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This week we open with two numismatic literature sales, four new books, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, and more.
Other topics this week include British Evasion Coppers, Paraguay's first gold coin, sculptor and medalist Eugene Daub, Paul Revere, the Continental Dollar, silhouette relief, collector R. L. Miles, Lord Dexter, fixed price and auction selections, wrestlers on ancient coins, Montgomery notes, and a safe deposit horror story.
To learn more about the coinage of Peru, the chemistry of medals, the 2027 Red Book, the NNP Symposium, Scottsdale Stackers, the 8th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops, the Witter Coin scavenger hunt, 17th century Cornish tokens, Gazaway Bugg Lamar and the Goldfinger Murder, read on. Have a great week, everyone!
Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum
Last chance! Here's a final group of selected lots from Alan Workman's numismatic literature sale closing April 25, 2026. -Editor
Lot 151: Grellman, J.R. & Jules Reiver. ATTRIBUTION GUIDE FOR UNITED STATES LARGE CENTS 1840–1857. John R. Grellman, Jr., Montgomery. 1987. 4to. Unpaginated pages. original brown leatherette, gilt, gilt numismatic device. Signed by the author. Second edition. Illustrated endpages. Glossary. Rarity Guide. Line illustrations and figures throughout. English text. Ex James E. Marino Library. Fine. This book is an essential "Rosetta Stone" for identifying the highly specific die varieties of late-date U.S. large cents. Unlike general price guides, it focuses on the minute physical differences—such as date placement, die cracks, and re-punched numbers—that occur when a coin is struck from a particular set of dies. By using the book's detailed pictorials and the "Reiver method" of attribution, a collector can determine the exact variety of their coin, which is critical because some varieties are significantly rarer and more valuable than others even if the year and basic design are the same. Lot weight: 4 lbs 0oz. Subject(s): United States Coinage.
Lot 152: Gresham, Carling. TERRITORIAL FLORIDA BANKS & BONDS 1821-1845. Graphics II, Palatka. 1993. 12mo. 39, (1) pages. original printed card covers. Signed by the author. Revised Second Printing. Limited numbered edition #172 of 300 copies. Reference List. b&w photos throughout. English text. Fine. This book is an essential numismatic reference for identifying and authenticating rare paper currency and "faith bonds" from Florida's territorial era. Carling Gresham, a respected researcher and former editor of FUN Topics, provides a detailed catalog of the seventeen chartered banks active between 1821 and 1845, offering historical background and listing known issues that are now highly prized as "broken bank notes". For specialists in Florida history or obsolete currency, the book serves as a vital guide for understanding the scarcity and origins of these early financial instruments, many of which became worthless after the territory's banking collapse. Lot weight: 0 lbs 3oz. Subject(s): United States Paper Money.
The 11th numismatic literature auction from Numismatic Antiquarian Bookshop Lang closes April 29, 2026. Here's the announcement. -Editor
It's finally here - our 11th auction of numismatic literature will take place on April 29, 2026, as usual on the Auex platform. This time, the auction is divided into two parts:
Part 1 (Lot numbers 1 – 485):
Duplicates from the Leu Numismatik AG library (Part Two). Focusing particularly on ancient numismatics as well as auction catalogs prior to 1945, including several important collections.
At the express request of Leu Numismatik AG, the starting prices have once again been set very conservatively - even for rare titles and magnificently bound auction catalogs - to encourage a broad audience to participate and thus facilitate a lively, competitive auction. It's especially worth coming this time.
Jeff Rock submitted this description of a useful new 88-page book on British Evasion Coppers. Thanks! -Editor
Evasion and Evasion-Related Tokens: A Pictorial Directory
A new digital work on evasion coppers has just been released, by Timothy Montgomery, a friend whose evasion collection I photographed earlier this year. This is the first substantive update to the Cobwright book, which was done in 1993, which bore the wonderfully absurd title A Journey Through the Monkalokian Rain Forests in Search of the Spiny Fubbaduck - a series as weird as evasions simply needed a weird book title too. I did a very long article on evasions for the Journal of Early American Numismatics a few years ago, which went into what the series is, who made them, when they were made and where they circulated - but that was an intro to the series, not an updated reference guide of any sort.
