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MembershipThere 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 AsylumFor Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Jeff at this email address: treasurer@coinbooks.org SubmissionsTo submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com BUY THE BOOK BEFORE THE COINSale Calendar
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- WAYNE'S WORDS: THE E-SYLUM MAY 24, 2026
- ASYLUM SUMMER 2026 ISSUE PUBLISHED
- KOLBE & FANNING SALE 177 ANNOUNCED
- WHITMAN UNVEILS 2027 RED BOOK
- OPEN ACCESS "COLLECTION MONETA" VOLUMES
- NEWMAN GRANTS 2026 AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT
- VIDEO: JOHN HIGHFILL, PART 2 OF 3
- MORE ON MICHAEL G. BEAN
- NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: MAY 24, 2026
- JUNE 2026 BALTIMORE WHITMAN EXPO
- VOCABULARY TERM: SOUVENIR MEDAL
- JAMES BIDDLE CLEMENS (1836-1878)
- NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: MAY 24, 2026
- STACK'S BOWERS: THE CAINE COLLECTION
- SOVEREIGN RARITIES AUCTION XXII
- WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: MAY 24, 2026
- THE IMPERIAL COLLECTION
- COINS FOUND BENEATH HMS VICTORY MAST
- UNIQUE LINCOLN CENT DOUBLE ERROR
- 2026 PHILIPPINES 10 PISO ASEAN COIN
- THE 2026 CRASH COURSE COIN
- EXHIBIT: ART IN A SEASON OF REVOLUTION
- STATUE OF LIBERTY 250 RELIC MEDAL
- TRUMP GOLD COIN DELAYED
- SADDAM HUESSEIN TRIAL BANKNOTES TO SELL
- LOOSE CHANGE: MAY 24, 2026
- THE QUARTER ON EDDIE VAN HALEN'S GUITAR
- ABOUT THIS ISSUE: MAY 24, 2026
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 MAY 24, 2026
New subscribers this week include:
Dr. Roman K. Kovalev.
Welcome aboard! We now have 6,483 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 an new Asylum issue, a numismatic literature sale, the new Red Book, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, notes from readers, and more.
Other topics this week include John Highfill, Mike Bean, the Whitman Expo, souvenir and relic medals, fixed price and auction selections, the Imperial Collection, stepping the mast of the HMS Victory, Saddam Huessein banknotes, and the Trump gold coin.
To learn more about the beginnings of "Gradeflation", Mark Hofmann and the Mormon Church Forgeries, the library of James C. Risk, Newman Grant winners, collector James B. Clemens, the Christina Nilsson medal, the Caine Collection of obsolete banknotes, coins from the SS Republic, a coin incorporating a QR code, the inspiration for Pistrucci's St. George, and why Eddie Van Halen put a quarter on his guitar, read on. Have a great week, everyone!
Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum
Image of the week
ASYLUM SUMMER 2026 ISSUE PUBLISHED
The Summer 2026 issue of The Asylum is on the way from our sponsor, the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. -Garrett
Welcome to The Asylum's Summer 2026 digital edition.
In this issue:
- Dr. John F. Rainey, MBE, 1950–2026 Remembrances by Darryl Atchison, Douglas Saville and David Fanning
- Getting Started with Ancient Greek Coins: The Essential Literature By William E. Daehn
- David Muirhead: Pioneer Collector of Mexican Revolution Coins (1913–1917) By Adrián González-Salinas
- S. Hudson Chapman and the Beginnings of "Gradeflation" By Harry E. Salyards
- Alvin Rust, Mark Hofmann, and the Mormon Church Forgeries By Mike Costanzo
- Admiral Smyth and His "Vast Quantity of Coins" By David Pickup
- Numismatic Bibliomania: Symptoms of the Affliction By Mike Costanzo
KOLBE & FANNING SALE 177 ANNOUNCED
Kolbe & Fanning have announced their 177th numismatic literature sale, closing on June 13, 2026. Wow - some amazing and important books here. -Editor
Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers are pleased to announce that we will be holding our 177th auction sale on Saturday, June 13, 2026. The sale features a variety of rare and out-of-print works on ancient, world and U.S. numismatics, accompanied by the extraordinary library on orders and decorations formed by James C. Risk.
Some highlights of the sale include:
WHITMAN UNVEILS 2027 RED BOOK
Whitman announces its upcoming 2027 Red Book, the reference's 80th edition, scheduled for release on July 6. This new edition builds on the success of the redesigned 2026 Red Book. -Garrett
Whitman Brands™ proudly announces the upcoming release of the 80th edition of The Official Red Book®: A Guide Book of United States Coins, the world's best-selling coin price guide and the most trusted reference in numismatics. Celebrating 80 years in publication and more than 26 million copies sold, the all-new 2027 Red Book continues its legacy as the indispensable resource for collectors worldwide. Wholesale shipments are scheduled to begin late June 2026.
