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About Us The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit association devoted to the study and enjoyment of numismatic literature. For more information please see our web site at coinbooks.org Subscriptions Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers (or wishing to Unsubscribe) can go to the following web page link Membership There is a membership application available on the web site Membership Application To join, print the application and return it with your check to the address printed on the application. Print/Digital membership is $40 to addresses in the U.S., and $60 elsewhere. A digital-only membership is available for $25. For those without web access, write to: Charles Heck, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 2058, Bluffton, SC 29910-2058 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Chuck at this email address: treasurer@coinbooks.org Submissions To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com BUY THE BOOK BEFORE THE COIN Sale Calendar April 30, 2022 KOLBE & FANNING Watch here for updates!

 

Content presented in The E-Sylum is not necessarily researched or independently fact-checked, and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.

WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM APRIL 3, 2022

New subscribers this week include: Tom Koolick, Todd Ryan, and Steve Wilton. Welcome aboard! We now have 6,987 subscribers.

Thank you for reading The E-Sylum. If you enjoy it, please send me the email addresses of friends you think may enjoy it as well and I'll send them a subscription. Contact me at whomren@gmail.com anytime regarding your subscription, or questions, comments or suggestions about our content.

This week we open with a great numismatic literature sale, two new books, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, notes from readers, and more.

Other topics this week include test notes, the Baltimore Expo, zip code notes, Byzantine coins, auction previews, the coinage of Claudius, medals for Ukrainians, and coins and the coin hobby in 2022.

To learn more about the Thomas Warner, Dell Loy Hansen, and Princeton University Library collections, the Republic of San Serriffe, Old Copper Nose, impressed designs, James A. Stack, Sr., Waitangi Crowns, the Erie Canal Completion Medal, the She Slave medal, Andy Warhol's $, and the 2023 honorees for the American Women Quarters Program, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

KOLBE & FANNING SYD MARTIN LIBRARY SALE

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NEW BOOK: AMERICAN BANK NOTE TEST NOTES 2022

American Bank Note Company Test Notes

This catalog attributes all test notes of printers American Bank Note Company and its predecessors and firms bought out.

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NEW BOOK: ECOINOMICS

Ecoinomics - the ultimate guide to investing in real-life coins

A new book due out this spring aims to provide would-be investors with valuable insights into the highly lucrative coin market.

As the crypto-currency sector continues to grow, author Robert Parkinson makes a very strong case for real-life coins as an exciting investment opportunity.

Billions of dollars change hands for rare coins each year, even in the hardest of times, said Parkinson. During the global pandemic the coin market remained extremely buoyant - even when the FTSE 100 and Dow Jones were both down by 20 per cent.

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DELL LOY HANSEN SPEAKS ABOUT HIS COLLECTION

Dell Loy Hansen Speaks About His Collection

We'll be featuring an interview with Dell Loy Hansen during the upcoming Newman Portal Symposium, April 8-10. Following the interview we will have a live Q&A with John Brush, who has been instrumental in building the Hansen collection. In only a few short years, Hansen has nearly duplicated the Eliasberg collection, and in many ways surpassed what was billed as the only complete collection of United States coins ever formed.

Other presenters at the Symposium include Wayne Homren, speaking on Civil War numismatics, and Steve and Ray Feller, who will present an overview of Holocaust money. Doug Mudd will also be on hand, speaking about the new ANA exhibit, which is anchored by the Baker/Manley collection of Washingtonia. This event is held virtually via Zoom and begins this Friday. Free registration is required.

Image: Dell Loy Hansen, holding Louis Eliasberg's smoking pipe

Link to Newman Portal Symposium registration:
https://nnpsymposium.org/

VIDEO: THE WHITMAN BALTIMORE EXPO

Whitman Expo Celebrates 50 Years of Bringing Coin Collectors Together.
VIDEO: 3:55.

Lori H. Kraft & Dawn Burbank, Whitman Expos,
David Lisot, Interviewer, CoinTelevision.com.
Mar 31-April 2, 2022.

The Whitman Expo in Baltimore is 50 years old. Hear the story of one of America's oldest coin conventions and what collectors may hope to find when they attend.

David adds:

An excerpt of the video is available for viewing on the Coin Television YouTube Channel at:
https://youtu.be/5PLFEOPCIrY

MORE ON THE 1992 M. N. DAYCIUS PRANK

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: APRIL 3, 2022

Front-Facing Portraits Lose By A Nose
Regarding front-facing portraits vs. profile views on coins, Pabitra Saha writes:

Henry issued a secret indenture to start reducing the amount of silver in pennies and groats. To keep the weight the same and to hide the debasement Henry created copper coins and gave them the thinnest covering of silver possible. These coins were minted for 2 years before they were released into general circulation.

The fun thing about these silver coated copper coins was that Henry's nose was the bit that stuck out the most on the coins. As the coins rubbed against each other in people's pockets the silver on the nose was the first to rub off, leaving Henry with a reddish nose and earning him the nickname ‘Old Copper Nose'.

