The E-Sylum v24n06 February 7, 2021

[The E-Sylum]

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


Volume 23, Number 6, February 7, 2021
** WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM FEBRUARY 7, 2021 <#a01>
** KOLBE & FANNING RICHARD MARGOLIS LIBRARY SALE <#a02>
** NEW BOOK: GUIDE BOOK OF GOLD EAGLE COINS, 2ND <#a03>
** NEW BOOK: A GUIDE TO THE GUINEA 1663 TO 1813 <#a04>
** NEW BOOK: FOOD STAMP CREDIT TOKENS <#a05>
** NEW BOOK: TRADE TOKENS OF NEWFOUNDLAND <#a06>
** NEW BOOK: BILLETS EN GUERRE 1938-1948 <#a07>
** NEW PERIODICAL: THE LOUPE <#a08>
** HENRY JOSEPH LEVINE (1940-2021) <#a09>
** NEWMAN PORTAL SCANS NUMISMATIC NEWS <#a10>
** VIDEO: MEDALLIC WORKS OF CHARLES BARBER <#a11>
** AUDIO: HOW YEOMAN CHANGED COIN COLLECTING <#a12>
** $10 DESERET CURRENCY PLATE DISCOVERED <#a13>
** NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 7, 2021 <#a14>
** SILVERED 1896 INDIAN CENTS <#a15>
** VOCABULARY TERM: COLLECTOR'S MARK <#a16>
** FREDERICK CHARLES COGSWELL BOYD (1884-1958) <#a17>
** MCLACHLAN'S CANADIAN COMMUNION TOKENS <#a18>
** ENGRAVER HENRY W. PAGE <#a19>
** U.S. MINT UNABLE TO MEET BULLION DEMAND <#a20>
** MARY LANNIN TO CHAIR CCAC <#a21>
** HUNTER COLLECTION THIRTEEN COLONIES SETS <#a22>
** HOLABIRD FEBRUARY 2021 SWEETHEART SALE  <#a23>
** WORLD BANKNOTE AUCTIONS SALE 4 SELECTIONS <#a24>
** NUMISMATIC NUGGETS: FEBRUARY 7, 2021 <#a25>
** BRAND-POGUE 1822 HALF EAGLE OFFERED <#a26>
** LOUIS ELIASBERG'S BARBER HALF DOLLARS, PART III <#a27>
** HOW MORGAN DOLLARS BECAME INDIAN RUPEES <#a28>
** 1862 LINCOLN OSAGE INDIAN SILVER PEACE MEDAL <#a29>
** 1881 LEADVILLE PRESENTATION SILVER INGOT <#a30>
** INTERESTING BULK LOT MEDAL FINDS <#a31>
** 1955 BELGIUM HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR MEDAL <#a32>
** 1971 BLACK AMERICAN DAY MEDAL <#a33>
** LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 7, 2021 <#a34>








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





Content presented in The E-Sylum  is not necessarily researched or independently fact-checked, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.




WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM FEBRUARY 7, 2021





New subscribers this week include: 
David Buehler, courtesy Eric Holcomb; 
Larry Jewett, courtesy of Jeff Starck; 
Timothy Shellenberger, courtesy of Jonas Denenberg; 
Stanley Benedict, 
Michael Kodysz, and
George Di Russo.
Welcome aboard! We now have 6,607 subscribers.



Thank you for reading The E-Sylum. If you enjoy it, please send me the email addresses of friends you think may enjoy it as well and I'll send them a subscription. Contact me at whomren at gmail.com anytime regarding your subscription, or questions, comments or suggestions about our content. 



This week we open with a numismatic literature sale, five new books, a new periodical, the loss of a hobby stalwart, 
updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, and more.



Other topics this week include Food Stamp credit tokens, Numismatic News, Charles Barber, R. S. Yeoman, F.C.C. Boyd, R. W. McLachlan, Mormon paper money, collector's marks, upcoming auctions, the 1822 Half Eagle, an 1862 Lincoln Indian Peace Medal, a holocaust survivor's medal, and Black American numismatics.



To learn more about the Richard Margolis library, trade tokens of Newfoundland, Joe Levine, a counterstamped Conder token,  silvered 1896 Indian cents, communion tokens, Mary Lannin, engraver Henry W. Page, 
Franklin Cents, and how Morgan Dollars became Indian Rupees, read on. Have a great week, everyone!



