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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 can go to the following web page Subscribe You may Unsubscribe Here 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 Kolbe & Fanning November 22, 2025

 

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 NOVEMBER 16, 2025

New subscribers this week include: Patrick Weiher, courtesy Ron Guth, and Matthew Schafer, courtesy Pete Smith. Welcome aboard! We now have 6,767 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 Kolbe & Fanning numismatic literature sale highlights, three new books, two reviews, two obituaries, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, and more.

Other topics this week include the birth of the Sovereign, the birth of the Dollar, the death of the U.S. Cent, Montroville Dickeson, L. W. Hoffecker, auction previews, and the AMSA Medals250 Project.

To learn more about Russian medals, the Peter Mougey and Lorin G. Parmelee collections, the plantation tokens of British North Borneo, the history of money, Massachusetts coppers, the Coinage Act of 1965, the 1818 Chowder Market Club tokens, satin finish, the 1658 Oliver Cromwell halfcrown, and the guide dog who visited the most money museums, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

KOLBE & FANNING NOVEMBER 2025 SALE HIGHLIGHTS

Kolbe & Fanning's 175th auction sale of rare and out of print numismatic literature will take place on Saturday, November 22, 2025, starting at 12:00 noon eastern time. Featuring the outstanding library on Russian numismatics formed by Igor Shneyderov, the sale also includes useful and infrequently encountered works on ancient, world and U.S. coins, with excellent American and British material from the library of John Hoskins.

Some highlights of this first sale include:

 

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NEW BOOK: PLANTATION TOKENS OF BRITISH NORTH BORNEO

In the 2001 edition Plantation, Merchant, and Mining Money of the Netherlands East Indies, authors: A.J. Lansen and L.T. Wells jr., some additional tokens from British North Borneo were added.

In recent years it has become increasingly clear that a reworking of the existing data and a new numbering was desirable. A large number of the, so-called , LaWe numbers therefore have been discontinued.

This book describes a total of twenty-two different plantations and companies, including six new ones. As far as possible, after extensive research, the interesting plantation and company history has also been described, to the extent that this could still be traced. Six new chapters have been added to the overview drawn up by Mr Saran Singh. (second edition 1996)

A total of 117 tokens are now described in this book. Also thirteen wrongly attributed Estate tokens to British North Borneo are described.

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NEW BOOK: COIN FINDS IN THE ROMAN NORTHWEST

The American Numismatic Society is pleased to announce the release of an exciting new publication in our Numismatic Notes and Monographs series: Coin Finds and Monetization in the Roman Northwest.

The expansion of Rome into northwestern Europe brought with it the presence and the increased usage of coinage both within the empire and in the Barbaricum. Coin Finds and Monetization in the Roman Northwest presents a study of coin finds and the monetary economy of northwestern continental Europe over much of the Roman period (c. 50 bc–ad 274). One of the largest datasets of coin finds ever assembled is deployed to analyze distribution patterns and fluctuations over time and space. It is clear that the Roman state made a concerted effort to manage coinage and the monetary economy during its rule in northwestern Europe, to the extent that was possible. Regionality is, however, a key feature of the coined monetary economy that resulted from deliberate action or the state's inability to respond to demand, underscoring how centralized and empire-wide factors had an impact in the study region.

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NEW BOOK: THE HISTORY OF MONEY

In this fresh, eye-opening global history, economist David McWilliams charts the relationship between humans and money-from clay tablets in Mesopotamia to cryptocurrency in Silicon Valley.

The story of humanity is inextricable from that of money. No innovation has defined our own evolution so thoroughly and changed the direction of our planet's history so dramatically. And yet despite money's primacy, most of us don't truly understand it.

As leading economist David McWilliams shows, money is central to every aspect of our civilization, from the political to the artistic. "Money defines the relationship between worker and employer, buyer and seller, merchant and producer. But not only that: it also defines the bond between the governed and the governor, the state and the citizen. Money unlocks pleasure, puts a price on desire, art and creativity. It motivates us to strive, achieve, invent and take risks. Money also brings out humanity's darker side, invoking greed, envy, hatred, violence and, of course, colonialism."

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BOOK REVIEW: THE HISTORY OF MONEY

Review of ‘The History of Money' by David McWilliams.

