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From: esylum at binhost.com (esylum at binhost.com)
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 00:06:10 -0400
Subject: The E-Sylum v10#18, May 6, 2007
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Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 18, May 6, 2007:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM MAY 6, 2007

Among our recent subscribers are Mike Meranda of New Jersey, 
courtesy of Sam Deep, Richard Bottles, courtesy of your Editor, 
and Roger Anderson, courtesy of John and Nancy Wilson.  Welcome 
aboard!  We now have 1,111 subscribers.

Sadly, this week's issue opens with news of the death of another 
prominent numismatist and numismatic bibliophile.  Next, George 
Kolbe provides a preview of his upcoming 103rd sale of numismatic 
literature.  

We have two book reviews this week, starting with my lengthy 
discussion of "Treasure Ship - The Legend and Legacy of the S. S. 
Brother Jonathan."  Following the review are a number of news notes 
relating to the ANA and ANS.

In research queries, this week we have requests involving engraver/
painter John William Casilear (1811-1893), buyer's names for the 1949 
ANA sale, the legal tender status of peso pizza payments, the Dutch 
Peace of Breda and how wooden medals are made.  In a follow-up from 
last week, we discuss the personal challenge coin of Commander-in-Chief 
George W. Bush.  

In the news, engraver Ron Landis issues five new coin reproductions 
(his first in two years), Ghana, South Korea and Slovakia plan new 
coins and banknotes, certain coins are getting scarce in Sri Lanka, 
and a Washington Post article foreshadows the coming of medals awarded 
to military robots.

Dave Harper, Colin Bruce, George Cuhaj, Tom Michael, Fred Borgmann and 
David Kranz are among the Numismatic News staffers now publishing free 
electronic newsletters.  Sign up at www.numismaticnews.net - I did.  
It's great to see the mainstream numismatic press getting into the 
online swing of things.  Welcome to the party!

So what medal is said to have started a war?  What currency museum 
has been giving "free samples"?  And how do you tell the numismatic men 
from the boys?  Read on to find out!  Have a great week, everyone.

Wayne Homren
Numismatic Bibliomania Society


DR. JACK M. VORHIES 1923-2007

John and Nancy Wilson, Ocala, FL write: "It was with great sadness 
that we recently heard of the passing of longtime numismatist and 
friend Dr. Jack M. Vorhies of Greenwood, Indiana.   Dr. Vorhies, a 
retired Dentist, passed away on March 12th at the age of 84.  Dr. 
Vorhies was a collector since 1970 and had great interest in Indiana, 
Kentucky and Ohio proof notes.  He also avidly collected Federal 
proofs, die proof vignettes, engraved checks and documents, artwork 
of engravers, and other paper money related items including Revenue 
Stamped Paper and Stamps.  

"We visited Dr. Vorhies about 15 years ago and were able to see his 
great numismatic library.  He was very proud of his terrific library 
which included mostly books on Syngraphics. We could see that he took 
tender loving care of every book he owned and treasured it as he would 
a family member.  Dr. Vorhies also leather bound the publications he 
received from the Society of Paper Money Collectors (Paper Money) and 
Essay Proof Society (EPS is no longer in existence).  He also took 
other references that were soft bound or had damaged covers and had 
them leather bound.   

"We talked to Dr. Vorhies in 2003 and convinced him that his 'Syngraphic 
Library' would add greatly to the American Numismatic Association library.  
Dr. Vorhies donated this important library to the ANA in 2004.  ANA 
Librarian Nancy Green along with Numismatic Literature Specialist Charles 
Davis were amazed at the tremendous references that were donated by Dr. 
Vorhies, and were now part of the ANA Library.  Many, if not most of 
these references currently reside in the ANA Dwight Manley Library, 
and Frank Katen Rare Book Room.   This great donation helped to make 
the ANA Dwight Manley Library one of the best in the world in the area 
of Syngraphics.  

"Dr. Vorhies was also a co-author of the Indiana Obsolete Notes and 
Scrip reference along with Wendell A. Wolka and Donald A. Schramm, 
which was published by Krause Publication in 1978.

"Dr. Vorhies participated in many of the paper money conventions held 
annually in Memphis, Chicago and St. Louis.  For the past several years 
he shared a table at the IPMS Memphis convention with J. Roy Pennell.  
It was always fun to stop and visit with Dr. Vorhies and talk about 
paper money.  He had exceptional knowledge of banknotes, engraving 
companies and their engravers.  He helped us at times with information 
and notes for our collection.  

"Dr. Vorhies was born in Indianapolis in 1923.  As a young man he was 
drafted, went to Officer Candidate School, and served in the 102 
Infantry - WW ll European Theatre.  He served for 18 months.  From 
the Military, he entered Dental School and later became a DDS, MSD, 
specializing as an Orthodonist. He met his future wife Georgia when 
he was 15.  They were married three years later and had seven children.  

"We can remember many times Dr. Vorhies telling us how proud and happy 
he was with his wife Georgia and their children.  Many times Georgia 
would accompany her husband to the conventions.  It was always nice to 
see Georgia and Dr. Vorhies at conventions. This was a wonderful and 
loving couple who were always smiling and had kind words to say to 
everyone who stopped to say hello.    

"Dr. Jack Vorhies was a kind and gentle person who will be missed by 
his hundreds of friends in the numismatic community.  We want to wish 
Georgia and her family our sincere condolences and prayers on this sad 
loss.  Dr. Jack Vorhies will live in the memories of everyone who 
crossed his path."

To read Vorhies' obituary in the March 14, 2005 Indianapolis Star, see:
http://www2.indystar.com/cgi-bin/obituaries/index.php?action=show&id=74583


MORE ON CHRIS CONNELL

Bill Rosenblum writes: "I heard about his death last week and am still 
in shock. He was one of the real 'good guys' in numismatics and gave so 
much to the hobby. 

"One of the reasons Chris left the ministry and took the job at the ANA 
was that he had been very involved in working with members of the NYFD 
after 9/11 and as one can well imagine it took its toll on him."

  CHRISTOPHER T. CONNELL, 1946-2007
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n17a02.html


KOLBE NUMISMATIC LITERATURE SALE #103 PLANNED FOR JUNE 7, 2007

George Kolbe forwarded the following information about his upcoming 
sale: "On June 7, 2007 George Frederick Kolbe/Fine Numismatic Books 
will conduct their 103rd auction of rare and out of print numismatic 
literature, featuring the second part of the Alan M. Meghrig Library 
and a large selection of classic 19th and early 20th century American 
coin auction catalogues, many from the library of John J. Ford, Jr. 
Printed catalogues will be available in early May and can be ordered 
by sending $15.00 to Kolbe at P. O. Drawer 3100, Crestline, CA 92325. 
The 770 lot catalogue is also currently accessible free of charge at 
the firm?s web site (www.numislit.com).

"Some sale highlights follow: one of only six sets of superb color 
photographs depicting the magnificent Clifford-Kagin collection of 
Pioneer & Territorial Gold Coins; an annotated copy of Miller & Ryder?s 
1920 ?State Coinages of New England,? including correspondence between 
Howard Kurth and John Richardson; an exceptionally fine set of 
Davenport?s classic works on crowns and talers; original 1875 and 
1878 editions of Crosby?s ?Early Coins of America?; Dr. George P. 
French?s annotated copy of Doughty?s 1890 ?Cents of the United States?; 
David Proskey?s ?Sales Room? copy of the ill-fated 1887 Linderman sale 
of patterns; preliminary proofs of Gilbert?s 1910 plates of 1794 large 
cents; F. C. C. Boyd?s annotated copies of four Grinnell paper money 
sales; the first thirteen hard-bound George Frederick Kolbe auction 
sale catalogues; an original 1869 edition of Dr. Maris?s classic work 
on 1794 large cents; a complete, very fine set of Wayte Raymond?s 
?Coin Collector?s Journal?; runs of Chapman brother, Barney Bluestone, 
Thomas Elder, Ed. Frossard, and M. H. Bolender auction sales; over a 
dozen hardbound Kagin?s auction catalogues presented to John J. Ford, 
Jr.; some 165 different Lyman Low auction sales; etc."


BOOK REVIEW: TREASURE SHIP BY DENNIS M. POWERS

This week I take a look at 'Treasure Ship - The Legend and Legacy of 
the S. S. Brother Jonathan' by Dennis M. Powers (Citadel, 2006, 416pp. 
List Price: $21.95, but now available from the publisher at 30% off 
($15.37)).    Powers is an E-Sylum subscriber and was kind enough to 
send me a copy of his book earlier this year.  The book is in the form 
of an historical nonfiction novel.  Arranged chronologically, the book 
opens with the Brother Jonathan leaving San Francisco on its last, 
fatal voyage on July 28, 1865, and ends with the last exploration of 
the wreck in 2000 and a discussion of the status of the artifacts.  

Comparisons are inevitable to two earlier books:  Gary Kinder's 1998 
"Ship of Gold" about the recovery of the S.S. Central America, and Dave 
Bowers' 1999 book on the S.S. Brother Jonathan itself.  Frankly, although 
I was looking forward to the Powers book, I was wary of finding 
significantly new content.  For me the Kinder book was a mind-opening 
view into the world of deep sea recovery, and with Dave's typical 
multilayered coverage of the numismatic and historical aspects of 
whatever subject he tackles, I doubted that another author could add 
much to my knowledge of the subject.  But I was wrong.  Powers' book 
has a lot to offer and E-Sylum readers should be pleased to know that 
numismatics plays a central role in key sections of the book.  It's 
a keeper, particularly for anyone with an interest in The "Great Debate" 
over the authenticity of disputed western assay bars.

E-Sylum subscriber Alison Frankel (author of Double Eagle: The Epic Story 
of the World?s Most Valuable Coin) had this to say: ?In recounting the 
disastrous sinking and miraculous recovery of the S.S. Brother Jonathan, 
Dennis M. Powers shows his prodigious research abilities. Every time you 
think this story couldn?t possibly take another strange turn, Powers 
proves that it can, and he does so in highly entertaining fashion.?

The following description is from the publisher's web page for the book:

"Caught in tumultuous seas off the coast of northern California in 1865, 
the 220-foot sidewheeler S.S. Brother Jonathan skidded down the face of 
a massive wave and slammed into an uncharted reef. Her nine-story mast 
crashed through the bottom of the ship and within forty-five minutes she 
went under, taking with her 225 souls and millions of dollars? worth of 
newly minted gold bars and coins. Only 19 people in a battered lifeboat 
made it to shore, and over the next several weeks, bodies and pieces of 
the ship washed up along a 125-mile stretch of the coast. For more than 
a hundred years the ship?s treasure would remain one of the Pacific?s 
great secrets." 

"Based on ten years of exhaustive research into previously untapped 
sources, Treasure Ship tells the harrowing tale of the last voyage of 
the Brother Jonathan and her passengers, which included prospectors, 
dignitaries, card sharks, young families and even a notorious madam 
with seven of her ?soiled doves.? The final moments as the ship went 
down were filled with acts of steadfast courage and quiet dignity, and 
just weeks later expeditions began to hunt for the ship and her golden 
cargo." 

In the numismatic community there will be inevitable comparisons to Q. 
David Bowers' 1999 work, "The Treasure Ship S. S. Brother Jonathan: Her 
Life and Loss, 1850-1865".  Like most of Dave's books, his work has a combined historical-numismatic orientation, with chapters on coins and 
currency in America at the time, money in California, coins and coiners 
in California and the San Francisco Mint.  An appendix enumerates the 
coins recovered in the 1996-97 salvage efforts.

The new book by Dennis Powers focuses much more on the ship's history 
and recovery, but also covers a topic of keen interest to numismatists, 
the "Great Debate" over the authenticity of many western assay bars, 
including those said to be from an earlier salvage of the Brother 
Jonathan wreck.

Dennis Powers writes: "Owing to my writing this book later than Dave, 
and I have great respect for his works, I could cover in detail the 
last exploration of the Brother Jonathan in 2000 when Dwight Manley 
invested money in what became the last exploration to date of the sunken 
ship.  

"Thanks to the American Numismatic Association, I was able to review 
the complete videotapes of "The Great Debate" that took place between 
Michael Hodder and Professor Buttrey on August 12, 1999, at the ANA's 
annual convention.  Thus, I could go into detail as to the history and 
arguments on both sides as to the validity of the Jonathan's gold bars 
that became the focal point of The Great Debate.  

"I watched the videotaped Great Debate for hours on end and became totally 
fascinated by the players, reactions, and statements.  In the end, I 
decided to write a near statement-by-statement synopsis of that time 
and delve into the gold bullion issues in greater detail."

"Owing to my being able to interview Don Knight and David Flohr, among 
other lead salvors, I could go into the specifics of the issues from 
both points of view that ended up in the massive litigation between the 
salvagers--and their observations.  Being an attorney and with review 
from the salvors? lead counsel, I also set down the specific arguments 
and issues that confronted the salvagers and the State of California 
in their litigation that eventually was decided by the U.S. Supreme 
Court."

The fruits of Powers' efforts are in Chapter 17, "The Bars and the 
'Great Debate'".  The chapter opens with a recounting of the odyssey 
of the infamous bars numbered 2184 and 2186 first sold publicly at NASCA 
and Stack's auctions.   It goes on to summarize the papers and lectures 
by Buttrey and Hodder leading up to the legendary "Great Debate" between 
the two at the 1999 Chicago ANA Convention.  It was a little jarring to 
read in the book an E-Sylum quote I'd long forgotten writing just prior 
to the debate that "spectators will be asked to check their six-shooters 
at the door."

As one of 150 or so numismatists present at the occasion, I can attest 
that the chapter fairly accurately recounts the setting, events, 
personalities, tensions and undercurrents of the two and a half hour 
session.  What Powers adds is the detached viewpoint of an independent 
observer with access to additional sources of information, albeit ones 
just as sketchy and incomplete as the original numismatic auction descriptions of the Brother Jonathan bars.  

Powers ends the chapter with an interesting speculation by the salvage 
team's researcher and long-time head Don Knight based on (among other 
things), statements of a man who claimed to have witnessed the recovery 
of an S.S. Jonathan lifeboat following a storm in the 1930s.  This and 
other arguments convinced no less a body than the U.S. Supreme Court 
that "the only recovery of cargo (prior to 1933) from the shipwreck may 
have occurred in the 1930s, when a fisherman found twenty-two pounds of 
gold bars minted in 1865 and believed to have come from the Brother 
Jonathan.  The fisherman died, however, without revealing the source 
of his treasure."  This opinion came down in 1998, prior to the Great 
Debate, but I was unaware of it until now.

Lest anyone falsely hope that the book holds a conclusion on the topic, 
Powers writes: "The court's statement on the gold bars can be accepted 
as being as good as any other explanation given.  However, we may never 
know conclusively who was right: John J. Ford, Jr. or Professor Ted 
Buttrey.  Or what brought about the discovery of the gold bars.  Yet 
this is what legends are made of."

I made another statement in The E-Sylum that I'd long forgotten until 
now:  I said that "This may take longer than the Gold Rush itself to 
completely play out..." (August 15, 1999).  I was wrong there, too.  
It's already been nearly eight years, although proponents of each side 
are probably convinced that the matter has been settled already (in 
their favor, of course).

Chapter 18 should also be of interest to numismatists.  Titled "The 
Super Agent", it recounts the life of Dwight Manley and his involvement 
in financing part of the recovery effort and marketing the recovered 
items.  "Not only was Manley a multi-millionaire gold-coin dealer and 
marketer, he was also a high-profile sports agent.  Born in 1966, 
Manley began collecting coins at the age of six...   Manley is also 
the most unlikely person to be a player agent.  He isn't a lawyer, 
never went to college, and the only sport he ever seriously played 
is golf.  Until he agreed to represent his friend, Dennis Rodman, he 
never even thought about being an agent."

I will not pretend to have read "Treasure Ship" from cover-to-cover 
(yet), although I'm looking forward to doing just that on an upcoming 
airline flight.  Neither would I profess that it's without flaws.  One 
nit I'll pick is found on page 330, where Buttrey is described as the 
former "Keeper of the Department of Coins at the Fitzweiler Museum" 
(it's the Fitzwilliam).  Another is that the long Supreme Court opinion 
is quoted factually but modified slightly for style and readability 
(see p2 of the opinion).

Finally, let me just say that the production quality of this glossy 
dust-jacketed hardback edition makes it a true bargain at the $15.37 
price - why bother waiting for the softcover?  Included are 16 pages 
of color photos on quality paper picturing the ship, its owner and 
captain, rescuers, relics, modern treasure hunters and their equipment, 
as well as recovered gold bars and coins.  I would recommend that 
anyone with the slightest interest in the book order a copy of the 
hardcover.

To order the hardcover (paperback available August 28, 2007), see:
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/finditem.cfm?itemid=10039

To read the 1998 Supreme Court opinion on the Brother Jonathan case, see:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/pdf/96-1400P.ZO  

To read T.V. Buttrey's notes on Brother Jonathan gold bars, see:
http://www.fake-gold-bars.co.uk/bro1.html 
http://www.fake-gold-bars.co.uk/bro2.html 

  PIONEER ASSAY BAR SHOOTOUT  
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v02n29a06.html 

  RECOMMENDED READING: SHIP OF GOLD
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v02n32a04.html

  SHIP OF GOLD BOOK
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v06n39a19.html
  
  THE GREAT "DEBATE"
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v02n33a09.html 

  HODDER'S COMMENTS ON THE "DEBATE"
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v02n34a09.html

  "GREAT DEBATE" CLIFFHANGER  
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v02n35a08.html


BOOK REVIEW: SPECIAL AGENT, VIETNAM BY DOUGLASS HUBBARD JR.

Howard Daniel writes: "During my current Southeast Asia trip, I was 
in Singapore twice.  During my first stay at the Marriott hotel, I 
walked across the street and checked out the large Borders bookstore.  
I always find something to buy. This time it was Special Agent, Vietnam, 
A Naval Intelligence Memoir, by Douglass H. Hubbard Jr.  It was printed 
by Potomac Books in Dulles, VA (ISBN 1-57488-970-2).

"The book perked my interest because I have been looking for a Commander 
or Lt. Commander Van Hook or Van Horn.  He was the poor soul assigned by 
MG McChristian, the MACV J-2, in January 1966 assigning me the task of 
creating an intelligence unit from scratch, in less than 90 days, without 
authorized funds or personnel.  During my encounter with him, I could see 
he was doubtful I could do it.  I did accomplish the mission in half the 
time and I have always wanted to tell him, but I never saw or heard from 
him again.  I am hoping that some names in this book will lead me to him.

"But the bonus is that there are also some numismatic tidbits in it!  
The first is describing some military clubs that could be unknown to 
the military club token community that might match some unidentified 
tokens.  Besides intelligence, the agents described in it were also 
involved in counter-intelligence and criminal investigations.  For the 
latter activity, there are several incidents in it where MPC (military 
payment certificates), U.S. currency, postal money orders, post 
exchange ration cards, etc., are described.  

"There is also the apprehension of a Chinese gang with "counterfeit" 
printing plates, but it is not clear if they are for MPC or U.S. 
currency.  But the Treasury Fraud Repression Unit is identified to me 
for the first time and a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request 
might reveal more information about the plates and other numismatic 
related information, but I will also be contacting the author."


CHRISTIAN GOBRECHT NOTEBOOK AND SKETCHBOOK SURFACES

In the May 2007 issues of The E-Gobrecht (Volume 3, Issue 5), Len 
Augsburger noted that "An interesting item recently appeared on 
www.abebooks.com:

  Manuscript Notebook and Sketchbook.
  GOBRECHT, Christian.
  Bookseller: BOOKPRESS LTD. (Williamsburg, VA, U.S.A.)
  Price: US$ 9350.00 [Convert Currency]
  Quantity: 1, Shipping within U.S.A.:US$ 3.50
  Book Description: 

(Baltimore and Philadelphia: 1806, 1806. Manuscript Notebook and 
Sketchbook. - 1823). Small 4to. (8 x 6 1/2 inches). Shee spine, 
decorated paperboards. 72 leaves, of which 2/3 are used. Christian 
Gobrecht (1785-1844) was a noted American engraver, punch cutter an 
inventor. This notebook can be divided into three sections. The first 
has nineteen pen and graphite sketches of an organ he invented between 
1816 and 1821, "a reed organ made of an assemblage of metallic tongues 
placed in a case and operate with a bellows and keys." The second 
section concerns itself with punch cutt and type founding machinery 
from the early 1820s when Gobrecht worked for Murray, Draper, Fairman 
& Company, Philadelphia, where he was noted for his designs and
models for the United States Mint. Manuscript material on American 
engraving of the period is especially rare. The third section is 
fifty-three pages of recipes and receipts, many of which deal with 
gilding and faux-gild using brass, cast steel and silver, along with 
great details on aquatinting, soldering for organ pipes, and other 
craft functions. At the beginning are early drawings and later a 
proof of an engraved calling card for 'Capt. Isaac Hull, U.S.N. The 
ook contains the engraved bookplate of Chr. Gobrecht. The book remained 
in the Gobrecht family until 1928 when it was presented to the Franklin 
Institute and sold by them in October 2006.

"I inquired about this item yesterday and was told that it had already 
sold. A pity. The second section would be the most interesting - Gobrecht 
is thought to have created date and letter punches for the US mint during 
this period - perhaps this sketchbook had further information on this?"

Len adds: "I have since talked with Dan Hamelberg, who saw the sketchbook 
in person and reported that there was no numismatic content in there."

[Despite the lack of numismatic content, this is still a very significant 
source for information on a key early U.S. Mint engraver.  Interesting!  
-Editor]


ANA SUMMER SEMINAR CLASS ON NUMISMATIC LITERATURE AND RESEARCH

Jane Colvard, Director of Educational Programs for the American Numismatic 
Association writes: "I would just like to pass along that while it may seem 
like there is still plenty of time to register for the ANA Summer Seminar, 
many classes are already beginning to fill up.   

"Of the 38 courses offered this year, one class should be of particular 
interest to the readers of The E-Sylum:  "Numismatic Literature and 
Research," taught by Charles Davis, numismatic literature specialist, 
author and dealer, will be held in Session II - June 30 to July 6.  This 
course is truly fundamental to the study of numismatics and one that 
every collector should take at some point in their "hobby-career."  
Throughout the course of the week, students will learn to evaluate the 
usefulness of standard references, auction catalogs and periodicals in 
tracing pedigrees or substantiating rarity claims, as well as compare 
the works as sources of enjoyable, historical perspectives on numismatics.  

"More information on Summer Seminar is available on the ANA website at 
www.money.org (just click on "Summer Seminar" under the "Numismatic 
Events" drop down menu) or by calling 719-482-9869."


ANA WORLD'S FAIR OF MONEY NUMISMATIC LITERATURE EXHIBITS

Also coming up this summer is the August 8-12, 2007 ANA convention in 
Milwaukee, WI.  I'd like to encourage numismatic bibliophiles and all 
E-Sylum readers planning to attend the convention to consider placing 
an exhibit.  July 2 is the deadline for exhibit applications, but it?s 
never too soon to start planning.

Remember, the Numismatic Bibliomania Society (sponsor of The E-Sylum) 
raised funds several years ago to create and endow the Aaron Feldman 
Award, given each year to the top exhibit in Class 22 - Numismatic 
Literature.   Past exhibits in the category are listed on the NBS 
web site:
http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_exhibits.html 


AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY EXTENDS & EXPANDS EXHIBITS

In its April 2007 ANS E-News, the American Numismatic Society reports 
that its current exhibition has been extended and that coins from its 
collection are also going on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

"We are pleased to announce that our exhibition 'Drachmas, Doubloons, 
and Dollars: The History of Money' in conjunction with The Federal 
Reserve Bank of New York, has been extended through March 2012. Located 
at 33 Liberty Street in Lower Manhattan, the exhibition is open to the 
public Monday - Friday 10-4 except bank holidays. For more information 
on the exhibition, visit our website at: 
http://www.numismatics.org/exhibits/DrachmasDoubloonsDollars/ .

