While Kathy and I were away in Europe, my Sunday night reading still consisted of The E-Sylum. The item about Jesse Owens was interesting but there is another numismatic connection that only a few people remember. Jesse Owens served as a spokesman for the Canadian Olympic Coin Program from 1974 to 1976.

He was a self-effacing man. Perhaps a little down on his luck, but there wasn't anyone who met him who didn't like him immediately. I met him (see photo) and worked with him (I was also a paid consultant) and I must say that in and of itself was a thrill. I called him 'Mr. Owens' the first time we met and he disabused me of that notion ("Call me Jesse"). I was proud to know him, proud to work with him, and almost 80 years later his accomplishments speak for themselves.

Thank you for the coverage of the Jessie Owens medal sale. I had the honor of shaking Mr. Owens' hand at the offices of Paramount International Coin Co, in Englewood, Ohio in the mid-1970's, when Paramount was rolling out the 1976 Montreal Olympics coinage program and Mr. Owens was present as a spokesman for the program. I attended as part of the Coin World contingent from nearby Sidney.