Evasion coppers are imitations of regal British and Irish copper coins that nearly always have the correct style of design - a left or right facing bust on the obverse and either a seated Britannia figure or a harp on the reverse - and come in both halfpenny and farthing sizes. What differentiates them from counterfeits of regal coins (of which there are MANY!) is that the legends on one or both sides was purposely made different from that of an official coin. For example, instead of GEORGIUS III REX which is found on the obverse of regal and counterfeit issues, an evasion might have the legend read GDOROVIS TII RDX, or an Irish style reverse might read HIBERSIA instead of HIBERNIA. These legend changes were supposedly done because they would evade the law on counterfeiting, which stated that a counterfeit needed to be "an exact similitude."
Raúl Olazar has published a pamphlet on Paraguay's first gold coin, the 1867 four pesos. -Editor
It has been years since the Republic of Paraguay, in the heart of South America, published numismatic pamphlets in print. This year, a new research work will be presented in print and available to the public.
Thanks to the support of the Library of Congress of the Nation – AUGUSTO ROA BASTOS, and its Director General, Mr. José Samudio Falcón, we will be presenting the research work of numismatist Raúl Olazar, entitled:
NUMISMATIC PAMPHLET – 4 PESOS FUERTES 1867 – Paraguay's First Gold Coin.
A new volume edited by Mark A. Benvenuto on the Chemistry of Medals has been published by the American Chemical Society. Contributors include Jim Licaretz, Jeanne Stevens-Sollman, Stephen K. Scher, Kathy Freeland, and Mel Wacks.
Here's the book's Introduction. -Editor
We have reprinted the preface to the original Chemistry of Medals volume that was published
in 2022 below this first paragraph. Our aims have not changed in creating this volume, and in
incorporating some of the most accomplished individuals in the field of medallic art. It is hoped that
the chapters in this second volume provide guidance and inspiration to anyone who is working in this
field, be they artist or scientist. This area is a bridge between chemistry and art, one that we hope will
be of interest to anyone reading the chapters found here.
An ACS volume on chemistry and medals may at first seem a bit odd or out of the ordinary, since the entire volume is devoid of chemical reactions, percent yields, and the creation of new molecules. But this area is a junction of science and art that is educational and wonderful—chemistry at its most elemental and art at its most tactile. Chemists teach and study metal elements and alloys as part of our academic discipline, and artists use such materials, as well as numerous plastics, resins, and plaster, to create truly amazing works of art. The art of the medal is art that is made to be touched, t o be felt, and to be held in the hand.
The new book on sculptor Eugene Daub has arrived! George Cuhaj submitted this illustrated review. Thank you! -Editor
Eugene Daub
Portraits, Medals, and Monuments
The book's title introduces us to the artistic works of Eugene Daub in his
three major fields of work – Portraiture, Medals, and Monuments.
Profusely illustrated with concept sketches, works in progress and finished pieces; the range of Daub's career is well documented with works in clay and ceramics, bronze, cast or struck medals, plastics and cardboard.
Some of his commissions are very well known such as the Rosa Parks statue in the U.S. Capitol and Corps of Discovery in Kansas City, to the Sonny Rollins portrait medal which graced cover of the deluxe CD box set of his works by Milestone Records.
The latest Red Book podcast features Editor Jeff Garrett and Publisher John Feigenbaum discuss the 2027 Red Book and the Mega Red 10th Edition. -Editor
In this episode, John Feigenbaum and Jeff Garrett sit down together to break down two of the most important releases in numismatics:
We dive deep into:
The latest addition to the Newman Numismatic Portal is the current issue of the C4 Newsletter. Project Coordinator Len Augsburger provided the following report. -Editor
A Remarkable Dual Use Copper Engraving Plate
In the current issue of the C4 Newsletter, Roger Siboni contributes a fascinating article on a copper plate that hosted important engravings on both sides. The plate was initially used by Paul Revere to engrave one of the most iconic images of the Revolutionary era, The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th, 1770, by a Party of the 29th REGT. There is much more to this part of the story (including Revere's plagiarism) and we encourage everyone to read the full article.