"Imagine money falling from the sky. Would you slip a tenner into your pocket before you told anyone? Chances are, most of us would trouser a few notes rather than inform the authorities." This is the opening of economist and banker David McWilliams's rollicking history of money, and his description of Operation Bernhard, the Nazi campaign to destabilize Britain by flooding the country with counterfeit cash.

Lenin tried a similar ploy in Russia. Despite having different political beliefs, they "both understood the phenomenal power of money: undermine money and you undermine the fabric of society."

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BOOK REVIEW: CENTS AND HALF CENTS OF MASSACHUSETTS

This past weekend I obtained a copy of Mike Packard's new book about Massachusetts Cents and Half Cents. Now we have the standard reference book for all of the state coppers of the Confederation period. For over the past 30 years I have been encouraging (Mike may say harassing) Mike to publish this book, as everyone in the colonial coin arena recognizes him as THE expert on the topic. I was so desperate for this book that I made a book for myself using articles Mike published and handout material from his many presentations. I obtained online images and voila! - A Mass Copper book by Mike Packard. I showed it to him and told him he's already written the book. But he wanted much more than what I consolidated from his works.

Well, it's here! 280+ pages. The book covers so much information. I'd be hard pressed to think of anything that the book doesn't cover on topic - the need, the legislations, the finances, the people, the mint, the designs, die variety attributions, rarity, etc. The front part of the book is an easy read for a snowy evening when there's nothing good to watch on the 300+ channels you pay for. Just brew a fresh pot of coffee and relax with the book in your recliner...

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BALDWIN (2012-2025)

From 2014 until about 2022, I was traveling with my guide dog, Baldwin. He has been to 12 money museums, in 6 countries and 11 cities.

On October 20th, at the age of 13, he died. While it is not a blog about my guide dog, I still felt appropriate to post this, since many of you who read the blog or the newsletter met him in person. Also, without his passionate work, I don't think I would have been able to visit all the places we have been to.

Though I don't have any evidence, but I think I can claim that Baldwin was the dog who visited the most coin and money museums. Since I wrote about all of my numismatic travels, you can read about our trips, here is the list of museums we have been together, mostly in chronological order from 2016 until 2022.

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THOMAS E. KLUNZINGER (1944-2025)

Thomas E. Klunzinger of East Lansing was born September 11, 1944 in Ann Arbor and passed away on November 13, 2025 in Lansing. He was the son of Willard and Eileen Klunzinger. He lived an eventful if somewhat mis-spent life. Music was always significant for him, as he wrote his first song at age 6; was self-taught in composition; wrote 11 musicals and over a dozen plays, most of which were presented in New York and Los Angeles, in addition to Michigan.

He always depended on the kindness of arrangers. He won the 2011 CTAM Playwriting Competition. He survived numerous mishaps around the world, including a typhoon in Tahiti, arrest in the Peoples Republic of Benin and jumping off a moving train in London. He quickly fell into the family tradition of public service, first running for Congress in Detroit, twice elected to the Meridian Township Board and appointed to the U.S. Assay Commission by President Nixon. He was Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer (at different times) of the Ingham County Republican Party. He was a 50 year member of several numismatic societies and was the only person to win the MSNS Best of Show award in each of six different decades. He was Secretary-Treasurer of The Lansing Coin Club for over 30 years.

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FANTASTIC 1804 DOLLAR BOOK ERROR FOUND

John Kraljevich Uncovers Rare Error in The Fantastic 1804 Dollar

With the recent discovery of the James A. Stack 1804 dollar, researchers have been poring through existing research on the "King of American Coins," and one such effort led to the discovery of an errant footnote in Eric P. Newman and Ken Bressett's The Fantastic 1804 Dollar (1962). John Kraljevich correctly notes the footnote on p. 79, referring to The Numismatist (August 1961), should instead specify The Numismatic Scrapbook.

Ironically, it was a mistaken citation that launched Newman's investigation into the 1804 dollar. As Joel Orosz wrote in the Newman biography Truthseeker: The Life of Eric P. Newman: "The index for The Numismatist [which at that time covered 1888-1938] revealed no pertinent articles for 1804 and 1805 dollars, just two on the subject of 1904 and 1905 dollars. Newman therefore delved into original sources in order to piece together the true history of these coins. Only later did he learn that the index was in error; that The Numismatist had published two articles on the topic of these 1804 and 1805 dollars…and that his old mentor, Burdette Johnson, had already denounced both dollars [the Zerbe / Ostheimer examples] as frauds." Had Newman been aware of Johnson's previous condemnation of these two coins, his own investigation might have been short-lived.