"Visitors to New York can now find additional ANS coins on display at 
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has just completed a multi-year 
reinstallation of its Greek and Roman Galleries. The most recent loans 
make available a spectacular selection of Hellenistic and Roman coins, 
which in turn join a superb group of Greek, Cypriot and Byzantine 
pieces already at the museum. For further information, please see http://www.metmuseum.org/ ."

"The American Numismatic Society sends out its E-News to members and 
interested individuals. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send 
e-mail to isaac at numismatics.org ."


UPCOMING ANS NUMISMATIC CONVERSATION: NUMISMATIC IMAGING, MAY 30

Also in its April 2007 ANS E-News, the American Numismatic Society 
reports that its next "Numismatic Conversations" event will take 
place Wednesday, May 30 at 6:00 pm.

"'Numismatic Imaging': Coins present their own unique set of problems 
for photography. ANS photographer, Alan Roche, will take you through 
all aspects of digital workflow, from lighting to capture to image adjustment in Photoshop and finally to image archiving (To reserve 
a seat at the table, please call (212) 571-4470 Ext. 1306, or email isaac at numismatics.org)"


MONETA ACCEPTING ONLINE SCHOLARLY NUMISMATIC TEXTS

Georges Depeyrot writer: "The new section of the website Moneta is 
now in construction (a part is visible).  It will receive scholarly 
texts that are not to be published on paper, or useful documentation 
concerning coins, coin finds or concerning our cooperation programs 
in Europe. It will be updated each month. Everyone can send text to 
be included in the "E-paper" section.  The main languages are accepted 
(actually the texts are in French, English, German and Romanian)."

To access the Moneta web site, see:
http://www.cultura-net.com/moneta 


QUERY ON COPYRIGHTS AND TRANSLATED TEXTS

Alan Luedeking writes: "It is my understanding that a translated text 
is a derivative work, and as such is subject to the original work's 
copyright. Translations in general are subject to copyright, the exception 
being the same as that for original works, namely that a translation made 
by an author who died more than 70 years ago will generally be in the 
public domain. But what are the modern translator's copyright rights for 
a recent translation of a work already in the public domain whose original 
author has died over 70 years ago? Any feedback would be much appreciated."


INFORMATION ON ENGRAVER JOHN WILLIAM CASILEAR SOUGHT

Roger Anderson writes: "I have been in communication with John and Nancy 
Wilson about a long term project (started 2003) on the engraver/painter 
John William Casilear (1811-1893) that I am putting together. They suggested 
that The E-Sylum might be helpful in getting word out to collectors of 
obsolete bank notes, other engravings, who might have some knowledge of 
Casilear's bank note/other engraving career, which ran from roughly 1827 
to 1854. I am trying to put together a list of bank notes/other engravings 
that firms' he partnered with and/or engraved for did for clients.

"The firms that I know of are: Peter Maverick; Durand, Perkins & Co.; 
Casilear, Durand & Co.; Casilear, Durand, Burton & Edmonds; Casilear, 
Capewell, and Kimmel; and Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear, & Co. I am 
particularly interested in any Specimen Sheets, signed Casilear 
vignettes, other known Casilear vignettes, bank or other client 
correspondence to and from his firms, and any miscellaneous material.

"I am just beginning the engraving part of his career (have the painting 
part significantly advanced), and as yet, have not yet consulted Haxby, 
nor collections at the several private and public numismatic holdings, 
because it appears to involve sorting through thousands of notes, stock 
certificates, etc. and I hope to somehow shortcut this process via leads 
as to states, banks, and companies he is known to have engraved for (I 
have started by looking at on-line auction catalogues, old literature, 
etc.). 

"I am not a collector, rather a researcher interested in bringing 
Casilear's talents to light via a monograph and/or exhibition to 
commemorate his 200th birthday in June, 2011. I recently have been in 
contact with other well known numismatic experts, e.g. Q. David Bowers, 
David Sundman, Gene Hessler, Mark Tomasko, Stephen Goldsmith, and the 
Wilsons, who have been helpful in suggesting various venues to 
follow-up on.

"Therefore, would appreciate your putting me on the list and any 
other feedback/assistance you would be willing to provide."

[Welcome aboard!   Congratulations and good luck on your research 
project.  Perhaps some of our readers can assist.  -Editor]

To read the Wikipedia entry on Casilear, see:  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_Casilear


BASHLOW GOLD CONFEDERATE CENT RESTRIKE INFORMATION SOUGHT

Harold Levi writes: "In recent months some thin planchet gold Bashlow 
Confederate cent restrikes have shown up.  One was even graded, 
authenticated, and encapsulated by NGC, which had belonged to Art 
Kagin.  Based on information received from David Laties (Bashlow?s 
business partner), only three gold restrikes were made.  

"Laties has confirmed that his copy is double thick (piedfort) and 
weighs 14.5 grams.  Dr. Richard Doty checked the Smithsonian Institution?s 
copy, donated by Bashlow and Laties.  It is piedfort and weighs 14.475 grams.  All of this information has come to me over the last week.

"The only confirmed thin Bashlow restrikes are mentioned in a letter 
written by Bashlow to Tom DeLorey in 1976.  The confirmed thin planchet 
restrikes are only in bronze and silver, as far as is known.  This 
letter was published in E-Sylum: Volume 9, Number 46, November 12, 2006.

"I believe that only the three piedfort gold Bashlow restrikes were made, 
as confirmed by David Laties and Walter Breen.  However, does anyone have 
any information of any kind about gold Bashlow restrikes. My e-mail 
address is haroldlevi at hotmail.com."

Per Harold's request I forwarded his query to Dick Johnson.  Dick writes: 
"I was involved with the Bashlow Confederate restrikes at the beginning 
and at the end of his project.  I remember it well, as well as Robert 
Bashlow personally. (I had visited him at his New York City apartment 
and at his one-room storage vault deep within a Manhattan storage 
company - where the floor was literally covered with bags of foreign 
coins - you had to walk on top of the bags - he was actively dealing 
in foreign coins at the time).

"I had just started Coin World in 1960 when Bashlow first had the 
August Frank company make copy dies from the original dies he acquired. 
He advertised these in early Coin World issues and we publicized these 
rather widely. For a special Civil War issue of Coin World I believe 
we ran a special feature article on his project.

"At the end of this is when Medallic Art Company purchased the August 
Frank company assets, including the dies, in November 1972. I was 
charged with cataloging these. We hired an August Frank employee, 
William Neithercott, to assist in this cataloging. He remembered 
Bashlow, and he was still proud of what the firm had done in sinking 
new copy dies and striking these replicas for Bashlow a dozen years 
earlier.

"Unfortunately, there were no Bashlow dies amongst the 7,000 dies 
acquired from August Frank in 1972. He must have retrieved every 
one of them.

"As for the gold restrikes, I have no memory of these.  My only 
suggestion is to search the early issues of Coin World, they may 
have been mentioned in one of the Bashlow articles or advertisements.

"Shortly after this Bashlow crossed Coin World publisher John Amos, 
who prohibited his further advertising. I don't remember what caused 
this but he became persona non grata in the pages of Coin World 
afterwards. (This was long before the same thing happened to Walter 
Breen, who had also been embargoed from Coin World pages, under the 
editorship of Margo Russell.)

"I know of no other documentation on these Bashlow replicas."


HOWARD GIBBS' COPY OF WORTERBUCH DER MUNZKUNDE: WHERE IS IT NOW?  
 
Dick Johnson writes: "There is a bibliophile's footnote to that 
Bashlow item above. On my visit to Bob Bashlow's appartment I 
gravitated to his bookcase (as I often do when visiting numismatists 
- invite me to your home and point me to your numismatic books)!
 
"I found a book that I once owned! It was from the library of Howard 
. Gibbs and quite distinctive. It was bound in red cloth. Gibbs had 
rebound ALL the books in his library in red cloth. I have written of 
this before in E-Sylum (vol 5, no 7, article 6). Imagine a wall of 
numismatic books of different sizes but all of the same color!
 
"The book was a 1930 numismatic dictionary in German, "Worterbuch 
der Munzkunde" by Friedrich von Schrotter. I had purchased this in 
a Hans M.F. Schulman auction. Once when Walter Breen visited me he 
saw it and said he could translate German. I said, "Here, translate 
this book," and I gave him the red-bound book. (I had another copy, 
unbound; I still have it and it is still unbound. I just picked it 
up and the front cover fell off.) Breen must have given that copy 
to Bashlow.
 
"If the present owner of this book would like a provenance it would 
be Howard D. Gibbs, to Schulman auction, to Dick Johnson, to Walter 
Breen, to Robert Bashlow, to?. Does it still have the red binding 
and perhaps the Howard D. Gibbs bookplate?"

  HOWARD D. GIBBS LIBRARY
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v05n07a06.html


STILL LOOKING FOR RESEARCH ASSISTANCE: 1949 A.N.A. SALE BUYER'S NAMES
 
Dave Perkins writes: "Can anyone help me with this?  I am still 
looking for the following information, and asked Wayne to publish 
this again.  I am hoping to learn that Emanuel Taylor and / or the 
Kagins (Art and / or Paul) were buyers of selected lots in the 1949 
ANA sale.  These buyer's names will answer some key questions in 
my research.  The following was published previously in The E-Sylum:
 
  W. David Perkins of Littleton, Colorado, writes: "For my
  research on the early United States silver dollars 1794-1803,
  I am looking for a copy of the 1949 A.N.A. 58th Annual
  Convention Sale, Numismatic Gallery, August 21-24, 1949
  with buyer's names (or initials) for the early silver dollar lots,
  or the bid book (which I believe exists) with the same
  information.
 
  I am most interested in buyers names for Lots 140-212 and
  Lots 718-725.  The majority of these lots were consigned to
  this sale by Adolph Friedman, who acquired them in the 1945
  sale of The World's Greatest Collection of United States Silver
  Coins.  Friedman bought the majority of the early silver dollar
  1794-1803 lots in The WGC sale.  (Source, Bid Book for
  The WGC Sale of Silver Coins).  Thus buyer's names for the
  1949 A.N.A. sale will provide an important pedigree link,
  and one I have been looking for over a long period of time.
  I can be contacted at WDPERKI at ATTGLOBAL.NET
  Thank you."


RON LANDIS CRAFTS FIVE NEW COIN REPRODUCTIONS FOR STRIKER TOKEN AND MEDAL

Larry Lee of Striker Token and Medal, Eureka Springs, AR forwarded 
a press release with word of the latest work of engraver Ron Landis, 
first new coins he's engraved in over two years:

"Striker Token and Medal announces the release of five new reproduction 
coins in the company?s growing line of numismatic rarities. The museum-
quality coins include a Ron Landis reproduction of the 1794 pattern half 
disme (Judd-14) and a fantasy Large Cent dated 1815, the only year 
between 1793-1857 the U.S. Mint did not strike the popular denomination.

"The hubs for the new half-disme were engraved by former Gallery Mint 
owner Ron Landis and represented the first collaboration between Landis 
and Striker, the company he sold Gallery Mint to in January. ?We are 
thrilled to continue our association with one of America?s premier 
coin engravers,? said Lee. 

"The other new issues include 1794 pattern coins that finish out the 
series started by Landis and his partner Joe Rust several years ago. 
They include the half-dime (Judd-15), the half-dollar (Judd-17), and 
the 1794 dollar with stars (Judd-19), all in copper. All pattern coins 
are exact reproductions in design, size, alloy and method of 
manufacturing as the original specimens issued by the Federal Mint 
over two-hundred years ago. 

"The 1815 Large Cent mimics the size and alloy of the original Large 
Cent series but the design was a matter of some debate. Striker?s Mint-
master Timothy Grat noted there was discussion on whether to issue the 
mythical 1815 penny with a classic Capped-bust design as on Large Cents 
dated 1808-1814, or to use a Coronet-head like that on the coin from 
1816-1836. ?Most of the other denominations issued in 1815 used the 
Capped-bust motif,? explained Grat. ?But the Large Cent itself was in 
transition: a better design and a higher quality planchets demonstrated 
that the Mint was moving to improve the coin. For those reasons we 
decided to go with the design as in 1816.? 

"Grat reminds the Large Cent purists that the 1815 is, after all, a 
fantasy, and as such ?it fills a hole that never existed.? He explained 
that the new coin will still carry the word COPY on either the obverse 
or reverse, even though no such coin actually exists. ?The copy stamp 
forestalls any question if a discovery 1815 cent is ever made,? said 
Grat." 
 
"Coins may also be ordered by calling 888-688-3330 or by mailing 
Striker Manufacturing, PO Box 6194, Lincoln, NE 68506. All sales are 
by check or money order?no credit card sales."


DON'T FORGET TO BACK UP YOUR FILES

In a previous article about electronic auction catalog formats I 
wrote: "Perhaps someday instead of asking a numismatic researcher 
'what's in your library' we'll ask, 'what's on your hard drive?'"  

Joe Boling adds: "And the next question is - 'How often do you 
back up your files?'"


BBC TROTS OUT OLD NEWS

Kerry Rodgers writes: "I was amused by the tale "ROYAL MINT'S ONE 
PENCE PIECE OBSOLETE?" in E-Sylum v10#17. In fact I experienced 
quite a sense of deja vu.

"I checked my records and there the story was in 2000 and yet again 
in 2004. In the latter case the BBC were again leading the charge 
and trotting out the same reasons the coin had to go. Again it was 
being denied by the Royal Mint. Again a spokeswoman from the British 
Museum had been sought out and quoted. Only the names had been changed 
to protect the not-so-innocent. And the date was not even April 1.

"I guess if they keep at it long enough the mainstream media will 
get it right one day. Perhaps the numismatic fraternity need to treat 
this same mainstream media with a grain or two of salt."


E-SYLUM HEADLINES QUESTIONED BY READERS

Regarding the headline of last week's item on the usefulness of the 
British penny coin, Ted Buttrey writes: "'Pence' is plural: one penny, 
two pence.Some Brits make this mistake too, and I have to chivvy them 
about it."

  ARTICLE: ROYAL MINT'S ONE PENCE PIECE OBSOLETE?
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n17a24.html

[Got me.  I know better, but somehow that slipped through.  I try to 
write the headlines as I put each item in the draft for the week's 
issue, and I typed too quickly on that one. -Editor]

Regarding the headline of last week's item about a soldier's Purple 
Heart medal, William P. Houston of Frankfurt am Main writes: "I'm sorry 
but I really must protest, both for factual errors and for the appearance 
of editorializing.
 
"I have always understood a rebuff as a sharp refusal or rebuke. A headline 
such as above immediately calls to mind a member of the military berating 
the President for political or philosophical reasons, probably regarding 
ongoing overseas military actions.   This picture is far from the facts 
related in the story.  
 
"It seems to me that an objective and impartial reporter should strive 
for an impartial headline.  Perhaps something along the line of: Soldier 
wants medal from Commander - Not from President."

  SOLDIER REBUFFS PRESIDENT BUSH'S PRESENTATION OF PURPLE HEART
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n17a16.html

[Turning down the President's visit, regardless of the reason or manner, 
is certainly a rebuff in my mind, but I think of a 'rebuff' as something 
less harsh than a 'rebuke', which I see as more active and lecturing; 
that wasn't the case here at all.  I apologize if readers took this more 
harshly than intended. 

It's hard to imagine any citizen of the country turning down an invitation 
from the President and Commander in Chief regardless of their political 
views.  When has that ever happened?  That's what made the event newsworthy.  
My headline was meant to draw attention to the "Man Bites Dog" nature of the 
uncommon event, not as a political statement; the excerpts I chose from the 
article made the situation clear - it was not buried in the linked article. 
-Editor]

Houston adds: "My major concern with the piece was the article's use of 
the term "Medal of Honor."  I see no reason to use this term and felt it 
was perhaps a misunderstanding.  The (Congressional) Medal of Honor is a 
single, specific decoration / medal  --  the highest military award of 
the USA.  The Purple Heart and all other decorations / medals are entirely 
something different, awarded for various reasons.  Probably all these 
decorations are awarded to recognize or honor an individual but to use 
the term 'Medal of Honor' for the whole group only leads to confusion, 
I believe."

[In my haste to edit the piece (which I discovered only late Sunday while 
finalizing The E-Sylum), I failed to notice the inconsistent descriptions.  
Sorry!  But I'm very glad I was able to include the piece and my question 
about the 'coin" the President gave the soldier.   See Jim Downey's 
response in the following item, and be sure to check out the pictures.  
-Editor]


PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH'S CHALLENGE COIN

Jim Downey writes: "In last week's E-Sylum you asked an editorial question 
about the president's "Commemorative Coin".  It is a challenge coin similar 
to those given out by military commanders.  Attached are pictures of the 
coin received by my sister whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004.  When 
President Bush travels around the country he makes time to meet with the 
families of military personnel who have died overseas."

George W. Bush Challenge Coin (Obverse)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93563538 at N00/478519095/ 

George W. Bush Challenge Coin (Reverse)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93563538 at N00/478519097/

[I'd like to express our collective condolences on the loss of Jim's 
nephew.  Many thanks also for providing the photos of this beautifully 
done piece.  Has anyone else seen one of these?  Was this a U.S. Mint 
product?  -Editor]

Jim adds: "Some of your readers will be familiar with my nephew's story. 
It was covered in an article that I did for Bank Note Reporter in 2005.  
It won the NLG award for Best Token and Medal Article for 2005.  The 
irony of the award is that of all the pieces I have written for numismatic 
publications this one was mostly based on personal recollection and was 
the least scholarly item I have written.

The article was in the March 2005 issue.  It was titled:  'Family Ties 
Add Meaning, History to Items'.  It told a couple of stories about items 
that related to my family including my nephew (Sgt. Benjamin Edinger, 
USMC) and his experience with the Army Air Force Exchange Service pogs, 
a National Bank Note that belonged to my grandparents and chits issued 
by a lumber company that my grandfather worked for.  It was written shortly 
after he and my grandmother died.  He died at the end of November 2004.  
My grandmother died, believe it or not, while we were attending his 
funeral.  (She was not there.)  She was 94 and it was no surprise, 
just awkward timing.

"A truncated version of my nephew's story also appeared in the MPCGram 
around the same time.  Here is the link to the MPCGram article: 
http://www.papermoneyworld.net/grams/1200-1299/MPCGram%201235.txt"


BAGHDAD COIN ACADEMY

Ron Thompson writes: "I recently heard on National Public Radio about 
a new COIN Academy in Baghdad.  Numismatic scholars shouldn?t rush to 
sign up for their Islamic Coin studies though, since COIN is a military 
abbreviation for Counter Intelligence."


WILL A ROBOT EARN A PURPLE HEART?

A very interesting question was raised by an article in today's Washington 
Post.  It discussed the growing importance of robots in the U.S military 
and notes how many soldiers have come to feel like the machines are comrades 
in arms.  Will the day come when the military awards an official medal to 
a valiantly-performing machine?  You read it here first - troops are already 
awarding unofficial "purple hearts" to their valiant helpers.

"The most effective way to find and destroy a land mine is to step on it.

"This has bad results, of course, if you're a human. But not so much if 
you're a robot and have as many legs as a centipede sticking out from your 
body. That's why Mark Tilden, a robotics physicist at the Los Alamos 
National Laboratory, built something like that. At the Yuma Test Grounds 
in Arizona, the autonomous robot, 5 feet long and modeled on a stick-insect, 
strutted out for a live-fire test and worked beautifully, he says. Every 
time it found a mine, blew it up and lost a limb, it picked itself up and readjusted to move forward on its remaining legs, continuing to clear a path through the minefield.

"Finally it was down to one leg. Still, it pulled itself forward. Tilden 
was ecstatic. The machine was working splendidly.

"The human in command of the exercise, however -- an Army colonel -- 
blew a fuse.

"The colonel ordered the test stopped.

"Why? asked Tilden. What's wrong?

"The colonel just could not stand the pathos of watching the burned, 
scarred and crippled machine drag itself forward on its last leg.

"This test, he charged, was inhumane."

"The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have become an unprecedented field 
study in human relationships with intelligent machines. These conflicts 
are the first in history to see widespread deployment of thousands of 
battle bots. 

"Even more startling than these machines' capabilities, however, are 
the effects they have on their friendly keepers who, for example, award 
their bots 'battlefield promotions' and 'purple hearts.' 'Ours was 
called Sgt. Talon,' says Sgt. Michael Maxson of the 737th Ordnance 
Company (EOD). 'We always wanted him as our main robot. Every time he 
was working, nothing bad ever happened. He always got the job done. He 
took a couple of detonations in front of his face and didn't stop working. 
One time, he actually did break down in a mission, and we sent another 
robot in and it got blown to pieces. It's like he shut down because he 
knew something bad would happen.' The troops promoted the robot to 
staff sergeant -- a high honor, since that usually means a squad leader. 
They also awarded it three 'purple hearts.'"

"When we first got there, our robot, his name was Frankenstein" says 
Sgt. Orlando Nieves, an EOD from Brooklyn. "He'd been in a couple of 
explosions and he was made of pieces and parts from other robots." Not 
only did the troops promote him to private first class, they awarded 
him an EOD badge -- a coveted honor. "It was a big deal. He was part 
of our team, one of us. He did feel like family."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/05/AR2007050501009.html 

[There is precedent for awarding medals to non-human soldiers - the 
Dickin Medal, created in 1943 to honor acts of outstanding animal bravery. 
Pigeons, dogs, horses and a cat have received the honor, which is still 
given today.  Is a medal for a robot so far-fetched?  Mark my words, the 
day will come. -Editor]

  DICKIN MEDAL: THE VICTORIA CROSS FOR ANIMALS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n48a15.html


PESO PAYMENTS AND LEGAL TENDER LAWS IN THE U.S.

Tim L. Shuck of Ames, IA writes: "Every time I see an article about 
this Dallas, TX, restaurant accepting pesos it reminds me of a question 
I've had, as yet unanswered. I thought that legal tender status of foreign 
coins was removed in 1857. But since this is and has been happening, I 
assume that there is more to this issue than I understand. Can you or 
other E-Sylum readers clarify why or how pesos can be accepted as 
legitimate payment for transactions in the U.S. in 2007? Thanks."

  PIZZA PATR?N'S PESO POLICY PAYS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n17a21.html

[Our wiser E-Sylum colleagues will correct me if needed I'm sure, but 
I believe legal tender status means that citizens are compelled to accept 
legal tender in transactions, subject to the limitations of the law.  
Removing legal tender status merely makes acceptance optional.  Before 
1857 citizens were compelled to accept foreign coins in payment; after 
1857 there was no such requirement.  So the acceptance today of pesos 
(or any other country's money) is optional and quite legal between 
consenting parties. -Editor]


HOW ARE WOODEN MEDALS MADE?

Jeff Reichenberger writes: "I would also like to thank Anne Bentley for 
her instruction on conserving wooden medals, and to pose the question of 
how wooden medals were made in 1876? The detail is quite excellent. 
Perhaps a transfer reducing machine tooled for wood?"

According to a 1927 Numismatist article cited in an earlier E-Sylum item, 
"the medals were die-struck by Ornamental Wood Co., Philadelphia, on
walnut or other hard wood."  Perhaps an upcoming book will answer the 
question in more detail.

  DICK JOHNSON AND DONALD TRITT, WOODEN MEDAL EXPERT
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n38a08.html

  SOME BACKGROUND ON WOODEN MEDALS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n39a16.html

  CONSERVING WOODEN NUMISMATIC ITEMS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n15a27.html

  ON CONSERVING WOODEN NUMISMATIC OBJECTS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n16a14.html 


E-GOLD OWNERS INDICTED FOR ALLOWING SERVICE TO BE USED BY CRIMINALS

According to an article in the Washington Post, "The principal owners 
of E-Gold Ltd., an online payment system where users convert currency 
assets into equivalent amounts of precious metals, were indicted last 
week for allegedly allowing the service to be used by criminals engaged 
in financial scams and child pornography. 

"The indictment names the company's co-founders -- Douglas L. Jackson, 
of Satellite Beach, Fla., and Barry K. Downey, of Woodbine, Md., as well 
as Reid A. Jackson, of Melbourne, Fla. They are charged with conspiracy, 
money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transfer business. 
The company has offices in Melbourne, Fla., but is incorporated in the 
Caribbean island of Nevis.