The announcement follows the success of the reimagined 2026 edition, which sold more than 315,000 copies—a 30% increase from the 2025 edition, earned the Numismatic Literary Guild's Extraordinary Merit Book award, and stands #1 on Amazon's Best Seller list in Antiques & Collectibles Encyclopedias. Building on that momentum, the 2027 edition delivers meaningful enhancements while honoring the tradition collectors have trusted for generations.
OPEN ACCESS "COLLECTION MONETA" VOLUMES
Georges Depeyrot submitted this announcement. All of his Moneta works are now available freely on the Academia site. Thank you! -Editor
The Moneta Collection, which I created in 1995, has ceased publication.
To facilitate the dissemination of our work, the general catalogue and the 210 volumes of the Moneta Collection are now available in open access on https://cnrs.academia.edu/GeorgesDepeyrot.
The collection comprises over 60,000 pages cataloging treasures, including studies of economic and monetary history.
The works have been published in numerous languages, generally French or English.
NEWMAN GRANTS 2026 AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT
Len Augsburger provided this announcement of the 2026 Newman Grants. Monday is May 25th, the birthday of the late, great numismatist Eric P. Newman. Congratulations to the recipients - some great projects outlined here. -Editor
The Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society (EPNNES) today announces
its seventh set of Newman Grants, created to financially assist
numismatic authors and organizations pursuing original research in
American and world numismatics. Newman Grants are awarded annually on
the late Eric P. Newman's birthday and assist with direct costs of
numismatic research such as travel, photography, and graphic arts
services.
Seven awards are being made this year, touching on varied aspects of American and world numismatics. The 2026 Newman Grant awardees are as follows:
VIDEO: JOHN HIGHFILL, PART 2 OF 3
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 interviewing National Silver Dollar Roundtable founder John Highfill. -Editor
MORE ON MICHAEL G. BEAN
David Gladfelter submitted these additional thoughts on BEP plate printer Mike Bean. Thank you. -Editor
In addition to Mike's intaglio printing for Mark Tomasko's book The Feel of Steel, there is another project that he undertook in 2013 for which he deserves our respectful attention.
In the early years of this century, some original copper plates engraved for banks to print their circulating notes came on the numismatic market. I acquired five of them used by early New Jersey banks, circa 1805 to 1836, and showed them to Mike. He thought that there was enough life left in them to print 25 sets of reproduction proofs. The plates had not been defaced, although they had minor nicks and scratches. So Mike took on the project. He had a home workshop that included not only the spider press but tools, sketches, samples and technical books. For the project he chose heavy absorbent paper and sepia ink so that the reprints could not be confused with originals. The results were spectacular.
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: MAY 24, 2026
Dannreuther's Leatherbound Silver Proof Books Available for Preorder
John Dannreuther writes:
I just got a quote on leather bound Silver proof books. (two books & custom box)
The two books plus the box will cost me over $400, plus shipping of $15 or so.
I am adding $100, so they will be $525 for the set. Since this is more than many want to pay, I am only going to produce the number I sell (I did 150 for gold and sold them all but only sold a 100 or so of the 150 leather bound nickel books - I still have some, so there are numbered ones still available at $225 that will allow the buyer to get the same number for silver leather bound).
Anyone who wants one needs to send a $100 deposit to reserve leather bound Silver (I need their gold number or if they only had the nickel, then that number).
They can email me at jdrc@mindspring.com (I can take PayPal, Zelle, or credit/debit card for the deposit) or send a check to:
JDRC
4804 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #805
North Hollywood, CA 91607
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: MAY 10, 2026 :
Dannreuther's US Proof Coins Volume III: Silver Spiral Bound
(https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n19a11.html)
Other topics this week include 1801, 1802, and 1803 Novodel Proof Silver Dollars. -Editor
JUNE 2026 BALTIMORE WHITMAN EXPO
Whitman Expos™ announces the return of the Whitman Summer Coin & Collectible Expo, taking place June 11–13, 2026, at the Baltimore Convention Center Halls A & B in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. -Garrett
Whitman Expos™ announces the return of the Whitman Summer Coin & Collectible Expo, taking place June 11–13, 2026, at the Baltimore Convention Center Halls A & B in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Known for its relaxed atmosphere and approachable footprint, the Summer Expo delivers the same excitement, discovery, and community collectors have come to expect from Whitman's larger flagship events—bringing together dealers, collectors, investors, and families for three days of buying, selling, trading, and learning.
