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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 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 JANUARY 18, 2026

New subscribers this week include: Zach B. courtesy Craig Sholley; Christie Keene, courtesy Carlos Kearns; and Dusty Dragicevic.

Many thanks to Fred Holabird, who gave us a nice recommendation in a note to his email list, resulting in several new subscribers including Donald Bergstrom, Holly Duin, Craig Ganzer, Bob Otto, and Mike Schafer. Welcome aboard! We now have 6,672 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 four new books, one periodical, a review, three obituaries, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, and more.

Other topics this week include Martin Luther King Jr. medals, Chinese coin dies, The Company Store, the FUN Show, bicentennial twos, Loye Lauder, auction previews, Admiral Vernon, territorial gold, Nobel Prize medals, and Poland's first paper money.

To learn more about the 1794 Large Cent, America's monetary and political landscape of the late 1800s and early 1900s, enameled coins and love tokens, Bill English, Larry Falater, Lucien Birkler, Fred Lange, the numismatic history of Paraguay, the Tax Collectors, the E-Gobrecht, seignorage, brassage, and Beaver Money, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

NEW BOOK: A YEAR IN COPPER: THE 1794 LARGE CENT

Dave Kahn writes:

A Year in Copper: The 1794 Large Cent; History, Provenance, Attribution
by Robert Powers

$125.00

This book aims to bring together the story of the Mint, how the study of die marriages came about, the history of ownership, and to shed light on prominent historical personalities ranging from well-known to lesser known. It is both practical and narrative—meant to help you identify your coins while also giving a broader sense of the people, processes, and circumstances that shaped them. In short, this book combines all the best aspects of the author's prior ‘cut and dry' variety identification guides, while also offering a great deal of additional perspective for those readers who wish to also ‘enjoy' the who, what, when, where, and why of the coin they are holding in their hand.

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NEW BOOK: WHEN COINS WERE KING

When Coins Were King
By: Mike Moran

Whitman Brands™, a leading full-service provider of data, media, and product distribution for the numismatics and collectibles marketplace, announces the official release of When Coins Were King: The Coins, Power Struggles, and Personalities That Defined a Nation, the latest sweeping narrative by award-winning numismatic historian Michael F. Moran. Richly illustrated and deeply researched, this new volume illuminates America's monetary and political landscape of the late 1800s and early 1900s—an era when the gold and silver coins carried in everyday pockets reflected the nation's shifting identity, economic anxieties, and political ambitions.

In When Coins Were King, Moran reveals the fascinating, behind-the-scenes story of how America's coinage emerged from the turbulence of the post–Civil War economy and the discovery of the great Comstock Lode, a gold and silver bonanza that rivaled the California Gold Rush. Drawing on vivid historical accounts, archival material, and hundreds of images, Moran exposes a world of political maneuvering, corruption at the San Francisco Mint, and the ideological battles that shaped U.S. currency.

A central icon in Moran's narrative—and prominently featured on the book's cover—is the legendary 1907 Saint-Gaudens High Relief double eagle, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful coins ever struck by the United States. As Moran explores in captivating detail, its creation became a defining moment in America's artistic and monetary story…so defining this historic design will return in 2026 as part of the U.S. Mint's five-coin "Best of the Mint" series, a modern tribute to America's most iconic coinage (more information available at the U.S. Mint's website). For collectors planning to purchase the 2026 high-relief restrike, When Coins Were King offers the ideal companion volume—providing the historical context, artistic background, and behind-the-scenes drama that shaped the original masterpiece.

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NEW BOOK: COINS OF SAMUDRA-PASAI

The history and coins of Samudra-Pasai and Samudra-Pasai and Aceh on Sumatra

The author of this new book, John Leyten, born May 12th 1937 in Amsterdam, now almost 89 years old and known as a numismatist whose collection area includes Dutch colonies, especially the Dutch East Indies with the associated earliest known numismatic history. He started about 60 years ago with collecting coins of the Dutch Kingdom coins. After a few years his interest turned to collecting Provincial coins from the period 1588-1796. In doing so, he naturally met collectors of VOC coins. This aroused his interest and it became a new area of collecting, with special interest in coins with Arabic inscriptions and the associated Indonesian-Islamic history.