Wayne Homren 
Editor, The E-Sylum


 






KOLBE & FANNING RICHARD MARGOLIS LIBRARY SALE



In March Kolbe & Fanning will offer highlights from the numismatic library of dealer Richard Margolis.  Here's the announcement. 
-Editor





Richard Margolis Library Sale March 6






Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers are proud to announce that we will be offering highlights from the important library of numismatic literature belonging to Richard Margolis at auction on Saturday, March 6, 2021. Richard Margolis was a highly esteemed dealer in world coins and an indefatigable researcher. Well known to many as the long-time organizer of the New York International Numismatic Convention, he was also heavily involved in the International Association of Professional Numismatists. His library covers the coins, medals and paper money of all times, but is especially important for numismatic works on the period of the French and American Revolutions. The 539-lot sale features books, auction catalogues and periodicals, as well as separate sections on numismatic art and archival materials. 



Some highlights of the sale include:

















Lots 1 and 97




Lot 1: Matthew Boulton’s set of Leonardo Agostini’s 1686 work on engraved gems



Lot 97: an extraordinary collection of 71 different French governmental publications printed during the Revolutionary period relating to the monetary system








Lots 111 and 188




Lot 111: Henry Jouin’s magnificent two-volume 1878 biography and study of medallic artist David d’Angers



Lot 188: the massive and superbly illustrated 1901 Schaumünzen des Hauses Hohenzollern, compiled by Julius Menadier








Lots 274 and 285




Lot 274: a complete set, in ten parts, of the scarce continuation to Van Loon on Dutch medals, Beschrijving der Nederlandsche historie-penningen...



Lot 285: the very rare Gabinet medalów polskich, complete in four volumes, by Edwarda Hr. Raczyński, a classic of Polish numismatics








Lots 290 and 311




Lot 290: a large-paper set of The Coinage of Scotland, by Edward Burns



Lot 311: the very rare Mitchell-Boulton Correspondence, 1787–1792, Relative to Coinage for South Carolina and the United States








Lots 456 and 482




Lot 456, et seq.: handsomely bound volumes of classic British auction catalogues, primarily by Sotheby’s, from the library of Leonard Forrer: several lots feature similar volumes, with most of the catalogues priced and named



Lot 482: a complete set of the Counterfeit Reports published by the International Bureau for the Suppression of Counterfeit Coins.



Over the past half century, Kolbe & Fanning have handled an exceptionally wide variety of numismatic works, from the vital to inconsequential, the magnificent to the mundane. It is safe to say that the Richard Margolis Library stands out as one of the most interesting and intriguing libraries it has been our pleasure to bring to market.



The printed catalogue of the Margolis Library will be mailed to all active customers on our mailing list shortly. As international mail speeds have been slowed by the Corona situation, we encourage our international clients to consult the electronic catalogue in case their printed catalogue does not arrive promptly. A PDF of the printed catalogue has been posted to our main website at 
https://www.numislit.com/ for those who prefer that format. Bids placed via post, email, fax or phone must be received by March 5, the day before the sale, in order for them to be processed. Advance absentee bids may also be placed at any time online at 

bid.numislit.com. Live internet bidding will be available during the sale itself through the same platform.



Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers LLC is a licensed and bonded auction firm in the State of Ohio. For more information, please see the Kolbe & Fanning website at 
https://www.numislit.com/ or email David Fanning at a href="mailto:df at numislit.com">
df at numislit.com. To register for the sale, go to bid.numislit.com. We look forward to your participation. 





>From the Archives of Augustin Dupré
In conjunction with our sale of the Richard Margolis Library, Kolbe & Fanning are proud to team up with John Kraljevich Americana to offer a select number of items from the archives of the illustrious French engraver Augustin Dupré, whose works include the famous Libertas Americana medal. This fixed-price offering includes two original letters published in Loubat’s Medallic History of the United States of America.



To view the fixed price list, see: 


>From the Augustin Dupré Archives

(https://www.numislit.com/images/upload/duprearchivesinsert.pdf)

 

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: 


RICHARD MARGOLIS (1931-2018)

(https://www.coinbooks.org/v21/esylum_v21n48a06.html)










 




NEW BOOK: GUIDE BOOK OF GOLD EAGLE COINS, 2ND



Whitman has published a new edition of Dave Bowers' book on U.S. gold eagles.  Here's the press release.
-Editor






Whitman Publishing announces the release of the updated second edition of A Guide Book of Gold Eagle Coins, volume 24 in its popular Bowers Series of numismatic titles. The 448-page book will be available March 2, 2021. It continues in the tradition of the Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars and other best-selling “Official Red Book” guides. The full-color volume will be available online (including at Whitman.com) and in bookstores and hobby shops nationwide for $29.95.


 
As he did in the first edition, author and numismatic researcher Q. David Bowers combines the history of America’s $10 gold coins (minted 1795 to 1933) with coin-by-coin analysis, pricing in multiple grades, auction records, grading guides, and collecting tips to help enthusiasts build and enjoy their own set of gold eagles.