"'The advent of new electronic currency systems increases the risk that 
criminals, and possibly terrorists, will exploit these systems to launder 
money and transfer funds globally to avoid law enforcement scrutiny and 
circumvent banking regulations and reporting,' said James E. Finch, of 
the FBI's Cyber Division."

"At the heart of the government's case are allegations that E-Gold 
executives turned a blind eye to illegal activity on its networks, 
activity that allegedly ranged from the transfer of proceeds garnered 
from pyramid and investment scams to credit-card fraud and payments for 
child pornography materials."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/01/AR2007050101291.html 


INFORMATION SOUGHT: THE DUTCH PEACE OF BREDA, THE MEDAL THAT CAUSED A WAR

Sam Pennington writes: "I'm doing research for an article for the MCA 
Advisory on a favorite medal, the Dutch Peace of Breda by Christoffel 
Adolfszoon, 1667, commemorating the settling of the second Anglo-Dutch 
War, which some claimed started a third war because it was so 
uncomplimentary to the English.

"The ANA librarian is sending me a copy of an article by Marjan Scharloo 
(with additional comment by Peter Barber) 'A Peace Medal That Caused A 
War?,' The Medal, no. 18, Spring 1991, 10 22.  If anyone has more info 
on this medal, please contact me at samp at maineantiquedigest.com. Thank 
you."

[The medal was mentioned in an earlier MCA Advisory article (August 2004).  
A complete copy of the issue is available online.  See page 8 for the 
reference, excepted below.  -Editor]

"The reverse shows an allegorical scene of Peace trampling arms. However, 
the imagery and legends of the obverse were found offensive by the British 
and were cited among the grievances in the declaration of war precipitating 
the Third Anglo-Dutch War in 1672. The medal depicts a woman representing 
the United Provinces trampling the prone figure of Discord, with the 
allegorical lion and lamb behind. However, in the distance are burning 
ships, thought to refer to the Dutch attack on the English fleet in the
Medway. The legend ?PROCUL HINC MALA BESTIA REGNIS? (Hence from these
kingdoms, evil beast) referring to the prostrate figure of Discord, was 
felt to be a reference to Charles, whose features appear to be parodied 
by the face of the lion. At the insistence of the English, the dies were 
destroyed and a formal apology and denial were offered by the Dutch..."

To view the complete August 2004 MCA Advisory issue, see:
http://www.medalcollectors.org/pdf/the%20mca%20advisory%20august%202004.pdf


BLOG: ALAN BLEVISS ON U.S. CIVIL WAR TOKENS

Dave Perkins writes: "I noted a typo in last week's E-Sylum, as follows, 
"Ephemera dealer Marty Weil published a nice, lengthy entry on his 
'ephemera' blog this week interviewing Alan Bleviss on the collecting of 
U.S. Civil War Tokens.  Last week Alan stated, "There exists a merchant 
from Detroit, Dr. I.C. Rose whose token reads TREATS ALL CHRONIC FEMALE 
& VENEREAL DISEASES, DETROIT, it had to be advertising!"" 

"This Detroit Store Card token was issued by Dr. L. C. Rose, not Dr. I. C. 
Rose.  The 'L' stands for Levi per multiple sources, including Detroit 
City Directories, the Michigan Gazetteer and Silas Farmer's History of 
Detroit and Michigan.  The Dr. Rose token is popular and relatively 
expensive Detroit Civil War Store Card, with circulated examples selling 
in the $500-1,000 range, and higher depending upon condition.  

"Page 50 in the Farmer book has a page on "Doctors," including our Levi 
Rose.  E-Sylum readers may find a couple of the entries interesting:

"The earlier physicians carried medicines and little scales, weighing 
out their prescriptions at the houses of their patients, and their long 
cures, powdered hair, and ruffled shirt-fronts enforced the respect 
which their profession commanded.  In his relation to their personal 
well-being, the doctor often comes to be esteemed and reverenced among 
men as much as the pastor.  His touch and his tread become known and 
loved, and his questions and his quassia even are longed for.  The names 
of some of the physicians of the past are 'as ointment poured forth,' 
and their memory lingers like the perfume of cedars; strength and grace 
were theirs.  Among the most widely known of the physicians of former 
days were the following: [?L. C. Rose? was included among quite a few 
names listed.]

The physicians now resident in Detroit are located conveniently all over 
the city.  Many of them are established on and near Lafayette Avenue, 
and those desiring treatment by any of the popular "pathies" of the day 
can be accommodated."

"I have submitted an article that will be published in the next issue of 
the Civil War Token Journal on another Detroit Civil War Store Card issuer.  
Per my research, this token issuer was located in Fisher's Block, Detroit 
as was Dr. L. C. Rose.  (Fisher?s Block was located at the NE Corner of 
Campus Martius and Woodward Avenue). This token issuer married Dr. Rose's 
first daughter! This information came from the great-grandson of the 
token issuer and will remain a secret for a little longer, unless you 
can guess which merchant it is prior to the article being published.  

"I enjoyed reading the interview with Alan in the blog.  Thanks for 
including the link to the article last week."

To read the complete blog entry, see:
http://ephemera.typepad.com/ephemera/2007/04/while_a_residen.html 


CANADA'S MILLION-DOLLAR COIN UNVEILED

As hinted in a previous E-Sylum article, the million-dollar gold coin 
is now a reality.  According to news reports, "The Royal Canadian Mint 
unveiled a welcome addition to any piggy bank on Thursday -- a monster 
gold coin with a face value of C$1 million (455,000 pounds) that it 
says is the world's biggest, purest and highest denomination coin.

"Weighing in at 100 kilograms (220.5 pounds), the limited edition coin 
easily dwarfs its closest rival, the 31 kg (68 pound) "Big Phil", which 
was made to honour the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and has a face 
value of a mere 100,000 euros (C$150,000).

"The Canadian mint introduced the mega-coin, which is the size of an 
extra-large pizza, alongside the one-ounce gold bullion coins it is 
mass producing at its Ottawa plant.

"Originally designed to promote the new one-ounce coins, the colossal 
100 kg coins will be produced in a very limited quantity. A U.S. precious 
metals distributor has ordered three and there is interest in Asia and 
Europe, the mint said."

"While it has a C$1 million face value, the coin is worth more than 
twice that amount given the current gold price of $683.30 an ounce.

"The new coins are both adorned with a maple leaf and boast 99.999 
percent purity, a notch above previous purity peaks of 99.99 percent."

[I'm ordering two, so I can exhibit an obverse and reverse.  -Editor]

To read the complete article, see:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070503/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_coin 

  CANADA AUTHORIZES MILLION-DOLLAR GOLD COIN?
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n06a27.html


BANK OF GHANA UNVEILS NEW COINS AND BANKNOTES

"The Bank of Ghana has unveiled five new bank notes and six coins 
to be circulated from 1st July 2007.

"he introduction of the new currency has become necessary as a result 
of re-denomination of the Ghanaian currency the Cedi, which takes effect 
on July 1, 2007.

"The new Ghana Cedi notes have been designed to pay tribute to the 
?Big Six? in the nation's history, who contributed immensely to the 
social, political and economic development of Ghana. Their pictures 
have been embossed on the front view of all the notes.

"The Ghana Cedi notes come in One Ghana cedi (GH?1), Five Ghana cedi 
(GH?5), Ten Ghana cedi (GH?10), Twenty Ghana Cedi (GH?20) and Fifty 
Ghana cedi (GH?50). 

"The Ghana Cedi coins range from one Ghana pesewas (1Gp), five Ghana 
pesewas (5Gp), ten Ghana pesewas (10Gp), twenty Ghana pesewas (20Gp), 
and fifty Ghana pesewas (50Gp). 

"The new notes have colourful pictures depicting the country?s 
prominent monuments and key figures. For instance, the GH?50 depicts 
the Christianborg Castle, the seat of government at the back and the 
GH?20 shows the Supreme Court Building representing the rule of law 
also at the back." 

To read the complete article, see:
http://news.africast.com/africastv/article.php?newsID=61870 


COIN SHORTAGE IN SRI LANKA

Dick Johnson writes: "A shortage of small denomination coins in the 
island nation of Sri Lanka is causing all kinds of repercussions. 

"A low-cost purchase, a bus ride for example, cost the lowest coin a 
rider has irrespective of denomination because the driver has no change. 
School children, for another example, are bribed with colored pencils, 
felt pens and exercise books to raid the family piggy banks to bring in 
loose coins. Gift coupons are employed to entice adults to do likewise. 
They are given the equivalent amount in paper currency plus the items 
often amounting to a 20 percent premium.

"In effect, the coins have risen in value due to inflation. Minting 
cheaper steel coins plated with copper or nickel has not helped, 
according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The events follow the 
difficult classic inflation trend to keep coins in circulation as 
costs of services and products rise.

"'The Central Bank got wiser in July 2004 and briefly withdrew issuing 
the coins before repricing them at the market value of the precious 
metals. Yet, the 5,000 gold coins and 25,000 silver tokens had been a 
sell out,' according to an internet article on The Raw Story from 
Cambridge, Mass.

"Jewelers were melting gold coins for converting the metal into jewelry. 
They said it made good business sense to melt the coins for the gold 
metal, albeit illegally, although no one would admit to doing so.

"Five and 10 cent copper coins are almost extinct in circulation with 
only the cheaper aluminum replacements found occasionally. Copper coins 
have been melted to make screws. Nickel coins have been holed to make 
washers. Both used in the construction industry.

"Sri Lankan coins are struck at the Royal Mint of Britain, the Royal 
Canadian Mint or the Paris Mint. 

"An excellent article and a textbook example of what happens to coins 
in early stages of inflation and the worldwide rise of coinage metal 
costs."

To read the complete article, see:
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Sri_Lanka_aims_to_raid_piggy_banks__05042007.html

For a firsthand account I turned to my old friend and E-Sylum subscriber 
Kavan Ratnatunga who writes from Sri Lanka: "It is costing the CBSL lot 
more than face value to mint new coins and therefore getting them back 
from accumulations with a 20% incentive is cheaper.

"CBSL still mints a 25cent and 50cent coin which I rarely see in 
circulation since they are worthless. The highest denomination coin 
in circulation is a Rs5/- which was similar to the British pound worth 
Rs220/- and in 2005 converted from Brass to Brass plated Steel.
http://lakdiva.org/coins/cbsl/st_2005_12_18_plus_ii_1.html

"Average Inflation over the last 66 years has been 11%, i.e. a rupee 
in 1941 is same as about Rs1000/- in 2007, a factor of 10 each 22 years. 
The US$ is now worth Rs110/. The currency system just needs to keep up 
with the change, but politics of not wanting to admit to inflation does 
not allow it."


COIN TRICKS SACRED IN JAPAN
 
Dick Johnson writes: "If you are a magician and develop a spectacular 
coin trick, don't go on Japanese television.  Forty-nine magicians are 
suing two television networks in Tokyo for exposing a trick on their 
news programs last November.
 
"A hole had to be drilled in a coin to pass a cigarette through it and 
it is against the law to mutilate Japanese coins. 52-year-old 
professional magician Shintaro Fujiyama was arrested as a result of 
the TV exposure."
 
Here is the story published this week:
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,21658069-10229,00.html


ARIZONA STATE QUARTER DESIGN CHOSEN

Tony Tumonis forwarded a press release about the new Arizona state 
quarter design.  Here are excerpts from a newspaper article:

"And the winners are: the Grand Canyon and a saguaro. 
"Gov. Janet Napolitano will announce today that she has chosen the 
design for the new state quarter that includes perhaps the two most 
recognizable features of Arizona. 

"The design, also the winner in a public vote, will include a rising 
or setting sun; not even members of the special commission that picked 
the design were sure which it was. 

"And should anyone be unclear about whose coin it is, it will include 
the name of the state, the 1912 date it was admitted to the union, and 
the motto 'The Grand Canyon State' emblazoned on a banner. 

"Napolitano's choice also happens to be the top choice of the nearly 
113,000 people who weighed in on the Internet and, to a lesser extent, 
by phone, fax and mail, and through a Capitol suggestion box. 

"The design gathered 49,516 first-place votes. Coin designs featuring 
just the saguaro and just the Grand Canyon were far back at 24,262 and 
23,526 first-place votes, respectively. 

"And some ideas were rejected for political or other reasons. For 
example, one commission member suggested a Hopi kachina might be an 
effective way to represent something unique to Arizona. But that idea 
was jettisoned, not only because it meant singling out one tribe but also 
because of the belief that there were still a lot of raw feelings about 
the partition of Navajo and Hopi lands and the forced relocations. 

"And a suggestion to use Mission San Xavier del Bac, south of Tucson, 
was dismissed because it remains an active Catholic church. 

"Even the decision to select Powell making his way down the Colorado 
River was fraught with concerns over political correctness. Committee 
members insisted the inscription should say that Powell was 'exploring' 
the Grand Canyon, because American Indians might take offense at the 
suggestion he 'discovered' what they knew was there all along." 

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/180918


HAWAII COUNTERFEITERS BLEACHING NOTES

Station KGMB in Hawaii reports on the latest counterfeiting scam.

"To the untrained eye, they look authentic. But some $100 bills being 
passed off at stores and nightclubs are as phony as a $3 bill.

"'The counterfeiter is taking a genuine $5 note, cleaning off the ink 
front and back, and reprinting it as a $100 bill,' said Rick Walkinshaw 
of the U.S. Secret Service.

"The counterfeiting method is called "bleaching."  The bogus bills bear 
the portrait of Benjamin Franklin, just like the real $100. And they're 
printed on real currency. That's what makes them hard to spot.

"Law enforcement says fancy computers and printers make counterfeiting 
easier. The bleached bill is the latest example."

To read the complete article (and view an image of a bleached note) see:
http://kgmb9.com/kgmb/display.cfm?storyID=11278&sid=1183 


TOM NOE'S HARD TIME 

Bernadette Noe is shocked, SHOCKED to learn that prison life is no 
bed of roses for her husband.

According to a Toledo Blade reporter's blog, Mrs. Noe said: ?I know 
that many in Toledo are shocked to find out that a guy who simply 
gave too much money to George Bush is sitting in solitary confinement 
and [has shared] bunk beds with convicted murderers.?

"Since Noe entered the federal prison system, Bernadette has been 
watchful and, often, suspicious. As the feds move Noe from one to 
another facility ? from Lucas County to Milan, to Oklahoma, to 
Atlanta, and now to South Carolina -- she worries.

"It?s incomprehensible to her that a white-collar criminal like 
her husband should have to be behind bars with ?drug lords and 
bank robbers.?

"?In Oklahoma, his bunkmate was in for murder. He hit someone in 
the head with a shovel ? [That] really threw us for a loop.?

"Given the political overtones of Noe?s criminal charges, Bernadette 
wonders every now and then how, or if, any of that factors in.

"As I?ve listened to her concerns over the last few months, I have 
to admit she hasn?t said too much that differs from what other 
prisoners? families say.

"More than once, I?ve gently suggested to her that what she and 
Noe are simply coming to terms with is nothing more (or less) than
? prison. Hey, it?s prison. There are no official favors here, no 
special considerations, no agreement that this or that inmate is 
somehow entitled to anything beyond ... prison.

"For people like Tom and Bernadette Noe -- who spent most of the 
last 20 years in the world of Privilege with a Capital P -- that 
must be one helluva tough reality."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070501/BLOGS03/70501020 


RESEARCHING MAVERICK TOKENS: MORE ON RAY WHEELER, 1960S COIN DEALER

Last week, after talking with ANA Research Librarian Amber Thompson, 
I wrote that we had located 1960s-era coin dealer Ray Wheeler in Avon, 
Missouri.  Amber writes: "I was glancing over the newest issue of The 
E-Sylum and I noticed a little mistake. You had called me about locating 
the address for Ray Wheeler and it looks like you misunderstood the name 
of the town. He was listed as residing in Ava, Missouri, not Avon."

My wife calls me hard of hearing, so maybe she's right.  Ava, Missouri 
it is.  Sorry for the confusion.  Rich Hartzog did some checking for us, 
and my mistake led him astray.  He wrote: "Mapquest reveals two Avon, MO 
locations, but neither appear to be more than a wide spot in the road, 
neither listing an 11th St."  

Returning to the original token we're researching, Wheeler's address 
was "2528 E. 11TH".  I tend to use Google Maps rather than Mapquest, so 
I went there first.  Entering Ava, Missouri I was taken to a map clearly 
showing a promising grid of numbered avenues and streets, and like the 
Nigel Tufnel character in 'This Is Spinal Tap', I thought "It's got an 
eleven!"

Entering the complete address though, led to a problem - there's no 
"E 11th" today, but there are "NE 11th" and "NW 11th".  I chose "NE 11th", 
guessing that perhaps over the years addresses were changed to 
differentiate between the east and west quadrants of the town.  
But how to confirm that?

Back to The Internet.  I found the web site for the City of Ava, 
Missouri: "Nestled here in the middle of Ozark Mountains, Ava is truly 
a treasure with forest, fields, and streams, friendly and kind-hearted 
residents, fascinating historical and cultural heritage and diverse 
educational opportunities."

Now for some human engineering.  I called city hall and explained my 
quest.  I learned that the street numbering system had not changed; 
when the grid was adopted, it was divided into quadrants from the get-go. 
Also, the "WE" telephone exchange did not ring a bell with the woman I 
spoke to.  Hmmmm. She (and the Mayor Himself) recalled a Ray Wheeler, 
but could not confirm that he was a coin and antique dealer or that he 
had a shop on 11th Street.  There is a Ray Wheeler buried in the town 
cemetery.  But are we on the right trail or barking up the wrong tree?  
It bugs me that the address quadrant and phone exchange don't seem to 
match up with the locals' knowledge.

Rich Hartzog writes: "A check in mapquest.com with the AERIAL view shows 
the area to apparently be residential, vs. commercial, and with the NE 
vs E. 11th St. problem, I suspect Ava is still the wrong city."

Rich performed some other useful searches using Wheeler's name.  He 
writes: "The Social Security death index lists two Ray Wheelers from MO, 
but neither match up with a birth date of 1918.  Better yet is a probably 
unknown-to-most reference, the TENproject, located at 
http://rcrowe.brinkster.net/tensearch.aspx , which provides matches 
for phone number prefixes.  For MO it shows:

93 WE WE (?) Meadville MO
93 WE WEbster St Louis MO  
93 WE WEbster Webster Groves MO  
93 WE WEllington Harwood MO  
93 WE WElls Mountain View MO 
93 WE WEstmore Seymour MO  
93 WE WEstport Kansas City MO

"While the TENproject is useful, please note there are inconsistencies 
in the tables.  Another search reveals three different Ray Wheelers 
probably currently alive, each with a birth date around 1918, none in 
MO.  If his middle initial was known, that would help.  

"Contacting MO researchers might solve the mystery more quickly, as 
they might already be familiar with the piece.  While hardly complete, 
my web page http://www.exonumia.com/maverick.htm does list some sources 
to track down maverick tokens.  In addition, there is a database on CD 
of all known mavericks listed in most every state trade token book, 
the TAMS, ATCO and NATCA mavericks and more."

[So here we are, still flummoxed over the identification of the token.  
Is it really from the same Ray Wheeler who ran for ANA governor?  If 
not, then where the heck is it from?  Brooklyn, NY, Chicago, IL, 
Baltimore, MD and several other cities with WE telephone exchanges also 
have E 11th addresses.  -Editor]

Rich Hartzog wrote to Bruce Smith, who responded: "I don't know anything 
about the Ray Wheeler piece. The address is not in Ava, MO however. There 
was such an address in Joplin, which was nearby. Also, if you add a 417 
area code to the phone number, you get Mountain View, MO, which is also 
in the area. The address is also possible for Kansas City, MO.  I wonder 
if the telephone company ever published a national list of telephone 
exchanges? Such a list would be very useful for attributing modern 
tokens and souvenir items."

Rich Hartzog adds: "With this info on Mountain View, and the previous 
phone exchange info which gave that town as a possibility, it seems 
that would be the next choice for research."

Bruce Smith adds: "The numbered streets in St. Louis run north and south, 
so we can eliminate St. Louis. Since Joplin doesn't have that exchange, 
my money would be on Kansas City, if the piece is indeed from Missouri."

To watch Nigel Tufnel explaining "eleven" to Rob Reiner, see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akaD9v460yI 

  RESEARCH QUERY: RAY WHEELER, 1960S COIN DEALER       
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n15a11.html 


BANK OF CANADA CURRENCY MUSEUM GIVES OUT FREE SAMPLES

"Someone has helped themselves to a few choice specimens from the 
Bank of Canada's currency museum, newly released documents show. 
Red-faced bank officials are short about $16,700 following the 
unsolved theft at the central bank's popular tourist attraction. 
The missing money came not from the display cases, but disappeared 
from a stash of cash the museum uses to help teach visitors about 
counterfeit currency. The so-called note exchange program allowed 
patrons to swap their old-style bills for new-series money with 
special security features designed to thwart counterfeiters. The 
popular program, created in 2001, has been abruptly canceled in 
the wake of the currency caper."

To read the complete Associated Press article, see:
http://tinyurl.com/35csm6 


SOUTH KOREA PLANS LARGER DENOMINATION BANKNOTES

"The Bank of Korea said it plans to issue bills with larger 
denominations, as the need for larger bills has increased with 
the expansion of the economy.

"The highest-denomination bank-note, for 10,000 won, is valued 
at only $10.74. The central bank will issue notes of 50,000 won 
and 100,000 won possibly by the first half of 2009.

"Since the 10,000-won note was introduced in 1973, prices have 
risen by a factor of 12, while the nation's income has increased 
more than 150 times, the central bank said."

To read the complete article (subscription required), see:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117815283626690263-search.html 


SLOVAKIA MULLS EURO BANKNOTES; FEELS POORER

"Aiming to change its national currency to the euro in 2009, 
Slovakia has revived old ideas on issuing ?1 and ?2 banknotes, 
but the European Central Bank says the idea won't fly.

"'We are trying to open up debate,' Slovak prime minister Robert 
Fico said in an April meeting with the European Central Bank president 
Jean-Claude Trichet, underlining the move was driven by public dismay.

"'The banknote ? unlike the coin - is a subjective symbol of value,' 
Mr Fico argued. He was referring to the fact that in his country a ?1 
coin may replace two banknotes of 20 and 50 Slovak koruna, which 
could eventually lead to the feeling of having less money. 

"In fellow new EU state Slovenia, adoption of the euro has already 
made people feel poorer, after the country bid farewell to its national 
currency in January 2007. The ?1 coin has a value of 254 Slovenian 
tolars, something that has prompted a citizens' petition." 

To read the complete article, see:
http://euobserver.com/9/23983


NUMISMATICS AND ASTROLOGY

Dick Johnson writes: "Astrology columnist Rob Brezsny reports the 
following for the week of May 3 for readers whose date of birth is 
March 21 to April 19 (Aries): 

'To manufacture one penny, the U.S. Treasury spends 1.4 cents. To 
process petroleum for use in operating a car, the oil industry expends 
20 per cent more energy than the gasoline yields. These are the kinds 
of situations you've urgently got to avoid in the coming week, Aries. 
You need to get substantially more out of any project than you put into 
it. So choose your fuel wisely. Be resourceful in your push for greater 
efficiency.

To read the original article, see:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-05-03/goods_astrology.php


NUMISMATIC JOKE-OFF

Regarding last week's jokes about deer and bucks, Bob Neale writes: "I 
think that one showed up on a Prairie Home Companion Joke Show some years 
ago. But it brings up the thought: How about a numismatic jokes edition 
of The E-Sylum, or maybe a part of one, once a year or so? There has to 
be a lot of humor out there, just knowing how numismatists really are, 
and some of it ought to be printable. You might ask for contributions."
 
[Sure, why not?  If you've got a numismatic funny to share, please send 
it in.  Below is a report of a numismatic joke from the recent EAC 
convention.  -Editor]


COMPARING CUDS AT THE EARLY AMERICAN COPPERS CONVENTION

The following reports from the recent convention of the Early American 
Coppers Society in St. Louis are borrowed from the JR Newsletter # 86, 
April 29, 2007, published by the John Reich Collectors Society (JRCS).  

