANCISCO IN 1885

(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n01a19.html)

 Chronograms  

Last week I asked, "Certain letters in the reverse and obverse exergue inscriptions [of this medal] are larger than their neighbors. Why?"

Chip Howell writes: 

Oddly, they're all Roman Date letters, which I presume has something to do with the answer.

Andy Singer writes:

The outsized letters on various coins and medals, mostly European and mostly 17th century and later, are employing a chronogram for dating purposes (i.e. indicating a date for the coin or medal…little to do with social activities). These large letters also correspond to numerals in the Roman system of counting (M = 1000, D = 500, etc.) but they are hidden about in the legends and need to be “collected” and “organized”, then counted, to discover the date.  Usually the chronogram is restricted to one side of the coin or medal, but the one you have shown occurs on both: MDCCVVVII, or 1717.

Correct!  Thanks, guys.
-Editor

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:

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