 
Bowers, nicknamed the “Dean of American Numismatics,” has been researching and writing about U.S. gold coins for more than 60 years. He has studied numismatic catalogs, periodicals, and books on gold coins. More importantly, he has personally examined hundreds of thousands of gold coins, many of them in the process of cataloging the most famous coin collections ever to cross an auction block.














Today these classic American gold coins have become highly popular and accessible for collectors, thanks in part to an influx of gold eagles returning from Europe since the 1950s, and the Internet making it easier than ever to find and purchase rare coins.


 
Bowers wrote A Guide Book of Gold Eagle Coins for collectors who want to create a valuable and attractive collection. The fully revised and updated second edition contains pricing for every gold eagle by year and mintmark, from the 1790s to 1933. Bowers includes updated details on rarity, advice on collectible grades, market analysis, and more than 50 years of auction records.


 
The second edition also includes new historical images of the U.S. Mint’s gold coin production, as well as close-up photographs of flaws, such as lintmarks and copper spots, that can detract from a coin’s grade and value.










 
Readers will find engaging and informative stories of some of the Philadelphia Mint’s earliest coinage, the famed Turban Head eagles of 1795 to 1804; the long-running series of Liberty Head eagles, minted for nearly 70 years from the 1830s to the early 1900s; and the innovative Indian Head eagles of 1907 to 1933. Bowers also explores famous shipwrecks and hoards of gold coins, the holdings of the National Numismatic Collection, the coins owned by King Farouk of Egypt, the coverage of gold eagles in price guides going back to the 1930s, and other fascinating side journeys.


 
Because Whitman Publishing is the Official Supplier of the American Numismatic Association, ANA members received 10% off when ordering the book directly from the publisher. ANA members can also borrow it for free from the Association’s Dwight N. Manley Numismatic Library.


 

#    #    #
 



A Guide Book of Gold Eagle Coins, 2nd edition. By Q. David Bowers; foreword by Douglas Winter.

ISBN 0794848370.

Softcover, 6 x 9 inches, 448 pages, full color.

Retail $29.95 U.S.       

URL: 

https://whitman.com/a-guide-book-of-gold-eagles-2nd-edition/

 





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 .








NEW BOOK: A GUIDE TO THE GUINEA 1663 TO 1813



Token Publishing is offering a new book: A Guide to the Guinea 1663 to 1813.
-Editor







A Guide to the Guinea

Roderick A. Farey

£29.95



Available now! The definitive guide to one of Britain's most famous coins! Covering the history of the Guinea from its beginnings in the reign of the newly restored monarch Charles II to its demise as a circulating coin and replacement by the modern sovereign in the time of George III, this book will tell you all you need to know about the "golden guinea" and all its varieties. A separate eight page Price Guide to the Guinea is also included with the book.


















For more information, or to order, see:


A Guide to the Guinea

(https://www.tokenpublishing.com/shop/product/8053)

 













NEW BOOK: FOOD STAMP CREDIT TOKENS



A new book on Food Stamp Credit Tokens (also called 'Change Tokens') has been published.  Congratulations to the authors!  A tough subject to tackle. 
-Editor






Food Stamp Credit Tokens, by Buckner Creel and John Ostendorf, is the first reference book on food stamp credit tokens in about 40 years. This reference book has over 500 pages of information with over 9,500 listings from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Also included is the most information published to date on various manufacturers with photographs of stock reverses, including sub-varieties.



Food stamp credit tokens became a necessity during periods in which the U.S. government did not allow merchants to give change for their customers who paid with food stamps. The lowest denomination food stamp was 50 cents (later one dollar), so merchants had to fill the gap in order to provide correct change to their customers. Merchants used various means to provide change such as credit slips, scrip, punch cards, and tokens. Tokens became a popular means to provide change inexpensively while also providing advertising for the merchant. Most food stamp tokens were made of plastic by a few manufacturers that dominated the trade; however, food stamp tokens were also made of aluminum, brass, wood, and fiber.






Most food stamp credit tokens were issued in the 1970s; however, this book also discusses and lists food stamp tokens from prior periods of issuance and explores the EBT/SNAP tokens that are issued today, mostly for use in farmers’ markets. This book will be a “must own” for any collector serious about food stamp credit tokens. Food Stamp Credit Tokens is now available for $65.66 plus shipping at Lulu.com. Just go to 

www.lulu.com and type in “Food Stamp Credit Tokens”.