Later, Revere used the other side of the plate to engrave the May 25, 1775 10, 12, and 18-shillings issues of Massachusetts paper money. Incredibly, this dual-sided printing plate survives in the Massachusetts Archives. Dual use printing plates from this era are not unknown, but to numismatic eggheads like us the association with a visceral Revolutionary War graphic is especially appealing.
NNP Symposium Newman Numismatic Portal is Project Coordinator Len Augsburger provided the following update on the NNP Symposium. -Editor
NNP Symposium Zoom Links Posted
The tenth NNP Symposium will be held April 23-25, in conjunction with the Central States Numismatic Society convention. All sessions will be live streamed, and the full schedule with Zoom links is now posted on the NNP Symposium website. For those attending in person, we will be in the Nirvana C conference room, just above the convention registration area.
U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis will present at 10:30AM Central time on Thursday, April 23, speaking on the Semiquincentennial coin programs. Further coverage of the Semiquincentennial follows on Saturday – at 4pm we will present our feature video "U.S. Anniversaries in Numismatics, 1776-2026," and at 5pm Dennis Tucker speaks on "The Semiquincentennial Coins: What's Going Right…and What's Going Wrong."
The David Lisot Video Library on the Newman Numismatic Portal can be found at:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/multimediadetail/522852
We highlight one of his videos each week in The E-Sylum. Here's one from 2016 with David receiving the CSNS Medal of Merit. -Editor
Julia Casey submitted these research notes on her discovery of a possible mention of a Continental Dollar in a 1782 English sale. Interesting! -Editor
In their groundbreaking January 2018 Numismatist article "The Myth of the Continental Dollar,"
Erik Goldstein and David McCarthy mention that Pierre Eugène Du Simitière noted that these
1776-dated "type metal" coins were struck in London. However, so far, our earliest
documentation of these pieces dates to sometime in 1783, in connection with the publication of a
German almanac. In 2021, I found documentation in a 1785 German auction catalog for the sale
of a Continental dollar. That catalog description was well-detailed and clearly identified the item
as a pewter Continental dollar coin/medal.
As well, the style of these coins, with their European flair, decorative edges, and tantalizing maker initials "E.G.," possibly being that of the Swiss/German engraver Elias Gervais, placed the focus on Germany as the origin of their minting. I still believe it is possible that the Continental dollars were made in Germany for the British consumer market. Could the following catalog listing push the date of their minting back another year to sometime prior to February 1782?
About That Epic Fury Ship Scrip
John Regitko of
Toronto, Canada writes:
"Fred Schwan's Operation Epic Fury Ship Scrip discovery covered in
the April 1 issue of the MPC Gram sure sounded convincing.
"It had me fooled until he mentioned two sets of serial numbers that are collected by two dedicated MPC Festers who always attend the MPCFest looking for serial numbers ending in 08 and 39.
"I am waiting for Fred to announce the discovery of a new batch of Ship Scrip notes ending in my favourite number: 666!"
I was unaware of the significance of the serial numbers, but did ask Fred if this was an April Fool's item. I didn't hear back until after we published, but he confirmed - yep, it was a joke. Well done, Fred! -Editor
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
OPERATION EPIC FURY SHIP SCRIP
(https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n15a25.html)
Other topics this week include Scottsdale Stackers, and Exposition Medals. -Editor
Before we get into the second and final part of Matthew Robinson's article on his research into the medal for the U.S. Colored Troops 8th Regiment, here are reader notes inspired by the first part last week. -Editor
Jim Contursi writes:
"I enjoyed, and was enlightened by, Mathew Robinson's, "8TH REGIMENT U.S. COLORED TROOPS MEDAL, PART 1." That said, it is of issue that, unfortunately, he also perpetuates an oft-occurring historical inaccuracy: the Emancipation Proclamation did NOT free enslaved African Americans. The Emancipation only applied to enslaved persons in the Confederacy, and since the Confederacy did not recognize Lincoln's authority, the Proclamation had no standing. Enslaved persons in border, Unionist states—Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri—were unaffected, i.e., slavery persisted."