In 2004, his first publication on the gold coins of Samudra-Pasai and Aceh appeared in the yearbook for Coin and Medal Studies, number 91, issued by the Royal Netherlands Society for Coin and Medal Studies in Amsterdam. New information acquired in recent years about the history of the rulers of Samudra-Pasai and Aceh made an update necessary, and this 2025 edition has made this a reality.

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NEW BOOK: EARLY ENAMELLED COINS AND LOVE TOKENS

This past summer, I was contacted by a gentleman from Prince Edward Island, Canada. He introduced himself to me by the name of Gordy McCarville and he said he was an avid book writer. He was currently writing a book on enameled coins and love tokens and found my name through the Love Token Society website. Gordy had admired the photos I had on there with women of the Victorian period wearing love token jewelry. He invited me to be a cowriter and asked me to send him photos for the book, both the period photos and photos of coins in my collection. I was pleased to be of assistance. I asked Gordy if he knew of Richard Burdick and the wonderful collection of coin art on the Newman Numismatic Portal. Gordy then contacted Richard and Len Augsburger of the NNP to obtain more photos for the book.

Gordy's reason for writing the book was that the only book on English enameled coins was lacking, particularly with variety among the coins that were covered. That book, called Little Gems, only showed the author's collection and there were big gaps in coverage. In Gordy's book, twelve additional cowriters were brought on board to present a comprehensive coverage of enameled coins as well as Gordy tracking coins on eBay over the years to supplement. Gordy is a collector of English enameled coins and particularly searches out enameled coins from Prince Edward Island. You may have noticed that there is an extra L in the spelling of enameled in the book's title. In Great Britain, enamelled is the correct spelling. Since Gordy is Canadian, with its affiliation with Great Britain, you will see the British spelling throughout the book.

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BOOK REVIEW: CHARMS AND CHARM BRACELETS

Charms and Charm Bracelets: The Complete Guide, was written by Joanne Schwartz and published by Schiffer Books. Love token bracelets seem to be among the earliest of the charm bracelets pictured in the book. There is one chapter dedicated solely to love tokens, but there are also mentions in other chapters. The chapter on "Making and Embellishing Charms" has a subsection on engraving that also delves into love tokens.

Another section on WWII charms shows an engraved coin bracelet made from coins cut into heart shapes. The bracelet is made up of eight coins, all of which are engraved. The final mention of a love token is in a chapter titled, "Hooray for Risqué". Here there is a love token with the engraving, "Kiss and Makeup" and it is accompanied by an engraving of a chaise lounge or day bed image.

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PERIODICAL: TAMS JOURNAL JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026

The TAMS Journal
V66, N1 | January-February 2026

Articles

The Mining Empire of John Cleveland Osgood
David E. Schenkman

The Earliest Tokens of the West Caicos Sisal Company
Eric Schena

Formosan Black Bear Medal
James Contursi

The 1897 M.C.B. Convention Badge
David E. Schenkman

An Unusual Christmas Gift
Eric Schena

General News/Pleas (starting on page)

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WILLIAM ENGLISH (1923–2026)

William "Bill" English, one of Ontario's most respected and enduring numismatists – and considered an icon by many within the hobby – died Jan. 14, 2026, at age 102.

A lifelong collector, mentor and error specialist, English was a central figure in organized numismatics in Ontario for more than six decades.

Born Feb. 4, 1923, English was just shy of celebrating his 103rd birthday.

English played a key role in the formation of the Waterloo Coin Society in 1959, serving as its inaugural president from 1959 to 1960 and returning to the role again in 1970. His contributions to the club were later recognized when he was named Life Member No. 2.

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LAWRENCE B. FALATER (1935-2025)

Lawrence B. Falater, age 89, of Hillsdale, passed away Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Hillsdale Hospital. He was born on December 10, 1935, in Detroit to Louis and Mary Louise (O'Connor) Falater. Larry married Delphine Rozmary on June 11, 1960, at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Harper Woods, Michigan, and she preceded him in death on February 1, 2024.

