Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 4, Number 02, January 14, 2001: 
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
Copyright (c) 2000, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
  

SUBSCRIBER UPDATES 

   We have five new subscribers this week, two signing in 
   from AOL; also Ted Shiff of Cybercoins, and James Taylor 
   and J.P. Martin of  Independent Coin Grading Company 
   (ICG).  Welcome aboard (for some of them, it's "Welcome 
   back!") 

   In what must be a surge of New Years Resolutions, we've 
   lost two other subscribers - Tom Clarke and Pete Mosiondz, 
   Jr., who writes: "My on again off again affair with numismatics 
   is off again. Please remove me from the email list. My true 
   love is and remains philately.  Thanks for all the interesting 
   E-Sylums." 

   Our subscriber count is now 360. 
  

LAKE BOOKS MAIL BID SALE AND FIXED PRICE LIST 

   Fred L. Lake reports: "Lake Books has its 56th mail-bid sale 
   of numismatic literature available for viewing on their web site. 
   The sale has a closing date of February 6, 2001, and contains 
   673 lots covering the broad expanse of numismatics. 

   Many hard-to-find volumes are contained in the catalog's 24 
   pages, including a complete set of "The Numismatic Scrapbook", 
   Bob Medlar's book on "Texas Obsolete Notes and Scrip", 
   and many other items featuring U.S. catalogs, tokens and 
   medals, etc." 

      http://www.lakebooks.com/current.html 

   Fred also announced the availability of  the Lake Books 
   Fixed Price List #0002, at this web address: 

      http://www.lakebooks.com/fixed.html 
  

FUN SHOW MEETING REPORT 

   Your editor arrived at the Orlando Convention Center just 
   after the NBS meeting concluded.  However, several members 
   were still in the room, and Bill Murray, Tom Sheehan, David 
   Sklow and I had lunch together.  The meeting had gone well, 
   with 16 people in attendance, from all over the country. 
   Signing in were: 

      Mark Borckardt, Wolfeboro, NH 
      John Burns, North Huntingdon, PA 
      Howard A. Daniel III, Deltaville, VA 
      Summer Douglas, Lima, OH 
      Mike Ellis, Donalsonville, GA 
      Henry Dudzinski, Carsonville, MI 
      Julius Dudzinski, Carsonville, MI 
      George Fitzgerald, Ft. Wayne, IN 
      Gordon Frost, Forest Hills, NY 
      Fred Lake, St. Petersburg, FL 
      Nolan Mims, Semmes, AL 
      Bill Murray, San Antonio, TX 
      Bob Van Ryzin, Iola, WI 
      Tom Sheehan, Seattle, WA 
      David Sklow, Ocala, FL 
      Robert Zavos, Pittsburgh, PA 

   In the last issue I noted that "Numismatic & Philatelic Arts of 
   Santa Fe seems to be the only numismatic literature dealer 
   scheduled to set up at the show."  Actually, Remy Bourne of 
   Minneapolis was set up at the show as well, and Stanton 
   Publishing also had a table, selling new titles.  Helping to man 
   the table was literature dealer John Burns. 

   Several other NBS members and E-Sylum subscribers were 
   at the show, but unable to make the meeting.  Spotted on the 
   bourse floor were John Wilson, David Cassel, David Lange 
   Ken Bressett, Julian Leidman, and others. 
  

PERKINS DIE AT ANA? 

    In our last issue, George Fuld discussed a visit with relatives 
   of Jacob Perkins and mentioned  "a coin die of Baker 60, the 
   General of the Armies colonial coin, obverse only." 

   Tom DeLorey writes: "This die is currently in the museum of 
   the American Numismatic Association.  I last saw it there 
   about 1983." 
  

BUFFALO NICKELS DELUXE EDITION AVAILABLE 

   David Lange writes: "The deluxe edition of "The Complete 
   Guide to Buffalo Nickels" has arrived from Alan Grace and is 
   being shipped to those who ordered it.  Due to ongoing 
   problems with AOL, I've lost the email addresses for the 
   following persons: Ron Gammill, Craig Smith and William Stone. 
   If you are still interested in ordering this edition, please contact 
   me at DLange@NGCcoin.com." 
  

POSTAGE CURRENCY PATTERN BOOK SOLD OUT 

   David Cassel writes: "The FUN Show, 2001, was the first coin 
   show that I attended after the publication of my book, "United 
   States Pattern Postage Currency Coins."  While most of  the 
   copies available were subscribed to pre-publication a few months 
   earlier, several more sold post-publication.  When I attended 
   the FUN show, I took the six  remaining unsold copies along 
   with me in hopes of selling them out.  After the first few hours 
   on Friday, January 5th, not a single copy remained. 

   No reprints or republications are anticipated.  Hopefully in a 
   few years, I will publish a  second edition with expanded 
   information.  This is already in progress. 