Matthew Robinson submitted this article on his research into the rare and historically important medal for the U.S. Colored Troops 8th Regiment. Here's the second of two parts. -Editor
Figure 4: The second U.S.C.T. 8th Regiment Medal that surfaced in 2023 is made of what appears to be brass. This new example shows the type of corrosion characteristic of medals that may have been dug up from battle sites.
A Second 8th Regiment Medal Surfaces
A second example of the 8th Regiment medal surfaced
on eBay in December 2023 (Figure 4), providing an
opportunity to compare the two examples of the medal.
To minimize confusion throughout the following
discussion, the medal that is the subject of this article
will be designated "Medal 1" and the new example,
"Medal 2." The new example is evidence that Lovett
Jr. made the medals in at least two materials: white
metal (Medal 1) and what appears to be brass (Medal 2).
Finding this new variation adds to my hope that a greater
number and/or more varieties of these medals are yet to
be discovered.
Here's another entry from Dick Johnson's Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Terminology. -Editor
Silhouette Relief. A flat, raised-relief design of outline form with no modulated detail; a sculptural pictograph. The style is considered futuristic, as if the object has not yet existed therefore its surface details are not yet known. (It also implies the artist is lazy or incompetent to model the detail, so artists are hesitant to do many of these in their careers.) Silhouette relief is ideal for creating by tracer controlled pantographs where an operator of minimal skill can cut dies in silhouette relief without the knowledge of sculptural ability. These are formed from two-dimensional drawings or cartoons.
E-Sylum Feature Writer and American Numismatic Biographies author Pete Smith submitted this article on the shocking Goldfinger Murder. Thank you. -Editor
You won't find this story on the pages of Coin World, Numismatic News or The Numismatist.
You may have seen the story on NBC's "Dateline" TV program. Or, you can read about it this
week in The E-Sylum.
James and Pamela Fayed were millionaires from their successful business, Goldfinger Coin and Bullion Sales. However, money cannot assure happiness and there was trouble in their marriage.
James Michael Fayed was born in Washington, D.C., on February 5, 1963. He was working in 1998 as an electrical contractor on a military base.
Pamela Goudie was born in Tennessee on August 30, 1964, and grew up in Salt Lake City. She was trained as a jeweler and worked in shops in Southern California. When she met James in 1998, she was a single mother of an 18-year-old daughter.
Wes Brush published a collector bio in an April 2, 2026 email to DLRC clients. -Editor
While many of us appreciate the history of both numismatics and the individual coins themselves, there's also a rich history of collectors and a study of past pedigrees that is important to the hobby. While collecting has evolved greatly over the years, there's still one core tenant, an appreciation of coins! On our journey to learn more about individual coins, we sometimes happen upon a collector that we don't know much about. An interesting pedigree came across our desks a few months ago with an intriguing local flavor to us. So, Wes did a little digging into this underrated collector's story.
R.L. Miles Jr. (Rufus Lawson Miles Jr.)
R.L. Miles Jr. was born on July 26, 1907, in Norfolk. Virginia, to Rufus Lawson Miles and Julia Lawson Miles. He later attended the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Economics. His father was extremely well known in the state of Virginia for leading J.H. Miles and Company, one of the largest oyster harvesters and packagers in the United States. As an adult, R.L. Miles Jr. worked in multiple positions at the company, retiring as Secretary/Treasurer. The firm opened in 1900 in the Atlantic City area of Norfolk and expanded in the 1960s to include clams and other oceanic life. Unfortunately, the company closed its doors in 2015, so we were unable to check the floorboards for missing coins!
Here's another numismatics-connected figure I came across this week - Massachusetts eccentric Timothy Dexter. -Editor
Timothy Dexter (born January 22, 1747, Malden, Massachusetts [U.S.]—died October 23, 1806, Newburyport, Massachusetts) was an American businessman known for his eccentric personality. He grew extremely wealthy through schemes that should have bankrupted him, and he performed outrageous stunts that alienated him from the upper class.