For more information, or to order, see:


Food Stamp Credit Tokens

(https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/john-ostendorf-and-buckner-creel/food-stamp-credit-tokens/hardcover/product-pw6v82.html)

 

To read earlier E-Sylum articles on the topic, see: 


THE HISTORY OF FOOD STAMP CHANGE TOKENS

(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n05a11.html)


FOOD STAMP CHANGE TOKEN RESEARCH UPDATE

(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n06a11.html)


MORE ON FOOD STAMP CHANGE TOKENS

(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n12a23.html)


FOOD STAMP CHANGE TOKENS: A USER'S PERSPECTIVE

(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n27a08.html)







NEW BOOK: TRADE TOKENS OF NEWFOUNDLAND



Eric Leighton of Nova Scotia has published a new book on the
trade tokens of Newfoundland, Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.
This article is republished here with permission from Canadian Coin News.
Thanks.
-Editor






Nova Scotia collector, researcher and author Eric Leighton has published a limited-edition reference book for Newfoundland and Labrador plus Prince Edward Island tokens.



The 126-page hardcover book, The Trade Tokens of Newfoundland and Labrador & Prince Edward Island, is more than six years in the making.



Following the seven-page introduction, the book includes a checklist and index for both provinces’ tokens issued between 1867 and 2020. Each listing also includes a historical account with photographs, details of the tokens’ size, shape and composition plus any new research.






A Fellow of the Canadian Numismatic Research Society, Leighton illustrates every trade token, including new additions with varieties, in colour.



The Newfoundland and Labrador section includes 63 pages while the Prince Edward Island tokens comprise 34 pages.



The books are available for $44.95 (plus shipping, which is $20 within Canada).



Eric Leighton adds:


"Cost for the book is $55 US at the current rate of Exchange, including postage."





For more information or to buy a book, contact Leighton at 
egleighton at outlook.com.



To read the complete article, see: 


Newfie, P.E.I. tokens detailed in new book

(https://canadiancoinnews.com/newfie-p-e-i-tokens-detailed-in-new-book/)

 













NEW BOOK: BILLETS EN GUERRE 1938-1948



A press release from the Banque de France announces a new book on emergency money in France during WWII.  Here's a Google translation.  Found via
News & Notes from the Society of Paper Money Collectors (Volume VI, Number 33, February 2, 2021).
-Editor






"War Notes" by Jean-Claude Camus

1938-1948



Preface by François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Banque de France



Unpublished documents from the collections of the Banque de France



This is a still unseen story from Seconde World War which is told in this book. That battles where banknotes clash of all the belligerents: invasion tickets imposed by the German army, relief tickets and
reserve prepared by the Banque de France, banknotes of the free French to reconquer the territory, American banknotes from the Normandy landings then the Liberation ...











This vast panorama composed of more than 200 images deciphers the strategies of the Banque de France, Roosevelt, Churchill and De Gaulle for the mastery of cash, both the sinews of war and
proclamation of political sovereignty. Enriched with documents from the United States and England, this book provides a information and images essential to understanding military issues and
monetary policy of the last great world conflict.








Jean-Claude Camus is responsible for the numismatic collections of the service of  Historical heritage and Archives of the Banque de France



To read the complete press release, see: 


« Billets en Guerre » de Jean-Claude Camus

(https://www.banque-france.fr/sites/default/files/medias/documents/communique_de_presse_bdf_-_parution_billets_en_guerre_.pdf)

 

For more information, or to order, see: 


Jean-Claude Camus
Billets en guerre
1938-1948

(https://www.autrement.com/billets-en-guerre/9782746755888)






NEW PERIODICAL: THE LOUPE



Timothy Shellenberger submitted this invitation to his new newsletter, The Loupe.  Good luck!  See the link below to subscribe.
-Editor







A New Weekly Numismatic Newsletter!




On January 26, the first issue of my weekly numismatic newsletter kicked off! As a numismatist like you, I understand how important it is to be continuously learning about all the different aspects of the hobby. To help you keep on learning, I decided to create my own weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox! Each issue includes a spotlight on a United States type coin, a short profile on a Chief engraver, the latest numismatic news, silver coin melt values, and even a special “Guess the Grade” segment. And best of all, it’s free to sign up!






The Loupe is the official publication of Numismastery, a free online resource for beginner collectors who need help setting foot into the hobby. Numismastery is also a relatively new site, so we are still working on adding more articles and courses for you to explore. Be sure to stay tuned, because we are planning on adding much more tools and resources to the website in the near future.



Signing up for The Loupe and using Numismastery’s resources are completely free, so what is there to lose? To join the email list for the Loupe, click the provided link, which will take you to our newsletter website. From there, you can plug in your email, or create an account on the website to have access to the newsletter archives. Thanks for considering, and stay safe!



