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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 Kolbe & Fanning February 25, 2023 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 FEBRUARY 19, 2023

New subscribers this week include: Eric Vickers. Welcome aboard!

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 numismatic literature sale highlights, the loss of a centenarian numismatist, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, a U.S. Colored Troops medal, and more.

Other topics this week include the Bessie Coleman quarter launch, the ANA Summer Seminar and founder George Heath, mintmarks, coin bags, James Allaire Millholland, fixed price and auction previews, a hidden coin image, a Nobel Prize medal, and Otis Kaye's coin collection.

To learn more about Attinelli's Numisgraphics, Washington medals, the Robbins company, Steve Ivy, Jeff Garrett, Augustine Shurtleff, Robert Lovett Jr., and a 160-year-old mystery, the Murdoch Mysteries, the Pact of Malice medal, Church Money, White the Hatter, Egyptian Hair Coloring, Adelaide Assay Office gold ingots, ligatures, control marks, and points secrets, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

MORE KOLBE & FANNING SALE 166 HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights from February 25 Sale

On Saturday, February 25, Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers will be holding our next auction of rare and out-of-print numismatic literature. The sale features a wide variety of desirable works on coins, medals, and paper money from all times and places, plus a special selection of items from the archives of the illustrious French engraver Augustin Dupré, whose works include the famous Libertas Americana medal, the new decimal coinage following the French Revolution, the Diplomatic Medal, and the Comitia Americana medals for Nathanael Greene, John Paul Jones and Daniel Morgan.

Some highlights of the sale include:

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KAY EDGERTON LENKER (1922-2023)

Ken Berger writes:

Catharine R. Fean was born in Philadelphia on November 29, 1922. Her father was a mail carrier, Albin J. Fean, and her mother was also named Catharine R. (1898-1989). She received a B.A. from Immaculata in 1944 and an M.A, from San Diego State University in 1976.

Kay was certified as a meteorologist in 1945 and served on active duty in the U. S. Navy from 1944 to 1954. She retired from the Navy Reserves with the rank of Captain. She then worked with the United States Weather Bureau from 1955 to 1958 and with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography 1958 to 1978. She continued working as a consulting meteorologist 1978 to 1981.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON TRIBUTES

George Washington Tributes

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1928 ROBBINS COMPANY CATALOG DIGITIZED

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VIDEO: 1986 LONG BEACH EXPO

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JEFF GARRETT INTERVIEW, PART TWO

Greg Bennick: It's funny you mentioned the 100 Greatest. I actually bought the fifth edition last night, and the reason was yesterday, in anticipation of the interview, I was reading the copy I've had for years and years and I was looking at it, I was like oh, the 1913 Liberty nickel, I gotta ask him about the 1913 Liberty nickel. And then in the first edition, it says only the location of only four of these is known. I'm like, it's probably time for me to get an updated edition, so I bought the fifth last night. I was going to ask about valuations because there's so many different factors I assume that go into valuation. Meaning if someone came to me in five minutes with an 1804 dollar and said, What's it worth? Is it worth $50,000? I'd say well it's worth a lot more than $50,000. But how do I know that? Meaning, I know that because people have paid that, I know that because there's a collective agreement that it is worth more, but what are the other factors that go into valuations? And then what about the lesser coins, meaning some random Standing Liberty Quarter that isn't a key date? How are valuations defined for an entire realm of numismatics? It just boggles the mind to think about.

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QUERY: 1863 U.S.COLORED TROOPS MEDAL

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 19, 2023

Query: Warren Harding Inaugural Medal
Website visitor Krzysztof writes:

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
MEDAL & TOKEN MAKER SCHWAAB OF MILWAUKEE (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n13a17.html)
MORE ON THE SCHWAAB COMPANY OF MILWAUKEE (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n15a22.html)
NEW BOOK: SCHWAAB STAMP & SEAL OBSOLETE DIES (https://www.coinbooks.org/v25/esylum_v25n41a03.html)

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BESSIE COLEMAN QUARTER LAUNCH CEREMONY

On Saturday, February 18, 2023, several members of the Chicago Coin Club attended the formal unveiling ceremony of the Bessie Coleman reverse in the series of American Women quarter dollars. The U.S. Mint shared the dias with the DuSable Black History and Education Center staff in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood and the public was welcomed. The DuSable museum is a Smithsonian associate organization.