Nathan Markowitz wrote: "The true meeting highlight was the tour of the 
new Eric Newman money museum and a presentation by an energetic Mr. 
Newman himself.  The exhibit highlights for me were the 1792 gold "pocket 
piece" carried by a gentleman named Washington and a display of early 
cash machines and scales.  Yet, I must confess I was equally awed by 
the extensive library on my first visit to the museum... The stories 
told that night by our host Eric Newman will reverberate through my mind 
for years to come..."

W. David Perkins wrote: "I just got back from a very enjoyable three 
days at the EAC Convention in St. Louis, this year with JRCS members 
also in attendance. I was told by many EAC'ers that it may be one of 
the best EAC shows ever!  For me it was my first EAC Convention despite 
almost 25 years of membership.  I am very glad I attended.  We also 
signed up a number of new JRCS members at the show!

"One personal highlight for me was a private viewing of Eric P. Newman's 
early U.S. silver dollars 1794-1803, all displayed in three Waite Raymond 
holders.  Imagine picking your early dollar date and major type set from 
a whole bunch of Col. Green's collection of early dollars.  And yes, 
early dollars do come with full cartwheel lustre!  

"For me, my favorite coin in this collection was probably the Mint State 
1797 B-2, BB-72 Small Letters Reverse Dollar.  Actually, to be precise, 
it is still marked as 1797 "H-2" on the 2X2 envelope?.  This specimen is 
the plate coin in the Bowers silver dollar book (if you'd like to get an 
idea of what it looks like).  It is also the finest example known to me?.
by far.  There also was a 1799 Dollar that would likely grade MS-67 or 68 
by either major grading service!  It was something to behold.  Eric, if 
you are reading this thank you again for sharing these special coins 
with me.  

"Other highlights include: For starters, how about my good friend Jim 
Matthews' case, full of half dimes and dimes with cuds (one of his favorite 
things to collect).  Cuds are a great fun to view and study ? how can you 
not like late die states and cuds???  Jim sure has some great ones!   This 
caused me to buy on Saturday three Conder tokens with cuds from dealer and 
friend Jerry Bobbe.  John Kraljevich and I added these three tokens to 
Jim's display case (cuds) when he wasn't looking..."

Jim Matthews wrote: "Dave Perkins ... fails to mention a little joke 
played on me by himself and John Kraljevich. While I was over trying to 
figure out a fascinating 1807 Draped Bust Half dollar that John Dannreuther 
had brought along (it appeared to have two massive opposing cuds--neither 
seen on any other known coins--it likely was some sort of damage, rats!), 
Dave Perkins purchased two beautiful Conder Tokens from Jerry Bobbe, both 
with massive cuds. Dave placed these two large coins in my display case 
with cuds and die cracks while John Kraljevich added in two signs--one by 
Dave's large Conder tokens which read 'MAN CUDS' with another sign by my 
tiny half dimes reading 'BOY CUDS'."


FEATURED WEB SITE: ARTMEDAL.NET

This week's featured web site is artmedal.net - an international 
website of art medals.

http://www.artmedal.net/  


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From esylum at binhost.com  Sun May 13 16:30:15 2007
From: esylum at binhost.com (esylum at binhost.com)
Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 19:30:15 -0400
Subject: The E-Sylum v10#19, May 13, 2007
Message-ID: <003b01c795b6$a9132860$16634b4b@corp.cmdinfo.com>

Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 19, May 13, 2007:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM MAY 13, 2007

Among our recent subscribers is Karl Hoffmann. Welcome aboard! 
We now have 1,113 subscribers.

This week's issue is being published early due to your editor's 
travel schedule.  An assignment has me on the way to London, where 
I'll be working for much of the summer.  As a result, beginning 
next week the normal publication time, while still a Sunday evening 
for me, will be hours earlier for readers (all the more reason to 
get your submissions in early each week).  And don't be surprised 
if British spellings and date formats start creeping in...

During my extended stay I hope to see some numismatic sites and 
visit with some of my E-Sylum friends.  Let's make some plans!  
My email address will remain whomren at coinlibrary.com.

Coincidentally, we lead off this issue with a note about an 
upcoming book on British tokens, which has inspired an economist 
(and our own Dick Johnson) to discuss the ramifications of the 
private issuance of money in the U.S. and Europe.

Next up is an item that was just too funny to hold until the end 
of the issue.  If you haven't seen it already in the mainstream 
press, you're about to find out what triggered the recent Canadian 
"spy coin" scare.

In the news is an interview with a student member of Hawaii's 
state quarter design committee, an exhibition of Australia?s most 
'Kookaburra Collection', and a congregation of Congressional Medal 
of Honor recipients in Green Bay. Have a great week, everyone.

Wayne Homren
Numismatic Bibliomania Society


NEW BOOK IN PROGRESS: GOOD MONEY BY GEORGE SELGIN

Many thanks to Dick Johnson for reminding us about an upcoming book 
of interest to numismatists and economists everywhere. An advance 
look at George Selgin's book (Good Money: Birmingham Button-Makers, 
The Royal Mint, and the Beginnings of Modern Coinage) is available 
on the Internet in the form of the author's lengthy book proposal, 
which includes an annotated table of contents and sample chapters.  
The title as originally proposed was "GOOD MONEY: How some British 
BUTTON MAKERS beat GRESHAM?S LAW, solved the most urgent ECONOMIC 
PROBLEM of their day, and cleared the way for the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION".

The proposal notes that "Richard G. Doty, the Curator of Numismatics 
at the Smithsonian Institution has already offered this blurb:

?Good Money documents the fascinating story of the British Industrial 
Revolution and its effects on the coinage of the day. In lucid, 
enjoyable, often humorous language, Dr Selgin, a born story-teller, 
takes us from the 'dark satanic mills' to the backstreet haunts of 
the eighteenth-century counterfeiter. His cast of characters is large 
and rumbustious?including Thomas Williams, James Watt, John Westwood, 
and Matthew Boulton, to name just a few. His understanding of eighteenth-
century economic theory and practice is absolute, allowing him to write 
with a verve and a clarity that I find enviable. Very simply, Good 
Money is the most important study of its kind to appear in many years, 
and I recommend it without reservation.?

To read the complete book proposal, see:
http://www.tedweinstein.com/files/Good_Money_Proposal.pdf 

[George Selgin became an E-Sylum subscriber on November 7, 2004, 
when he provided us with advance word of his planned book. -Editor]

  NEW BRITISH TOKEN BOOK IN PROGRESS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n45a09.html

  WORK IN PROGRESS: GOOD MONEY
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v08n12a08.html

[An article by Lawrence White (see the following E-Sylum item) mentions 
the book; I contacted Selgin who adds: "The title is now 'Good Money: 
 Private Enterprise and the Foundation of Modern Coinage' As for 
publication, alas, it is scheduled for this time next year, so there's 
no need yet for people to start lining up for copies!" -Editor]


NEW BOOK PROVIDES EVIDENCE FOR RECOMMENDATION OF PRIVATE ISSUANCE OF COINS!
 
Dick Johnson writes: "Numismatists, get ready to blow your coin buying 
budget if what free market economists recommend comes to pass!
 
"Lawrence White, F.A. Hayek professor of economic history and leading 
free-banking theorist is offering such a recommendation in his writings. 
He wants the institutions that use coins and currency the most to issue 
their own money!
 
"His frequent co-author, George Selgin, is writing a book about how 
private penny issuers saved the Industrial Revolution.  The book, titled 
'Good Money: Birmingham Button-Makers, The Royal Mint, and the Beginnings 
of Modern Coinage' will be published by the University of Michigan Press 
and the Independent Institute.
 
"White is basing his recommendations on what he learned from fellow 
author Selgin's research. White sees where banks worldwide could issue 
their own coins. But imagine this in America. Not only would banks, but 
this would open up an opportunity for businesses -- of every size -- 
to do likewise. The largest users of coins, retail chains, would be 
most active in coin issuing.
 
"Civil War tokens of cent denomination would be small scale. Potentially 
White is recommending the private sector issue currency as well as coins 
in denominations most suitable to their needs."

George Selgin adds: "My book itself, which is all history, doesn't 
come out and recommend that people take up private coinage today, 
though White does."

[Dick submitted additional articles related to White's recommendation 
- the implications are far-reaching; these appear further on in this 
issue. -Editor]
 

CANADIAN "SPY COINS" UNMASKED - POPPY QUARTERS CAUSED THE STIR

Katie Jaeger, Bill Rosenblum, Nick Graver, John Nebel and others 
forwarded copies of a hilarious Associate Press article exposing 
the incident behind the recent Canadian "spy coin" hullabaloo.  
This has NLG Bash / Saturday Night Live skit written all over it.

"An odd-looking Canadian coin with a bright red flower was the 
culprit behind the U.S. Defense Department's false espionage 
warning earlier this year, The Associated Press has learned.

"The odd-looking ? but harmless ? "poppy coin" was so unfamiliar 
to suspicious U.S. Army contractors traveling in Canada that they 
filed confidential espionage accounts about them. The worried 
contractors described the coins as "anomalous" and "filled with 
something man-made that looked like nano-technology," according 
to once-classified U.S. government reports and e-mails obtained 
by the AP.

"The silver-colored 25-cent piece features the red image of a poppy 
? Canada's flower of remembrance ? inlaid over a maple leaf. The 
unorthodox quarter is identical to the coins pictured and described 
as suspicious in the contractors' accounts.

"The supposed nano-technology actually was a conventional protective 
coating the Royal Canadian Mint applied to prevent the poppy's red 
color from rubbing off. The mint produced nearly 30 million such 
quarters in 2004 commemorating Canada's 117,000 war dead."

"A numismatist consulted by the AP, Dennis Pike of Canadian Coin & 
Currency near Toronto, quickly matched a grainy image and physical 
descriptions of the suspect coins in the contractors' confidential 
accounts to the 25-cent poppy piece.

"'It's not uncommon at all,' Pike said. He added that the coin's 
protective coating glows peculiarly under ultraviolet light. "That 
may have been a little bit suspicious,' he said.

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270413,00.html 

On May 8th The Toronto Star commented on the affair. -Editor]

"It turns out that the strange coin found in the cup holder of the 
Canadian car a U.S. defence contractor rented was, well, a quarter 
? with a red poppy inlay and a minting date of 2004.

"Turns out the American officials were befuddled by protective coatings 
on the coin, which had been put in place to try to keep the red colour 
from smudging, something that marred the early 2004 printings of the 
coin, leaving on some a red blotch on the face of the Queen on the 
reverse side.

"One contractor marvelled that the coin didn't seem to have a power 
source, but was filled with some sort of "nano-technology."

"'And you wonder why our war effort isn't going too well,' said John 
Pike, a security and military analyst at GlobalSecurity.org.

"The Canadian embassy tried to remain diplomatic.

"'We knew loose lips sink ships, but loose change ... ?' said 
spokesperson Bernard Etzinger.

"The mystery of the Canadian coins with the radio transmitters had 
haunted cyberspace for four months until it was resolved by the 
Associated Press yesterday."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/211492


PHILADELPHIA ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND 1833 CORNERSTONE CENT

David Gladfelter writes: "In the stories about the President's 
House arch?ological dig at the southeast corner of Sixth and 
Market Streets in Philadelphia, you may have overlooked a minor 
numismatic discovery. This was found in the cornerstone of a 
commercial building erected on top of the foundation after the 
President's House was demolished in 1832.
 
"'Three commercial buildings then were constructed on the site, 
and the excavation has uncovered their foundations as well.
 
"'In fact, in one of the exciting moments of the dig, archeologists 
broke through the cement basement of one commercial building last 
week and there, right on top of a remaining President's House 
foundation wall, was an 1833 penny. It was common practice for 
builders to place a properly dated coin beneath new construction 
-- and the commercial building was, in fact, erected in 1833.
 
"'It's unbelievable that we came down right on top of that, but 
it certainly dates it very accurately,' [Douglas] Mooney [,field 
director of the firm conducting the dig], said. 'We couldn't believe 
it when that popped up. Sometimes you imagine what would be a 
really cool find, and sometimes you can't even predict.'' Article 
by Stephan Salisbury, 'Dig yields some unexpected finds,' The 
Philadelphia Inquirer, May 4, 2007, pages A1, A16.
 
"The 'penny' (read 'cent') would not have traveled far. It would 
have been struck in the first year of operation of the second U. S. 
Mint building at the northwest corner of Chestnut and Juniper 
Streets. This site is less than a mile west of the dig site."


ARTICLE PROFILES STUDENT'S WORK ON HAWAII STATE QUARTER COMMITTEE

The Garden Island newspaper of Kauai, Hawaii interviewed a local 
high school student who served on the state's quarter design 
committee:

"When the United States Mint introduced the first coins of the 
?50 States Commemorative Coin Program? in 1999, local student Malia 
Hitch began to collect them. She had no idea that a few years later 
she?d be a part of the process to design the coin that would 
represent her home state.

"Now, as a 17-year-old senior at Kapa?a High School, Hitch has 
lent her two cents as a member of the Hawai?i Commemorative Quarter 
Advisory Commission. The 36-member group was convened by Gov. Linda 
Lingle to select, develop and recommend designs emblematic of Hawai?i 
to the U.S. Mint for the Hawai?i Commemorative Quarter.  

"Hitch was one of five high school students on the commission and 
the only one from Kaua?i. The rest of the 36-member HCQAC was made 
up of individuals from across the state representative of Hawai?i?s 
diversity, including leaders from the community, government, 
business, education, labor, Native Hawaiian affairs, and culture 
and the arts."

"Student representatives were selected through an essay contest 
conducted by each island?s local newspaper. Hitch?s essay to The 
Garden Island newspaper earned her the right to represent Kaua?i.

"According to Hitch, ideas that didn?t make the cut for various 
reasons included the depiction of Hawaiian gods and a multi-racial 
group of citizens a la ?It?s a Small World,? the Walt Disney Theme 
Park ride.

"?I spoke up and tried to fight for things that represented the 
whole state versus just O?ahu. They wanted Diamond Head on it, but 
I said I don?t feel like Diamond Head represents me. The people 
from Big Island and Maui and Molokai felt the same way. You should 
make it fair to everybody.?

"Hitch also said she learned how to deal with bureaucratic bumps 
along the way. When the U.S. Mint originally suggested that there 
wasn?t enough room on the coin to include the state motto, committee 
members met with them to push the idea through.

"?They tried to tell us that it wouldn?t fit, but we got them to 
put it on there. We thought it was really important.?

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2007/05/08/news/news01.txt 


AUSTRALIA'S KOOKABURRA COLLECTION TO BE EXHIBITED IN MELBOURNE

A five-day exhibition will feature of one of Australia?s most 
significant coin sets - the ?Kookaburra Collection? of historic 
square Australian coins - in Melbourne from May 21 to May 25. 

"Acquired by an anonymous collector, with the assistance of Coinworks? 
Belinda Downie, this is the only time this unique set of thirteen 
coins will be shown to the public, before being locked in a vault 
for posterity.  The exhibition will be held in Melbourne?s historic 
Great Hall ('Cathedral Room') of the former Stock Exchange of Melbourne."

To read the complete article, see
http://tinyurl.com/29svnv

The Australian Square Penny Patterns date to the Melbourne Mint's 1919-
1921 attempts to find a lighter, more durable alternative to copper 
pennies and halfpennies. "The Mint struck approximately 200 Pattern 
coins, which were distributed to politicians and dignitaries for 
assessment. The project died with the resignation of the then Treasurer, 
but the Square Penny has lived on as one of Australia's most valuable 
and highly sought after rarities."
http://www.perthmint.com.au/historical-coin-collection-coins.aspx 

"The coins never went into production, but the few that were produced 
as trial coins are exceptionally rare, exceedingly valuable and have 
assumed an iconic prominence in the rare coin industry. This is the 
only set of its kind." 
http://www.whitelion.asn.au/index.php?newsID=35 


WHAT DENOMINATIONS OF NOTES AND COINS SHOULD WE HAVE?

Dick Johnson forwarded the following article by free-banking theorist 
Lawrence White from the Free Market news web site (published May 7, 
2007):

"Rather than choose the set of note and coin denominations by arbitrary 
government edict, I propose that Europe and the US should use the 
mechanism we use to choose the set of other goods and services. Why 
not let European commercial banks issue EUR1 and EUR2 notes at their 
own expense, just as the banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland currently 
issue banknotes as low as ?1 at their own expense? Let members of the 
public use notes or coins as they prefer. In that way the question of 
currency denomination can be taken out of the public sector with its 
one-size-fits-all approach. In the nineteenth century, private banknotes 
prevailed everywhere. In the United States, most banks issued notes in 
the usual 1-2-5 set of denominations, but some banks experimented with 
$3 bills."

"In the US, some writers have been arguing that the $1 bill should 
be withdrawn and replaced by the $1 coin because the coin lasts longer 
(30 years vs. 1 year)... Similar arguments apply to the US penny. 
Some arbitrarily call for its withdrawal; some want to keep it around. 
To see which coin denominations really are worth issuing, we need to 
move coin production into the market. Let commercial banks issue coins 
of all denominations. There is good historical precedent for private 
production not only of gold and silver coins, but also of token coins."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.freemarketnews.com/Analysis/240/7456/notes.asp?wid=240&nid=7456


IF AMERICA HAD PRIVATE ISSUE MONEY
 
Dick Johnson further comments on what would happen in America if private 
issuing of coins and currency were permitted as proposed by professor 
White.  He writes: 

"For coin issues:
 
"The U.S. Mint would become the largest custom minter in the world, 
creating coins for banks and large retail chains. They would produce 
custom coins for each such issuer, accepting orders directly from them 
and instead of shipping all coins to the Federal Reserve System, ship 
the custom coins to retail branches. This would become, in effect, 
the most efficient method in the distribution of coins.
 
"Private mints would be established to service banks and businesses 
of all sizes. As was the case for the Civil War cents even small 
retail merchants would issue their own coins, possibly ordering them 
in several denominations. There would be extensive competition among 
private mints. Some would have round-the-clock production. Costs of 
new coining presses and engraving equipment would skyrocket as mints 
required more production capacity. 
 
"Competition for the profits from seignorage would drive the purity 
of coins higher. Coins would be issued both in precious metal and 
token coinage in base metals.
 
"Large retail chains would be the most active issuer of their own 
coins. They would make their own decision, for example, to have and 
use low denomination coins, or to to round off to the next highest 
denomination they made available.
 
"Owners of several private minting firms would have sellers remorse 
for selling out recently, perhaps hitting their forehead like a V8 
commercial --  "Oh, If I had only held out for a few more years!"  
This would include Roger Williams Mint, acquired last year by Osborne 
Coinage of Cincinnati. Or perhaps by Hoffman of California, which 
sold much of its minting equipment to Northwest Territorial Mint, 
and four coining presses acquired by Striker Tokens and Medals of 
Eureka Springs, Arkansas. How fortunate for them."

"For currency issues:
 
"The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing would become a large 
custom banknote printer in addition to private banknote printers. 
They would receive orders from banks direct instead of the Federal 
Reserve System and print notes specifically for these banks with 
their names (a la National Bank Notes).
 
"Banks would issue their own notes and encourage their use for 
the float they would have access to between the time the notes 
were issued and the time they were redeemed.
 
"Bank loan interest rates would drop for the banks that would be 
most aggressive in issuing their own notes. They would have such 
excess capital available for loans they could charge a lower 
interest rate.
 
"ATM machines would proliferate. This would be the most effective way 
of distributing a bank's custom notes. There would be no charge for 
the use of this service. In fact some aggressive banks may offer a 
premium for the use of their currency. Competition among banks would 
vary the amount of the premium.
 
"Standards would have to be made in the design of the currency. This 
would be required to insure its acceptance by everyone.
 
"The currency issued by a bank that defaulted would have to be accepted 
by all other banks, otherwise the public would not accept any bank's 
currency. Or the banks would have to form their own insurance plan 
for this."


ON AWARDING MEDALS TO ROBOTS

Tony Tumonis writes: "I would be shocked to see our military awarding 
medals to machines.  This isn't OZ and these robots are not the Tin man.  
I understand awarding a medal to a non-human comrade, as they have a 
heart and feel pain.  During World War II my father fought in the 
Philippines and they had a dog that would run from tent to tent 
awakening the soldiers on an impending bombing run by the Japanese, 
long before anyone could hear the planes.  This gave the men time to 
get safely into their foxholes.  It didn't take long for everybody to 
become attached to this dog.  

"After the Philippines were liberated, and the time came for them to 
go home, they didn't want to leave the dog behind for fear of it 
becoming the natives next meal so they smuggled him aboard the troop 
ship bound for Australia.  Australia had strict laws then regarding 
animals coming in, so they taught the dog to lay perfectly still and 
quiet inside a duffel bag.  If our military starts to give awards to 
robots, does that mean that will they have to start giving awards to 
their battered Humvees or risk facing a discrimination lawsuit?"

  WILL A ROBOT EARN A PURPLE HEART?
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n18a24.html


SHIPS MAST COIN AS A MARKETING DEVICE

William P. Houston of Frankfurt am Main writes: "Of late there have 
been a few articles in The E-Sylum regarding coins placed under ships' 
masts.  Thru chance I have just noted an item offered on eBay (Nr. 
2201 0901 6184) offering a "coin" placed under (or in or on, I'm 
uncertain how it is done) the keel of a ship when construction begins. 
 
It's probably another old custom which the AIDA Cruise Lines (or 
whatever the official name of the company is) has discovered for 
advertisement and or publicity reasons.  Bidding closes this evening 
(MEST).  Strictly FYI  --  I'm not the owner and I do not plan to bid."
 
[I was unable to read the German text of the item description, but I 
wonder if these "coins" are similar to the flags flown over the federal 
and state Capitol buildings, plsced there briefly only to be packed up 
and sent to a favored constituent group.  -Editor]


INFORMATION ON ENGRAVER JOHN WILLIAM CASILEAR  

Regarding our earlier query about artist John William Casilear, 
David Gladfelter writes: "There is a self-portrait of Casilear 
and biographical info on him in Foster Wild Rice, "Antecedents 
of the American Bank Note Company," 18 Essay-Proof Journal 91, 
102-103 (1961) (reprinted). The portrait had been owned by his 
granddaughter, Grace Casilear Burr, who died childless the 
preceding year and "was the last surviving descendant of this 
artistic branch of the family." Thus it may take some searching 
to locate this self-portrait today.
 
"There is also biographical info in Hessler, Stauffer and Baker. 
The last mentioned source ascribes two works to him: "The Seven 
Presidents," painted and engraved for the New York Mirror, 1834, 
and "The Sybil," after a painting by Daniel Huntington, published 
by the American Art Union in 1847.
 
"I have a proof of the B plate $5.00 note of the Morris County Bank, 
Morristown, N. J., with the imprint Casilear, Durand, Burton & 
Edmonds, N. York. as well as the 4-subject copper plate from which 
it was printed. The note has 4 vignettes, but none of them are 
signed. I have not seen a signed vignette of Casilear's."

  INFORMATION ON ENGRAVER JOHN WILLIAM CASILEAR SOUGHT
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n18a14.html


BASHLOW CONFEDERATE RESTRIKE DIES: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Last week, responding to Harold Levi's question about the dies used 
for the Bashlow restrikes of the Confederate Cent, Dick Johnson noted 
that when the stock of the August Frank company was acquired by 
Medallic Art, "Unfortunately, there were no Bashlow dies amongst [them]. 
He must have retrieved every one of them."

Tom DeLorey writes: "This is incorrect - Robert Bashlow did not 
retrieve the dies. I spoke with him shortly before his fatal trip 
to Spain, and he told me that he had not been able to recover his 
dies when August Frank's children had placed him in a nursing home 
and sold off all his assets, but that he intended to begin legal 
action to recover them after he returned from Europe. Of course, 
he never did.

"At about that time, many of the dies were being advertised for sale 
(I believe in Coin World, though there might have also been a mailed 
circular), including many Elder dies. I had decided not to buy any 
because of the questionable title, but after Bashlow's death was 
contacted by a dealer who wanted to know if I would be interested 
in a partnership to buy the Hudson and Fulton small-sized dollar 
dies and restrike them. I did not think that this was a good idea, 
so I bought the dies to keep them from being restruck."