Larry attended Servite High School and graduated from De LaSalle Collegiate High School in Detroit. He received his bachelor's degree in business from the University of Detroit. For over 25 years, Larry worked as a financial analyst for Chrysler Corporation. He was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Hillsdale, and the Knights of Columbus. Larry had a lifelong passion for numismatics, a hobby that began as a young child when his father gave him his first Indian head cent.

He was life member #307 of the American Numismatic Association, charter member of the Michigan State Numismatic Society, Paper Money Collectors of Michigan, Society of Paper Money Collectors, Civil War Token Society, and former member of the Detroit Coin Club, and the Grosse Pointe Coin Club.

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LUCIEN LOUIS BIRKLER (1940-2025)

Lucien Louis Birkler, 85, of West Haven, CT., passed away peacefully on December 22. He was born on November 24, 1940, to Lucien L. Birkler of Lugano, Switzerland and Marianne (Guarino) Birkler of New Haven. Lucien is survived by his wife, Randall Gerhing. He was the nephew of the late George Mazza and Lynn (Guarino) Mazza, Helen Guarino and Dr. Albert Dautrich and Rita Guarino and her husband Andy Ackers. Lucien was also predeceased by Christian B. Blom, III, his business partner of over 50 years and longtime friend. He would also like to recognize his confirmation Godmother Sister Joseph Agatha. He leaves behind several close relatives in Switzerland.

Lucien was a graduate of Saint John's Evangelist and Notre Dame High School in New Haven. He graduated from Providence College in 1962 and from Catholic University School of Law in 1967.

From 1959-1961 he attended the Stan Kenton Jazz Clinic held at the University of Indiana. There he gained his love for jazz music and met many renowned trumpet players.

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MARTIN LUTHER KING MEDALS AND COINS

Martin Luther King Medals & Coins

In 2014, a Congressional gold medal was posthumously award to Martin Luther King Jr. and Corretta Scott King. King was assassinated April 4, 1968, and the numismatic recognition was overdue. It was not for lack of trying. The front page of Coin World, April 24, 1968, noted that William S. Moorhead (D-PA) introduced a bill (H.R. 16532) authorizing a gold medal for King's widow. A similar bill (H.R. 16533) was raised the same day by Thomas L. Ashley (D-OH). Neither became law, this would wait until the 2014 authorization for the King gold medal (Public Law 108-368).

Coin World, on May 8, 1968, further reported a congressional proposal to issue one million commemorative half dollars as a tribute to King. This too went nowhere, although the 2014 Civil Right Act silver dollar depicts intertwined flames that reflect the freedom of education, the right to vote, and the freedom to control one's destiny, themes drawn from Martin Luther King's activism.

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VIDEO: RARE CHINESE COIN DIES

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THE COMPANY STORE BULLETIN

Last 30 October 2025, I bought a copy of the hardcover book "Scrip - Trade Tokens Issued by United States Coal Mining Companies and Company Stores" (hardcover, 22.8x28.9 cm; vi, 370 pages) compiled by Stuart Elliot Brown, Jr. (1916 – 2004). It was published in 1978 by Virginia Book Company (Berryville, VA). The scrip tokens were used from the 1870's to the early 1950's.

On the bibliography section of the book (page 350), appears a reference to "The Company Store" bulletin issued for the first time in November 1966. It was a mimeographed and stapled bulletin published by Fred Lange, aka "Cole S. Cuttle" containing about 6 pages per issue.

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THE NUMISMATIC HISTORY OF PARAGUAY

The Numismatic History of Paraguay (NHP) Facebook page has announced the free public release of a digital compilation dedicated to the history of the Guaraní currency. The archive brings together studies on coins and banknotes, iconography, printing errors, minting processes, and key historical contexts. The archive is the result of the work of researcher Raúl Olazar. He is a specialist in monetary and symbolic history and administrator of NHP.

The collection includes the Proclamation to Charles IV (1790), and the first Paraguayan gold coin (1867). Also, the cent coins issued between 1900 and 1908, and detailed symbolic analyses of the Gs. 50,000 and a misprint on the Gs. 2,000 banknote.