As described in the Mint's promotional literature, Bessie Coleman was an aviator, advocate, and pioneer who flew to great heights as the first African American and the first Native American woman pilot, as well as the first African American to earn an international pilot's license.

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ANA EXTENDS SUMMER SEMINAR DEADLINE

Apply for an American Numismatic Association SUMMER SEMINAR scholarship! Application deadlines have been extended to February 28. Summer Seminar, June 17-22 & June 24-29, offers collectors of all ages and interests a varied selection of weeklong courses designed for discovery or continued study from instructors who are recognized leaders in their fields. Enjoy seminars and lectures, special events, great food, and optional tours. Full and partial scholarships are available. Visit money.org/summer-seminar for more information.

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ANA FOUNDER DR. GEORGE HEATH

Coin collectors across the U.S. who belong to the American Numismatic Association (ANA) may already be familiar with the role that Dr. George F. Heath has played in the history of coin collecting in America. What they may not be as familiar with are his background as a well-known physician and medical pioneer in Monroe as well as its four-time mayor (1890, 1896, 1897 and 1906).

Heath was born in Warsaw, New York, on Sept. 20, 1850. He married Lucy May Rayhill from St. Clair County, Illinois, on Dec. 25, 1876. The couple had three children – Donald born in 1886, Helen and Charles (born in 1888 and died shortly after birth).

Heath graduated with honors from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1881. He became one of the few new graduates to be appointed a resident physician at the U-M Hospitals. After working for several years in Ann Arbor, Heath moved to Monroe and set up his medical practice on East Front Street in Monroe in 1884. The family settled into their new life in Monroe, and Heath began to lead an active civic life – leading to his first election as mayor of Monroe in 1890.

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VOCABULARY TERM: MINTMARK

Mintmark. A single letter, several letters, monogram or symbol indicating the mint where a coin or medal was made. Location of a mintmark, like that of the artist's signature, is often inconspicuous, but most often found in the lower portion of the design. Some larger items, like medals, have mintmarks on the edge. For coins, the original intent of mintmarking was to indicate responsibility, to identify the maker, infrequently along with the mintmaster's mark, in case the coin was inferior. For numismatists, mintmarks are of extreme importance for attribution. While most mints are called by the name of the city where they are located, it must be remembered it is the plant or mint (or formerly, the workshop) that makes the coins or medals. With some exceptions – like the Zecca Mint in Rome – mints do not have names; they are known by this city name.

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AN ESSAY ON COIN BAGS

During the period of 2003 to 2006, I worked for a rare coin dealer who was affiliated with a bullions dealer I will call Minneapolis Gold and Silver (MGS). I could report extensively on the bullion business but I will limit my comments to discussion of coin bags.

The bullion side did not deal with the general public. The owner did not want to do business with anyone he had not known for thirty years. One of the clients drove around to smaller local dealers to buy up 90% silver coins and other bullion products. Another client was a hotel buyer and convicted felon who had served prison time for racketeering. Our boss was happy to buy his bullion.

These clients and others would bring in junk silver in canvas coin bags. The company had one major customer in the telemarketing business. MGS would take silver out of the used bags and repackage it in new bags marked with the name of our client. The used bags were thrown in a large cardboard box in the garage. Sellers could take used bags to go out and buy more silver.