To visit The Loupe newsletter website, see: 


https://theloupe.wixsite.com/theloupe


  

To visit the Numismastery website, see: 


https://numismastery.weebly.com/


  














HENRY JOSEPH LEVINE (1940-2021)



We lost another hobby stalwart this week - medal dealer Joe Levine.  He was a member of my Northern Virginia numismatic social group Nummis Nova, and will be greatly missed.  Born April 15, 1940, he was 80 years old.   Here's Pete Smith's entry for Joe on his American Numismatic Biographies book.
-Editor






Born in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. Received B.S. from Lehigh University in 1962, LL.B. from George Washington University in 1965, LL.M. from Georgetown University in 1966 and MBA from American University in 1969. He taught as assistant professor of law at the American University in Washington, D. C. Married to Alice H. Hawes October 15, 1988. He has a daughter from a previous marriage.



Owner of Presidential Coin and Antique Company of Alexandria, Virginia, established in 1971. They joined with Bowers and Merena for the sale of the Julian Leidman and David Dreyfuss collections in 1986. Levine and Presidential conducted 83 auction sales 1969 through 2010.






Levine was on the board of directors of TAMS and president 1989 to 1990. He was honored by TAMS with one of their presidential medals. He served as vice president of the Civil War Token Society. He was a member of the 1981, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2005 Official Inaugural Medal Committees. He is a member of the ANA, ANS and other collector organizations. Received the Medal Collectors of America Carl W. A. Carlson Award in 2000.



He has contributed over 20 articles to The Numismatist. Co-author of "Exonumia Notebook," a monthly feature in The Numismatist. Author of Collectors Guide to Presidential Inaugural Medals and Memorabilia issued in 1981 at $8.95. He has also been a contributor to a number of books on tokens and medals.



To read the complete article, see: 


Henry Joseph Levine

(https://nnp.wustl.edu/Library/PersonDetail/1234)








Joe's TAMS Medal (courtesy Pete Smith) and his book


 



Joe Levine examining a medal in a 2015 television report


 








Joe Levine reviewing medals at Neil Musante's table, Baltimore November 2016.  Bruce Smith in foreground.  Wayne Homren photo


 



Gene Brandenburg and Joe Levine, September 2016 Nummis Nova dinner


 



Joe Levine and Tom Kays, May 2015 Nummis Nova dinner


 



Charlie Davis writes:


"I took this photo in Baltimore at my table November 2015. Joe Levine, Charlie Wallace and Neil Musante."





David Menchell writes:


"Joe was the owner of Presidential Coin and Antique Company for many years and was known for his auctions of medals and tokens.   He was a brilliant researcher; his catalogues contain a wealth of information and stand as models for in depth cataloguing.  Joe was involved with the sale of Presidential Inaugural medals and served on the medal committees for several administrations.   He also wrote an important reference on the subject.  



Joe will be best remembered for his humor,  intelligence and generosity.  Whenever I called Joe with a question about a medal or token, he would always respond with a thoughtful, detailed answer.  I always looked forward to his auctions held in conjunction with the Baltimore shows.  They were low keyed affairs: most of the attendees knew each other, the personnel recording the results were often members of Joe's family and friends.  



Joe would be fun to watch, commenting when he thought an item sold for a bargain price, encouraging someone to bid just one more turn to beat a book bid, and consoling a losing bidder not to feel badly since he would have had to go much higher to beat a strong book bid.  I felt privileged to be included in Joe's inner circle when we would go to dinner at Morton's following the sales.  As the saying goes,  Joe was a gentleman and a scholar.  He will be missed by all who were fortunate to have known him. "





Neil Musante writes:


"I was terribly saddened to learn of Joe’s passing.  I had the good fortune to spend an afternoon with Joe and Alice this past October.  He was struggling, but upbeat and at times it was like old times.  Joe was a kind and good man and I enjoyed being in his company.  Some of my fondest numismatic memories were attending his sales.  They were always fun.  He was always fun to be around and so knowledgable.  I feel like I’ve lost a dear uncle.  Deepest sympathy to his daughter, to Alice and to all those who knew and loved Joe."





Jimmy Hayes writes:


"Joe was a member of the official inaugural medals committee for Ford, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and George Bush."





Jeff Rock writes:


"2021 was supposed to be better than this!  I am saddened to hear of the loss of Joe; even though he had scaled back his involvement and those Presidential sales no longer arrived he was still everyone's go-to man when they had a question about a token or medal, and he shared his knowledge freely and fully.  His auction catalogues are a treasure trove of information and I know many of us could barely wait to see what was in each one, ripping open the envelope the day it arrived and devoting a couple hours to joyful reading - and plotting our plan of attack, since we all knew who else was likely going to be interested in the same things we wanted.  I'm glad these sales are on the Newman Numismatic Portal - they will be important references for centuries to come."













