The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 6, February 5, 2006, Article 7

ON NAMING NAMES

Last week we published a research request for information on
the consignors of two anonymous collections.  Bob Lyall writes:
"The idea of publishing the names of anonymous collections is
hardly one to be applauded, after all, the vendor (or even the
collector) specifically didn't want to be identified and may
have very good reasons for this (I'm sure it doesn't take a great
brain to work out one such reason).  It seems to me to be a
gross infringment of privacy to publish their names."

[Bob has a valid point; anonymous sales have been part of the
hobby for generations.  From a researchers' standpoint though,
these represent a roadblock to the completion of pedigree chains.
With the passage of time, the reasons for the initial decision
may fade, but the urgency to record the information for posterity
grows, for if not recorded it could be lost forever.

But how much time is enough?  Unfortunately, one can never know,
and it falls to the researcher to consider the tradeoffs involved
in publishing the information.  Still, by its very nature, the
publication of the information by anyone but the publisher of
the original catalog can only be considered hearsay.  I've never
heard that the "outing" of a previously anonymous consigner has
ever had repercussions beyond adding to the general body of
numismatic knowledge.  Are any of our readers aware of such a
case?  -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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