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GOLD BAGS THROUGH HISTORY

Leather (hide), and cloth bags have been used for gold storage for at least four centuries. Originally hand made and stitched along edges of deer or other available animal hide, the bags served a very specific purpose: to hold an article of very great density, particularly gold, in a manner that would not tear open and spill the contents if dropped. While cloth was an automatic resource, it was not as practical. Thin cloth splits open easily with weighty contents. Coarse weave cloth (canvas and sail cloth) can lose the contents of fine gold dust easily, working its way out through the stitch spaces. Likewise, poor stitching can also cause a quick break in the bag, causing loss of valuable gold contents. For these reasons and more, animal hide was deemed the best material.

Captain Kidd and his Gold Bags

The gold dust bag goes hand in hand with the history of treasure boxes through history. The earliest mention located on gold dust in bags comes from America itself and the story of Captain William Kidd. Kidd was hired in 1696 as a truthful and honest sailing man by private parties in America and England in cooperation with English authorities to stop piracy at sea and prosecute them. He sailed from England in April, 1696 for New York. Instead of an immediate voyage across the Atlantic, he sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, was gone about three years at sea as he got off course and began plundering ships. It is not known fully if he was plundering pirates, or simply became one himself. Nonetheless, he returned to New York at Long Island and proceeded to Gardiner's Bay and Gardiner's Island, where he buried treasure, and left a note with Gardiner himself of the exact location, before leaving to bury other treasure elsewhere, entrusting Mr. Gardiner with his secret, and making the life of the latter the pledge of his fidelity. Kidd burned his ship after a time and released his crew. He went to Boston in 1699 thinking no one knew of his plunders, but was wrong, and was immediately arrested by the order of Governor Bellamont. Bellamont's men soon sought out the various treasures, found Gardiner, and as soon as assured that Kidd was in confinement, Gardiner then divulged the location of the treasure. The papers of the Gardiner family show that the contents of the box were bags of gold dust, bags of gold bars,... ... Kidd was sent to England, tried and condemned.... He was executed May 9, 1701.

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AUGUSTINE SHURTLEFF : ABOUT CENTS

From time to time here at the ANS Library we still get books and other numismatic items from the library of Gordon Frost, a warmly remembered friend of the Society who passed away over 10 years ago. Frost was a devoted collector of numismatic literature, and when he died in 2011, his basement library in Queens was overflowing with it. Thanks to Frost's wife, Rosalie, and the persistent efforts of ANS fellows Normand Pepin and Scott Miller, we have been the recipient of all kinds of interesting items from Frost's collection over the years.

Recently, I was looking through some of the odds and ends that Scott had brought in, and a couple of old newspapers in particular caught my eye. Though they were published nearly 30 years apart, both carry at least a portion of the same column—basically a list and description of varieties of US cents beginning with the first in 1793. The Mohawk Standard of Delta, N.Y. (April 1886) ran it under the title, History of U.S. Cents. The Luzerne Union of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (August 24, 1859), stuck with the original title: About Cents.

In both cases the column is signed A. S., and, if you're like me, you might see those initials and the year 1859 and think, Augustus Sage. But you would be wrong. As discussed a few years ago in the E-Sylum, the writer was Augustine Shurtleff (1826–1901), a Massachusetts physician who helped found the Boston Numismatic Society in 1860. He was a collector of at least some Greek and Roman pieces, as well as American tokens, medals, and coins—these being among the coins in his bequest to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. In 1863, nearly 40 years before he died, some of his collection was sold by W. Elliot Woodward.

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THE JAMES ALLAIRE MILLHOLLAND COLLECTION

Over 170 years of active trading in the numismatic hobby has dispersed most all collections built in the early days of American numismatics. But last summer, a once in a lifetime opportunity presented itself: an amazing collection of U.S. coins built wholly in the 19th century and unseen by numismatists until last year. To use the term fresh to the market would be a gross understatement.

As numismatists, we at Stack's Bowers Galleries are often interested in the history of a collection, especially how it evolved into the finished product that graces the pages of our auction catalogs. Sometimes that history is rich, such as with the famed Garrett and Eliasberg collections, carrying so much associated information behind them that entire books have been written about these American cabinets.