REMEMBERING CHRIS CONNELL

Larry Gaye writes: "I cannot say how shocked I was to hear about 
the death of Chris Connell.  I heard of Chris long before I met him.  
As an avid Byzantinist I was told Chris was 'the man' and that I 
should meet him.  I seemed we were almost meeting each other for years.

"In 1998 I had my chance.  I was the Assistant General Chairman of the 
Portland ANA Worlds Fair of Money.  On the opening day of the convention 
we were swamped with people wanting to get in.  There were so many people 
in line that a call went out for volunteers to help with registration 
(we ended up with 11,000 people at the convention) in all areas.  As I 
was directing people to registration a fellow walked up and said 'Can I 
help?'  I said sure grab a line and pass out pens and applications.  
This went on for about an hour and when the hubbub passed we both passed 
a sigh of relief at the same time and took a deep breath.  I introduced 
my self and he said 'I'm Chris Connell.'  I finally met a man who would 
become a very dear friend.

"It was at that show that the ADBC (Association of Dedicated Byzantine 
Collectors) was formed by Chris, Prue Fitts, and yours truly behind a 
curtain at the ANA registration booth.  As a national volunteer I knew 
I would see Chris at least twice a year and emails and phone conversations 
much more often.  Chris was a gentleman in all things and a true priest 
to all who knew him.  He went through life affecting the lives of those 
around him and I feel very lucky to have had him in my life even for a 
short time.  He was a gift given to us and taken away too soon.  I will 
miss him."


CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS TO GATHER IN GREEN BAY

"This September, many of our nation's most highly-honored military 
veterans will come together in Green Bay for a convention honoring 
recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Thursday, organizers 
unveiled details of the week-long event.

"In the history of the U.S. military, more than 48 million men and 
women have served. Out of that, just 3,444 were awarded with the 
military's highest honor. 

"There are 110 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients still living, 
ranging from 57 to 97 years old. Most of them will be in Green Bay 
for the convention.

"Each recipient who attends will take part in a jam-packed week with 
activities ranging from fishing to school visits. In all, there will 
be 22 events during the week. The final event takes place on Lambeau 
Field, where all the Medal of Honor recipients will be introduced 
during a pre-game ceremony.

"Festivities kick off September 3rd."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=6498287 


DEALER MIKE FULJENZ PROFILED BY LAMAR UNIVERSITY

Coin dealer Mike Fuljenz was recently profiled by his alma mater, 
Lamar University of Beaumont, Texas:

"Fuljenz' gifts to the athletic department total over $100,000 over 
the last two years, including providing financial support for programs 
like - underwriting the 2006 men's basketball tip-off dinner featuring 
guest speaker John Calipari, corporate sponsorships, donations to the 
men's and women's golf teams, donations to the women's soccer program, 
baseball and Cardinal Club membership.

"Fuljenz looks back to his own upbringing, his children and his 
personal interests as the main motivating factors for his interest 
in giving back to the community through a variety of avenues. 'My 
mother and grandmother both taught for 30 years, so I grew up in a 
family that supported education and teaching. My father was really 
involved with different charitable programs and volunteer work for 
youth in need. You kind of model your father.

"'I taught and I've always been involved in education programs. 
You need a hobby and my hobby is working with programs that help 
kids. I like teaching and I like working with kids.

"'So, when I left teaching to get into coins, and that area blossomed, 
one of the ways to stay true to some of the roots I had was to be 
involved with kids, sports and other areas of education.'

"He started his professional career as a teacher and principal. 
After several years, he turned to his life-long love and interest 
in coins into a business. He is the president of Universal Coin 
and Bullion, which specifically deals with classic rare coins.

"'I always collected coins as a hobby,' said Fuljenz.' I would cut 
lawns for money during the summer. But what I quickly realized was 
that when they quit making dimes out of silver in the 1960s, I could 
acquire old dimes at the bank, sell them to the local dealer and 
make more money doing that than I could mowing grass.'

"Through reading books and other literature, attending conventions 
and seminars, and interacting with other people who shared the same 
interest in coins, Fuljenz has become one of the foremost experts 
in the area of rare coins."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.lamar.edu/newsevents/news/207_5386.htm 


SHORT SNORTER EXHIBIT AT CENTRAL STATES SHOW

As a result of an earlier E-Sylum article I've recently fielded 
queries about "Short Snorters."  I enlisted the help of Joe Boling, 
co-author of "World War II Remembered".

Joe writes: "Short snorters were invented by airmen making hops to 
various countries - it became a way to keep souvenirs of where you 
had been. Frequently, the notes were signed by other members of the 
crew (if a multi-engine aircraft). Eventually other servicemen became 
aware of them and started keeping souvenirs also. In the case of 
ground troops, it was a lot easier to have buddies sign the notes. 

"Collectors value short snorters that are dated and have locations 
indicated, as that gives us information about circulation patterns 
for notes during the war. There have been many articles on short 
snorters published over the years, but no definitive research that 
I recall."

"I am now at the Central States convention. One of the competitive 
exhibits is about short snorters. It says that the term originally 
applied to the flyer himself, and only later came to be applied to 
the notes that were being signed and retained. It also has an issue 
of Paper Money (the journal of the SPMC, Soc of PM Collectors) as 
part of the exhibit - whole number 216, Nov-Dec 2001. You should 
see this exhibit - seven cases of fabulous short snorters."

[Many thanks to Joe for his assistance on this topic.  
Did any other E-Sylum readers get to see the exhibit?
-Editor]


PENCE VS PENNY: LANGUAGE SHIFT UNDERWAY?

Kerry Rodgers writes: "I was interested in Ted Buttery's comment 
concerning "pence" vs "penny".  I suspect we are keen observers of 
a language shift happening before our eyes. 

"I am very aware of the pedantic grammar that is allegedly involved, 
but I noted that that bastion (on one side of the Atlantic) of 
English-as-she-is-spoke, the BBC, referred to "one pence" at least 
in its report.

"Try Googling "one pence".  You will get over 29,000 hits. These are 
not all illiterate casual bloggers; far from it.  I suspect a shift 
in usage is occurring.  I have seen the same in my lifetime in "data 
is", now accepted in common parlance.  And poor old "disinterest" has 
undergone a complete change in meaning over the last three decades. 
This is English, an ever-growing vibrant language, not frozen Latin-like 
in the past, or hide-bound by bureaucrats as is French.

"A Professor of English Language once pointed out to me that the only 
correct English is that in current usage - whatever that might be."


U.S. LEGAL TENDER LAWS AND THE USE OF MEXICAN AND CANADIAN COINS AND NOTES

Regarding last week's item on the acceptance of Mexican Pesos by a U.S. 
business, Granvyl Hulse writes: "What has surprised me is the print 
wasted on commenting about a store near the Mexican border accepting 
pesos. Most businesses along the Canadian border accept Canadian money 
in payment for goods. In some cases they charge an exchange fee, but 
some ski areas in northern New York announced that they would accept 
Canadian money at par to encourage cross-border trade. What is the 
big deal with pesos? I live five miles from the Canadian border in 
up-state New Hampshire and I would bet that there isn't a cash register 
in this town that does not have some Canadian money in one of its slots."

  PESO PAYMENTS AND LEGAL TENDER LAWS IN THE U.S.
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n18a25.html


LEGAL TENDER STATUS RATIFIED IN COINAGE ACT OF 1965

Relating to the more general question of foreign coins as legal 
tender, David Ganz writes: "See Feb. 21, 1857, ch. 56, 11 Stat. 163 
(determines legal tender of Spanish pillar dollar (continue) and 
other coins (denied). 

"When the Coinage Act of 1965 was passed, it had an important clause 
that ratified the legal tender status of all American coins and 
currency previously produced (thus finally legalizing the trade 
dollar).  

"In the hearing held June 4, 1965, Rep. Wright Patman, chair of the 
House Banking & Currency Committee, asked Treasury secretary Henry 
Fowler whether the coins being authorized 'will have the stamp of 
the United States recognizing that each coin is legal tender for 
all debts, public and private' to which Fowler replied in the 
affirmative.

"On page 20-21 of the hearing, Fowler was asked 'if they have 
something owing to them, they are compelled by law to accept these 
coins' to which Fowler answered 'Correct'. Money becomes a commodity; 
paper currency a medium of exchange.

"Chairman Patman clarifies 'two points on the record' on page 32 of 
the same hearing. 'all coins, all paper money are all of equal value 
as legal tender. You can pay a million dollar debt with copper cents 
if you want to. That has not always been true. You can pay any debt 
with 5-cent pieces or 25 cent pieces, and it makes no difference. 
It is all acceptable legal tender'.

"Secretary Fowler than acknowledges that some vending machines don't 
accept half dollars and that some coin-operated vending machines 
are limited.

"On the floor debates, it is further clarified that this is nothing 
'more than a restatement of existing law.'"


FEATURED WEB PAGE: DENOMINATIONS OF U.S. COINS

This week's featured web page is an abstract of a February 2004 article 
in Journal of Evolutionary Economics: "The denominations of US coins: 
a case of institutional evolution" by Adrian E. Tschoegl. 

"'A great deal of small change is useful in a state, and tends to reduce 
the prices of small articles.' Thomas Jefferson (1784; 1953, p. 178)

Abstract. The system of denominations of US coins, which the paper 
treats as a quasi-genetic trait of the US monetary system, has not 
been constant since inception but rather has evolved over time in the 
sense of being subject to innovation and selection. However, all the 
innovations have disappeared, as have a number of the original 
denominations. Abstract theories of optimal systems of denominations 
provide a good explanation of one selection factor, but other important 
influences include limiting the number of separate denominations and 
accommodating the requirements of decimal counting. However, even 
some innovations that ultimately disappeared survived for decades."

http://www.springerlink.com/content/ddac57p70dbtkfv3/ 


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From esylum at binhost.com  Sun May 20 14:28:18 2007
From: esylum at binhost.com (esylum at binhost.com)
Date: Sun, 20 May 2007 22:28:18 +0100
Subject: The E-Sylum v10#20, May 20, 2007
Message-ID: <000b01c79b25$cd2f41b0$8c0110ac@corp.cmdinfo.com>

Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 20, May 20, 2007:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM 20 MAY, 2007

Among our recent subscribers is F. Carl Braun.  Welcome aboard!  
We now have 1,113 subscribers.

As noted last week, this issue is being published early due to your 
editor's relocation to London, England.  So get used to it, and be 
prepared for occasional deviations due to travel.   I'm settled here 
quite well now.  Many thanks to all the locals who have come forth 
with offers of visits.  I'll be in touch soon and apologize to them 
and anyone else if I haven't replied to email in the past few days.  
My ISP back in the states is having some difficulties (again), and 
I haven?t been getting incoming mail to whomren at coinlibrary.com.  
Once the floodgates open I may discover some additional E-Sylum 
submissions.

I hope to see some numismatic sites on my visit, although so far 
about all I've seen is the outside of the Tower Mint and Spink's.  
I'm getting used to using the local coins and paper money, and 
naturally I'm setting some aside for my kids as souvenirs of my 
trip.  Finding nice examples of some denominations has been difficult 
so far; my first impression of the coins here is that they seem 
shopworn compared to the coins in the U.S.  The one pound coin in 
particular seems well worn.  Without a comparable banknote the pound 
coin is a real workhorse.

This week we open with a look at the contents of the next issue of 
our print journal, The Asylum.  Next up is word of a new book on 
images of slavery in Confederate and Southern States Currency, and 
a limited edition of the Roman Gold Coin Price Yearbook.  

In the news this week, a bomb scare empties a U.S. Mint facility, 
and the B.E.P. announces a new anticounterfeiting technology.  In 
the numismatic research department, Hugh Shull is looking for images 
of rare varieties and errors of Confederate currency, and readers 
come forth with information on  artist and engraver John Casilear. 
To learn how to order Canada's new million-dollar gold coin, read 
on. Have a great week, everyone.

Wayne Homren
Numismatic Bibliomania Society


LATEST ASYLUM ISSUE ON THE WAY TO NBS MEMBERS

David Yoon, Editor of our print journal, The Asylum, reports that 
the next issue (volume 25, number 1) is at the printers and should 
be arriving in member mailboxes soon.  The contents include:

* Joel Orosz - William Byrd II and the First Numismatic Library 
   in North America 
* George Kolbe - Joseph Florimond Loubat: A Bibliographical Addendum 
* W. David Perkins - The de Coppet Hoard of Early Silver Dollars
* John Adams - Book Review: The Medallic History of the United States 
   of America, by J. F. Loubat 
* Candidates for the 2007 Election of Officers for the Numismatic 
   Bibliomania Society

[While The E-Sylum is free to all, The Asylum is available only to 
members of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.  To join, see the 
information at the end of each E-Sylum issue.  There is a membership 
application available on our web site.  To join, print the application 
and return it with your check to the address printed on the 
application. Membership is only $15 to addresses in the U.S., $20 
elsewhere. -Editor]

To print the NBS membership allocation, go to:
http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_member_app.html 


NEW BOOK: IMAGES OF SLAVERY IN CONFEDERATE AND SOUTHERN STATES CURRENCY

Larry Gaye writes: "At the recent ANA National Money Show in Charlotte 
I walked by the table of Gresham's Coins, Stamps & Medals owned by 
Sherrod Gresham of Nightdale, North Carolina and noticed an excellent 
patch of color in the form of the book 'Confederate Currency The Color 
of Money, Images of Slavery in Confederate and Southern States Currency'. 

"It is a book about the images of slaves that graced Confederate 
Currency.  The artist is John W. Jones and this is his work of love. 
Mr. Jones has painted full color images of the subjects of each note.  
The book illustrates each note with his work in juxtaposition for 
comparison.  The Color of Money is truly colorful and full of life, 
a must-have for every numismatic bibliophile or for that matter 
anyone interested in this period of history. 

"Sherrod Gresham can be reached at greshamcoins at hotmail.com and their 
web site is www.greshamcoins.com.  I did not see anything about the 
book on their site, however I can just about guarantee he will happily 
sell you the book."

[In the 20 August 2006 issue of The E-Sylum we profiled Jones in an 
item about an exhibit of his artwork at the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon 
B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach.  -Editor]

To view a description of the Jones exhibit, see:
http://www.myrtlebeachartmuseum.org/MyrtleBeachArtMuseum-Exhibition20.htm 


ROMAN GOLD COIN PRICE YEARBOOK AVAILABLE

Editor Morten Eske Mortensen writes: "Following a number of enquiries 
from professional market players the owners of the publishing rights 
have agreed to produce an extremely strictly distributed minor number 
of the 'Roman GOLD Coin Price Yearbook 1997/2006'.  The printing run 
will not be allowed to exceed 150 copies.  The planned release date 
is around August 2007.

"The 2006 edition includes an estimated 9.000 auction results extracted 
from around 1.100 international public auctions held world wide in the 
10 full calendar years 1996 through 2005. An impressive 75+ major 
auction houses are covered. All results converted to USD. Phone: 
+45 39 29 07 23 email: mem at image.dk"

To view a sample page of the RCPY 2006 GOLD coin edition, see:
http://home.worldonline.dk/mem/info/roman2006USdemo.htm 
 
For exact listing of auction catalogues presently included, see:
http://home.worldonline.dk/mem/info/demodatabankROMANcatlist.htm


ASHTRAY MEDAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED

Sam Pennington writes: "We have just added an article on ashtray 
medals to the Maine Antique Digest web site. We describe the medals, 
list all known and illustrate twenty-four of them in big pictures. 
Thanks to those who responded to our E-Sylum request. If anyone knows 
of a medal we missed, please let us know. We have limited the definition 
to ashtray medals signed by known sculptors. So far we have found 
medals by Paul Manship, Sidney Waugh, and Chester Beach."

[For those who missed our earlier discussion, here's the article's 
opening paragraph: "A little-known category in the medals collecting 
field is the ashtray medal. Ranging from three and a half inches in 
diameter up to 8 inches, they look like oversized art medals. They 
are now sometimes called "deep dishes" because smoking is so out of 
fashion."

Be sure to check out the article - it's very well done and the 
illustrations are marvelous.  What great medals!  -Editor]

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/medals/medalscolumn4.htm

  MANSHIP MEDALLIC ASHTRAYS MADE BY MEDALLIC ART COMPANY
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n12a12.html


WHITMAN OFFERS BOWERS OBSOLETE PAPER MONEY BOOK TO CLUB LIBRARIES

Larry Gaye writes: "As president of the Pacific Northwest Numismatic 
Association (PNNA) and immediate past president of the Willamette Coin 
Club (WCC) I recently received a letter with an offer from Whitman 
Publishing offering clubs '...in association with John Albanese...a 
complimentary copy of this book (Q.David Bowers) Obsolete Paper Money 
Issued by Banks in the United States, 1782-1866.'  The books were 
sent out POST PAID and our clubs (PNNA and WCC) received this great gift.  

"I want to thank, John Albanese, Q. David Bowers and Mary Counts, 
President of Whitman Publishing for this extraordinary gift.  The book 
is well done and a pleasure to look at, the reading will come later.  
As soon as I received the WCC's copy I had to open it and peruse; it 
is a joy to the eye.  Printed in high quality full color you cannot put 
it down until viewing every page, I can't wait to read it.  

"The offer was made for a 'limited time' I strongly urge every club to 
contact Whitman if they haven't received the offer and order the book 
for their club libraries.  It is a truly magnificent gift."


BOMB SCARE AT U.S. MINT IN DENVER

According to a Denver Post report published 15 May, "Denver police 
bomb technicians rushed to the U.S. Mint [Tuesday] when a man passing 
the building left a walkie-talkie that security guards mistook for 
bomb. 

"The unidentified man and a friend were handcuffed and detained while 
a bomb technician in a green protective suit and helmet approached 
the walkie-talkie. 

"'The bomb squad disrupted it. It was not a bomb. It was not an 
explosive device,' said U.S. Mint spokeswoman Ellen Casey. 

"The bomb technicians finished their work within about 30 minutes, 
and Mint officials returned to a staff meeting."

To read the complete article, see:
http://test.denverpost.com/lacrosse/ci_5901576 


NEW U.S. $100 BILL TO INCLUDE MOTION(TM) TECHNOLOGY

In his Tuesday blog George Cuhaj of Bank Note Reporter revealed 
the latest counterfeiting measure being adopted by the Crane Paper 
Company, supplier to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing.  
He wrote: "The BEP has told us long ago that the $1 and $2 will 
not be redesigned. It has already been announced that 2008 will 
see a new design for the $5. matching the 10-20-50 with color and 
a off-center, larger head. That just left the $100 for a make-over. 
Well, slowly, information on that makeover is coming to light. 

"The new security feature that Crane has developed is called Motion? 
and this has recently been introduced on the new Swedish 1000 Krone 
note issued this year. You may view it at the Rigsbank website: 
http://www.riksbank.com/templates/Page.aspx?id=20647 

"The Motion? technology can be found at the Crane AB website: 
http://www.crane.se/site.aspx?id=570   

"We think that the Benjamin Franklin and Independence Hall designs 
will remain on the 100, but what will be the emblem of freedom, or 
the object in the Motion? security device
that is not public 
information yet..." 

To read George's complete blog post, see:
http://www.numismaticnews.net/currency/New+100+Bill+To+Include+Motion.aspx


BANK NOTE REPORTER ARTICLES ONLINE

In his Thursday blog, Dave Kranz writes: "Something new with the 
June issue of Bank Note Reporter, which should reach most subscribers 
within the next week, is a stepped-up effort to point out that we're 
also putting information online. 

"For example, George Cuhaj blogged Tuesday that a new holographic 
technology called Motion? will be used in the next U.S. $100 bill. 
That news is in BNR. But we learned of it too close to deadline to 
include a long story. 

"Rather than waiting a month for the next BNR, though, you can read 
a story on the topic by former Bureau of Engraving and Printing 
Director Robert J. Leuver. It's available right now at the BNR Web site."

To read Dave's complete blog post,
see:http://www.numismaticnews.net/watermark/Web+Enhances+June+BNR.aspx  

To read the article, see:
http://tinyurl.com/2nsypd 


HUGH SHULL SEEKS INFORMATION ON CONFEDERATE PAPER MONEY

Dennis Tucker of Whitman Publishing forwarded this press release on 
Hugh Shull's request for information for his planned book on 
Confederate paper money:

"A Guide Book of Confederate Currency is scheduled to be released 
in 2008, and author Hugh Shull is seeking information and images 
from collectors.

"?I have scans of the finest known set of Confederate States notes 
ever put together,? said Shull. ?What I?m looking for now is images 
of rare varieties, errors such as mismatched serial numbers and 
inverted backs, rare watermarks, and any other unusual CSA notes.?

"Collectors and numismatists who have access to such pieces may 
contact Shull by telephone (803-996-3660) or by mail (PO Box 2522, 
Lexington, SC 29071). Contributors will be acknowledged in the book.

"A Guide Book of Confederate Currency will be the authoritative 
guide to paper money issued by the Confederate States of America, 
from the early days of secession into the war years. Following the 
formula of Whitman Publishing?s Southern States Currency (2007), 
also by Shull, it will combine the author?s first-hand knowledge 
of today?s market with historical text by researcher Wendell Wolka. 
Features include detailed descriptions, hundreds of full-color 
images, and valuations in multiple grade levels. A mid-2008 
release is scheduled."


THOUGHTS ON PRIVATE ISSUE MONEY

George Selgin writes: "I thought I might make a couple observations 
in regard to Dick Johnson's very interesting remarks concerning 
implications of private coins and banknotes.

"Although historical experience support's most of Dick's claims, 
in two cases it appears to contradict them.

"First, while Dick writes that allowing coins to be issued by 
private persons would cause the U.S. Mint to 'become the largest 
custom minter in the world,' my own reading of experience (and of 
British experience in particular) suggests that private mints might 
well prove more efficient than their more bureaucratic rival, and 
so might drive it out of business unless the government props it 
up with subsidies.

"Dick also writes that 'The currency issued by a bank that defaulted 
would have to be accepted by all other banks, otherwise the public 
would not accept any bank's currency. Or the banks would have to 
form their own insurance plan.'

"While it is true that past note-issuing banks generally agreed to 
accept their rivals' notes, they typically did so only so long as 
the issuers were in good standing.  Notes of banks in default were 
occasionally accepted as a courtesy--and as a low-cost way to capture 
a piece of the currency market that was up-for-grabs.  But for banks 
to have had a standing policy of accepting notes of failed rivals 
would have been suicidal, as it would have exposed them, and the 
entire banking and currency system, to individual bank failures.  
So note holders did bear some risk.  But this did not prevent 
competitively-supplied banknotes from gaining the public's trust.  
In some places, indeed (Canada and Scotland come most to mind), 
banknotes were generally much preferred to pesky silver or gold 
coins!"

J?rgen S?mod writes: "Yes and all this extra money would lead to 
hyperinflation and your government would either have to ask for 
more taxes or to introduce a total planned economy as in the 
German Third Reich.

"In my opinion numismatists in general have misunderstood Gresham's 
Law, which students and newcomers so often refer to. Gresham, who 
lived in England, had not the problem with bad coins from neighbor 
countries. Even if much better coins with a higher value were 
introduced, it would always be worse than before, because the public 
has to pay an agio to use the new coins. There is only one to pay. 
And it is never the state."
 
[Agio is a word describing the premium or discount associated with 
money exchange.  I'm living this day-to-day now as I watch the dollar/
pound exchange rate fluctuate. -Editor]

  To read the Wikipedia entry for Agio, see:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agio 


CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR ORGAN DONORS? 
 
"Great idea. Wrong name. The U.S. Congress is considering creating 
a new medal for honoring organ donors or their families. They might 
even place the portrait of a former Congressman, William Frist, on 
the medal. Excellent. In private practice Dr. Frist is a heart and 
lung transplant surgeon in Tennessee and observes first hand the 
benefits of organ donations. 
 
"Just don't call the new award a 'Congressional Medal.'
 
"Why? Congress already has two classes of 'Congressional medals' and 
this has led to confusion ever since 1862 when the Congressional Medal 
of Honor law was enacted. It is a military decoration for exception 
valor. The other is a class of medals that dates back to 1790 when 
Congress authorized Benjamin Franklin to obtain a medal for George 
Washington from the Paris Mint. These Congressional medals --  and 
the term -- have been confused ever since.
 
