Nice issue! The Norwebs were my definition of American royalty. They had the Bratenahl house, mentioned in the latest issue, also a floor (above Henry Luce, founder of Time-Life) in the River House in New York City, and their summer home in Boothbay Harbor, ME.

Emery May Holden Norweb was a wonderful lady, a fine friend, ever since I was a teenager. They wore their 'nobility,' such as it was, gently and mostly privately, without a whisper of ostentation.

My relationship with Emery May Holden Norweb and her son Harry (and his wife Pam), not to overlook Ambassador R. Henry Norweb, are treasures in my memories.

The counterstamp SS is recorded in Merchant and Privately Countermarked Coins by Gregory Brunk 2003.

"p77 Ireland: This is an odd series. While nothing is known about the issuer, the SS countermarked coins are numerous. They also appear on lead counterfeits of various coins.

SS (S-62) Farthing: UK (3)
halfpenny: 1693 UK
Irish halfpenny: 1766
Halfpenny token: UK (1)
French liard: UK
St. Patrick Halfpenny: UK
Russian half denga: 1753
Lead counterfeits: numerous

SS (S-63)
Rev: O K (included above)"

p338 under the category of Regulated Gold Coins (interesting to see that defined later in the same issue of the E-Sylum!!)

"These two coins may not have the same countermark. Only one was noted as being incuse.

S S (Incuse) (S-64) 6400 Reis: 1749 1773"

Some weeks ago John Lupia had a very interesting post on the Kline sale of 1855. I wanted to comment at the time, but my copy of that sale catalog was not in my possession. Now I have it again. I completely agree with John that the owner of that collection is unknown.

I have a suggestion that could be checked out. Lots 249-254 were described as a complete 1854 gold proof set, "beautiful, fresh from the die", which by the way sold for par, (face value). The number of these sets sold was surely very very small. Perhaps mint records would show who the purchaser was.

I loved the cover of the Pittsburgh City Paper. Right with the times. Who would have thought good old George was transgendered Georgie? Maybe the reason he had no children?

Regarding the article on Anti-Semitic Banknotes, which refers to the exhibit at the New-York Historical Society on Anti-Semitism 1919-1939, one of the propaganda messages quoted from the anti-Semitic notes: “The aversion of the German people for the Semitic people does not have its cause in the difference of religion...”, is certainly not borne out by the facts.

A recently published review of the history of anti-Semitic medals clearly supports the conclusion that religious art and sacred texts play a prominent role in the propagation of anti-Semitic attitudes. See: Weiss, Benjamin, “Anti-Semitic Bigotry: A Retrospective As Chronicled by Commemorative Medals” , Artwis.com, Kunstpedia Foundation, The Netherlands, 2015.