Historical figures also feature prominently. The compilation provides information on personalities such as Don Carlos Antonio López and Bernardino Caballero, represented on the Gs. 5,000 banknote and the Gs. 500 coin respectively. It also covers banknote iconography, cut or countermarked coins (known as the Patacón paraguayo), and medals from the War of the Triple Alliance.

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 18, 2026

Thoughts on the Semiquincentennial Circulating Coin Designs

John Ostendorf of Hot Springs Village, AR writes:

Wayne Pearson writes:

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
SCARINCI INTERVIEW: UNCHOSEN 2026 COIN DESIGNS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n02a20.html)

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2026 FUN SHOW ATTENDANCE EXPLODES

Len Augsburger writes:

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LSCC SEEKS E-GOBRECHT EDITOR

LSCC Seeks E-Gobrecht Editor

Launched as an electronic newsletter by Bill Bugert in 2005, the E-Gobrecht delivers news and updates to Liberty Seated aficionados on a monthly basis. Paul Kluth succeeded Bill in 2020 and has significantly expanded the reach of the publication. The publication has won literary awards from the American Numismatic Association and today serves a large collector base.

Paul has indicated an intention to step down as E-Gobrecht editor in early 2026, and the club is searching for an individual to assume the E-Gobrecht editorial responsibilities. Please reach out to LSCC President Len Augsburger (leonard_augsburger@hotmail.com) should you have any interest.

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VOCABULARY TERM: SEIGNORAGE

Seignorage. A profit from the manufacture of coins; the difference between the face value and the total cost of production including the cost of bullion or material and the cost of striking. When all coins were no longer struck in precious metals – gold and silver – and became clad tokens, the amount of seignorage increased dramatically. Historically when orders for coins were given to private minters, the cost for striking the coins was called brassage, as one shilling for every 12 struck.

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BICENTENNIAL $2 BILLS

I begin this week with a discussion of Bicentennial $2 bills. In 1976, the Treasury Department issued a new series of two-dollar Federal Reserve Notes with a green seal on the front and the Declaration of Independence on the back. With the portrait of Thomas Jefferson on the front, it was announced that they would be issued by banks on Jefferson's birthdate, April 13.

In an example of mass hysteria, collectors and dealers affixed 13 cent stamps to the notes and rushed to their Post Office to create a "first date cancellation." These became an instant collectible and dealers were happy to provide them for their customers. Sets were made up for the twelve federal reserve districts and offered for a premium.

There were variations of the theme. State stamps were placed on the notes which were then cancelled in the state matching the stamps. Some were cancelled over Bicentennial stamps. A second round were made with a July 4, 1976, cancellation.

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LOYE L. LAUDER (1911-1964)

A few months ago, I had the good fortune to purchase the silver 103-EE Betts Fantasy "Fugio Pattern," ex Loye Lauder, in the November 2025 Stacks Bowers Showcase Auction. While I'm sure I've seen Mrs. Lauder's name before as there are numerous early US pieces with her provenance, the name did not register at the time. The brief biographical sketch at the beginning of the catalog gives a solid appreciation of Loye's numismatic focus and what she had accomplished in such a short time:

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HERITAGE: NYINC WORLD AND ANCIENTS

Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Marc Antony, as Rulers of the East (37-30 BC). AR denarius (20mm, 3.24 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF 4/5 - 4/5, flan flaw. Alexandria, 34-32 BC. CLEOPATRAE-REGINAE•REGVM•FILIORVM•REGVM, diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra right, seen from front, stem of galley prow below / ANTONI•ARMENIA•DEVICTA, bare head of Marc Antony right; Armenian tiara behind. Crawford 543/1. Sydenham 1210.