To read the complete article, see:
Old Copper Nose (https://thewealthgap.substack.com/p/old-copper-nose?)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
FRONT-FACING VS. PROFILE VIEWS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v25/esylum_v25n13a15.html)

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COLLECTING ZIP CODE NOTES

Hot Collectible Delivers Zippy Fun from Philately to Notaphily

Mr. ZIP (a.k.a. Zippy) was introduced to America in 1963 with the Zone Improvement Plan of the United States Post Office. According to Wikipedia Mr. ZIP featured prominently alongside the musical group The Swingin Six in a variety show that the Post Office used to explain the importance of using ZIP Codes. There are more than 40,000 ZIP codes in use today. Rather than using just the name of a city and state, Zip Codes added five digits to mail addresses of which the first three digits specify a particular Sectional Center Facility for mail processing while the last two digits specify a postal zone within a city. According to Reader's Digest, besides Beverly Hills, CA 90210, the most famous ZIP codes include ‘60606' for Chicago, ‘70130' for New Orleans, and ‘33162' for Miami.

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PCGS BEGINS CERTIFYING JAPANESE FANTASY COINS

PCGS BEGINS CERTIFYING JAPANESE FANTASY COINS WITH KAGIN'S AUCTION OF THE HESSELGESSER COLLECTION TO BE THE FIRST AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTORS

PCGS has begun certifying Japanese fantasy coinage in a first for the rare coin market. Japanese fantasy issues were minted for hundreds of years from the warring states period through the 1900's.

These rare and intriguing issues will make their certified debut as part of the Robert Hesselgesser Collection of Japanese and Provincial Coinage being auctioned by Kagin's Auctions April 16, 2022.

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PRINCETON ADDS THEODOTOU BYZANTINE COINS

Byzantium, Heraclius, 610-641, gold solidus struck in Constantinople, 632-641, depicting the emperor Heraclius and his two sons.

Princeton University Library's (PUL) Numismatic Collection nearly tripled its Byzantine coin collection when it acquired 11,256 Byzantine coins from the estate of Dr. Chris B. Theodotou on March 8, 2022. The acquisition adds to the 5,280 Byzantine coins of the Peter Donald collection, acquired in 2016. Both collections were acquired with support from the Friends of Princeton University Library, while the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies provided half the funding for these two acquisitions. Together with previous holdings, Princeton now has the largest Byzantine coin collection in the world.

The coins, which are primarily issues of the Byzantine Empire between C.E. 500 and 1453, were collected by Theodotou between 1979 and 1987. According to Curator of Numismatics Alan Stahl, Theodotou was both a friend and collecting rival of Donald.

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2022 CHICAGO MONEY TALKS SPEAKERS WANTED

Money Talks Speakers Wanted for Chicago World's Fair of Money

American Numismatic Association (ANA) members are encouraged to share their ideas and research with fellow hobbyists by delivering a Money Talks presentation at the 2021 World's Fair of Money® in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Aug. 16-20 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

Those interested in giving a Money Talks presentation should submit an online proposal at money.org/numismatic-events/money-talks. Proposals are due no later than Saturday, April 30. The talks will take place Thursday Aug. 18 and Friday Aug. 19.

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VOCABULARY TERM: IMPRESSED DESIGN

Impressed Design. An added piece of metal or other very hard substance which by intent is laid on the surface of a blank or partially struck medal and is pushed into its surface by the blow of the press and the striking of the dies. Impressed objects are much like an inlay – appearing below the surface – by placing it there before the final blow (this is easy to do with open face dies, but difficult in coining). Impressed objects are subject to flaking off, so care must be taken in their handling. When such an object is not inlaid by design it is an anomaly called impressed error (see next entry).

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MORE ON BRUCE W. SMITH

The first to respond was John Mutch:

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HARVEY STACK'S NUMISMATIC FAMILY, PART 118

In October 1994, Stack's was pleased to offer a major part of the famous collection formed by James A. Stack, Sr. (no relation to our family). As explained when telling of earlier offerings by Stack's in 1975, 1989 and 1990, Stack's was privileged to offer for sale portions of this important collection. After his father's death, James Stack, Jr. took over the collection and decided that it should be offered in sections because the total value at the time would exceed any other collection he researched, and this might limit in the "spending power" of collectors and dealers.

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BRING HONEST ABE TO PAN

Announcing the Bring Honest Abe to PAN Fund-raising Event

We need your Support To raise the Funds needed to Engage Abe to be a part of The CIVIL WAR MONEY & MEMORABILIA SHOWCASE & other PAN Activities!

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ATLAS NUMISMATICS APRIL 2022 SELECTIONS

Lovely Syracuse Decadrachm

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SIMMONS APRIL 2022 TOKEN & WEIGHT AUCTION

Token & Coin Weight Auction

Our current auction starts online this Tuesday 5 April from 12 noon. So still time to bid and to check how you're doing if you've already bid. If you bid yesterday, Saturday, you need to check your bids as there was an interruption of service on the website.

Apart from tokens tickets and passes we also have a couple of collections of coin weights, rocker balances and scales.

