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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: Jeff Dickerson, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 578, Weatherford, TX 76086 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Jeff 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 Watch here for upcoming auctions

 

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 JUNE 1, 2025

New subscribers this week include: Eric Jensen of Calgary, AB, Canada, courtesy Ron Greene; Welcome aboard! We now have 7,237 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 three new books, two new Banknote Book chapters, a review, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, and more.

Other topics this week include Roman and Swedish coins, electrum coinage, new coin albums, auction previews, cardboard chits, the medals of Franz Ferdinand, coin designer Jennifer McKenna, and a Dickin medal.

To learn more about Riksbank's banknotes, Polish banknotes, doubled date Liberty Seated half dollars, WWII Nazi banknote counterfeits, the Higgins Museum, reverse proofs, Francis X. Lepère, 1864 Interest Bearing Notes, John Adams Bolen medals, Paul Manship bronzes, Frank Vittor water fountains, Allegheny Bridge Company foot passage tickets, Westinghouse medals, and Andy Warhol's money art, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

NEW BOOK: ROME - THE LEGACY

Rome - The Legacy - Coins as Storytellers
Roberto Delzanno (Author)

Author Roberto Delzanno describes his new book that uses ancient coins to tell stories about Rome.

"Rome - The Legacy - Coins as Storytellers is a book deeply rooted in my passionate relationship with ancient history and its significance for Western civilization. My ambition is to convey a thrilling, captivating, inspiring, and sometimes harrowing history narrated through the reverse sides of the coins. My sincere hope is that this will inspire collectors as well as historically interested readers in the intriguing realm of numismatics. I hope that this book will be a substantial contribution to recruiting new collectors and fostering growth for numismatics.

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NEW BOOK: SWEDISH COIN YEARBOOK 2025

Mint Yearbook 2025 - A5, paperback, color - approx. 550 pages - MINTS YEARBOOK 2025 - Now in stock for immediate delivery!

The COIN YEARBOOK is printed in color and published as a paperback in A5 format and catalogs all national Swedish coins from the Viking Age, the Middle Ages and up to the present day, as well as the Riksbank's banknotes from 1666 to the present day. The paperback version is SVERIGES GULDMYNT 1512-2020 and SVERIGES MYNTBOK 995-2022 compressed and uses the same serial number system to easily identify the coins. The COIN YEARBOOK 2025 is heavily revised with the latest price updates compared to the previous edition of the COIN YEARBOOK 2022. Many new variants have been added. The COIN YEARBOOK is a living document that handles all changes on an ongoing basis to give you as a customer maximum benefit and insight into changes in the market.

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NEW BOOK: POLISH BANKNOTES, 19TH EDITION

Janusz Parchimowicz:
Catalogue of Polish and Polish-related banknotes

284 pages, each note mostly shown front and back in color,
Format 12 x 18.5 cm, hardcover,
19. completely revised and supplemented
Edition, Szczecin 2023,
Price 130 zloty (approx. 30.50 €)
ISBN: 978-83-87355-09-8

The 19th edition of the 2025 Polish Banknote Catalogue has been published every two years and features a reduced number of pages. The 2025 book ends with the Chapter 10 (Replicas). This time, the 0-euro notes are not included. The tables, which were Chapter XII in the 2023 book, are this time separated into a small booklet, which is discussed separately. All prices are given in Polish zloty (PLN). The Polish currency has maintained its value steadily; 100 PLN is equivalent to approximately €23.50.

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BANKNOTE BOOK BADEN, WURTTEMBERG CHAPTERS

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BOOK REVIEW: ELECTRUM

ELECTRUM AND THE INVENTION OF COINAGE
Joseph Linzalone

I have always been interested in electrum coinage, but unfortunately have never owned one. There are a small number of books on the subject and most of the books are relatively expensive, up to and above $200. These books are not readily available off the shelf and I am hesitant to purchase one sight unseen. I met a dealer at the last Ogden show with two copies of this book and I was able to flip through it and was impressed so I purchased a copy. The price was $95 which is still fairly expensive but after looking at it I made the purchase.

Although written in 2011 the information was what I was looking for. The title "Electrum and The Invention of Coinage" is very accurate as electrum was indeed the first coinage in the world dating from 660 BC in Ionia and Lydia in what is now western Turkey.