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VIDEO: COINAGE ACT OF 1965

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THE U.S. MINTS ITS FINAL CENTS

The first coin of the realm reached its last moment.

The U.S. Mint struck the final five U.S. pennies Wednesday afternoon, ending the country's 232-year history of making one-cent pieces.

"All right everybody, this is the last one," U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said before pushing the button that formed President Abraham Lincoln's image on a gleaming planchet. "God bless America, and we're going to save the taxpayers $56 million."

Treasury officials created Wednesday's artisanal batch of pennies months after the Mint's 12-pennies-per-second production ended. They all bear a special omega mark above Lincoln's shoulder. Worth far more than 1/100th of a dollar, the pennies were closely guarded by a Mint police officer once they emerged from the machine.

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MORE ON THE DEATH OF THE CENT

The American penny died on Wednesday in Philadelphia. It was 232.

The cause was irrelevance and expensiveness, the Treasury Department said.

Nothing could be bought any more with a penny, not even penny candy. Moreover, the cost to mint the penny had risen to more than 3 cents, a financial absurdity that doomed the coin.

The final pennies were minted on Wednesday afternoon in Philadelphia. Top Treasury officials were on hand for its final journey. No last words were recorded.

With the penny's demise, coin enthusiasts' worried eyes now turn toward its longtime associate, the nickel. Its purchasing power has also shrunk to nearly nothing, and it costs more than a dime to make.

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MERCHANTS AND BANKERS SEEK PENNY GUIDANCE

Burger King operator Gary Andrzejewski isn't waiting around. The armored car service he uses recently cut off his penny deliveries, so Andrzejewski is stockpiling them, asking employees to pick up rolls when any of them head to the bank.

Andrzejewski's company now has 30 boxes of pennies squirreled away. If he's lucky, the stash will get his Baltimore-area locations through two months of transactions.

"I don't think anyone has any idea of what they are doing right now," Andrzejewski said.

Holly Elizabeth Tinervin was stunned to find a sign in a Decatur, Ill., Burger King warning of their penny shortage, and that checks would be rounded up or down to the nearest nickel. Her large coffee, normally $2.23, ended up costing $2.25.

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: NOVEMBER 16, 2025

Double Large Cent Love Token?
Responding to Matt Hansen's question, Ted Puls writes:

Matt Hansen writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: NOVEMBER 9, 2025 : Query: Spiked Large Cent Pair (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n45a08.html)

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THE PHOTOGRAPH OF "MONTROVILLE DICKESON"

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VOCABULARY TERM: SATIN FINISH

Satin Finish. A medium reflective surface between lustrous and dull. On medallic surfaces this is produced by very light scratch brushing. Silversmiths and antique dealers call this surface butler's finish on silver objects from years of light polishing (and minute abrasion). Such a satin finish can be produced chemically by a patented process developed by James H. Reilly of Brooklyn Silver Company. None of these should be applied to coins, however these can be applied to medallic pieces (if so intended by the artist). Satin finish is more reflective than matte; and less reflective than bright dip or glossy luster. See reflectiveness.

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LYMAN WILLIAM HOFFECKER (1868-1955)

Last week The E-Sylum had an item about the papers of Lyman Hoffecker. There was a good biography of him in The E-Sylum of April 30, 2017. I will try to add a little that was not in that article.

His full name was seldom mentioned in The Numismatist. He was just referred to as L. W. Hoffecker. He was born on September 27, 1868, in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. In 1870, the town population was 953. He was the son of Hiram Hamaan Hoffecker (1839-1912) and Hannah Evert Mack (1836-1906). His father was a carriage maker and Postmaster.

He started collecting coins in 1886 while working at the Post Office in Dalton, Pennsylvania.

He married Cora Knapp (1868-1915) and had a daughter. His second marriage was to Sara Jane Watkins (1889-1954) on September 22, 1917.