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STACK'S BOWERS SPRING 2022 AUCTION SELECTIONS

Lot 1118: 1825 Erie Canal Completion Medal

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DNW APRIL 2022 SALE HIGHLIGHTS

1900 years ago, in AD122, Emperor Hadrian began to build his impressive wall in Northern England to protect his territory from the Caledonians and others. Therefore it seems fitting in this anniversary year that Mayfair-based Auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb will offer 75 coins from his reign in their auction of Ancient and Islamic Coins and Antiquities on Wednesday, April 13, 2022.

The highlight of the group is an Aureus (gold coin), dating from AD 133-5, portraying a bare headed draped bust on one side, and on the other: Roma in military attire with left foot on a helmet and holding a spear. The fine coin is expected to fetch £4,000-5,000.

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WORLD BANKNOTE AUCTIONS PRESENTS SALE 24

This week World Banknote Auctions has now listed Live Sale 24, which closes in two different segments. The first segment, the traditional live sale, closes on April 14, 2022, with live bidding that day at 1 PM Eastern / 10 AM Pacific. The following day, on April 15 at 1 PM Eastern / 10 AM Pacific an additional segment closes in a timed auction (no live bidding, although lots may be extended if a bid is received 10 minutes before closing). Live Sale 24 offers a total of 834 lots from around the world, with highlights including an advanced selection of Middle Eastern notes from a singe consignor, classic type notes and modern issues that are among the finest known for their respective grades in the population reports. Some highlights are selected below, the entire catalog can be viewed on the company's website, www.worldbanknoteauctions.com

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NUMISMATIC NUGGETS: APRIL 3, 2022

1870 India 5 Rupees

British Indien 1870
British India 5 Rupees 1870. Neuprägung. 3.89 g. Schl. 911. Fr. 1603a. Prachtexemplar PCGS PR 63.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Lot 137. British Indien 1870 (https://www.sixbid.com/en/muenzenonline/9351/indien/7961947/british-indien-1870)

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THE COINAGE OF CLAUDIUS

FOLLOWING THE MURDER of demented emperor Gaius (nicknamed Caligula) on January 24, 41 CE, soldiers found the emperor's 50-year-old uncle, the aforementioned Claudius, hiding behind a curtain in the palace. Escorted to the fortified camp of the Praetorian Guard, the only surviving male of the Julio-Claudian dynasty was proclaimed as Rome's fourth emperor. To ensure their continued loyalty, every man in the elite Guard received a bonus of 15,000 sestertii–equivalent to over 16 years' pay for an ordinary soldier. For English-speaking viewers, the 1976 BBC TV series based on Robert Graves's 1934 novel, I Claudius, is the classic retelling of this story.

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THE ÉCU DE CALONNE

In the series of great reforms which he had in mind, the minister envisioned a project for a silver écu worth 6 livres that he hoped to use to make the currency circulate.

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2007-P WASHINGTON DOLLAR ELONGATED RAY

The 2007-P Washington $ Elongated Third Ray Shines

Originally I had zero interest in the small dollar coins. That was until the nationwide coin shortage occurred and my search for the "W" Washington quarters had proven unproductive. A friend suggested that I start searching through the small Presidential dollars and he sent me a link to his website, "United States Small Dollar Coins and Related Items".

One variety that caught my eye and intrigued me the most was the speculation and possible existence of an "Elongated Third Ray" of the tiara on the 2007-P George Washington issue. This coin was believed to have been found/reported in 2007, the first year of issue. I searched for information on this coin for months on-line and elsewhere for any documentation of a confirmed or attributed example, but nothing was found.

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ZELENSKY MEDAL SALES TO HELP UKRAINIANS

100% of Profits from Sale of Zelensky Medals will be Contributed to Help Ukrainians in Their Homeland and as Refugees

100% of the profits from the sale of art medals honoring Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will be contributed to organizations helping Ukrainians in their homeland and as refugees.

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UKRAINE AWARDS MEDAL TO SALTY-TONGUED SAILOR

The Ukrainian sailor who told a Russian warship to go f–k yourself as he helped try to defend Snake Island was awarded a government medal in a video posted by Ukraine on Tuesday.

Hero seaman Roman Hrybov received the award For Merits to Cherkasy Region from Regional Gov. Ihor Taburets.

Hrybov was one of a handful of sailors manning the defenses of Snake Island in the Black Sea during the early hours of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month.

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CHANGE HUNTING IN 2022

I made a late evening run to the grocery store earlier this week. After picking up a few necessities, I went to the cash register, and three people were huddled around the open draw looking at the coins.

After putting my items on the belt, I asked why there were looking at the coins. One looked up and said they were looking for the Maya Angelou quarter, and another said that they were reading about Angelou in high school when their teacher talked about the quarter.

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2023 AMERICAN WOMEN QUARTERS HONOREES

The United States Mint is pleased to announce the following 2023 honorees for the American Women Quarters™ Program:

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COIN DEALER MATTHEW TAVORY

Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of Rome, was the first known coin collector. Contemporary coin collecting began during the Renaissance with Italian scholar Petrarch. It quickly became known as the hobby of kings — as only the very wealthy could afford it.

Nowadays, the collectible coin market has gained popularity during the pandemic. A number of young hobbyists are turning the recent coin boom into a business.

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LOOSE CHANGE: APRIL 3, 2022

Shinplasters

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