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NNP ADDS BILL BUGERT DOUBLED DATE CENSUS

Newman Portal Adds Bill Bugert Doubled Date Census

Bill Bugert is well-known as the authority on Liberty Seated half dollar (1839-1891) varieties and has published well over a thousand die marriages in his ongoing series, A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties, with six volumes published to date. In addition, Bugert maintains separate censes on the more notable issues in this series, including the rare 1878-S. Bill has developed an extensive network of contacts with the Liberty Seated half dollar community, and any public appearance of an example will not go unnoticed. Bill’s pedigrees are lengthy, and the bar to offer a new coin as "fresh to the market" is exceptionally high. Bill’s latest publication, A Register of 1849 WB-6 Dramatically Doubled Date Liberty Seated Half Dollars, represents a census of the 38 known examples of the WB-6 variety and includes photographs of nearly every piece. Such studies are necessarily involved but deliver more reliable population information than provided by the grading service reports.

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NAZI BANKNOTE COUNTERFEITS DURING WWII

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JUNE 1, 2025

Cut Half Dime Mystery Solved
Regarding a great item he brought to our Nummis Nova dinner last week, John Kraljevich writes:

To read the complete article, see:
1795 H10C LM-3 (Regular Strike) (https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1795-h10c-lm-3/38587)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: MAY 25, 2025 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n21a21.html)

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WHITMAN RELEASES NEW PRESTIGE COIN ALBUMS

The wait is over. Whitman Brands™ proudly announces the debut of Whitman Prestige™, an all-new premium coin album line designed with the modern collector in mind. Following months of anticipation and chatter across the numismatic community, Prestige redefines what it means to store and showcase a coin collection — combining elevated aesthetics with trusted functionality.

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VOCABULARY TERMS: REVERSE PROOF, SHADOW

Reverse Proof. A proof finish of the entire coin or medal’s surface with reflective mirror-like surface on the devices and lettering only with background or field in a satin matte finish. It is the "reverse" of the customary cameo proof where the devices are satin matte, and background is proof polished (because this area is highest in the die, it is easiest to proof polish).

The Royal Canadian Mint was first to issue coins in reverse proof in 1981. It struck gold Maple Leaf bullion coins that year with the new proof polishing technique, calling it "brilliant relief on a satin background." Other countries followed – Great Britain, Austria, Australia – and the United States in 2006. The choice of the two proof surfaces are to give contrast to each other on the same side of a coin or medal.

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FRANCIS XAVIER LEPERE (1822-1906)

The topic this week was suggested by Len Augsburger. Len’s interest comes from a letter to Lepère found in the Eric Newman files.

Francis X. Lepère was born in St. Louis on September 7, 1822, the son of Martin Le Père (1794-1862) and Elizabeth Spaulding (1799-1884). Martin was an early settler in St. Louis with holdings in real estate and a successful grocery business.

Francis was employed as a clerk for David Nicholson before starting business as a retail grocer. Lepère promoted his business with small ads in the local English and German language newspapers as early as 1847. In the early 1870’s, he ran ads in The Times of Shreveport, Louisiana. These might catch the attention of people heading upriver before travelling west.

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TREASURE TALK WITH BOB EVANS, EPISODE 5.1

It is safe to say that we have all experienced rust. Rust is common everywhere. Everyone has grabbed some dirty object only to find their hands soiled with the reddish-brown stains of iron oxide. While it may seem odd to talk about rust in an article about treasure, the reader should realize that the greatest lost treasure in United States history sat for decades in a rusty world.

Hundreds of tons of iron were used in the construction of the S.S. George Law, the steamship that would see its name changed to Central America in June of 1857. At the bottom of the sea, over the course of 13 decades, the massive engines and boilers of the great steamer were transformed into ghostly monuments, reduced to rusty hulks, appearing to melt into the surrounding seafloor. Both chemical and biological agents were responsible for the scene we found in September of 1988.

I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. What we saw was the aftermath of a disaster that took hundreds of human lives, an appalling tragedy. My intention has always been to honor the memory of those 425 men who were lost, and the legacy of the 153 survivors, whose lives were changed forever by the Great Storm of 1857. There is a profound spiritual element involved in working on this important site.

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SOVEREIGN RARITIES: HIGHCLIFF PART II

There have been some wonderful opportunities for historical medal enthusiasts over the past few weeks. NAC in association with David Guest Numismatic’s Traveller Collection followed by Sincona’s British Collection Auction 96 have offered spectacular medals in a field where collectors are all too often thwarted by the lack of supply. Underbidders and discerning collectors alike will therefore want to know that Sovereign Rarities will offer Part II of the outstanding Highcliff Collection on June 11 in Auction 18. Featuring earlier medals than Highcliff Part I, the medals are once again of the very highest quality available and with some impressive provenances too.