Dexter had little formal education. At age eight he began working on a farm, and six years later he became an apprentice at a tannery. While in his early 20s, he married a well-to-do widow, and her money helped him open a leather shop in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Dexter did well in his business, and he eventually began to engage in speculative enterprises, earning enormous profits. Most notably, he bought up Continental currency—the first paper money that the Continental Congress issued—after too much was printed and it was discontinued during the American Revolution. Paying just a few cents for each dollar, he collected the currency with the hope that it would one day be put back in circulation. In the 1790s the U.S. Constitution provided that all Continental money could be traded in for bonds, an act that made Dexter rich.
Coin drops and treasure hunts are a fun way to promote numismatics. Seth Chandler's Witter Coin is upping the ante with even more valuable prizes in this year's hunt. -Editor
The Gold Rush is returning to San Francisco this month for one day only - well, kind of.
Marina district coin dealer Witter Coin plans to hide 10 rare pieces across the city as part of its third annual scavenger hunt on April 25, coinciding with National Coin Week. Owner Seth Chandler expects the event to draw thousands, based on the success of past iterations.
"This is just a crazy and fun idea," Chandler told the Chronicle. "I had no idea it was going to be this big, and that's what makes it fun … It fuels me to do more."
In an Instagram reel first shared to Witter Coin's account on April 2, Chandler explained that the hidden coins will have a total value of $50,000. The most expensive coin hidden will be a Gold Rush-era gold coin worth $25,000. Whoever finds each coin gets to keep it.
Atlas Numismatics has updated their website with 589 new coins, medals, and tokens at fixed prices. Select items are discussed below. -Garrett
1085365 | GREEK. SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysios I. (Tyrant, 407-367 BC). Struck c. 405-400 BC. AR Decadrachm. NGC VF (Very Fine) Strike 4/5 Surface 5/5 Fine Style. Dies by Kimon (unsigned). 31.5mm. 43.12gm. Charioteer, holding kentron in extended right hand and reins in left, driving fast quadriga left; above, Nike flying right, crowning charioteer with wreath held in her extended hands; below heavy exergual line, [military harness], shield, greaves, cuirass, and crested Attic helmet, all connected by a horizontal spear Head of Arethousa left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and pearl necklace; four dolphins swimming around. Jongkees 8; SNG ANS 360; Gulbenkian 309; HGC 1298.
One of the largest silver denominations minted in classical antiquity, the decadrachm of Syracuse remains one of the most alluring and celebrated coins in history. The immense size of this 10 drachm denomination offered the engravers of Syracuse the scope to fully display their mastery of the medium. After a brief "trial run" in the 460s BC, the decadrachm was reintroduced in Syracuse by the tyrant Dionysius following his assumption to power in 405 BC, testament to his grandiose vision to make Syracuse the foremost city in the Greek world. Two of the greatest local numismatic artists, Kimon and Euainetos, produced dies for the new series, each bringing their own distinctive style to the already iconic emblems of Syracuse: A racing four-horse chariot (quadriga) backed with a head of the beautiful Arethusa, nymph of the spring of Ortygia, surrounded by frolicking dolphins.
Numismagram's Jeremy Bostwick sent along these five medals from his most recent upload of new material to his site. For all of the new items, please visit https://www.numismagram.com/inventory. -Garrett
103487 | GERMANY. Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach. Reformation silver Medal. Issued for the 300th anniversary of the Reformation (39mm, 12h). By Daniel Friedrich Loos in Berlin.
Hand emerging from the left, pulling back curtain to reveal starry field and radiant Bible inscribed BI= / BLIA - SA= / CRA // SEGENREICHE / WIRKUNG / INS VIERTE / JAHRHUNDERT / WEIMAR / 31. OCT. 1817. in six lines.
Whiting 591; Opitz 3188; Brozatus 1245; Schnell 280; Sommer A-201. PCGS MS-64. Attractively toned with a delightful golden nature, and with great brilliance radiating among the fields. The only example of the type in the PCGS census.