To read Joe's Presidential Coin & Antique catalogs on NNP, see: 


Presidential Coin & Antique

(https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctioncompanydetail/511514)



Pete Smith writes:


"I am attaching the image of a medal produced by Levine and his first wife around 1977. There were 400 struck and sold at $3 for the benefit of the American Cancer Society."



  











At Nummis Nova we last saw Joe at our 2019 holiday dinner when he and his wife Alice joined us at  Gadsby's Tavern in Alexandria, VA., which operated as a hotel and tavern from 1796 to 1808, twice hosting George Washington himself.
The room was candlelit and our servers were wearing late 1700s garb. It was a wonderful evening as chronicled in my earlier Numismatic Diary article.
-Editor












Seated from left: Dee Homren, Julian Leidman, Wayne Herndon. Alice and Joe (back to camera) Levine. Standing: Joanne Schenkman. Photo by Wayne Homren




To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: 


WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: DECEMBER 22, 2019

(https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n51a20.html)



Julian Leidman writes:


"I went back to the 1960's with Joe.  While he was still studying, he was an active vest pocket dealer in the DC area.  He used to take me to various PA shows and we spent many fun weekends together at these shows.  I attended his admittance to the PA bar, as well.  He was a very dear friend and will be sorely missed."





Chris Neuzil writes:


"I was saddened to hear about Joe. I was a coin collector beginning to notice medals in the mid 70s when a Boston dealer, Ralph Goldstone if I remember correctly,  told me to look Joe up since I was moving to Virginia. How lucky for me that I did. Joe was incredibly knowledgeable, got me to buy Bob Julian's book, and encouraged my budding interest in early American medals. Thanks for everything, Joe."





Joe Esposito writes:


"I am deeply saddened to hear this.  Joe was not only a great numismatist, but he was a very friendly person and a great storyteller."





Roger Burdette writes:


"Such a loss of a wonderful person."





Mike Packard writes:


"I enjoyed his stories at our dinners.  He will be missed."





Howard Daniel writes:


"I never did any business with Joe but I did sit next him or across the Nummis Dinner table and we had some great conversations.  He was always the gentleman and I cannot remember him ever treating anyone badly."





Eric Schena writes:


"I am so sorry to hear of Joe's passing. He was always great to talk to and hear his stories."







Thanks, everyone. 
I had an additional opportunity to see Joe on November 3, 2020 when I
visited his home to pick up several boxes of auction catalogs and dealer pricelists from his library. I sorted through them, saved a number for the Newman Numismatic Portal and donated the rest to the local Fairfax Coin Club.  Joe had been ill for a while, but he and Alice were doing well and were both in good spirits.  I enjoyed the visit.   Joe will be greatly missed.
-Editor


















NEWMAN PORTAL SCANS NUMISMATIC NEWS



Newman Numismatic Portal Project Coordinator Len Augsburger provided the following update on the digitization of Numismatic News.  Thanks.
-Editor






With the assistance of Cliff Mishler and George Cuhaj, Newman Portal continues to scan Numismatic News (1952-date). The reference set of this periodical is held by the Iola (WI) Historical Society, which has kindly loaned the run for scanning and permitted Newman Portal to unbind the volumes prior to scanning. To date, 1,368 issues have been scanned. 



Illustrated here is the front page of the January 6, 1964 issue, announcing that Congress passed legislation, by an overwhelming margin, for the creation of the Kennedy half dollar. The concept design illustrated is markedly different from the actual coin, with smaller central figures on both sides.






While we have not secured permission to display this periodical with full-view on NNP, we will display brief snippets in search results, which will alert researchers and readers to the existence of an article not otherwise known. In addition, Newman Portal is able to fulfill limited requests for copies of selected articles under Fair Use.






Partial boxed set of Numismatic News at Internet Archive scanning center





Together with the earlier digitization of Coin World, this project will make decades of great numismatic research and writing more easily discoverable by researchers.  Welcome to the future.
-Editor




To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: 


NEWMAN PORTAL DIGITIZES NUMISMATIC NEWS

(https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n20a11.html)


















VIDEO: MEDALLIC WORKS OF CHARLES BARBER



These are selections from the David Lisot Video Library that feature news and personalities from the world of coin collecting. David has been attending coin conventions since 1972 and began videotaping in 1985. The Newman Numismatic Portal now lists all David’s videos on their website at:


https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/multimediadetail/522852




Here's one on the medals of Charles Barber.
-Editor







Medallic Works of Charles Barber

Video Producer: David Lisot.

Speaker: Lawrence P. Baber.