Open to the public with free admission (photo ID required), the Expo offers visitors access to hundreds of tables featuring rare coins, paper money, bullion, tokens, medals, and collecting supplies. Guests can also enjoy educational club meetings, family-friendly activities, auction lot viewing, and opportunities to connect with independent dealers and numismatic experts from across the country.
THE BOOK BAZARRE
VOCABULARY TERM: SOUVENIR MEDAL
Here's another entry from Dick Johnson's Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Terminology. -Editor
Souvenir Medal. A medallic memento; a medal issued in honor of a public celebration or event. The occasion of the event can be anything: an anniversary, dedication, fair, exposition, coronation, inauguration, launching or any such public celebration. The medals issued upon the completion of a public project – roadway, bridge, tunnel, dam or such – all fall within this category. Souvenir medals are often sold to the public or given to some participants. They fall within the large class of commemorative medals, and become permanent historical mementos of the celebration.
JAMES BIDDLE CLEMENS (1836-1878)
E-Sylum Feature Writer and American Numismatic Biographies author Pete Smith submitted this article on James Biddle Clemens and his coin collection. Thanks! -Editor
My story this week was suggested by Julia Casey. I appreciate her suggestion and welcome suggestions from others.
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat issue of January 9, 1876, had the
story of what they called, "The Finest Collection in the West,"
describing the coin collection of James Clemens, Jr.
"Mr. Clemens's collection is remarkable for its completeness… To begin with our own country, he has full sets of all the half-cents, cents, five-cent pieces, dimes, quarters, half-dollars and dollars of the American coinage. He has also in gold, quarter-dollar, one dollar, two-and-a half dollar, five dollar, ten and twenty dollar pieces of every mintage.
"Going abroad, he has paid nearly as much attention to foreign coins as those of this country. He has full sets of coins of every value, in copper, silver and gold, of England, France. Spain. Portugal. Denmark, Germany, Austria, Turkey, the South American States, and even India, Siam and China. There is no country of the world that uses coins whose tokens of value are not represented in Mr. Clemens collection."
"For some of the pieces, especially the old copper cents and half cents, he paid extravigant prices, in one case, $40 for a cent of 1796."
NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: MAY 24, 2026
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
103268 | UNITED STATES & ITALY. Christopher Columbus bronze Medal. Issued 1892 for the Italian-American Exposition held in Genova (55mm, 85.17 g, 12h). By Eligio Pintore for Bocelli in Milano.
CRISTOFORO COLOMBO, bust left // ESPOSIZIONE ITALO–AMERICANA / GENOVA MDCCCLXXXXII, native princess (representing America) and civic personification of Genova, holding trident and resting hand upon shield, standing right; to right, personification of Italy seated left on throne, holding scepter and with lion at her side; above, angel in flight, emerging from clouds and holding laurel wreath in each hand; tower in background to left, lighthouse in background to right; all set upon base decorated with crowned janiform head. Edge: Plain.
Eglit 200; Starlust ST-eg-200; Rulau –; lamoneta.it W-ME54/1-3. Mint State. Deep brown surfaces, with a great glossy nature. Though not related to the 1893 Columbian Expo held in Chicago, a rare piece of Columbiana nonetheless.
During the lead-up to the quadricentennial of Columbus's initial contact with the New World, numerous medals were designed and struck, both in the United States—in conjunction with the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago—and abroad—sometimes for this event of for similar others. This particular medal was issued for the Italian-American Exposition held in 1892 in Genova—the city in which the famous explorer was born.
STACK'S BOWERS: THE CAINE COLLECTION
Stack's Bowers will be selling the Caine Collection of obsolete banknotes on May 28. More selected items are discussed below. -Garrett
Montgomery, Alabama. Bank of the State of Alabama. 18xx $50. PMG Uncirculated 62. Proof. (AL-5-G216P). Plate A. Imprint of Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Co. New York. Female allegorical figures at center inside wreathed ovoid portrait. Bank title partially flanks the aforementioned arrangement while ornate counters emblazoned "50" may be found at opposite ends. Subsidiary vignette of a Native warrior at left opposite an end panel emblazoned "FIFTY" at right. A total of (4) rounded POCs may be found above the signature panels.
SOVEREIGN RARITIES AUCTION XXII
Sovereign Rarities will be hosting Auction XXII on June 3. Additional select items are discussed below. The coins in this sale chart the evolution of British minting technology from the mid-19th century onward, highlighting experimental phases of Royal Mint production rather than standard circulation coinage. -Garrett
The milled section Sovereign Rarities Auction XXII presents an impressive concentration of proof and pattern material, ranging from high-grade Victorian rarities to early 20th-century British gold and commemorative issues. Together, these coins chart the evolution of British minting technology from the mid-19th century onward, highlighting experimental phases of Royal Mint production rather than standard circulation coinage.