Noonan's is offering an interesting collection of 17th century Cornish tokens. Here's the press release. -Editor
A collection of more than 70 fascinating Cornish tokens from the 17th century representing traders spanning the county will be offered in an auction of British Trade Tokens, Tickets and Passes at Noonans Mayfair (16 Bolton Street) on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Featuring tokens for people who lived in St Keverne; East Looe; Penzance; Liskeard; Lostwithiel; Padstow; Penryn; Truro; Camelford; Falmouth; Helston; Launceston; St. Ives; Fowey, plus many others, The collection was amassed by Cornishman Mac McCarthy over three decades and is estimated to bring up to £15,000.
Peter Preston-Morley, Special Projects Director (Numismatics) at Noonans explains: "Tokens were a currency substitute issued by private individuals, merchants and organisations when governments were not, for various reasons, issuing small change. They are mostly copper, although during the Napoleonic wars silver tokens were also made and circulated."
Heritage Auctions will be hosting their Central States U.S. Currency Signature Auction from April 28 - May 1. Select items are discussed below. -Garrett
Serial Number 1 Salt Lake City, Utah Territory - $2 Original Fr.
389 The Deseret National Bank Ch. # 2059 PMG Choice Fine 15
Net.
A truly wonderful note from Utah Territory which we were privileged
to handle in its first public appearance in our 2023 FUN auction is
offered once again in this lot. Three years ago, we said that this
then-newly surfaced Deuce was, "the first Lazy Deuce issued by this
Territorial bank after it opened its doors in 1872. One of its most
prominent features is that it bears the bold pen signature of bank
founder Brigham Young as its President. Brigham Young (1801-1877)
was the second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877 and led the
Mormon pioneers from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Utah where they founded
Salt Lake City and where Mr. Young also served as the first
Governor of the Utah Territory. This note is one of just 41 Serial
Number 1 Deuces reported for the entire country and the sole Number
1 example from Utah Territory, according to the National Currency
Foundation census. It has had some repairs but faces up quite
nicely for the grade with pleasing color and, as mentioned, the
bold pen signature of Brigham Young." That evening, it fetched a
solid $78,000, but circumstances have changed and it is now once
again available for one lucky bidder. While there are now 42 Serial
Number 1 Deuces in the census, this trophy note remains the only
Number 1 Deuce from Utah Territory and will, once again, generate
serious bidding interest.
Mike Markowitz wrote an article in CoinWeek on Wrestlers on Ancient Coins. -Garrett
Ancient Greeks loved wrestling . Cities celebrated champion wrestlers as hometown heroes. They raised statues in their honor. Even today, modern Greco-Roman wrestling still echoes that old tradition, although ancient wrestlers competed naked. Several cities struck coins that show the sport in action, especially in Pamphylia and Pisidia on the southern coast of Anatolia.
A Tiny Silver Coin Starts the Story
Heritage published the following article in their latest Currency News email entitled Stories in Banknote Printing: The Inseparable Connections between the ABNCo., NBNCo., and SBNCo. by Caleb Audette. -Garrett
The T1 through T4 Confederate Treasury Notes, often referred to as the "Montgomery Notes," are well known by many Confederate enthusiasts as some of the most beautiful types produced. What may not be well known, however, is the story of the printers behind their creation. Crises of the era set in motion events which would lead to the founding of several engraving firms and the eventual production of some of the most iconic notes in American fiscal history.
As researcher Mark Coughlan affirms in his book Engravers and Printers of Confederate Paper Money, to understand the conditions which led to the printing of these beautiful pieces, one must travel back in time to the Panic of 1857. After this crisis, several prominent printing firms, including Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson, Toppan, Carpenter & Co., Bald, Cousland & Co., and others, met and established the American Bank Note Co. in early 1858.
We've discussed in the past how bank mergers and closures have reduced the number of safe deposit boxes available to collectors for storing their valuable collections. This week I came across this 2024 horror story of a collector's lawsuit against a bank that shuttered a branch. -Editor
After rare coins worth an estimated $3.6 million went missing, a customer of a now-shuttered Bank of America branch in metro Detroit is questioning whether safe deposit boxes, where the coins had been stored, are as "safe" as their name implies.