   I am not sure if it would be proper to reveal who bought each 
   numbered copy.  But I can tell you that from the commercial 
   side, most of the major pattern dealers, P.C.G.S., N.G.C., & 
   SEGS grading services,  the ANA and ANS Library bought 
   my book   From the collector side, as you might expect, the 
   members of our society, USPATTERNS.COM accounted 
   for large numbers, but also several of the FCCB (Fractional 
   Currency Collectors Board) and several NBS members 
   subscribed.  There were a few foreign coin dealers that also 
   accounted for a few copies. 

   Where would any of us be without research?  I wish to thank 
   all who purchased my book for their support." 
  

OFF-METAL SUSIE? 

   Web site visitor Rafael Delgado asks: "Would any solid metal 
   (not clad) coin minted in the Philadelphia Mint have a specific 
   gravity between 6.9 and 7.3 ?   Would you remember any 
   reference magazine that published an article about experimental 
   metals during the period 1973 to 1980? 

   I am looking specially to the period from the 1973 copper 
   shortage to mid 1980 due to a coin that exhibits a metal not 
   compatible with any metal reported by the US Mint (neither 
   foreign nor domestic) in the resources at hand:  "Specifications 
   of US coins" from Coin World Almanac, and "World Coins 
   Minted by the US Mints" from the 2001 Blackbook.  It seems 
   an experimental metal for the Susan B. Anthony dollar or a 
   counterfeit. My interest is determining which it is." 

   Perhaps one of our astute subscribers is aware of such a 
   piece or a reference to it. 
  

COL. EDWARD HOWLAND ROBINSON GREEN 

   Eric P. Newman writes: "Col. Green was such an unusual 
   character that I have to comment that I met him when I was a 
   student at M.I.T. about 1931.  Members of our class were 
   invited to go down to his estate in Round Hill, Massachusetts 
   where he had one of the very few short wave radio stations. 
   When a member of the Adm. Richard Byrd Antarctic Expedition 
   got appendicitis down there and had to be operated upon at 
   40 degrees below zero our class manned Greene's radio 
   station 24 hours a day because the ability to reach Antarctica 
   was only about 20% of the time due to static. We were to 
   gather and relay information for the needed surgery. Ether was 
   used after putting out the oil fueled fire used in their heating 
   equipment. The patient recovered.  Little did I know that 
   about 10 years later I would be acquiring much of his American 
   coin and paper money collection.  I wish I could thank him for 
   helping to make my life so exciting." 
  

MORE BOOK PRESERVATION LINKS 

   Stephen Pradier writes: "I have found a multitude of additional 
   information that I hope will benefit the NBS membership.  I am 
   always on the lookout for ways to help me in my endeavors: 
   Numismatics, Books, Care and Preservation of collections. 
   I think I need to quit my day job. I hope you will find this useful. 

  Care, handling and storage of books from the Library of Congress: 
      http://lcweb.loc.gov/preserv/care/books.html 

  Preservation from the Library of Congress (Multiple topics) 
      http://www.loc.gov/preserv/ 

   I received via U.S. Priority mail the catalog from University 
   Products - a very impressive and glossy catalog with everything 
   for Book Repair , storage, tools etc. You can even buy museum 
   display cases. 
      http://www.universityproducts.com/main.php3 

   Here is some helpful information about "Your Old Books" at 
      http://www.rbms.nd.edu/yob.html 

   [Editor's note:  This is a great, concise guide for collectors. 
   One topic addressed earlier in The E-Sylum is rebinding. 
   Here's what the site says about "Should I have my books 
   rebound before selling them?": 

      Few books are worth the cost of rebinding. Rebinding also 
      may destroy or alter some special aspect of the book that 
      might have given it value-e.g., original covers, an autograph 
      or bookplate on the inside cover, or original sewing 
      construction. Books in poor condition may need to be 
      repaired to lessen the chance of further damage, but the cost 
      should be judged according to the book's worth - this would 
      include, of course, the sentimental value of those books that 
      the owner intends to keep. Conservators can construct tailor- 
      made boxes as an alternative to expensive rebinding.  A well 
      made box will protect a fragile book and will help keep all 
      of the parts together.] 

   A step by step 'Book Repair Manual' with pictures, plus other 
   useful preservation information, is online at 
      http://www.dartmouth.edu/~preserve/repair/html/sew.htm 

   This looks very interesting, American Institute for Conservation 
   of Historic and Artistic Works: 
      http://aic.stanford.edu/ 
  

FEATURED WEB SITE 

   This week's Featured Web Site is "Roman History, Coins, and 
   Technology", maintained at the San Jose State University. 
   The leaders, history, and economy of ancient rome are illustrated 
   through coinage. 

      http://myron.sjsu.edu/ 
  

  Wayne Homren 
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society