Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 3, Number 21, May 21, 2000:
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
Copyright (c) 2000, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society.
SUBSCRIBER UPDATES
We have one new subscriber this week: Peter Moon, who
"saw a write-up about the Numismatic Bibliomania Society in
the April 1999 issue of "The Numismatist". Welcome aboard!
This brings our subscriber count to 302.
CELEBRITY NUMISMATISTS
In kicking off this discussion, I noted that President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt was known as a stamp collector. David L.
Ganz adds that "FDR was also a coin collector and medal
collector (little known). There is a modest exhibit in the
presidential library at Hyde Park. His cousin, Theodore, has a
nice collection of medals and awards at Sagamore Hill, in
Junior's home on the premises."
Bob Dunfield writes: "I have seen Jonathan Winters at several
coin shows, including the Santa Barbara and the Santa Maria
Coin Shows. At one Santa Barbara show at the Miramar Hotel,
he was kind enough to autograph a copy of the 'Bank Note
Reporter' for me! A picture on the front page showed a typical
dealer and collector scene, and Jonathan created a new caption
for the picture that was really quite funny! He's quite a character!
On the book collecting side - my wife and I try to attend the
Burbank Book Fair as often as possible. I look for numismatic
material (which is sadly represented); in fact, Malter Galleries
are often the only dealers that have a reasonably good selection
- mostly ancient coins though.
Several years ago, I spotted Jay Leno hurrying through the
aisles. From what I understand, he is an avid book enthusiast. I
informed my wife, Christine, that Mr. Leno and his entourage
were there, and she caught up with him in time to receive a
pleasant chat and an autograph on the book fair program!
Another really nice fellow!"
Fred Lake writes: "An easy way to pick out some famous names
is to peruse Martin Gengerke's "American Numismatic Auctions"
reference. He lists the consignors for most auctions held in the
U.S.
Some names that come to mind immediately are Buddy Ebsen,
Jascha Heifitz, Hoagy Carmichael, Gary Burghoff ("Radar" on
M.A.S.H.), Moshe Dayan (from Israeli politics), Harry Einstein
("Parkyakarkus" from old radio days), and from more recent
times John LaRocquette. I'm sure you will receive many more
names of the famous or infamous who were collectors. A
couple of more collectors of note come to mind. Adolph Menjou
(Movies) and Wayne Gretzky (Sports - albeit more of an
investor than a collector)."
Suellen Ruttkay of Coin World adds: "Penny Marshall,
director/actress, has been spotted at coin shows (generally in
California) over the years. Her picture appeared in Coin World
some issues back - She was referring to a "Coin World Ledger"
at a show (Long Beach, I think.)"
Mike Keating mentioned Penny Marshall as well. Great name
for a coin collector, don't you think? If we have a daughter, I
wonder if my wife would go for that name...? Nah...
Harold K. Fears, Jr. writes: "My favorite was the baseball player
Andre Dawson. He had a substantial collection that was put up
for auction several years ago."
From Carl Honore: "Celebrity Collectors who come to mind are:
1) Enrico Caruso (Opera Singer)
2) Andre Dawson (Chicago Cubs)
3) Jerome Kern (Composer)
4) Adolphe Menjou (Actor)
6) Hoagy Carmichael (Composer)"
Well, we've come up with a good list of American celebrities;
what about the rest of the world?
Doug Andrews writes: "for celebrity numismatist, I
nominate Farouk I, King of Egypt 1937-1952."
Any others?
CELEBRITY SUBSCRIBERS
Lawrence J. Lee, curator of the Byron Reed Collection
at the Durham Western Heritage Museum, was pictured in
an article in the May 23rd issue of Numismatic News. The
article covers a presentation he made at the Central States
Numismatic Society show on research into "A Remarkable
Piece Lately Found in Philadelphia". The title is taken from
a presentation by William Sumner Appleton to the Boston
Numismatic Society in 1861. The piece, pedigreed to
Joseph Mickley and Charles Bushnell, is of unknown origin,
and Lee's "research into the legends, letter punches, and
iconography" is beginning to shed some light on the unusual
coin, whose legends read "Confederatio Americanus
Juvenus, Tyrannis in Peretum Abeit Terra (translated as
The Youthful American Confederation, Let the Earth be
Forever free From Tyrants."
JAMES EARLE FRASER RESEARCH
Another subscriber has been publishing some of his
research: Fred L. Reed, III has an article on sculptor
James Earle Fraser in the May 22 issue of COIN World.
MAKING OF AMERICA ALTERNATE ADDRESS
Purdue fan and Ohio resident Wendell Wolka writes:
"Reading in this week's E-Sylum of your graduate days at
the UoM (yuck -- the Weasels!) reminded me that, in
addition to the Cornell site, there is another web site
connected with the Making of America project. The
University of Michigan has a similar site at:
http://moa.umdl.umich.edu
Wendell reports finding a number of items related to his
paper money research:
"Report of the debates and proceedings of the Convention for
the revision of the constitution of the state of Ohio. 1850-51.
Volume 1 (Lots of debates on banks and banking regulation)
http://moa.umdl.umich.edu/cgi/sgml/moa-idx?notisid=AEY0639b
Remarks on currency and banking; having reference to the present
derangement of the circulating medium in the United States. 1857
http://moa.umdl.umich.edu/cgi/sgml/moa-idx?notisid=AEV0351
FRENCH COIN SHORTAGE
One of your editor's research interests is the specie panic
of 1862, caused by financial conditions of the U.S. Civil
War. Citizens of France are running into similar severe
cash shortages as a result of a strike by armored car
security guards.
A May 19th article in the Wall Street Journal notes:
"If this is a cashless society, count me out. -- That's the
message from disgusted French men and women who
suddenly can't find a functioning money machine or who
must leave the supermarket empty-handed because the
teller doesn't have the right change.
Merchants are grumpy, too. "I went to the bank and they
say they don't have any more one- or two- franc coins,"
groused an apron-clad Joel Jatteau as he arranged fresh
mackerel on his fish stand on the east side of Paris."
FINAL WORDS ON SCHJOTH
In response to Mike Jones' last question, Jørgen Sømod of
Denmark writes: "First edition of Schjöth published in Oslo
1929 I remember as dark gray paper bound."
George Kolbe writes: "I've handled a couple of dozen or so
original 1929 editions of Schjoth over the years but all I recall
were bound in dark red (i.e. crimson) cloth, with distinctive gilt
lettering [actually, I have a recollection of having seen one in
wrappers but that may be a figment of my imagination]. I have
seen multiple copies of two different bindings, and some copies
are taller than others, suggesting that the work may have been
bound in batches. Lockhart's 1915 catalogue of his
collection of Chinese copper coins was issued "with flimsy
paper covers" though, predictably, it is usually encountered in
a private binding."
NBS WEB SITE ACTIVITY
The NBS web site has been averaging over 300 hits per
day for some time now. On May 5th we had what may
be a record: over 800 hits. The search feature is being
used, too, by the general public as well as numismatists.
Queries such as "monnaies provinciales", "diocletian", and
"leonard forrer" are mixed in with "quarter coin books",
"wheat pennies", and "1949 penny". If any of our literate
subscribers would care to write up some information on
such topics, we'll consider it for publication on the web
site. It would be nice to be able to present meaningful
information and guide visitors to the appropriate numismatic
literature.
FEATURED WEB SITE
This week's featured web page is "Banknotes of Africa and the
Middle East", from the private collection of Dan Bellin.
http://home.iSTAR.ca/~bellan/
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 21704
(To be removed from this mailing list
write to me at whomren@coinlibrary.com)
|