The customer is a rare coin collector who lives near Windsor, Ontario. He kept some of his collection in the U.S. for when he visited coin auctions in the states.
The customer's lawsuit against Bank of America, filed last month in U.S. District Court in Detroit, describes how the collector had a savings account and a safe deposit box rental at the Bank of America branch at 6071 Middlebelt Road in Garden City.
Here are some additional items in the media this week that may be of interest. -Editor
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette republished an article from The Daily Courier about artists at the U.S. Mint. It includes a new image that I wanted to share. Here's a new excerpt - see the complete article online for more. -Editor
"The sculptor has to make some decisions," Ms. Hemphill said. "They can't just solely take a design and, you know, make it look good as a coin. You have to enhance certain things."
The completed artwork is then machine-engraved onto steel hubs, which are used to stamp dies that get used to strike coins. And once they enter circulation, the coins make their way to our pockets, jars and couch crevices.
Some medallic artists prefer to sculpt the designs by hand with clay or plaster on rounds that are about eight or nine inches in diameter, while others use software, Ms. Hemphill explained. She prefers to work by hand initially, then scan her work to make finishing touches digitally.
The traditional approach "really allows the sculptor to gauge the depth properly using your own binocular vision," Ms. Hemphill said, while digital tools make some "cool tricks" possible that "you wouldn't even imagine you could do in traditional."
To read the complete article, see:
Creating art for U.S. coins is tricky. These Pennsylvania artists have made a career of it.
(https://www.post-gazette.com/business/money/2026/02/09/philadelphia-pennsylvania-us-mint/stories/202602090075)
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
U.S. MINT ARTISTS PROFILED
(https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n09a20.html)
Other topics this week include the Trump Gold Coin. -Editor
I got a late start this week, only beginning work on the issue on Saturday morning. My daughter had recommended the new film "The Drama" with Zendaya and Robert Pattison, so I went to see it Thursday evening after work. It was good, and I'd recommend it. No special effects, just great acting and directing with a mix of humor, darkness, surprises and suspense. Friday was a date night with my wife, and we went to an upscale new steakhouse in our area. We had a good meal and I ate well, tipping the bathroom scale upward the next morning, without even trying the desserts. I'd wondered, "what can they put on their dessert menu when there's a Cheesecake Factory next door?" The chef gave us a lengthy recitation of the three or four choices and afterward I said "apparently, you put a lot of adjectives on the dessert menu." No, we didn't run next door for dessert. I did enjoy a bourbon from their extensive selection.
My only numismatic encounter this week came when I went out Wednesday evening to run through the carwash to lose a coating of spring pollen and stopped at our Walmart Supercenter to pick up a few groceries. I'd ignored some paper trash in the shopping cart ("buggy" for those of you in certain states). But as I set something in the cart I took another look, and when I unfolded one of the papers, I found this.
I finished a book this week and acquired a new one. I enjoyed reading Sebastian Mallaby's new biography: "The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, Deepmind, and the Quest for Superintelligence." The new one is "The Banker Who Made America: Thomas Willing and the Rise of American Financial Aristocracy" by Richard Vague, who also writes the "Delancey Place" blog we excerpt on occasion.
Thought for the week, courtesy of the internet; "Portugal is smaller than the US, Russia and China combined."
Finally, here are some interesting non-numismatic articles I came across this week.
6 Crunchy Popcorn Facts To Munch On (https://interestingfacts.com/popcorn-facts/)
Elizabeth Siddal: The Tragedy of the World's First Supermodel (https://www.barnebys.com/blog/elizabeth-siddal-the-tragedy-of-the-worlds-first-supermodel)
France pulls $15B of gold out of US vaults, and more EU member states may follow. (https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/commodities/articles/france-pulls-15b-gold-us-171300099.html)
A pre-Code Joan Crawford film was released from legal limbo after almost a century (https://www.avclub.com/joan-crawford-lost-film-letty-lynton-screened-after-90-years-lawsuit)
Upstate NY man in cow costume accused of attempting to stab family member (https://www.syracuse.com/state/2026/04/upstate-ny-man-in-cow-costume-accused-of-attempting-to-stab-family-member.html)
-Editor