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JAMES ALLAIRE MILLHOLLAND (1842 - 1911)

Born to a heritage of railroad and marine innovation, James Allaire Millholland actively participated in the industrial explosion of the nineteenth century in western Maryland. His career flourished in railroads, first in building ever more efficient locomotives and then as a railroad executive.

His father, James Millholland (1812-1875), was one of the foremost railway master mechanics in the country. In 1829, as an apprentice to a prominent machinist in the B & O Railroad's shops in Reading, Pennsylvania, he helped build (supposedly of spare parts) the first light steam locomotive, the Tom Thumb, to a design of Peter Cooper's. (In the competition between this little engine and a horse pulled car, a belt slipping from a pulley resulted in victory for the horse-powered car.) Millholland, Sr. went on to design innovative locomotives, reconfigure designs, and experiment with ways to improve their propulsion.

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NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: MARCH 2023

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WORLD BANKNOTE AUCTIONS SALE 39 HIGHLIGHTS

World Currency Sale 39 Session 1
Live bidding on
Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 10:00 AM PST

World Currency Sale 39 Session 2 (Timed)
Bidding ends on
Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 3:00 PM PST

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EARLY AMERICAN FEBRUARY 2023 SALE SELECTIONS

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ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL AUCTION 83

ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL AUCTIONS OFFERS HISTORIC U.S., CHINESE & WORLD BANKNOTE COLLECTION ON FEBRUARY 28, 2023.

The auction will be held by Archives International Auctions at their offices in River Edge, N.J.

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DAVISSONS AUCTION 42 ANCIENTS

Our Greek and Roman offerings are anchored by the Patrick Zabel collection, alongside several exceptional consignments, many of which were acquired by the consignors 20 years ago or more. In the Greek section take note of small but beautiful groups of Punic-related issues, Larissa, Sicily, Athens (plus imitative issues), and others.

The Roman section includes a diverse offering of Roman Republican coinage, along with Roman Imperial pieces chosen for their rarity, fine style, and exceptional condition. We have had the opportunity to choose the finest pieces from several carefully assembled collections, and they are on offer here.

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KUENKER SPRING 2023 AUCTION SALES 382-384

Eleven Special Collections at Künker's Spring Auction Sales

As many as eleven special collections will be sold by Künker from 16 to 24 March 2023, including ancient and modern gold coins from the Wolf Collection, denarii of the Roman Republic from the Bauss Collection, Salzburg coins and medals from the Schedel Collection, bracteates from the Fleige Collection, Mainz coins from the Memmesheimer and Beaury Collections, and many more.

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NUMISMATIC NUGGETS: FEBRUARY 19, 2023

1688 Achbishop Sancroft and the Seven Bishops Medal

Archbishop William Sancroft (1617-1693) and the Seven Bishops, 1688, struck silver medal by George Bower, bust of Sancroft right, wearing a cap and clerically robed, GVIL. SANCROFT ARCHIEPISC CANTVAR 1688, rev. medallic portraits and the names of the Bishop of London and the six other imprisoned bishops, edge: SI FRACTUS ILLABATUR ORBIS IMPAUIDOS FERIENT RUIN Æ, 50mm (Eimer 288a; MI i 622/37). Good very fine, rare.

The Bishops depicted on the medal's reverse are Henry Compton [London] shown in the centre, and from the top right clockwise, Francis Turner [Ely], Thomas Ken [Bath], John Trelawney [Bristol], Thomas White [Peterborough], John Lake [Chichester] and William Lloyd [St Asaph].