Auction 18 is available online on the Sovereign Rarities website as well as number of auction platforms. Some highlights from the Highcliff Collection are listed below and highlights from the coins in Auction 18 will be discussed in a separate advertorial to follow.

Lot 411: Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588, struck silver Medal by Gerhard van Bijlaer, Philip II of Spain, and the heads of the Catholic Church and state, blindfolded, seated in discussion, their feet on a spiked floor, O. COECAS. HOMINVM. MENTES. O. PECTORA. COECA. [Oh the blind minds of men, oh the blind hearts], DVRVM. EST. CONTRA. STIMVLOS. CALCITRARE [It is hard to kick against goads], rev., the Spanish fleet, some foundering on rocks, TV. DEVS. MAGNVS. ET. MAGNA. FACIS TV. SOLVS. DEVS, VENI. VIDE. VIVE. 1588 [You God are great and do great things, You God alone. Come. See. Live. 1588], 51mm, 45.77g (Eimer 56a; MI i 144/111; Van Loon I, p. 384, i.). Insignificant light rubbing/tooling in fields, trace of old mount at 12 o'clock on reverse, otherwise toned and extremely fine, very rare.

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ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL SALE 103

Ottawa, Canada, May 1st, 1912, $5, DC-21c, Issued banknote, No Seal, Prefix B, Black with blue undertint, locomotive L-R through countryside, Various | Boville signatures, S/N B465023, PMG graded Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ. This 1912 $5 Dominion of Canada note is a beautiful example of early Canadian currency. The note features crisp, original paper with sharp design details and excellent margins. The front of the note depicts a highly detailed scene of a steam locomotive, symbolizing Canada's industrial development at the time, with the iconic "DOMINION OF CANADA" inscription across the top. The serial number B465023 is printed in red, contributing to its visual appeal. The reverse side of the note showcases intricate vignettes and patterns with the denomination "FIVE DOLLARS" prominently displayed. An exceptional note missing from most collections in this high grade designation.

To read the complete item description, see:
Ottawa, Canada, May 1st, 1912, $5, DC-21c, Issued banknote, No Seal, Prefix B, Black with blue undertint, locomotive L-R through countryside, Various | Boville signatures, S/N B465023, PMG graded Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ. (https://auction.archivesinternational.com/Dominion-of-Canada-1912-5-High-Grade-Issued-Banknote_i56733912)

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STACK'S BOWERS: JOHN ADAMS BOLEN MEDALS

Undated (ca. 1861) Pioneer Baseball Club Medal. By John Adams Bolen. Musante JAB-1. Copper. MS-64 RB (PCGS). 31.5 mm. Handsome red and brown surfaces with intense orange red around the letters of the obverse legend. Gentle blue and green iridescence accents the centers, the reverse being a bit more mellow brown overall but still featuring the same pleasing accent colors. Traces of reflective character remain in the fields. A few trivial patina spots are noted for accuracy, but the eye appeal and overall quality are excellent. All details are boldly struck up with evidence of double striking on the reverse. A prized medal in the Bolen series, indeed, one of the most beloved, and the medal that initiated Bolen's career as a medalist.

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WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: JUNE 1, 2025, PART ONE

Bishop's Beauties
First, I'd like to wrap up a loose end from last week's diary. I'd been so busy pulling together last week's issue that I'd forgotten to send a draft of my diary article to those who'd attended the May dinner meeting of my Northern Virginia numismatic social group, Nummis Nova. As a result I didn't manage to publish these images of some nice toned type coins brought to the event by Steve Bishop.

Pittsburgh Bound
My plans this week expanded gradually. Originally I planned to take off work Thursday and Friday to visit my sister in Pittsburgh and take in the PAN Show. Then I made plans for the PAN Banquet Thursday night and added Wednesday so I could still see my sister. As the date got closer I looked at the calendar and realized Monday was the Memorial Day holiday, so I decided to take Tuesday and have the whole week off.