Cleopatra VII, the last queen of Ptolemaic Egypt, succeeded to the throne alongside her younger brother in 51 BC. The resulting succession crisis led to her seeking support from Rome, thereby becoming Caesar's lover. She assembled an army and, with Roman reinforcements, took back her throne. In 47 BC, she had a child whom she named Ptolemy Caesar - it is unknown whether Caesar was the child's father, but she claimed that he was. She married a different brother of hers and ruled with him until his death in 44 BC. Following Caesar's assassination and the Battle of Philippi, Marc Antony called upon Cleopatra to explain her role in the aftermath of Caesar's assassination. He was captivated by her and returned to Alexandria, leaving behind his wife and children in Italy. She gave birth to his twins, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, in 40 BC. Antony had intentions to rule vast swaths of land with his young family, and Octavian took issue with this, so they engaged in a propaganda war that escalated to military battles. In the midst of a battle, Marc Antony received false news that Cleopatra was dead - she had simply retired to her mausoleum. He fell on his sword and supposedly had himself carried to Cleopatra and bid her to make peace with Octavian before dying. Cleopatra then ended her own life. Although Suetonius claimed that she died by asp bite, other Roman writers such as Strabo, Plutarch, and Cassius Dio said that she poisoned herself.

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HERITAGE: ADMIRAL VERNON COLLECTION

1739 Admiral Vernon Medal, Porto Bello, Adams-PBvi-25-OO, R.6 -- Damaged -- NGC Details. AU. Ex: Admiral Vernon Collection. Copper alloy. 33.6 mm x 25.5 mm oval format. Other examples of this interesting variety are holed at 12 o'clock including the sole gold Admiral Vernon medal in the British Museum. This example has a carefully filled hole and a small indent above the sword point accounting for the NGC Details grade. The otherwise sharp and essentially Choice About Uncirculated surfaces feature original light-brown surfaces and excellent visual appeal.

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STEPHEN ALBUM RARE COINS AUCTION 54

The firm's CEO Joseph Lang notes: "The coin market has been very robust and our consignors as well as our bidders have been eager to contribute to and participate in our highly successful auctions. Our current auction has a wide array of interesting items that our clients have come to expect to see in our sales".

Featured collections in the auction include:

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STACK'S BOWERS: STACK COLLECTION GOLD COINS

1824/1 Capped Head Left Quarter Eagle. BD-1. Rarity-5. MS-61 (PCGS). CMQ. A dramatic rarity in the early quarter eagle series, a remarkable Mint State survivor from a mintage of just 2,600 pieces. Both sides show splendid cartwheel luster over reflective fields, with a prooflike character that remained from the initial preparation of these dies throughout the duration of the short production run. Even light yellow gold surfaces show a faint light green hue, enriched by coppery toning on the central obverse device and around the obverse periphery. Trivial friction is seen, with some horizontal lines across the portrait and some abrasions in the obverse fields, but the circles of spinning luster remain unbroken and undimmed. The strike is well centered and firmly rendered, though the area of the central reverse device left of the shield shows its usual softness, caused by an alignment opposite the highest points of the obverse portrait. A few little abrasions are seen on the rim, including at 9 o'clock on the obverse and a tiny nick above U of UNITED on the reverse. Three pinprick marks around O of OF on the reverse are probably the best markers for provenance study, as few other contact marks are consequential enough to appear in a photograph. The freshness and visual appeal are unmatched at this grade level, as in-hand inspection will impress upon those interested. Free of abuse or damage inflicted during its useful life as a coin or during its far longer career as a collectible, this piece offers outstanding value for an early gold connoisseur.

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STACK'S BOWERS: STACK TERRITORIAL GOLD

1830 Templeton Reid $2.50. K-1. Rarity-6. AU-58 (PCGS). CAC. The rarity of this issue makes it notable to coin collectors, as its population of fewer than 25 known specimens in all grades puts those who own any Templeton Reid coin into an exclusive club indeed. Lots of things are rare though, and while rarity is necessary, it is insufficient on its own to give a collectible the sort of stature a gold coin struck by Templeton Reid enjoys. Its real importance is historical, and if there were 500 Templeton Reid coins to choose from that significance would be undiminished. Private gold coins are a vital part of America's numismatic story. With apologies to Mssrs. Brasher and Barry, whose golden contributions to the Confederation-era money supply were issued under very different circumstances, the story of private and territorial gold begins with Templeton Reid.