Charles Barber designed some of America's most famous coins. Learn about other numismatic works that helped ensure this great sculptor's place in history. Delivered at the Florida United Numismatists in January 1996. Lecture with slides.



The video is available for viewing on NNP at: 


https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/560344








AUDIO: HOW YEOMAN CHANGED COIN COLLECTING



The CoinWeek Podcast #150 is titled "How R.S. Yeoman Changed the Coin Collecting Hobby Forever."  Check out the interview with 
Red Book Editor Emeritus Ken Bressett at the below link or on iTunes.
-Editor







In this week’s episode of the CoinWeek Podcast, editor Charles Morgan talks to longtime Red Book editor Kenneth Bressett on the career and legacy of Red Book creator and coin board innovator R.S. Yeoman.



Yeoman’s ideas transformed the hobby from an academic pursuit to one with broad mainstream appeal. Whereas most numismatic books published before 1950 were printed in limited numbers, Yeoman’s Red Book was an instant success and has gone on to sell tens of millions of copies and is updated annually. This year, we will see the publication of its 75th edition.






Bressett worked with R.S. Yeoman and probably knew him better than anyone in the industry and Charles asks him to share his insights into Yeoman’s vision for the hobby and where Yeoman fits amongst the giants of 20-century numismatics.



Also in this episode, Charles and CoinWeek staff writer Chris Bullfinch discuss this week’s new United States Mint product offerings and take a quick look at the rise and fall of the Redditors’ silver bullion play.



To read the complete article, see: 


CoinWeek Podcast #150: How R.S. Yeoman Changed the Coin Collecting Hobby Forever

(https://coinweek.com/education/coin-grading/pcgs/coinweek-podcast-150-how-r-s-yeoman-changed-the-coin-collecting-hobby-forever/)

 














$10 DESERET CURRENCY PLATE DISCOVERED



Douglas Nyholm published a great article in the Utah Numismatic Society Mint Master for February 2021
about the recent discovery of an engraving plate for a previously unknown $10 Deseret Currency Association note.  It was originally published in the SPMC Paper Money journal last month.  With permission, we're publishing an excerpt here.  Thanks!
-Editor




I was recently contacted and received an image of a $10 engraving plate from the Deseret Currency Association which was heretofore unknown. Presently printed notes from the second series of engraved notes were known only in the denominations of $1, $2, $3, and $5. There has never even been a rumor of any other denominations existing. Although this discovery item is the engraving plate, and no printed notes have yet come to light, it is a definite relic that at least plans were in place for a possible printing of this denomination.








“DESERET CURRENCY ASSOCIATION”
DISCOVERY $10 ENGRAVING PLATE








 DISCOVERY $10 DESERET CURRENCY ASSOCIATION PLATE (IMAGE REVERSED)




To begin with, a bit of history about the Deseret Currency Association
should be discussed. The “State of Deseret” was formed about two years
after the arrival of the “Saints” into the Great Salt Lake valley in 1847 with their leader, Brigham Young. The Mormons were continually active with
the issuance of currency beginning in Kirtland Ohio, then from Nauvoo Illinois, and finally from Salt Lake. The “Deseret Currency Association” was
organized in January 1858. Its primary purpose was to relieve the lack of
circulating currency in “Deseret” and to fund the defense against the U.S.
Army which was enroute to Salt Lake. Brigham Young was sure that the
army’s intentions were to remove himself as Governor, halt the practice of
polygamy, and end the Mormon’s dominance over economics and political
affairs in the territory. Capital was desperately needed as there were no
banks in the territory and the only circulating specie was a small amount of
circulating U.S. money in addition to a few remaining re-issued Kirtland banknotes and a small number of Mormon gold coins available.



Thus, the first issue of The Deseret Currency Association’s currency was consisting of typeset denominations hastily printed in the denominations of $1, $2, $3, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. These were printed uniface on very thin paper issued with the notation “Good Only in this Territory.” This issue was later a target for the now infamous counterfeiter Mark Hofmann in the early 1980’s who researched records to determine the denominations which were issued. Presently only the $1 and $2 denominations plus a unique $3 are known to have survived as authenticated genuine specimens. Hofmann created forgeries of all the higher denominations. 



These typeset original Type 1 denominations were issued quickly due to the urgent need and the higher quality engraved examples were planned but the copper plates would not be available for several months. Later in the year the engraved copper plates were prepared. The plates indicate that the “drawer,” or designer was Henry Maiben and the “engraver” was David McKenzie as noted in small font at the lower edge. It is also well documented that plates for denominations of $1, $2, $3, and $5 were prepared as well as surviving known printed notes of all four denominations. This recently discovered copper printing plate for a $10 denomination for the Deseret Currency Association is therefore an extraordinary find. Up to this time there has not been any information that such a denomination was contemplated let alone a printing plate created.