"Congress has the right, privilege and duty to issue medals. It has 
done this over 300 times (although some of these are automatic as 
in series, like medals for presidents, secretaries of the treasury, 
directors of the mint, and such). Some individual medals required 
special Congressional legislation to honor such recipients as the 
Wright Brothers, Charles Lindberg, Jonas Salk, even Bob Hope. These 
are true 'Congressional medals.'
 
"It would be unwieldy for Congress to administer such a medal program. 
Imagine passing a new law for each such recipient. Let some prominent 
organization administer it, perhaps the National Kidney Foundation. 
Congress could, however, name the medal for organ donors the 'Frist 
Medal' after Dr. Frist. Then it would be a double honor to receive 
the First Frist Medal." 
 
To read the article, see:
http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/22651


MORE INFORMATION ON JOHN CASILEAR

Roger Anderson writes: "Regarding the information posted by David 
Gladfelter in vol.10, #19 on John Casilear, the self-portrait he 
mentions coming from the Foster Wild Rice article "Antecedents of 
the American Bank Note Company of 1859" is one I have been searching 
for a good while. From information I obtained at the Frick Art 
Reference Library in New York City, I believe this painting along 
with portraits of the artist's father, John Casilear, and wife, Helen 
Howard Casilear, were all owned by Dr. Glenn Jackson, a well known 
numismatist and Watertown, CT dentist. Dr. Jackson died in 1989, 
and I have been unable to date to determine if this painting(s) 
were sold prior to this or bequeathed as part of his estate to 
family members.

"As far as the Casilear 'A Sybyl' engraving goes, I own two versions 
of it: one from the originally published American Art-Union litho of 
it given to AAU subscribers in 1847, and a second reprinted version 
from the 1880's. Please thank Mr. Gladfelter for his additional 
reference to the bank note and for the other information sent along.  
Thanks for everyone's continued assistance."

Anne Bentley adds: "Regarding John Casilear's self portrait, that 
one seems to have disappeared into private hands, but Thomas Prichard 
Rossiter's 1851 portrait of Casilear was part of the National Academy 
of Design Collection in 1971, and likely still is.  The Smithsonian 
also lists their own uncataloged collection (size unspecified) of 
papers relating to him.

The New-York Historical Society owns a cameo portrait of Asher B. 
Durand made when he and Casilear were wintering with friends in 
Italy in 1840.

In the art world, Casilear is known as a very talented member of 
the Hudson River School, so is included in innumerable exhibits 
and catalogs on the subject.  A simple Google search will net all 
kinds of color images of his paintings in permanent collections.  
It would be interesting to see if Casilear used his painting/
watercolor sketches as fodder for his banknote vignettes."

For the Smithsonian inventory of Rossiter's portrait of Casilear, see:
http://tinyurl.com/2j46vu

For the Smithsonian inventory of uncataloged Casilear papers, see:
http://tinyurl.com/36xnp3

For the New-York Historical Society's Durand cameo, see
http://tinyurl.com/2jtog2 

[Many thanks to David Gladfelter and Anne Bentley for their 
assistance with Roger Anderson's research on John Casilear.   
Uncovering new information from previously untapped resources is 
what the best numismatic research is all about.  The Internet and 
forums like The E-Sylum are making this task far easier than ever 
before. -Editor]


SAMUEL ERNST MEETS ERIC NEWMAN

In more news from the recent Central States Numismatic Society 
convention, congratulations to E-Sylum subscriber Samuel Ernst who 
was a co-winner of the CSNS Daniel J. Parker Junior Literary award 
for his article about the Cheerios Sacagawea dollar.  

He writes: "I also got to meet Eric Newman.  He was great!  And it 
was a real honor to meet someone like him.  I think numismatics is 
about the coolest thing a person could do."

Here's a link to a picture that Rick Snow took at the awards breakfast: 
http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=586091 

[I'm sure most E-Sylum readers will concur with Samuel's observation 
on numismatics.  It's great fun indeed, and one of the most rewarding 
things about it is the opportunity to meet fellow collectors and 
researchers.  Like Samuel, I was quite pleased to meet Eric Newman 
and enjoy his company. My meeting took place a number of years ago 
in St. Louis, where Eric was so kind as to provide me and some friends 
visiting the Early American Coppers convention a tour of his earlier 
Money Museum and numismatic library. -Editor]


CENTRAL STATES EXHIBIT REPORTS

Numismatic Bibliomania Society President Pete Smith was also at the 
Central States show in St. Louis.  He writes: "While I was there I 
got a quick look at the exhibit of short snorters. I also spoke briefly 
with Neil Shafer, who placed the exhibit."

"The exhibit that should be most interesting to members of the NBS 
was on Frank Dewette Andrews and placed by Steve Carr."

[Andrews authored "An Arrangement of United States Copper Cents, 
1816-1857", first published in 1883. -Editor]


RECORD SILVER AND GOLD HAUL RECOVERED FROM SHIPWRECK OFF CORNWALL

Yesterday the BBC News reported on Odyssey Marine Exploration's 
latest announcement:

"A record haul of half a million silver and gold coins from a 17th 
Century shipwreck may have been found just 40 miles from Land's End, 
an expert said. US treasure hunters said the coins, worth an estimated 
$500m (?253m), were recovered in the Atlantic Ocean. 

"In 1641, an English ship called the Merchant Royal sank off the 
Scilly Islands, laden with bullion from Mexico. There is speculation 
that this is the wreck salvaged by Odyssey. 

"'The gold coins are almost all dazzling mint state specimens,' 
Odyssey co-founder Greg Stemm said. 

"The artefacts, including more than 17 tonnes of silver coins plus 
a few hundred gold coins, have been shipped to the US and are being 
examined by experts at an undisclosed location. 

"The mammoth haul was salvaged using a tethered underwater robot." 

To read the complete article, see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/6671975.stm

[The article quoted Lane Brunner of the American Numismatic Association 
on the location of the wreck.  Although Odyssey did not disclose the 
location in this latest release, Lane pointed out that in a statement 
given to a US federal court last autumn, 

"They told a judge at that point that they had found the wreck of 
a seventeenth-century merchant ship in the Atlantic Ocean, just outside 
the English Channel - about 40 miles off Lands' End.

"So all we can do is add two and two together. It would seem logical 
given the timing and everything that could be the site."  -Editor]


DOLLAR COIN COMMENTARY: JUST AS POPULAR AS EVER

An article in the Saturday Providence Journal illustrates the uphill battle
the U.S. Mint has in getting the public to accept the new dollar coins.

"After at least four previous failed introductions, the coin dollar is back.
And it?s just as popular as ever.

"?I don?t want the stupid thing,? said Ed Mullen of Warwick, who wrote a
letter to the editor of the Providence Journal when he recently received a
coin dollar as change."

"Coin dollars are heavier and bulkier than paper dollars. As long as paper
dollars are used, according to Ken Podrat, owner of Podrat Coin Exchange, a
coin shop on Providence?s East Side, the coin dollar won?t be. ?Every other
country in the world has figured that out: France, Canada and England,? he
said."

"Apparently the average, non-coin-collecting American isn?t excited about
the dollar coins.

"Mullen, for example, wants no part. A couple of weeks ago he conducted a
cash transaction in a post office and a received a dollar coin as change.

"?I rejected it. I said, ?No, give me a dollar bill. Take this thing back.?
The clerk said, ?Oh, you, too.? ?"

To read the complete article, see:
http://tinyurl.com/3cjup3 


MALTA WILL GROW TO SIX TIMES ITS SIZE (ON COINS, AT LEAST)

When Malta adopts the euro on 1 January 2008, the tiny Mediterranean 
island will get an unexpected boost.

"New euro coins and notes show Malta to be much bigger than it actually 
is, The Times newspaper reported Monday, because the island is too small 
for the minting machines to show it on the same scale as other euro 
zone countries.

"As a result Malta, which is only 27 km (17 miles) long, is shown to 
be as large as Corsica, which is 183 km (114 miles) long."

To read the complete Reuters article, see:
http://tinyurl.com/2ofn6m 


HOW TO ORDER CANADA'S MILLION-DOLLAR GOLD COIN

In the 15 May edition of the C.N.A. E-Bulletin of the Canadian 
Numismatic Association, editor John Regitko discussed his test of 
the Royal Canadian Mint's ordering department.  He wrote:

"You?ll never guess what I did
and I kid you not! I called the Royal 
Canadian Mint?s order desk and asked the lady that answered the phone, 
Vicky, if I could order one of the $1 million gold coins over the 
telephone. I thought she would either turn me down flat, hang up the 
phone, or refer me to another department that handles gold bullion. 
?Sure,? she answered. It would be two-point-something million and that 
she would have to check the price. Obviously, pricing is not specified 
on her price list. Neither is it on the Mint?s Website. I stated that 
I would, no doubt, have to charge it on a Platinum Visa credit card. 
?No problem? for Vicky. I wondered if they worked on commission or 
some bonus incentive, but didn?t bother asking (that?s a column for 
another day)."


FEATURED WEB PAGE: CURRENCY IN SAMUEL PEPYS' DIARIES

This week's featured web page discusses currency units mentioned in 
the 17th century London diary of Samuel Pepys.  A commentary by Glyn 
Thomas discusses the usage of tavern tokens in Pepys' day:

"For many decades and through much of Pepys? life there was a severe 
shortage of small change in England - it wasn?t worth the government?s 
efforts to make these low-value coins in sufficient quantities. As a 
result, many of the taverns and coffee houses made their own tokens 
which they handed out in small change (usually worth a 1/4 penny (a 
farthing) or a 1/2 penny). Technically this was illegal but 
successive governments let it go. 

"The tokens could be used in the places where they were made, and 
usually in the shops in the immediate neighbourhood because they could 
take them back to the tavern; but the farther away you were, the less 
likely they were to be accepted as being good money.

"On the back of the coins are usually a combination of the value (e.g. 
1/2 penny), the street the tavern is in, perhaps the landlords name, 
and the date.

"But most people still couldn?t read, so on the front was usually a 
depiction of the symbol on the pub sign - so illiterate people could 
find the pub that made that particular token.

"I understand Pepys never mentioned these little almost worthless 
tokens in his diaries although he probably had some in his pocket 
on most days: it makes you wonder what things that are obvious to 
us in our own time will be mysterious to people 300 years from now."

http://www.pepysdiary.com/p/316.php 


The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization 
promoting numismatic literature. For more information please 
see our web site at 
http://www.coinbooks.org/.

There is a membership application available on the web site 
at this address:
http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_member_app.html 

To join, print the application and return it with your check 
to the address printed on the application. Membership is only 
$15 to addresses in the U.S., $20 elsewhere.  For those without 
web access, write to:

David M. Sundman, Secretary/Treasurer
Numismatic Bibliomania Society, 
P. O. Box 82 Littleton, NH 03561

For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership 
questions, contact David at this email address: 
dsundman at LittletonCoin.com

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, just 
Reply to this message, or write to the Editor at this 
address: whomren at coinlibrary.com

Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers 
(or wishing to Unsubscribe) can go to the following web page:
https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum 

All past E-Sylum issues are archived on the NBS web site at this address:
http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_archive.html

Issues from September 2002 to date are also archived at this address:
http://my.binhost.com/pipermail/esylum







From esylum at binhost.com  Sun May 27 16:09:42 2007
From: esylum at binhost.com (esylum at binhost.com)
Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 00:09:42 +0100
Subject: The E-Sylum v10#21, May 27, 2007
Message-ID: <010c01c7a0b4$1dbdbd80$8c0110ac@corp.cmdinfo.com>

Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 21, May 27, 2007:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.


WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM 27 MAY, 2007

Among our recent subscribers are Eric Anderson, Tony Lopez,
David Powell and Dick Grinolds.  Welcome aboard!  We now have 
1,118 subscribers.

This week we open with an interesting theory proposed by Jim Hirtle 
on a publishing connection between B. Max Mehl and Boston dealer 
William Von Bergen.  Next, Dick Johnson reviews the new Amos Press 
numismatic book catalog and Dan Freidus tells us about his new 
literature exhibit at Amherst Collage.  In the news, much of the 
talk is about Odyssey Marine's massive shipwreck haul.  In response 
to earlier E-Sylum items, Bob Leonard discusses the infamous 
'Brother Jonathan' bars, and Kerry Rodgers inquires about banknotes
featuring Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter.  

Next is "Wayne's London Diary", an account of my numismatic adventures 
of the past week.  After that we return to some news items and other 
submissions, many on a military theme.  Next up are two items on the 
topic of coins as an advertising medium.  Along the way we also cover 
the launch of the new John Adams dollar coin and hear about the 
ceremony direct from the coin's designer, Joel Iskowitz.

Among the remaining topics are David Powell's Leaden Token Telegraph 
newsletters on early British lead tokens, and some speculation on 
whether coins were used to provide silver for the Manhattan Project.

This is a lengthy issue.  Next week's will likely be shorter and 
published early due to my travel schedule.  Please send any 
submissions early in the week.  To learn where misplaced U.S. Mint 
orders end up, read on. Have a great week, everyone.

Wayne Homren
Numismatic Bibliomania Society


WAS THERE A WILLIAM VON BERGEN - B. MAX MEHL ALLIANCE?

Jim Hirtle writes: "It has been my belief for a number of years 
that the "Star Rare Coin Encyclopedia" did not spring full-blown 
from the head of B. Max [Benjamin Maximilian], Mehl the famous 
Fort Worth coin dealer.  Now, I have discovered evidence that 
supports my theory and I am proposing this hypothesis.

"William Von Bergen -- a Boston coin dealer in the period of the 
1880s to the early 1900s was the author of two widely-read coin 
books which succeeded each other in the marketplace: first came 
THE RARE COINS OF AMERICA, ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND FRANCE, 
GERMANY, AND SPAIN, followed by THE RARE COIN ENCYCLOPEDIA 
(UNIVERSAL COIN DEALERS DIRECTORY). 

"The early book went through about nine editions beginning in 
the 1880s (the earliest that I have been able to locate is dated 
1889), only to be replaced by the THE RARE COIN ENCYCLOPEDIA which 
went through about seven editions, the last being published in 1907.  

"Since every copy of the Von Bergen book that I own has a different 
colored cover, it is obvious to me that -- in the tradition of many 
such books of the period -- the buyer got a paperback copy which 
he then contracted with a bookbinder to put into hardback form. Thus, 
I have red, blue and maroon-covered copies of Von Bergen's works.

"The interesting thing about Von Bergen's works is that they disappear 
from the numismatic scene at almost exactly the same time that Mehl's 
works begin to appear.  Now, any student of numismatic literature will 
tell you that works of B. Max Mehl prior to about 1920 are very seldom 
met with if at all.

"In the 1920s, Mehl's Star Coin Book is a very prolific work but, prior 
to that decade, few Mehl works are available.  An Internet search of 
"Mehl," "B. Max Mehl," or "Max Mehl" will quickly confirm this fact.  
However, after many years of searching, I finally located the earliest 
copy of Mehl's "Star Coin Book" which I have been able to acquire.  It 
is dated 1910 and is described as the "Fourth Edition" which would mean 
that Mehl began producing it about the year 1907.  Interestingly enough, 
1907 is the last year that I can trace any Von Bergen book to (1906-1907 
Edition published in 1907).  This would seem to me to indicate that 
the two publishers' careers meshed neatly, with Von Bergen leaving 
the stage just as Max Mehl appeared.

"As further evidence of the business relationship of the two men, a 
study of Von Bergen's format and content would indicate that his and 
Mehl's works were very similar both in content, size, and scope with 
each containing much the same material about grading, how to mail coins 
to the company, and other general information. Even more interesting, 
Von Bergen referred to his business as the "Numismatic Bank," a name 
that Mehl used into the early 1920s for his coin operation. Note, in 
addition, that Mehl always carefully referred to himself as a "compiler" 
of his book, in effect saying that at least some of its content was 
not original with him.

"Based on the timing and similarity of the two men's books, it is my 
belief that Max Mehl and Von Bergen had some sort of business relationship 
in which the Texas dealer bought the rights to the Boston dealer's 
publication and business name and began producing the "encyclopedia" 
of the "Numismatic Bank" under his own name. This would certainly 
explain the fact that Von Bergen's book ceased publication at about 
the same time that Mehl's appeared, probably in the same year -- 1907."

[I don't have my library handy, but I think Jim's theory has a lot going 
for it.  I believe the earliest copy of the Mehl book that I own is the 
1910 fourth edition.  I had noticed the "Numismatic Bank" connection and
other similarities, but like many of us I assumed Mehl had just copied
the earlier book.  I had also assumed that the early editions that no 
one has ever been able to locate were made up by Mehl to make his book 
sound more established.  But the dovetailing dates make a Von Bergen - 
Mehl connection a possibility.  What are our readers' thoughts?  
-Editor]


LATEST AMOS BOOK CATALOG ARRIVES
 
Dick Johnson writes: "I was critical of the Amos Product catalog in 
the past. To be fair and balanced I must compliment the firm for the 
latest edition that arrived in my mail box this week.
 
"It carries twelve pages of numismatic books -- 107 books and CDs -- 
all on specialized aspects of our favorite subject, numismatics. 
You would be hard pressed not to find something offered herein to 
whet your interest, expand your knowledge, or perhaps, reveal some 
fascinating collectors' lore. Great reading all!
 
"Each book is illustrated in color. Brief description, retail price 
and Amos discount price. I had to search, however for authors' names 
(they are buried in each description). Oh, please, allow me one 
suggestion: put the authors' names in bold face type. Most of these 
books are labors of love with little chance of paying off the house 
mortgage with the book royalties. How about a little satisfaction 
of seeing the author's name in big black print? (Okay, tiny black 
print.)"
 
To read the nasty things I wrote last time, see:
http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n37a07.html  

And to read Beth Deisher's flagellation with a wet noodle, see:
http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n38a09.html  "


DAN FREIDUS EXHIBITS LITERATURE AT AMHERST COLLEGE LIBRARY

Dan Freidus writes: "I've got an exhibit in the library at Amherst 
College that will be there from this Wednesday through Sunday.  When 
I was an undergrad there I won a book collecting contest and I've 
stayed in touch with the college's librarians. They'll be hosting 
an exhibit on how the contest has affected my collecting over the 
past 25 years.  

"In actuality, that exhibit would have taken much more space than 
they had so what you'll see if you happen to be in the area is a 
slice of my collection.  The judges 25 years ago encouraged me to 
be more focused in my collecting.  Now my collection is mainly on 
U.S. coins and paper money of the colonial and Confederation eras, 
with an emphasis on financial and economic history rather than 
pure numismatics.

"The exhibit is comprised of 18th century paper money and financial 
documents, contemporary newspapers, 19th century books on these 
topics from either historical or numismatic perspectives, and a 
few auction catalogs. 

"If you can find Amherst, Massachusetts, you can find Amherst College. 
The Special Collections room will have longer hours than normal this 
week because of reunions.  The hours will be 9-noon & 1-4 on Wednesday, 
Thursday, and Friday; 8-5 on Saturday; and 9-1 on Sunday.   If anyone 
will try to make it to the exhibit, they can email me beforehand at 
dan1737 at gmail.com.  It's always nice to get together with another 
numismatic bibliophile."


CALL FOR PAPERS FOR THE NBS ASYLUM

Numismatic bibliophiles, researchers and collectors of all stripes 
are invited to pen an article for The Asylum, the quarterly print 
journal of our sponsor, the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.  Editor 
David Yoon will be away doing field work from June 18 through August 
4, and it would be good to get some additional drafts for the next 
issue before he leaves.  

E-Sylum submissions are often a great, easy starting point for a 
more complete article, particularly if you're able to provide some 
accompanying illustrations.  Please consider supporting the society 
that supports The E-Sylum.  I can think of four or five in this issue 
alone that could become great Asylum articles.  So give it a try!  
David's email address is dyoon at ix.netcom.com.


MORE ON CANADIAN BANKNOTE DESIGNER LESLEY SAWYER 1921-2007

In April we reported the death of Canadian banknote artist Lesley 
Sawyer.  Additional information about Sawyer and his work are in 
an article from The Globe and Mail of Toronto:

"Leslie Sawyer was a British commercial artist who set eyes on Canada 
only during brief visits until after he retired in his 60s. But he 
painted some famous Canadian scenes that appeared on the back of the 
country's banknotes, from the RCMP Musical Ride on the $50 bill to 
Moraine Lake in Alberta on the $20.

"The Canadian notes were made for Thomas de la Rue - which is still 
a huge maker of banknotes and stamps today - as part of a contract 
with the Bank of Canada. Mr. Sawyer spent almost his entire working 
career at Thomas de la Rue, where the first Canadian note he worked 
on was a new $5 bill in the 1950s.

"There have been six issues of Canadian currency since the Bank of 
Canada took charge of all banknote production in 1934. Until then, 
the government and the chartered banks both issued notes. Mr. Sawyer 
had a part in the design of the fourth series, which was issued from 
1969 to 1979 and nicknamed the multicoloured series by collectors.

"He was a fine artist, working on scenes on the back of the 
banknotes," said Mark Crickett of Thomas de la Rue...

"Leslie Sawyer was born in Epsom, a suburb of London. His father 
was a carpenter and the family grew up in nearby Sutton. Young Leslie 
showed a talent for drawing. Like most British children of the time 
who were not headed for university, he finished school at 14 and was 
apprenticed to a commercial artist.

"The war interrupted his apprenticeship and he joined the Royal Air 
Force, working as ground crew. He was stationed in North Africa for 
a while and the RAF enlisted his artistic talents to paint 
fierce-looking shark teeth on the noses of Kittyhawk fighter aircraft.

"Along with banknotes, he designed stamps for the United Nations and 
many different countries, including New Zealand, Jamaica and Gibraltar. 
His title was security artist, a job held by very few people - perhaps 
only 40 around the world at the time. Because of the danger of 
counterfeiting, the work of a printer such as Thomas de la Rue has 
to be secret. His name never appeared on any of his work."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070519.OBSAWYER19/TPStory
/Obituaries

  ARTICLE: CANADIAN BANKNOTE DESIGNER LESLEY SAWYER DIES
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n17a23.html


BRITISH NEWSPAPER SAYS ODYSSEY STOLE SHIPWRECK LOOT

British newspapers are in an uproar over the treasure salvaged 
recently by Odyssey Marine:

"The treasure hunters who recovered gold and silver worth an estimated 
?250million from a shipwreck off Cornwall spirited their haul to the 
United States in an apparent attempt to stop Britain staking a claim. 

"In a highly secretive operation, American firm Odyssey Marine 
Exploration worked on the wreck of an English ship, believed to 
be the 17th Century Merchant Royal, less than 40 miles from the 
British coast. 

"But Odyssey carefully avoided landing their treasure on UK soil. 

"If the 17 tons of coins, gold ornaments and tableware had been 
brought ashore, Odyssey would have been obliged to inform the 
Government's Receiver of Wreck, which would probably have impounded 
the haul, triggering a potentially lengthy legal row about ownership 
rights. 

"Instead, the trove was secretly moved to the tax haven of Gibraltar. 
Odyssey then chartered a jet to take hundreds of plastic containers 
brimming with coins to the United States on Thursday, where they 
have been analysed by Nick Bruyer, an expert in antique coinage.

"He said: 'The find is unprecedented. I don't know of anything 
equal or comparable to it.' 

"Odyssey, which used remote-control submarines - known as remote 
operation vehicles (ROVs) - to dive on the wreck, has remained 
silent about exactly where the treasure was found, or indeed which 
ship it came from." 

To read the complete story, see:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=
456350 

Odyssey Marine Exploration issued a press release on May 21 addressing 
several of the key questions asked by reporters. Here are a couple of 
interest:

"We have stated clearly that the recovery was conducted in conformity 
with Salvage Law and the Law of the Sea Convention, beyond the territorial 
waters or legal jurisdiction of any country. We do not believe that the
recovery is subject to sovereign immunity by any nation pursuant to the 
Law of the Sea Convention. 

"The coins were brought into the United States with a valid export 
license granted by the country from which they were exported, and 
imported legally pursuant to US Law." 