To read the complete item description, see:
Achbishop Sancroft and the Seven Bishops, 1688. (https://www.sovr.co.uk/products/achbishop-sancroft-and-the-seven-bishops-1688-hm29250)

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ECUADOR – RECENT UNOFFICIAL ISSUES

ECUADOR – Recent Unofficial Issues

The issues listed below have recently been released. This is apparently a new commercial series. As shown below the obverse (tails) is the same for all of the issues. There are two versions; the 38 mm. silver color and the 26 mm. bi-metallic issue. Seemingly the complete series will be the exotic animals of Ecuador and based on the ten different that I have been able to secure they are being issued in alphabetical order.

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'HIDDEN IMAGE' IN NEW KING CHARLES COINS

For years, coins have featured a number of hidden images, much to the delight of those who love to search for them.

In good news for collectors, another surprise is on the way. The experts at Britannia CoiCompany, who buy and sell collectible coins, have spotted a hidden image in the new range of King Charles III coins being released to the UK.

On first glance, it is easy to miss the hidden design. But the pros believe 'you'll never un-see' the latest detail once it has been pointed out to you.

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TALKING TOKENS AT THE 2023 NYINC

For over 10 years, I have attended the NYINC show every January without fail, with the lone exception of 2021, as there was no convention that year due to COVID-19. By attending this show, one really gets a sense for the strength of the numismatic market that year—how active buyers are, how dealers are faring, what material is hot and actively trading, and what inventory is sluggish and slow to move.

So how did this year's show fare? In short, the sense I got from dealers and buyers alike was that it was an all-around positive and successful convention, and more specifically, that the numismatic market remains strong, and in-person attendance is bouncing back. To be sure, the show was more bustling this year compared to the 2022 convention, at least from a visual assessment of the bourse floor on the days I was there (Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14) and the material on view at dealers' booths as well as in the auction rooms was plentiful and diverse, with offerings for many different budgets. A common thread was that finding enough coins of a certain caliber to present to buyers (at least at fixed prices) has remained difficult for dealers, owing to fewer large collections of high-quality material coming into the marketplace, but this has been the case for at least a few years now, and many buyers are well aware that certain types in particularly spectacular condition (rare or otherwise) are almost always destined for auctions first, although many hidden gems can still be found amongst dealer stock.

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NOBEL PRIZE GOLD MEDAL FOR LITERATURE

[Maeterlinck, Mauritius]
Gold diploma and Nobel Prize in Literature medal.
December 10, 1911 .

Gold medal and hand-painted diploma, celebrating the Nobel Prize for Literature awarded to Maerterlinck in 1911.

The only Belgian Nobel Prize for Literature.

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OTIS KAYE'S COIN COLLECTION

OTIS KAYE'S COIN COLLECTION

Undated (1930) "Otis Kaye's Coin Collection" Painting. By Otis Kaye (1885-1974). Oil on Panel.

Approximately 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches. Professionally re-framed in a modern wood frame reminiscent of the middle to late 19th century styles. This is the only difference in the piece between our offerings of this impressive little work in our (Stack's) May 2008 sale, and our March 2020 sale of the D. Brent Pogue Collection. We are pleased to offer it once again in the present sale, described as in our previous presentations with minor edits:

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LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 19, 2023

Adelaide Assay Office Gold Ingot

Adelaide Assay Office gold ingots are among the earliest of Australian numismatic items.

While the Government Assay Office of South Australia filled the need to process an influx of gold, this treatment proved impractical due to the varying weight and fineness of these ingots, coupled with a general lack of circulating standard currency.

Many challenges accompanied the Australian Gold Rush of the 1850s for both miners and the communities they would return to. After months away, droves of individuals would return to their respective towns, Adelaide included, with ample gold in tow.

A necessity to process this gold was immediately apparent, and, under the Bullion Act of the Province, the Government Assay Office of South Australia was authorized.

The Assay Office issued gold ingots, which were to be used to back bank notes circulated by local banks.

To read the complete article, see:
Adelaide Assay Office gold ingot sells for $540,000 (https://www.coinworld.com/news/world-coins/adelaide-assay-office-gold-ingot-sells-for-540-000)

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