The article next goes into the timeline of Deseret currency printing and the printing plates themselves.
-Editor





First, a little history of copper printing plates which were created during this time in Salt Lake. Prior to the discovery of this $10 plate no other copper engraving plates were known to exist except for a $2 plate created for the “Utah Territory Mercantile Company” presumably by the same engraver, David McKenzie, as his signature appears at the bottom left of the printed $3 note of this type. Approximately 10-15 years ago a copper plate was sold at auction for a $2 denomination from the Utah Territory Mercantile Company. This brings to two, the number of Utah copper engraved plates known today. There are also no printed notes known to have been printed or have survived from this $2 plate.






 MERCANTILE CURRENCY COPPER PLATE (Image reversed)




The above mentioned $2 plate was auctioned by Stacks on October 16th, 2007.





Judge John Cradlebaugh, who served in Utah during 1858 and was an outspoken
critic of the Mormons, spoke to the House of Representatives on February 7, 1863.  He discussed the seizure of currency printing plates from Brigham Young’s workshop "and produced and waived in his hand during his speech the two copper plates which he stated were produced in Utah to promulgate forgery and counterfeiting against the U.S. Government."
-Editor





How did this discovery plate come to be found? To begin with, it was found in the basement rafters of a house located at 10th St. SW in Washington D.C. It appeared at a small local auction in the area in early 2020, where it was purchased by the present owner. The consignor obtained it from her grandfather who was living in the house until 1954. He passed it on because she was interested in history. The house was built in 1909 on a vacant lot purchased in that same year. The house functioned as a boarding house with residents employed in the Washington D.C. area and is located about 1 mile from a local Mormon Church. The ability to trace who may have placed it in the rafters is probably impossible since from the speech in 1863, to at least 1909 when the house was built there is an untraceable gap. It seems to possibly have had some connection either with some Mormons or a political figure who may have been connected to Cradlebaugh who was the last person to be traced to the p
 late.



SUMMARY
The importance of this discovery cannot be overstated. It is a significant remnant of a tumultuous time in the history of the Mormons early history in the Salt Lake valley. It also ties this newly found copper engraving to the first copperplate engraving of the Mercantile Currency which was completed in the western territories of the fledgling United States. Although not 100% verified it is certainly strong evidence of the illegal counterfeiting efforts to undermine the U.S. Army troops sent to Deseret. It is also an amazing artifact from the second type of the Deseret Currency Association, which was the only currency ever issued in the United States to be backed by livestock and a denomination that was never known to have been documented or even planned.  I am pleased to be able to bring this part of history to light not only to historians but collectors alike. It is one more instance that with history, not everything is known, and new discoveries are still waiting to be bro
 ught to light.

 













NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 7, 2021


 No Known Polymer £5 Note Counterfeits 
Jonathan Callaway writes:


"I found the article RAID NETS UK'S LARGEST COUNTERFEIT SEIZURE very interesting.  One unfortunate error in it is that the original report used the image of the current polymer £5 note, whereas the criminals had been counterfeiting the last paper £20 note, a very different situation indeed.  There are no known examples of any of the new polymer notes being counterfeited and I think that should be made clear."






Good point.  Thank you.  Journalists aren't the best with numismatic details.  I perpetuated the error, but that was the only image I had to work with in the article.  I must see dozens and dozens of counterfeiting articles each week, and most are uninteresting stories of small-time crooks.  The following article from Hong Kong was an example of that, and was included only because of the shared theme. The U.K. report was notable for the size of the haul and the sophistication of the counterfeiters. 
-Editor



To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see: 


RAID NETS UK'S LARGEST COUNTERFEIT SEIZURE

(https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n05a27.html)


HONG KONG COUNTERFEIT BANKNOTES RISING

(https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n05a28.html)







 Playing with Coin Whirligigs 


Lev Linkner writes:


"E-Sylum readers are so fantastic and filled with information. Thanks for figuring out my Apollo token is a kids toy. I will try it out today with my 2 1/2 year old grandson! Please thank the respondents for me!"






DONE!  Have fun with it.  If you have the piece slabbed, will they drill holes so you can still play?



Thanks also to Carol Bastable and other readers who wrote in about coins as pie crimpers.  The E-Sylum is like a weekly cocktail party with people across the numismatic spectrum, and the conversation drifts from one interesting topic to the next.  Lots to learn along the way!
-Editor



To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see: 


NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 24, 2021 : Merriam Token Two-Holed Pie Crimper

(https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n04a18.html)


NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 31, 2021 : Coin Whirligigs

(https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n05a09.html)



 Warwickshire Conder Token With Multiple Counterstamps 




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