"We can confirm that Odyssey and the Disney organization have recently 
entered into a relationship on a number of projects, and that the two 
companies are in discussions relative to some new partnership 
opportunities. 

"We have immense respect for Disney and believe that a combination 
of Odyssey's authentic deep-ocean adventures coupled with Disney's 
story-telling, film-making, television and marketing capabilities 
will reap benefits for both companies, while providing the public 
with an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy the thrill of deep-ocean 
exploration. 

Regarding last week's report on the salvage effort, Lane Brunner of 
the American Numismatic Association writes: "Thanks for noting that 
the ANA was contacted regarding the recent Odyssey Marine discovery 
"Black Swan" in the story 'RECORD SILVER AND GOLD HAUL RECOVERED FROM 
SHIPWRECK OFF CORNWALL.'

"While I was indeed interviewed, I actually did not comment on the 
location of the shipwreck. The comments regarding the possible location 
were made by Mitch Stacy, Associated Press reporter in Tampa, FL, who 
was also being interviewed. Somehow, the BBC got us mixed up."

  RECORD SILVER AND GOLD HAUL RECOVERED FROM SHIPWRECK OFF CORNWALL
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n20a16.html


IS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE EDWARDS PART OWNER OF ODYSSEY'S HAUL?

In a column published Wednesday by The Street, Brett Arends writes: 
"The question of the day: Just how much of the $500 million sunken 
treasure found in the Atlantic last weekend belongs to Democratic 
presidential candidate John Edwards? ... The populist one-term senator 
will get an undisclosed piece of the action from the sunken 
17th-century galleon. 

"The ship, laden with gold and silver, was found at the bottom of 
the Atlantic by a little-known exploration company, Florida-based 
Odyssey Marine Research (OMR). 

"Biggest shareholder: New York-based Fortress Investments, a private 
equity and hedge fund manager. Senior adviser and major investor: 
John Edwards. 

"Edwards' personal financial disclosures show he's an investor in 
the exclusive Drawbridge Global Macro Fund, which owns the 9.9% 
stake in OMR. 

"Ten percent of $500 million. After costs, of course."

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.thestreet.com/_breitbart/funds/followmoney/10358370.html


BOB LEONARD ON THE BROTHER JONATHAN BARS

On the topic of another recovered shipwreck, the Brother Jonathan, 
Bob Leonard responds to my earlier review of the book "Treasure Ship" 
by Dennis Powers.  He writes: "I feel well qualified to comment on 
the so-called 'Brother Jonathan' bars, as I have made a study of 
Western gold bars and coins and I too was in the audience, as Dennis 
Powers can verify by watching his videotape once more (both speakers, 
I believe, acknowledged my presence there).
 
"Powers should have relied less on the numismatically uninformed 
Supreme Court decision of 1998 and more on the irrefutable arguments 
of Prof. Buttrey regarding the authenticity of these bars.  As Buttrey 
pointed out, the inscription on them is anachronistic!  The faker 
carelessly used a Mint designation that did not exist at the time.
 
"And he should look also at p. 139 of his copy of Bowers' 'The Treasure 
Ship S.S. Brother Jonathan', where an 1859 "gold brick" of the U.S. 
Assay Office in New York is shown.  Another gold bar, correctly labeled 
'US Branch Mint Denver 1865' is illustrated on p. 10 of The Pioneer 
Western Bank: First of Denver 1860-1960 (Denver, 1984).  

For that matter, ANY U.S. silver or gold bar made at any time at any 
Mint or Assay Office will do, including the common San Francisco small 
silver bars.  These bars all have one thing in common: an eagle is 
depicted as part of the stamp.  This is because the dies for these bars 
were all made in the die shop of the Philadelphia Mint.  The only 
exception is the 1865-dated 'Brother Jonathan' bars, on which the 
eagle is missing!
 
"Even more to the point is why should anyone want gold bars anyway on 
a trip within the United States, or even to the west coast of Canada?  
Gold bars were ordered by depositors intending to ship their dust to 
Europe, where it would be reminted anyway, to minimize loss.  Within 
the United States and Canada, U.S. coins were in circulation and 
gigantic gold bars liable to be refused.  There was no mint in Portland 
or Victoria where bars could be recoined.
 
"If Powers supposes that there is any chance that these 'Brother 
Jonathan' bars are genuine, then he must think that everything is 
what it purports to be, provided the accompanying story is sufficiently 
entertaining.  I recommend that he select the subject of fakes --
documents, art, even coins -- for his next book."
 
[As I noted in my review, Powers did not profess to make a conclusion 
on the authenticity of the disputed bars.  But the book does add to 
the mix of facts and opinion on the topic, and proves that serious 
numismatics can be anything but boring.  The book is a good read 
for numismatists and laymen alike, and provides the best blow-by-blow 
description of the "Great Debate" event short of viewing the 
videotape itself.  -Editor]

  BOOK REVIEW: TREASURE SHIP BY DENNIS M. POWERS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n18a05.html


WATERMARK BOOK SOUGHT: DEUTSCHE WERTPAPIERWASSERZEICHEN BY KURT LEHRKE

Bob Knepper of Anaheim, Calif. Writes: "What, please, is the date, 
publisher, and (if it exists) ISBN for the book "Deutsche 
Wertpapierwasserzeichen" by Kurt Lehrke?

"I have a poor photocopy of the thirteen page appendix of pictures.  
It was copied from the "W.P.C.C. Library" though I don't know that 
library. The book is not listed in "Numismatic Bibliography" by 
Clain-Stefanelli."


SAMUEL PEPYS, ADMIRAL DE RUYTER, AND NUMISMATICS

Dr Kerry Rodgers writes: "Thanks for the item in last issue of The 
E-Sylum concerning the 17th century currency units mentioned in Pepys? 
Diary.  Pepys is highly pertinent in 2007. This year the Dutch 
celebrate the 400th anniversary the birth of Pepys? nemesis, 
Lieutenant Admiral General Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter.

"Pepys worked for the English Admiralty and for over 20 years 
de Ruyter would become one of the uppermost issues in Pepys? mind. 
After all it was de Ruyter who kept Pepys in a job. De Ruyter?s 
repeated victories over the English fleet kept Pepys busy pushing 
through supplies, planning reorganization of dockyards, and 
urging drastic reforms of the entire English naval structure.  

"When Pepys finally made to Secretary of the Admiralty he had the 
temerity to recommend the promotion of long serving officers rather 
than the cynical selling of commissions. And these reforms were 
needed as de Ruyter, the son of a beer porter, repeatedly demonstrated.
 
"de Ruyter did not play a major role in the First Anglo-Dutch War 
although he did best Vice Admiral George Ayscue at Plymouth. In the 
Second Anglo-Dutch War he inflicted serious damage on the English 
fleet at Carlisle Bay. His fleet did not escape unscathed, however, 
and he was unable to go on attack New York, the former New Amsterdam, 
as a prelude to liberating the New Netherlands. 

"On return to the Netherlands in 1665, the Dutch Regent, Johan de Witt, 
recognized de Ruyter?s mettle and appointed him commander of the Dutch 
fleet with the rank of Lieutenant Admiral.

"Admiral de Ruyter duly sailed forth to win probably his hardest-fought 
victory over the English fleet, the Four Days Battle of June 1666. 
Three months later he only narrowly escaped total rout at the St James?s 
Day Battle but the following year saw him make amends big time. He 
seriously embarrassed the English by launching a direct attack on 
England?s main naval base at Chatham at the mouth to the Thames. 

"Known as the Raid on the Medway it inflicted what is generally 
acknowledged to be the worst English naval defeat in history.  Not 
only did de Ruyter burn a large number of the English capital ships 
but he towed away the fleet?s flagship, HMS Royal Charles. Since 1066 
only de Ruyter is the only battle commander to succeed in bearding 
the English lion in its den.

"But there?s more!  

"When the first shots were fired in Third Anglo-Dutch War it was 
De Ruyter who pulled the Dutch chestnuts out of the fire. He won 
strategic victories over larger Anglo-French fleets at the Battles 
of Solebay (1672), the Double Schooneveld (1673) and Texel (1673). 
These actions directly averted the impending invasion of the 
Netherlands. The new rank of Lieutenant Admiral General was created 
especially for him by a grateful Dutch government in February 1673.

"Mind you, de Ruyter didn?t play favorites. He happily bloodied the 
noses of French, Swedish and Spanish admirals who came his way. He 
failed to take Martinique from the French in 1675, being forced back 
to Europe when disease spread throughout his ships. But in 1676 he 
took command of a combined Dutch-Spanish fleet to suppress the Messina 
Revolt. He fought the French at the Battle of Stromboli and again 
at the Battle of Agosta but it was at the latter he was fatally 
wounded with a cannonball scything off both legs. 

"He had engendered considerable respect among some of his enemies. 
When his body was brought back to the Netherlands, French king Louis 
XIV ordered canon to be fired in salute as the Dutch fleet passed 
along the French coast. A 2004 public poll for De Grootste Nederlander, 
The All Time Greatest Dutchman, saw de Ruyter take seventh place.

"And for numismatics the Dutch have released two coins and half a 
dozen municipal trade tokens to mark the anniversary ? similar 
issues to those for Rembrandt last year.

"Oddly enough, given de Ruyter?s role as the savior of the United 
Provinces, I can find him on only one Dutch banknote. Is this 
correct?"

[So... can any of our find readers locate references to Admiral 
de Ruyter on Dutch banknotes?  How about coins or medals?  
-Editor]


WAYNE'S LONDON DIARY 27 MAY 2007

This week I found some time to follow numismatic pursuits.  After 
work on Tuesday I met E-Sylum subscriber Hadrian Rambach in the lobby, 
and we had a pleasant walk to the May meeting of the British Numismatic 
Society.  Hadrian is a tall and handsomely dressed young man who was 
raised in Paris, worked for three years at Spink in London, and now 
represents clients buying rare gemstones and Roman coins.   An avid 
numismatic bibliophile, we had corresponded often by email but had 
never met.

Arriving right at the start of the meeting we signed in and quickly 
grabbed chairs in the crowded and hot lecture room.  The speaker was 
Donal Bateson on the topic of "William Hunter and Eighteenth-Century 
Coin Collecting."  Dr. Hunter (1718-1783) was a wealthy London collector 
who assembled a grand numismatic cabinet which he donated to the 
University of Glasgow in Scotland. 

Shortly into the lecture I was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar 
face in the crowd.  Sitting a few seats over in the row in front of 
me was none other than NBS Governor John W. Adams of Boston!  I think 
he was as surprised to see me as I was him.  Small world, eh?  John 
had been doing research at the nearby British Museum.  Seated next 
to him was medal dealer and E-Sylum subscriber Christopher Eimer.  
Unfortunately, due to time constraints I was unable to chat with 
John - he and Chris had to make an early exit to meet their wives 
for dinner.

As the meeting ended Hadrian introduced me to numismatic literature 
dealer Douglas Saville, also formerly of Spinks, who put the first 
glass of wine in my hand at the Sherry Social following the meeting. 
Douglas couldn't stay long either, having to get home and assist his 
wife who is recovering from a hand injury.  But we exchanged cards 
and made plans for a visit before I leave London.

At the Social I had the opportunity to meet and talk with a number of 
great people, including E-Sylum subscriber Phil Mernick and his brother 
Harry. Upon stating my interest in U.S. Civil War numismatics I was 
quickly introduced to David Powell, who has given talks on the subject 
to a number of English societies.  We had a nice chat; David is now 
an E-Sylum subscriber and provided an item for this issue on his 
research into early British lead tokens.  I also enjoyed a long 
conversation with Frances Simmons, who with her husband runs the 
London Coin Fair (coming up on 9 June).

As the gathering dwindled Hadrian and I made our exit for dinner, 
walking to a nice Greek restaurant on Coptic Street near the British 
Museum.  My friend Myron Xenos of The Money Tree, who finds Greek 
restaurants like a ouzo-seeking missile at every American Numismatic 
Association convention, would be pleased.  The meal was marvelous, 
and Hadrian and I had a great conversation about numismatics, 
numismatic literature, and dozens of other interesting topics.  
The taxi dropped me off at my hotel about midnight.  Many thanks 
again to Hadrian and the members of the BNS for their welcoming 
hospitality.

Hoping to find time to meet with John Adams I emailed him and Chris 
Eimer before finally calling it a night.  The next morning on the 
way into the office my cell phone rang - it was Chris Eimer.  
Unfortunately, John Adams had a return flight to the U.S. that 
morning.  But Chris invited me for lunch at his club that afternoon, 
and luckily I was appropriately dressed in a suit and tie and had 
no meetings over the lunch hour.  I quickly accepted.

Meeting Chris for the first time at the fountain in Piccadilly 
Circus just after noon, we walked together to The Reform Club on 
Pall Mall.  Formed as a political organization in the 1830's, the 
gentleman's club is housed in a magnificent 1840 building with 
an immense marble central hall and skylight.  I was intrigued to 
learn later that Jules Verne used The Reform Club as the setting 
for the launch of Phileas Fogg's journey 'Around the World in 80 Days'.   

Chris and I enjoyed a nice buffet lunch in a grand room lined with 
portraits of past members, including William Thackeray.  The time 
passed quickly and soon I had to rush back to the office.  But we 
also made plans to get together another time during my visit.  Many 
thanks to Chris for his time and generosity.   Just don't tell my 
wife I've been frequenting "gentleman's clubs" in London... 

The rest of the week my numismatic activity was restricted to working 
on The E-Sylum in the evening and culling coins from pocket change.  
But a few museum visits on Saturday have some tangential numismatic 
interest.

Having seen many of the London tourist highlights with coworkers the 
previous weekend, I was ready to strike out on my own for some 
lesser-known sites.  I decided to follow the footsteps of an earlier 
American in London, Benjamin Franklin.  The house where he resided 
in London is the only surviving Franklin residence in the world.  
It turns out I had walked (or stumbled) right past it on a pub outing 
last week.  This time I went in for a visit.

The house at 36 Craven Street was Franklin's home and an unofficial 
Ambassador's residence for nearly sixteen years from 1757 to 1775, 
when Franklin beat a hasty retreat to Philadelphia on the eve of war.  
The house opened to the public for the first time just last summer 
after a five million pound restoration effort.  As an American history 
buff I was delighted and humbled to walk the same floors that Franklin 
paced in those uncertain pre-Revolution years.

As a numismatist I was pleased to hear the program acknowledge his 
innovations in printing paper money.  The "Benjamin Franklin House 
Historical Experience" may not be for everyone, though.  I'm sure my 
wife and kids would have found it dreadfully boring.  I was the only 
visitor at that time, if you don?t count the elderly Chicago couple 
who left one-third of the way through.  The museum has no artifacts, 
but an actress dressed as Polly (Franklin's landlady's daughter) guides 
you through the empty rooms accompanied by an audiovisual dramatization 
of events.  I enjoyed it, and most E-Sylum readers should too -- but 
leave non history buffs at your hotel.

The crowds who spurned the Ben Franklin house were to be found a few 
blocks away at the National Gallery.  Although I had been through there 
last week, I went back to proceed at a slower pace. I noted a couple 
paintings with numismatic references.

"The Tribute Money", painted by Titian about 1506-8 (and purchased by 
the Gallery in 1852) illustrates Christ in Matthew 22:17-22 - "Render 
unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that 
are God's"

Of interest to the collector in all of us may be Parmigianino's 
"Portrait of a Man", painted before 1524.  "The sitter is probably 
a collector of note.  He holds a Book of Hours, while valuable 
antiquities and a sculpted relief of Venus, a bronze status of Ceres, 
and coins surround him."

Next door at the National Portrait Gallery's Tutor Room was a display 
of ten coins titled "Early Coinage Profile Portraits".  "The 
earliest face of an identifiable English ruler shown upon a coin 
represents King Offa of Mercia produced in the late 8th century."  
The case included silver pennies, a groat of Henry VIII and gold 
sovereigns of Edward VI and Elizabeth I.

A nearby exhibit featured "Tudor and Jacobean Miniatures and Medals", 
including a silver medal "celebrating the marriage of Mary Queen of 
Scots and Lord Darnley July 1565...  However the following year the 
couple were estranged and in 1567 Darnley was murdered."  Too many 
visits to gentleman's clubs, perhaps?

The last numismatic connection I'll mention is a portrait of George 
Washington by Gilbert Stuart.  This view of Washington is the basis 
for the portrait on the U.S. one dollar bill.  "One of Stuart's many 
replicas of his best known portrait painted in 1796.  Assuring the 
impact of this portrait type, Stuart produced over seventy replicas 
and the resulting income led him to refer to it as "his hundred 
dollar bill'"

Despite the rain that greeted me when I left the museum, I walked 
about four miles back to my hotel in Notting Hill, down Oxford 
Street to Oxford Circus, past the Marble Arch and Hyde Park.  I 
was damp and tired, but it had been an enjoyable day.

To read the text of David Powell's U.S. Civil War Tokens talk, see:
http://www.londoncoinclub.fsnet.co.uk/DPowell/civilwartokens.htm 

The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery:
http://www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/collections/museum/coins/collections/history.
shtml 

To view Titian's Tribute Money painting, see:
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects.dll/CollectionPublisher
.woa/wa/work?workNumber=ng224

To view the Parmigianino portrait, see:
http://www.almaleh.com/ecriture/livres/parmigianino.html  


TINY PENNSYLVANIA MUSEUM DISPLAYS HOMETOWN MAN'S MEDAL OF HONOR

Our many readers who enjoy military history and numismatics may 
be interested to learn about the Eldred World War II Museum, which 
opened in 1996 in that isolated northwestern Pennsylvania town 
(population 850) whose biggest claim to fame is being the home 
of the Zippo lighter.

"'I like to tell visitors we have a world-class museum in a town 
of 850 people,' Tennies says. 'When people come here, they don't 
come by accident. You just don't happen to get here. This museum 
is a treasure off the beaten path.'

"Inside the museum is an exhibit of original artwork featuring 
cartoons of Pulitzer Prize winner Bill Mauldin, who chronicled the 
lives of ordinary GIs with the characters Willie and Joe. There 
also are exhibits commemorating World War II battles, an 8,000-
volume library and rare artifacts. 

"Eldred was the site of a munitions factory during the war... 
Tennies says Eldred was selected as the site for the factory because 
the National Powder Co. already was manufacturing explosives in 
McKean for the oil industry. Because Eldred was off the beaten path 
and near a railroad line, the town became the perfect spot to make 
explosives for the military, Tennies says. 

"Tennies gives tours of the museum and loves explaining the history 
depicted in the exhibits. His favorite exhibit relates to Mitchell 
Paige, a lanky kid from Charleroi who went on to win the Medal of 
Honor on Guadalcanal. The museum has Paige's medal, his Marine dress 
white uniform and other memorabilia Paige collected from Guadalcanal 
after the battle was over."

[The Medal of Honor display is the only numismatic content in the 
article, but I encourage readers to follow the link and read the 
rest of Paige's remarkable story. -Editor]

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_508039.html  

[Another story, published Thursday by the Kansas City Kansan tells 
the story of William Patrick Hogarty, who was awarded the Congressional 
Medal of Honor for ?distinguished gallantry in actions? at both 
Antietam and Fredericksburg.

"It was a rare accomplishment: only 1,527 soldiers received the medal 
for fighting in the Civil War. Since that conflict, the medal has been 
awarded even less frequently. Only about 3,400 medals total have been 
awarded, including just 238 in the Vietnam War, which lasted much 
longer than the Civil War."  

The article doesn't seem to mention what became of Hogarty's medal, 
but the story of his experience in the war is remarkable. -Editor]

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.kansascitykansan.com/articles/2007/05/25/news/news1.txt


ON THE ORGAN DONOR CONGRESSIONAL MEDALS

Regarding an item in last week's E-Sylum, Joe Boling writes:  "As 
for the Congressional medal for organ donors, certainly it would be 
a Congressional medal - just like the one for the Tuskeegee Airmen. 
There would be multiple recipients, but it would still be a 
Congressional medal." 

  CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR ORGAN DONORS?
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n20a12.html

[I'll blame it on jet lag - I forgot to note last week that Dick 
Johnson was the author of the piece on the proposed medal for organ 
donors.  We'll try to fix our online archive.  -Editor]


NORMANDY INVASION SHORT SNORTERS

Philip Mernick writes: "A few months ago a friend showed me some notes. 
They were military issues of 1944 for use in France and had been signed 
and dated during the invasion of Normandy. Could these be classified 
as "short snorters"?"

[I believe the answer is yes, although many short snorters have 
signatures dated over a longer period of time, chronicling a soldier 
or airman's journey through the war.  If the note is signed on only 
one occasion is it a short snorter or just a souvenir?  Regardless, 
these notes would be fun to research - it would be interesting to 
learn to stories of the signers.  See the next item for a new tool 
for military research.  -Editor]


MILITARY RECORDS AVAILABLE ONLINE
 
Dick Johnson writes: "If you are researching famous numismatists or 
perhaps engravers you can get their military records online. And 
it's free until June 6, if you hurry.
 
"Ancestory.com has placed 90 million military records online as of 
Thursday (May 24, 2007). The period covered is 1607 until 1975. You 
do have to sign up for a free account to view any documents you find. 
At the moment, however, the web site is rather slow, probably due 
to heavy traffic.
 
"'Ancestry.com, which is owned by Generations Network, spent $3 million 
to digitize the military records. It took nearly a year, including some 
1,500 handwriting specialists racking up 270,000 hours to review the 
oldest records,' according to the announcement."
 
To view Ancestry.com's announcement, see:
http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/?p=1436 
 

CUTEST COIN NOMINATION: CROUCHING HARE WITH FLOWER

Philip Mernick writes: "The front cover picture (a hare) on the 
latest Morton & Eden catalogue (Ancient, Islamic etc. to be held 
on June 14) might promote some discussion by E-Sylum readers under 
an enquiry like Cutest coin? (I am not sure if "cute' has exactly 
the same meaning in English English & American English). The Morton 
& Eden web site doesn't have the front cover but does show the image 
I am thinking about under lot 210, page 23 of on line catalogue. 
It doesn't have quite the same impact as the large image on the 
printed cover but is still 'cute'."

[The 80-page catalogue takes a while to download. The description 
of lot 210 is partially quoted below.  It sure is a cute bunny rabbit.  
I don't recall ever seeing this coin pictured before. -Editor]

"Abbasid, al-Mu`tazz, donative dirham, obv., in centre, within border, 
a stylized bird walking left, with bulbous body, short beak and long
crest; in margin, al-Mu`tazz billah / amir al-mu`minin / a`azzahu billah, 
rev., in centre, within border, a hare crouching left with flower in its
mouth; in margin, sanat arba` / wa khamsin / wa mi`atain, 3.53g (Ilisch 
-), remains of mount in margin on both sides, otherwise good very
fine, toned and of the highest rarity, apparently unpublished ?15,000-
20,000 See also front cover illustration.

"This remarkable piece appears to be the only known donative for 
al-Mu`tazz. While representations of living things on Islamic gold and 
silver coins are exceptional, the depictions of both the bird and hare 
are paralleled in other media, notably ceramics and metalwork. Similar 
depictions of hares are also found on a series of undated donative 
issues of al-Muqtadir (Ilisch B II 1-3)."

To view the complete catalogue, see:
http://www.mortonandeden.com/pdfcats/27web.pdf


CANADIAN RESTAURANT PROMOTION PUTS STICKERS ON NICKELS

In the 25 May edition of the C.N.A. E-Bulletin of the Canadian
Numismatic Association (v3n33), editor John Regitko discussed his 
discovery and research on an advertising campaign involving coins.  
Excerpts from the piece appear below:

I drove to my local Tim Hortons coffee shop on Saturday evening, 
May 19, parked the car and got out. I noticed a shiny coin lying 
on the ground, picked it up and looked at it. It was a 2006 nickel 
with a red round sticker on the obverse with the wording in yellow: 
?www./5centwings/.com? on 3 lines. What?s the next thing you do when 
you find a coin on the ground? You look for more, admit it! I found 
another 6 pieces.