America's first gold rush began in North Carolina in 1799, when John Reed's son Conrad discovered gold on the family farm north of Charlotte. The same geological feature that brought gold to the surface in North Carolina was present in Georgia. When stories began to emerge around 1829 of gold on Cherokee lands in Georgia, new settlers rushed into the area, buoyed by Andrew Jackson's December 1829 State of the Union address, which first detailed his planned Indian removal policy. With the 1830 Indian Removal Act, federal policy blessed what was already happening on the ground in the gold regions of Georgia: abundant new miners drawn by the promises of gold.

Provenance: From the James A. Stack, Sr. Collection. Earlier from Henry Chapman's sale of the Arthur C. Nygren Collection, April 1924, lot 21; Hillyer Ryder Collection; Ryder Estate, February 1928; sold en bloc to Wayte Raymond, May 1945; Wayte Raymond to James A. Stack, Sr., ca. 1947.

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MACHADO GIFTS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE MEDAL TO TRUMP

Speaking to the press after her White House meeting with President Trump on Thursday, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said she had "presented" Trump with her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal as "a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom."

"Is it his now?" one reporter asked. Machado did not answer.

Hours later, Trump took to social media to confirm the news. "María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done," he wrote. "Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!"

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100-YEAR-OLD ROYAL MARINE GETS D-DAY MEDAL

One of the last D-Day heroes has fulfilled his final wish, after being granted a medal recognizing his role in the historic invasion of June 6, 1944.

Don Butt was presented with the medal last week, more than 80 years since he lived through the horrors of the Normandy landings in France.

The 100-year-old said the medal would ‘complete his life' prompting a race against time to get the French authorities to approve it before he died.

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KOSCIUSZKO AND POLAND'S FIRST PAPER MONEY

The last three decades of the 18th century saw Poland, part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, reduced from a large, prosperous country to a fractured region. Three partitions of the country, in 1772, 1793, and 1795, saw the territory annexed by its neighbors, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, and after the last partition, the Commonwealth ceased to exist for more than a century. (Poland would only return as an independent nation after World War I). The straw that broke the camel's back was the Kosciuszko Uprising of 1794, prompting the Third Partition and the complete dissolution of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. This uprising saw the first paper money of Poland issued. Its leader, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, was already a military hero who had played an important role fighting for the Continental Army during the American War for Independence.

Tadeusz Kosciuszko was born in February 1746 in modern-day Belarus, then part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the youngest son of an army officer. In 1765, he enrolled in the Corps of Cadets in Warsaw to begin military training, eventually rising to the rank of captain and staying on as a lecturer. When civil war broke out in the Commonwealth in 1768, not wishing to choose a side, he left the country for France, where, over the next five years, he attended lectures and further developed his military knowledge while also being exposed to Enlightenment ideals. When he returned to Poland in 1774, he was unable to afford an officer's commission in the army and became a private tutor to a wealthy family. This lasted only a short time, and he emigrated once again, first to Saxony, but upon hearing about the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, he sailed for America in the summer of 1776.

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LOOSE CHANGE: JANUARY 18, 2026

The man who voted for Washington and Lincoln

There was once an American who voted for both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In this year of the nation's 250th anniversary, you should know his name.

On Friday, Nov. 2, 1792, John Phillips, a 32-year-old farmer from Sturbridge, Massachusetts, cast a ballot to help reelect Washington. That contest was essentially the nation's first popular election for U.S. president. Seventy-two years later, at the age of 104, Phillips left the same family farm in western Massachusetts where he had been born and joined with more than 2 million other men from 25 participating states to help reelect Lincoln as commander in chief of the war-torn nation. "Deacon John" as his neighbors called him, voted in every presidential election during those intervening decades of growing American democracy, except for the pivotal 1860 contest, which he missed because of illness during his centennial year.

To read the complete article, see:
The man who voted for Washington and Lincoln (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/01/12/john-phillips-washington-lincoln-voter/)

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ABOUT THIS ISSUE: JANUARY 18, 2026

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