Lots 32–50 centre on the reign of George IV and feature a strong selection of early Sovereigns alongside important pattern issues. Several examples are certified by NGC in Mint State or About Uncirculated grades, including an 1821 Sovereign graded MS63 (Lot 33) and estimated at £4,000–5,000.
WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: MAY 24, 2026
Tuesday, May 21 was the meeting night of my Northern Virginia numismatic social group, Nummis Nova. Chris Neuzil was our host, and he'd made reservations at
Vaso's Kitchen, a lovely little Greek place on Powhatan Street in Alexandria. I parked in the lot behind the place, but there was also street parking available.
Chris and Robert Hoppensteadt were among the first to arrive. The stragglers this month were Julian Leidman and Erik Douglas who'd first gone to the OTHER Vaso's Kitchen in another part of Alexandria. The great crowd of regulars was rounded out by Mike Packard, Mike Markowitz, Jon Radel, Eric Schena, Dave Schenkman, John Kralvevich and Steve Bishop.
As usual I brought along some numismatic literature, and one of the books held a coin - one of those recently conserved and slabbed 1861-O Half Dollars from the SS Republic.
THE IMPERIAL COLLECTION
In this Greysheet Podcast episode, John Feigenbaum speaks with Ursula Kampmann and Ulrich Künker about the Imperial Collection of Hohenzollern Treasures. -Editor
John Feigenbaum welcomes Ursula Kampmann and a rare appearance by Ulrich Künker, president of Künker Auctions, for an extraordinary deep dive into "The Imperial Collection" — perhaps one of the most important European numismatic collections ever to come to market.
This historic collection was assembled by the Prussian royal family and German emperors of the House of Hohenzollern, preserved for generations, hidden during World War II, taken to Russia by the Red Army, and eventually returned to Germany before finally being offered at auction.
COINS FOUND BENEATH HMS VICTORY MAST
Dick Hanscom passed along a BBC story about the discovery of six coins and tokens under a mast of the HMS Victory. The storied ship, now preserved at Britain's National Museum of the Royal Navy, saw service in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars and most famously was Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship at the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar.
"Stepping the Mast" is a longstanding shipbuilding tradition - placing coins under the mast or in the keel as a good luck charm. See earlier articles linked below for more examples. -Editor
Six nineteenth-century coins and tokens have been discovered beneath the foremast of HMS Victory.
The find was made following the successful removal of Victory's foremast at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
The discovery connects directly to a long-standing maritime tradition in which coins were placed beneath a ship's mast as a symbolic act, says Andrew Baines, executive director of Museum Operations at Royal Navy Museums.
UNIQUE LINCOLN CENT DOUBLE ERROR
This article on an unusual double struck, doubled die Lincoln cent is republished with permission from Mike Byers' Mint Error News. Thank you. -Editor
The Only Known Double Struck Doubled Die!
This Lincoln cent transcends the mint error category for several reasons. It is the only known major striking error on a modern U.S. coin with a well known die variety. It is perfect for a major mint error collection of unique errors, a collection of die varieties, a collection of doubled dies, or a collection of Lincoln cents.
Major die varieties such as doubled dies and overdates are very popular and widely collected. There are other known die varieties other than these two but the collector interest and value centers on the rarer and more famous examples. Focusing on the Lincoln cent series, the most famous doubled dies are dated 1917, 1936, 1955, 1958, 1969-S, 1970-S, 1972, 1983, 1984, and 1992.
2026 PHILIPPINES 10 PISO ASEAN COIN
The central Bank of the Philippines has issued a coin incorporating a QR code. Found via the Coin of Note Newsletter (coinofnote.com). -Editor
The 10-piso ASEAN coin commemorates the role of the Philippines as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026 and highlights the country's leadership and contributions to the region.
The reverse side of the coin features the ASEAN 2026 official logo and a QR code linking to the BSP website.
Including a QR code on the coin bridges tradition and technology, enabling the public to access real-time updates of ASEAN events through digital experiences.
The obverse side retains the design of the currently circulating 10-piso from the New Generation Currency coin series, which features Apolinario Mabini and the coin's face value.
THE 2026 CRASH COURSE COIN
The Shire Post Mint is selling a new 2026 version of a fundraising coin for the YouTube Crash Course channel, which produces educational videos for students, teachers, and casual learners. Here's the Shire email announcement. -Editor
Crash Course is on a mission to provide access to high quality educational content to as many people as possible, and we are excited to be part of it!