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KUENKER AUCTION SALE 436

As eLive Premium Auction 436, this is now the 10th part of the Dr. W. R. collection to be offered by Künker. This time, the material covers the Roman coins from Macrinus to Julian of Pannonia. Experts often refer to the period from 217 to 285 as the era of the barracks emperors.

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EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY NOV. 22, 2025 SALE

JOHN NIXON (1733-1808). Brigadier General, On July 8, 1776 Patriot John Nixon made the very First Public Proclamation Reading of the Declaration of Independence, read from the steps of the Pennsylvania State House, General George Washington's Aide-de-Camp; Financier and Official Director of of the Bank of North America of Philadelphia, who served as a Militia Officer in the American Revolutionary War, and Chairman of the Committee of Safety. March 1, 1769, Province of Pennsylvania, Three Pounds / Sixty Shillings dual denomination, Plate B, Colonial Current Indented Bill. Fr. PA-133, PCGS graded Very Fine-25. Small Edge Repair as noted and illustrated, printed on rag period paper, Signed by "J. Nixon", "Tho. Wharton", and "Jos. Richardson".

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ST. JAMES AUCTION 114

Almoravids, ‘Ali b. Yusuf, gold dinar, al-Mariya, AH.528, wt. 4.16gms. (A.466.2; Hazard 354), minor crease, about uncirculated with much lustre

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TREASURE FINDS IN ENGLAND REACH RECORD HIGH

Treasure finds in England have hit a record high, with a lamp shaped like a human foot and an earwax scoop among the more unusual items unearthed.

Provisional government figures recorded by the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme show 1,446 discoveries in England in 2024 - up from 1,266 the previous year.

A treasure find can include multiple items, and eastern England has proved the jewel in the nation's crown, with 388 finds last year.

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THE BIRTH OF THE SOVEREIGN

On 28 October 1489, a royal order was issued to mint a new gold coin of 20 shillings. The new coin was to be called "sovereign", and it was set to permanently alter the image the English had of their king. On 24 November 2025, NGSA will auction a specimen of this iconic coin, which is of the utmost historical and monetary importance.

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THE BIRTH OF THE DOLLAR

After more than 230 years, the US stopped minting the penny this week. But long before that, the first dollar was coined – and it was created in a one-road town far away from the USA.

The US dollar is the most widely used currency in the world. It is both the primary de facto global tender and the world's unofficial gold standard. According to the Federal Reserve, 58% of the planet's financial reserves are held in US dollars – more than double the total foreign holdings of euros, yen and renminbi combined. Thirty-one nations have either adopted it as their official currency or named their money after it; 65 countries peg the value of their currencies to it; and it's now accepted in places as far-flung as North Korea, Siberia and research stations on the North Pole.

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THE AMSA MEDALS250 PROJECT

Here's your chance to help determine the winner of the Medals250 project. Sponsored by AMSA (American Medallic Sculptors Association). Vote now for the best medal commemorating the 250th anniversary of America's Independence.

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LOOSE CHANGE: NOVEMBER 16, 2025

Silver Coin Windfall?

My mother read a story that I wrote for The Wall Street Journal last month about silver-futures prices breaking a 45-year-old record. She mentioned her own small stash of silver coins and was ready to cash in.

The silver value of a quarter minted in 1964 or before is more than $8. A dime of similar vintage can be melted down into 0.0723 troy ounce of the precious metal, worth roughly $3.50. Old silver dollars and half-dollar coins fetch even more.

You probably won't be handed the most valuable silver coins by a cashier. They are more likely in that jar of change your grandfather kept, or in your mother's safe-deposit box.

My great-grandfather gave my mom and her siblings silver dollars and half-dollars on their birthdays, and said not to spend them because they would rise in value. She was a child, so she didn't always heed that advice.

But years later, she recalled his instructions when she was counting down the cash drawer at our family's hardware store in suburban Cleveland and when she worked as a bank teller at her local PNC branch. If she saw a particularly old coin or one larger than a quarter, she bought it for face value.

To read the complete article, see:
My Mom's Been Stashing Silver Coins. Would Record Prices Land Her a Windfall? (https://www.wsj.com/finance/commodities-futures/my-moms-been-stashing-silver-coins-would-record-prices-land-her-a-windfall-ba609a29?st=uwceMq)

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ABOUT THIS ISSUE: NOVEMBER 16, 2025

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