I went on the Internet to see what it was all about. It took me to 
the Website of St. Louis Bar and Grill (whose corporate colors are 
yellow and red, just like the sticker on the nickel). It asks you 
to click on the coupon to download a printable copy. The coupon states: 
?Get an order of six wing pieces for only 5 cents each with the purchase 
of a beverage at any St. Louis Bar and Grill location. Print coupon; 
attach sticker from found nickel; and present at the St. Louis Bar 
and Grill near you! Valid between May 21 and July 21, 2007. Coupon 
holds no cash value. One coupon per person.? 

The coupon might hold no cash value, but the nickel the sticker was 
attached to has a value of 5 cents. Actually, 35 cents for me because 
I walked around the parking lot to pick up all 7. Anyway, I needed 
the exercise.

In view of the Dr Pepper promotion for a $1 million token, the current 
Volvo promotion for a sunken treasure chest with $50,000 in gold, and 
the ANA promotion where they placed stickers onto quarters, I thought 
I would check it out further. I contacted Barbara Wrona, Executive 
Assistant for St. Louis Franchise Limited, who forwarded my questions 
to Jordanna Shtal at their advertising agency, theadlibgroup Inc. 
According to their website, www.theadlibgroup.com, they also do work 
for Purina, Delta and Holiday Inn, among others. Here are the answers 
to my questions about the St. Louis Bar and Grill nickel campaign.

Q. How many nickels are you scattering around? 
A. On May 21st, the St. Louis Bar and Grill launched its 8-week long 
nickel campaign. 100,000 nickels branded with the website 
www.5centwings.com were scattered randomly near each of the 21 
restaurant locations across Southern Ontario.

Q. Did you place a special order directly on the Royal Canadian Mint, 
or did you work through your local bank?
A. The bank branch obtained them for us.

[Regitko secured a donation of 300 stickered nickels, which will be 
included in the 2007 C.N.A. Convention?s Main and Coin Kids 
registration kits, mounted on an explanatory card. -Editor]

"?It is not everyday that you see a web site address on a nickel. 
People are going to be curious who?s behind this and will visit that 
site to solve the mystery,? Brent Poulton, President of St. Louis 
Bar and Grill, says. Yes, it worked for me. ?Keep your eyes peeled 
for nickels with red stickers at your local parks, bus stops, 
community centres, and high traffic locations,? he adds."

[The ad agency may have thought it was coming up with a novel 
method of generating buzz, but stickering, overprinting and 
counterstamping currency for advertising purposes has a long 
history.  E-Sylum subscriber Cliff Mishler has an extensive 
collection of "stickered dollars" which advertised U.S. businesses 
and political causes.  The removable stickers were likely a means 
of following the letter of the law outlawing the counterstamping 
or other alteration of U.S. coins for advertising or any other 
purpose other than use in the channels of commerce.   Coincidentally, 
the U.S. Mint has just come down on another promoter which violated 
the law in altering U.S. coins and returning them to circulation - 
see the next item.  -Editor]


"SILVER SURFER" ALTERED QUARTERS DRAW U.S. MINT IRE

This week the Associated Press reported that "A Marvel Comics hero 
is giving George Washington some company on the quarter, but the 
U.S. Mint doesn't think the stunt is so super.

"To promote the upcoming film 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver 
Surfer,' 20th Century Fox and The Franklin Mint altered 40,000 U.S. 
quarters to feature the character.

"The U.S. Mint said in a news release Friday that it learned of the 
promotional quarter this week and advised the studio and The Franklin 
Mint they were breaking the law. It is illegal to turn a coin into 
an advertising vehicle, and violators can face a fine.

"The altered coins are quarters honoring the state of California that 
entered circulation in 2005. They feature George Washington on the 
front, as usual, but a colorized version of the character on the back. 
All 40,000 are slated to be in circulation throughout the country by 
the end of Memorial Day weekend, and about 800 were released in each 
state.

"Fans who find the customized quarters can enter a contest online to 
win prizes and a private screening of the movie."

To read the complete Associated Press article, see:
http://www.centredaily.com/news/nation/story/107486.html 

[So, has anyone found one of the altered quarters in circulation?  
The article includes a picture of one.   Although the promoter professes 
to be operating in the bounds of the law, there is a clear delineation 
between altering coins permanently removed from circulation and 
altering coins to be returned to circulation.  

Stickered coins may be a grey area, but they are not permanently 
altered.  And if I alter a coin and either give it or sell it as a 
commemorative without returning it to commerce, that's OK.  But I 
would agree with the Mint that the Silver Surfer promoters crossed 
the line by returning the coins to circulation, where naturally they 
would be seen by a much larger audience as they pass from hand to 
hand.  -Editor]


THE AMERO: A EURO-STYLE CURRENCY FOR NORTH AMERICA?

Andrew Pollock forwarded an interesting article about a proposal 
for a common North American currency modeled after the Euro:

"On Monday, Bank of Canada Gov. David Dodge told the Chicago 
Council on Global Affairs that North America could one day move 
toward a euro-style currency. 

"Dodge's comments add to a growing list of comments from Canadian 
economists, academics and government officials supporting the 
idea of creating the amero as a North American common currency. 

"Dodge argued a common North American currency would help buffer 
the adverse effects of exchange rate fluctuations between the 
Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar. 

"In October 2006, El Universal, a Mexican newspaper published in 
Spanish, reported in a little-noticed article the then-president-elect 
of Mexico and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in their first 
meeting together shared a vision of a future North America united 
under a common currency. 

[The article notes that the initial concept paper on the amero was 
written by economist Herbert Grubel of Canada's Frasier Institute.  
Other long-time supporters of the concept are the C. D. Howe Institute 
in Canada, which has published several papers co-authored by Thomas J. 
Courchene of Queen's University and Richard G. Harris of Simon 
Fraser University calling on Canada to pursue a North American 
currency union.  -Editor]

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55840 

[The concept of a North American economic union has been around for 
a while.  A web search on 'Amero' and related terms returns a number 
of articles and web pages.  The upshot for numismatists, of course, 
should anything of the sort come to pass in the future, is what North 
American coins and banknotes would look like.  The Euro coins and 
notes provide a model, with individual designs honoring the countries 
making up the union, all under the common Euro currency system.  In 
a sense, we have this today in the U.S. with the state quarters now 
in circulation.  The states have input into the designs, but their 
striking and issuance is handled by the U.S. Treasury department. 
-Editor]

To read the complete article, see:
http://www.nsi-ins.ca/english/news_views/oped19.asp 


ADAMS DOLLAR COIN CEREMONY IN QUINCY

The second in the series of Presidential dollar coins was launched 
on Tuesday in Quincy, Mass.

"Shoppers, business owners and MBTA commuters got their first up-close 
look at the new John Adams dollar coin today. One Adams fan, Carlos 
Caso, 21, of Randolph, had been waiting since 5 a.m.

"??It?s the first coin he?s ever been on. He?s never gotten recognition 
like this. I wanted to be the first to get one.

"Colonial Federal Savings Bank had sold more than 4,000 coins in the 
first 90 minutes.

"Joe Rainville, an accountant from Quincy who collects coins, bought 
225 coins.

"Barbara Gilliland, 82, a retired nurses aide, of North Quincy bought 
50 coins to send to friends in other Quincy namesakes across the 
country, in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and California.

"She said she started visiting the cities after Quincy, Mass., sent 
flood assistance to Quincy, Ill., in 1993.

"Five days after the U.S. Mint officially released the new coin - 
the first ever to bear the second president?s image - Mint director 
Edmund C. Moy and descendant Peter Boylston Adams joined city officials 
to give the coin a full, ceremonial launch in Adams? hometown, with 
exchanges for paper dollars and other activities."

To read the complete article, see:
http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2007/05/22/news/news03.txt 

[History buffs might like to know that the life of John Adams will 
be the subject of a new HBO miniseries based on David McCullough's 
recent book:

"David McCullough knows better than almost anyone what John and 
Abigail Adams? 18th century world looked like.

"Having spent seven years researching and writing his Pulitzer 
Prize-winning biography of the second president, he says an upcoming 
HBO miniseries will be as close as it gets to the real thing.

"??People who watch this are going to see the 18th century as it 
was in more ways than they?ve seen it before,?? said McCullough, a 
consultant to the seven-part, $100 million production. ??They?re 
going to see people with bad teeth. It?s not a costume pageant.??

"Based on McCullough?s 2001 book and created by actor Tom Hanks? 
Playtone Productions, the series stars Academy Award and Golden 
Globe Award nominees Paul Giamatti as the nation?s second president 
and Laura Linney as Abigail. It is scheduled to air a year from now."

"The HBO miniseries is being shot mostly in Colonial Williamsburg 
and other Virginia sites. Giamatti is known for roles in ??The 
Illusionist,?? ??Cinderella Man?? and the critically acclaimed 
??Sideways,?? among many others. Linney earned nominations for 
??Kinsey?? and ??The Squid and the Whale.??

"The HBO version of ??John Adams?? traces the first 50 years of 
the United States, from the Revolutionary War through Adams? 
death, with John and Abigail?s love story as part of the drama."

To read the complete article, see:
http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2007/05/19/news/news04.txt 


DESIGNER JOEL ISKOWITZ ON THE ADAMS DOLLAR UNVEILING

I asked Joel Iskowitz, designer of the John Adams dollar obverse, 
to share his thoughts on the John Adams dollar ceremony.  He writes:

"As an artist, illustrator and designer, being present at the John 
Adams dollar coin launch ceremony was literally a dream come true 
for many reasons. First and foremost, I consider myself to be a 
narrative artist, meaning that I interpret my task to be 'Tell the 
story'. To my mind, art is about more than just the inner recesses 
of the artist's imagination or personal esthetic statement.  For 
me, artwork that adds something to understanding or edification of 
the viewer is most worthwhile. Art that speaks to the public and 
fulfills its mission to educate or heighten awareness and 
appreciation is what it's all about for me.

"Having the great honor of my interpretation of Adams' likeness 
(based on John Trumbull's painting in the National Portrait Gallery 
and masterfully sculpted by Charles Vickers of the U.S. Mint) selected 
to be the rekindled image of our second president becomes for me, a 
chance to add my voice to a dialogue that was begun in this nation's 
infancy.

"Moreover, although I take great satisfaction and pride in knowing 
my role in this, I fully understand that with the issuance of the 
coin itself, it now truly belongs to everyone.

"So to witness its launch into general circulation was to step back 
and witness the team effort soar off to it's own destiny.  Among many 
memorable experiences that day, there are three that stand out and 
I will cherish forever.

"The first was seeing the enthusiasm of the school children and their 
eager embrace of this little piece of history, knowing that it will 
open many portals of learning for them as the Presidential series 
continues.

"The second was listening to the poetic and stirring comments of 
Peter Boylston Adams (a seventh generation descendant of John and 
Abigail), both in his public remarks and the conversation I had with 
him after the ceremony.  We share a profound admiration of this 
'Titan of Independence' (as Jefferson named him).  Adams was an 
erudite man of deep principle, with the courage of his convictions.

"To hear once again how this ambitious lawyer risked his career to 
defend the British soldiers of the 'Boston Massacre' further enhanced 
the joy of seeing President Adams finally receive his place of honor 
on our coinage. 

"Another aspect of Adam's character that seemed to reveal itself more 
clearly in Quincy was that he set the archetype for the Presidents who 
were not aristocrats or war heroes such as George Washington. His was 
another type of greatness, born of hard work, study, scholarship and 
statesmanship.

"Third was the trolley tour of the Adams National park, where my wife 
and I were treated to a very informative guided journey through the 
generations of this great family's history in what is now named Quincy. 
This served to bring the man, his strivings, his character and place 
in history to life, much the way David McCullough's biography had done, 
but with tangible immediacy and intimacy.

"All in all, for an artist who wishes to tell an important story and 
for his art to be part of the permanent public record, this day will 
be cherished as long as I live.

"One last impression - John Adams spoke of how he wished that our 
Independence Day celebrations should be filled with music and parades 
and sports and fireworks etc. This sunny day had everything to make 
President Adams smile with delight."

[Many thanks to Joel for sharing his thoughts with us.   The Bank 
of England stubbornly refuses to release any of the Adams dollars, 
so I'll have to wait for my visit back to the states next weekend 
to look for one of the new coins.  -Editor]


BALDERDASH & PIFFLE: WORD AND PHRASE ORIGINS AND A NUMISMATIC QUIZ

British television has its own special flavour, and this week I 
happened to catch a BBC "reality show" with a special appeal for 
bibliophiles.  Following the typical forced-suspense format of a 
nervous moment of judgment before a panel of stern experts, new 
candidates for the earliest documented use of an English word or 
phrase are vetted before the editors of the venerable Oxford English 
Dictionary.  The Balderdash & Piffle show's web site invites readers 
to scour archives looking for evidence predating that cited in the 
dictionary.  

To attract a larger audience, the chosen words or phrases are rather 
common and often very recent.  One segment covered the use of "domestic" 
by police in reference to a violent family spat.  Another covered the 
euphemisms of war such as "collateral damage" and "regime change".  
And in the spirit of the lowest common denominator of humanity, 
another segment covered euphemisms for urination and defecation.

For example, the earliest known printed use of "Loo" in reference to 
the place where one goes to take care of such matters, was found in a 
1940 novel.  

"The story Sir Steven Runciman recounts places the origin of loo in 
the 1860s; yet despite the best efforts of Wordhunters and the OED, 
we still cannot be sure that anyone ever actually used the word until 
the beginning of the Second World War, more than 80 years later. 
Granted, what we are dealing with is a colloquial euphemism on a 
sensitive subject which is unlikely to have made it into the Times, 
Victorian sensibilities being what they were. Still, it is a leap 
of faith we cannot make to take it on trust that any word existed 
in English for the best part of a century on the basis of no 
evidence at all."

To learn more about the Balderdash & Piffle show, see:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/wordhunt/


QUIZ QUESTION: SPEND A PENNY

Speaking of phrase origins and meaning, here's a numismatic quiz.  
When used in euphemistic terms, what does the phrase "Spend a Penny" 
mean, and how did it first arise?  Hint: it's primarily a British 
term, so extra credit for any yank who can tell us the answer.  I 
hadn't heard it before.


YERINGTON COMMEMORATIVE SALE RESULTS

Following up on an earlier E-Sylum item, here is an update on 
commemorative coins being struck on an old Carson City Mint coin 
press:

"'Awesome' is the first word City Manager Dan Newell thinks of 
when reflecting on last Saturday's Main Street City of Yerington 
centennial celebration,

"The long-planned event, from last Friday's dinner and silent 
auction to Saturday night's firework finale, the City of Yerington 
could not have been privy to a finer 100th birthday.

"The City sold all but about 12 of the available gold Centennial 
coins, of which there will only be 250 minted overall. Of the silver, 
all but about 10 of an available 550 were sold while all available 
copper coins were sold. Newell said the Carson City Mint will soon 
produce the remaining 50 gold count, the remaining 450 silver count 
and will produce the copper coin indefinitely. He said hopes are 
these will be available within the next month."

To read the complete story, see:
http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070525/MVN01/705250340/1038
/MVN 

  CARSON CITY COIN PRESS USED TO STRIKE COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n04a18.html


CHILD NEARLY KILLED WITH COINS

Coins can kill.  Doctors in India saved the life of a child by 
removing 11 coins from her throat.  But did the child swallow 
them willingly?

"According Dr. Darad, the procedure was difficult and risky. 
??The throat has the windpipe and food pipe close by. The food pipe 
was already long chocked with coins which seemed to have been forcibly 
inserted in the child?s throat right from her birth till she was two 
and half months. We could successfully remove 10 coins, had to abandon 
the procedure as the child was no longer in a position to bear it. 
Luckily, the eleventh coin came out on its own when the baby coughed,?? 
Darad said, adding that since this was a rare case possibly in the 
world, they were preparing a full report to be published in a medical 
journal. 

"The presence of 11 coins in the throat of the child continues to be 
a mystery for the treating team of doctors as well as the police. 
?The victim?s mother, Jillubai, pleaded total ignorance in the matter."

"But on further probe, a panchayat functionary of Suthari village, 
pleading anonymity, said that the innocent, poor and illiterate Jilubai 
had already lost her seven children in a mysterious way. The killer is 
in the family and reason for this is that someone in the family did not 
want any child of Jilubai to survive to inherit the family property, 
he said. ?There are illicit relations among the conspirators in the 
family. This is a well-known fact in the village. The police could 
easily nab the culprit if they seriously investigate the case,?? the 
source said. 

"Meanwhile, sources said that Saniya, after removal of coins from 
her throat, lead a normal life."

To read the complete article, see:
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=238113


WHERE YOUR MISPLACED U.S. MINT ORDERS WIND UP

On May 22 The Paris News of Paris, Texas published a story about 
a couple who made an interesting discovery along and old railroad 
track.

"It was a trip in the country to pick up firewood for a cook-out, 
but it turned into much, much more.

"Russell and Rennie Herron stopped their pickup along the pathway 
of an old railroad line just outside of Roxton to pick up some 
loose limbs.

"?As I moved the limbs, I saw it,? Russell said. ?I yelled to my 
wife to come over and look, and she said: ?Oh no, is it a body???

[The couple discovered an unopened box containing 500 one-ounce 
silver bullion pieces dated 1996.  They reported their find to 
the local Sheriff?s Office, which said they would forward the coins 
to the Secret Service; I'm not sure why they chose the Secret Service 
over the U.S. Postal Service. -Editor]

To read the complete article (registration required), see:
http://theparisnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=193f2bb23a97c2bf


COIN ENGRAVED WITH VIEW OF TOWN 

A newspaper in Kent, England reported the discovery of an old coin 
with an interesting "love token" style engraving.

"A coin more than 100 old years contains possibly the smallest view 
of Tunbridge Wells ever created.

"The coin was found during building work at a farm near Goudhurst 
and is now with Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery.

"The Victorian silver sixpence is just three-quarters of inch across 
and had been made into a pendant. 

"One side has been ground smooth and engraved with a miniature view 
of the Pantiles as seen from the square in front of the Bath House.

"Experts say the work is skilfully done, and looks like the work of 
a professional engraver with a set of tools to create different 
effects - like the texture of the foliage of the row of lime trees 
along the edge of the Upper Walk.

"Although the coin?s date would have been on the side that has been 
erased, from the style of the Queen?s head on the other side it can 
be dated from between 1893 and 1901."

To read the complete article, see:
http://tinyurl.com/2eale5 

"The pretty colonnaded walkway known as the Pantiles has become 
probably the most well known view of Royal Tunbridge Wells. Once 
the playground of the gentry and royalty, the Pantiles remains a 
pleasant place to browse, shop, eat and drink and stroll.

"The Pantiles and Tunbridge Wells itself, owe their beginnings to 
the discovery of the Chalybeate Spring in the early 17th century 
and the popularity of the spa water amongst the gentry and royalty 
of Georgian England. As Tunbridge Wells grew in popularity as a spa 
resort, so did the area surrounding the Spring - eventually leading 
to the building of the colonnaded walkway in the 18th century, 
later known as The Pantiles." 

For more information on the Pantiles and Tunbridge Wells, see:
http://www.visittunbridgewells.com/pages/View.asp?Level=2&LevelID=90


DAVID POWELL'S LEADEN TOKEN TELEGRAPH NEWSLETTERS

David Powell has been organizing research efforts around a number 
of obscure early lead British tokens.  As he discussed with me at 
the May meeting of the British Numismatic Society, metal-detecting 
hobbyists are discovering more and more of these in their digs.  
Acting as a bridge between the worlds of metal detecting and 
numismatics, David has been bringing the two groups together to 
learn about and classify the often enigmatic issues.  To this end 
he publishes the Leaden Token Telegraph newsletters highlighting 
new finds and research.

He writes: "My newsletters are on www.leadtokens.org.uk; note that 
the site also contains a bibliography and index.  I have a write-up 
of an earlier version of my club talk on the subject, plus a further 
article on Communion Tokens, which are an allied subject since so 
many of them are lead.

"The Lead Token article, particularly Sect.8, describes the 
classification system which I have been trying to develop, although 
I need to update it in the light of recent developments and discoveries. 
The articles on each of the 32 types in LTT {see index for details} 
are more detailed; I need to bring them together and summarise.  If 
anyone wants to email me on the subject (at the address mentioned at 
the top of the newsletters), I shall be delighted to hear from them.

"The British Token Corresponding Society (TCS) has a website where 
there are links to articles on these and other subjects.  These are 
briefer, with the intention of establishing interest and making 
ourselves known to the outside world.  In addition to the three 
subjects already mentioned, I have also put something together for 
the TCS site on lead tesserae."

Leaden Tokens Telegraph homepage:
http://www.mernick.co.uk/leadtokens/ 

David Powell's Lead Token article:
http://www.londoncoinclub.fsnet.co.uk/DPowell/LeadTokens.htm 

David Powell's Communion Token article:
http://www.londoncoinclub.fsnet.co.uk/DPowell/CommunionTokens.htm 

British Token Corresponding Society:
http://www.tokensociety.org.uk/ 


SILVER COINS AND THE MANHATTAN PROJECT

My chat with Harry Mernicks at the British Numismatic Society meeting 
turned to the topic of the large quantity of silver used in The 
Manhattan Project which created the first nuclear weapon.  Harry 
had seen a reference to this and wondered if it were actually silver 
coins that had been melted for the project.   As often happens, I 
discovered that we had touched on the topic in an earlier E-Sylum.  

  ATOMIC NUMISMATICS
  http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v06n23a21.html 


But the E-Sylum item doesn't settle the issue of whether coins were 
actually involved.  I checked the Internet for other sources and 
learned a few more details.

"Huge amounts of material had to be obtained (38 million board feet 
of lumber, for instance), and the magnets needed so much copper for 
windings that the Army had to borrow almost 15,000 tons of silver 
bullion from the United States Treasury to fabricate into strips and 
wind on to coils as a substitute for copper.31 Treasury silver was 
also used to manufacture the busbars that ran around the top of the 
racetracks."
http://www.atomicarchive.com/History/mp/p4s4.shtml 

"The first shipment of silver bullion was made from the West Point 
Bullion Depository in October 1942 to the Defense Plant Corporation 
at Carteret, N.J. There the silver bars were reformed as cylindrical 
billets. Then came another secret trip, this time across New Jersey 
to the Phelps Dodge copper plant at Bayway, where the billets were 
rolled into strips 5/8 of an inch thick, 3 inches wide and 40 feet 
long. A third stage to the journey sent the newly-rolled strips to 
Milwaukee, where the Allis Chalmers Company wound them with wooden
insulation around giant steel spools and encased them in another 
steel unit. The completed units, resembling 19-square-foot doughnuts, 
were then shipped to the Y-12 Plant.
http://www.oakridger.com/stories/051606/opi_20060516028.shtml 

[These documents give confirmation that large quantities of silver 
from the U.S. Treasury were used in the Manhattan Project. They state 
that the silver was shipped in bar form, but make no mention of coins. 
Would coins have been melted to create the bars?  Well, I doubt it - 
these bars probably came from strategic stockpiles.  Has anyone ever 
comes across a reference to this silver transfer in government 
records?   Any indication that coins were actually involved?  
-Editor]

Found while looking for other things: a Manhattan Project silver lapel pin:
http://www.mphpa.org/classic/PH/Misc/MPP-623.jpg 


THE PRICE OF ORANGES

Here's a recent jokes from the The Good, Clean Funnies mailing list:

"Mrs. Golden was shopping at a produce stand in her neighborhood. 
She approached the vendor and asked, 'How much are these oranges?'

"'Two for a quarter,' answered the vendor.

"'How much is just one?' she asked.

"'Fifteen cents,' answered the vendor.

"'Then I'll take the other one,' said Mrs. Golden."

To print or email this funny to others, go to
http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20070521


FEATURED WEB SITE: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEDAL

This week's featured web site is about the awarding of the Franklin
Institute's Benjamin Franklin Medal to physicist Albert Einstein:

"On Wednesday, May 15, 1935 Albert Einstein received the Benjamin Franklin
Medal in a ceremony. It was awarded in recognition of his fundamental
contributions to theoretical physics; especially for his theories of
relativity and his work on the photoelectric effect.

"The Franklin Medal is one of the highest awards of the Franklin Institute.
It was and still is awarded for special performance in the field of science
and the arts."

http://www.einstein-website.de/z_information/honours.html 


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