Welcome to The E-sylum: Volume 2, Number 13:  March 29, 1999: 
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.  

SUBSCRIBER UPDATES  

    Johnny Kicklighter has unsubscribed.  We're also getting 
    returned mail from Bruce Burton (bruceburton@computron.net) 
    and Reed Marton (marton@ih2000.net).  Does anyone know 
    of their latest whereabouts?  

    New subscribers this week include Barry Trost and Eileen 
    Perri. 
   

NEW BRITISH COPPER TOKEN BOOK  

    Allan Davisson writes that a new book by Paul and 
    Bente Withers, BRITISH COPPER TOKENS, 1811-1820, 
    has recently been published.  "They have completely redone 
    the series in a volume that has already replaced Davis. Every 
    type is photographed and thoroughly described with edges, 
    die axes, size, weight and Davis numbers included.  For more 
    information write to Mr. Davisson at DAVCOIN@aol.com 
   

MORE ON THE CURIOUS COIN OF 1652  

    Last week we reprinted a May, 1865  article from The 
    Historical Magazine titled "Curious Coin of 1652". 
    Ken Bressett, editor of the "Redbook" (A Guide Book 
    of United States Coins) responded:  

    "I hesitate to respond to the inquiry about the curious 1652 
    coin because I assume that everyone knows what it is --- 
    or perhaps everyone except Mr. Paine. The piece most 
    likely was pulled from auction because it is so common.  

    Just in case anyone failed to recognize the 'curious coin', it 
    is a copper '8 Maravedis' of Spain. It has been 
    countermarked to revalidate and extend its life in circulation. 
    Hundreds of such coins were so marked with dates from 
    1636 to 1665. Many have multiple stamps. They are 
    popularly known as the tattooed coins of Spain. Most are 
    valued at under $5 today." 
   

NOT ONE CENT FOR TRIBUTE  

    Here's another interesting tidbit for American numismatists 
    taken from The Historical Magazine (Third Series, Vol. 2, 
    No 5, November 1873), concerning a phrase seen often on 
    U.S. "Hard Times" and Civil War tokens:  

    SCRAPS - The famous sayings of great men are, one by one, 
    dropping from sight.  The last to suffer is the "Millions for 
    defence, but not one cent for tribute."  Nearly eighty years ago, 
    General Pinckney, then Minister to France, was informed that 
    the payment of a certain sum might settle the diplomatic dispute 
    between the two countries; and history says that General 
    Pinckney indignantly replied: "Millions for defence, but not a 
    cent for tribute."   And now comes a respectable citizen of 
    Charleston, S.C., and shows, by indisputable authority, that, 
    at a meeting of the Cossack-club, of which General Pinckney 
    was a member, the latter was asked by another member whether 
    he ever made such remark, and replied: "No: my "answer was 
    not a flourish like that, but "simply, 'Not a penny, not a penny.''" 
  
   

 FEATURED WEB SITE  

    This week's featured web site is the Currency Museum 
    of the Bank of Canada.  The Bank's collection contains 
    some 100,000 coins, tokens and paper money  items.  

      http://www.schoolnet.ca/collections/bank/english/  

  Wayne Homren 
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society  

  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.  To join, print the application and 
  return it with your check to the address printed 
  on the application.   For those without web access, 
  contact Dave Hirt, NBS Secretary-Treasurer, 
  5911 Quinn Orchard Road, Frederick, MD 21701  

  (To be removed from this mailing list 
   write to me at whomren@coinlibrary.com)