I had no particular plans for Tuesday, but after reading a Washington Post article and learning about the city's new AI Strike Team I reached out to the group's Executive Director and soon I had a lunch meeting planned for Tuesday. I'd worked at Pittsburgh's first artificial intelligence company, a Carnegie Mellon University spinoff. In the intervening years AI's star waned and waxed again, and today there's a big tech presence including Google, Duolingo, Nvidia and several startups. Many of the firms congregate in Bakery Square, a development of office and commercial space built in and around an old bakery building.

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WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: JUNE 1, 2025, PART TWO

The Andy Warhol Museum
I came looking for some of Warhol's money-related works, but I'll open with his iconic Marilyn Monroe.

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CHIT CHAT: IRELAND'S OLD STAR HOTEL

The purpose of this column, which I hope to make a regular feature of Civil War Era Numismatics, is to explore what is probably the least collected type of numismatic items emanating from the Civil War era; the rectangular cardboard chit. I can think of three reasons for this. First of all, there is no catalog to tell you whether a chit is common, scarce, or rare. Secondly, these chits are generally undated, so you can’t always know that they unquestionably fall into the 1861-1865 time frame. And finally, condition is often less than what you might want.

While it is true that there is no catalog, that is also part of the attraction, at least in my view. That’s one of the reason why chits are quite a bit less expensive than their metallic counterparts. You can’t look a piece up in a recent catalog and find out if it is a rarity 4, rarity 7, or even an undiscovered type. Realistically that isn’t a problem, since with the exception of one or two types, ALL cardboard chits are rare, and a significant percentage of them are probably unique.

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FRANZ FERDINAND'S MEDALS, PART ONE

June 28 of this year will mark the 111th anniversary of the assassination in Sarajevo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife Sophie. Their murder set off a chain of events that culminated in the first World War.

I became interested in Franz Ferdinand at an early age. When I was growing up, one of the books in the household was a picture history of the world and it contained the iconic image of the couple leaving the Sarajevo city hall just minutes before they were killed. Over the years, I've assembled a small collection of medals related to Franz Ferdinand and the upcoming anniversary seems a good time to share it.

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FRANZ FERDINAND'S MEDALS, PART TWO

In June of 1914 Franz Ferdinand visited Bosnia. On June 26 and 27 as Army Inspector General, he took part in maneuvers in the mountains near Sarajevo while Sophie stayed in Ilidza, a spa near the city. On the morning of June 28 they arrived in Sarajevo from Ilidza to spend the day before departing for home.

Also in Sarajevo was a small terrorist cell comprised mainly of young Bosnian Serbs committed to killing Franz Ferdinand which they hoped would lead to Bosnian independence or its union with Serbia.

On the morning of June 28th, on their way to a reception at city hall. one of the plotters threw a bomb at the imperial couple’s vehicle. It detonated after their car had passed, injuring multiple bystanders as well as an Austrian officer riding in a vehicle that was behind them.

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NOONANS TO SELL DICKIN MEDAL

Judy was awarded a Dickin Medal, also known as an Animal Victoria Cross, for her actions thwarting a night-time terrorist attack on British officers in Palestine in 1946.

She also saved the life of her severely wounded brother Punch during the same incident.

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LOOSE CHANGE: JUNE 1, 2025

Coin Designer Jennifer McKenna

For over a decade, coin designer Jennifer McKenna has crafted creative and beautifully designed coins for The Perth Mint. Although McKenna stays busy creating new designs—including her latest creation, a new interpretation of the famed "Australian Brumby" series—the designer generously answered questions for World Coin News about her start in the industry, her dream coin, and much more.

WCN: What is your process like when designing a coin? Are there specific details that are needed?

JM: My process starts off with a mixture of research and rough sketches. I try to figure out what works and what doesn’t. You might say, I’m digging for ideas until I hit gold! As for the specific details, it’s crucial to know what size the coin is going to be. The larger the coin, the more details I get to squeeze in.

WCN: What is it like to work for The Perth Mint? How long have you worked there?

JM: I have worked at The Perth Mint for almost 12 years now, a full lunar cycle! This is one way of measuring time here because of the ongoing popularity of our Lunar coin series, which features the 12 animals of the Lunar zodiac. My favorite part of the job is working with my team of designers. We all have our different styles and personalities, but we manage to learn from each other and grow as creative professionals.

To read the complete article, see:
Interview with Perth Mint Coin Designer, Jennifer McKenna (https://www.numismaticnews.net/interview-with-jennifer-mckenna)

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ABOUT THIS ISSUE: JUNE 1, 2025

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