Available through May 29th, funds raised through the sales of these coins keep Crash Course's diverse range of courses free for thousands of learners, anytime, anywhere!
The Crash Course coins are minted right here in our workshop from solid copper, brass, titanium, and bronze. Each reverse side features beautiful new artwork by graphic designer Elliott Zheng, depicting a sound wave that translates to the spoken words: "Knowledge weighs nothing: carry all you can."
EXHIBIT: ART IN A SEASON OF REVOLUTION
David Menchell writes:
"On exhibit at ArtsWestchester in White Plains, NY is contemporary artwork by a number of artists expressing their views of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Aside from graphic art, there are over 30 medallic pieces done by a number of prominent sculptor-engravers, including Eugene Daub, Jim Licaretz, Mashiko, Jeanne Sollman-Stevens and many others.
"I attended the opening reception on May 16th and had the opportunity to speak to several of the artists. I have loaned them four medals dealing with topics relating to the Revolutionary War to be displayed with the contemporary medals. The exhibit is open Wednesdays through Sundays until the end of July, when it will be moved to the historic Philipse Manor on the Hudson for two months. "
STATUE OF LIBERTY 250 RELIC MEDAL
Rhode Island artist Carolyn Rafaelian is offering a semiquincentennial relic medal made from Statue of Liberty copper. -Editor
Rhode Island's Alchemist Mint, the world's only mint that takes recycled materials through the entire process from melting to finishing, announced its first project today—a limited-edition coin struck with copper removed from the Statue of Liberty during its 1984-1986 restoration which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Lady Liberty Enlightening the World coin, named for the statue's formal title, gives the public a chance to own an original piece of the monument, literally a piece of history, and pass it on. The coin represents the first time an original element of the Statue of Liberty has been transformed into a coin as a national artifact. It also represents the last time the copper removed from the statue during its restoration will be available to the public—all of the remaining copper that has been meticulously preserved for the past 40-odd years is being devoted to the production of the commemorative artifact.
TRUMP GOLD COIN DELAYED
Newsweek dug into legal filings and got a scoop on the Trump commemorative gold coin. It won't be ready for several months after Independence Day. They said "make it big" and in Trumpian style it's HUUUUUGE, weighing in around 19.7 oz each (an estimated $90,000 worth of gold). Only 47 will be made. -Editor.
New gold coins featuring President Donald Trump's face, issued for the 250th anniversary of United States independence, likely will not be ready until several months afterwards, the U.S. Mint has said in a legal document reviewed by Newsweek.
The delay was revealed in response to a lawsuit that had been filed in a bid to block the creation of the coins altogether, which has ultimately proved unsuccessful.
SADDAM HUESSEIN TRIAL BANKNOTES TO SELL
A full set of trial banknotes from the Central Bank of Iraq dating from 1990 featuring Saddam Hussein that were never printed due to the First Gulf War will be offered at Noonans in an auction of World Banknotes on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. -Garrett
A full set of trial banknotes from the Central Bank of Iraq dating from 1990 featuring Saddam Hussein that were never printed due to the First Gulf War will be offered at Noonans in an auction of World Banknotes on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. They are being sold by private collectors and are expected to fetch a total of £17,000.
LOOSE CHANGE: MAY 24, 2026
Here are some additional items in the media this week that may be of interest. -Editor
An excellent CoinsWeekly article by Ursula Kampmann discusses the inspiration for Benedetto Pistrucci's image of St. George and the dragon on British coins. The article highlights a 1817 pattern George III crown offered in the upcoming Numismatica Ars Classica (NAC) sale 167. -Editor
Lot 1582. George III, 1760-1820. AR Pattern Crown, 1817. By B. Pistrucc
To read the complete lot description, see:
https://www.numisbids.com/sale/10607/lot/1582
To read the complete article, see:
Benedetto Pistrucci, the Parthenon frieze, and St. George
(https://new.coinsweekly.com/coins-medals-more/benedetto-pistrucci-the-parthenon-frieze-and-st-george/)
Other topics this week include the New York Public Library. -Editor
THE QUARTER ON EDDIE VAN HALEN'S GUITAR
Stumbled upon on Quora. -Editor
Screwed directly into the wood of Eddie Van Halen's homemade "Frankenstrat" guitar is a 1971 US quarter. It wasn't a lucky charm—it was a makeshift piece of mechanical engineering.
Van Halen revolutionized rock guitar with his aggressive use of the tremolo arm, or "whammy bar," creating dramatic pitch drops known as dive bombs. To achieve this, he utilized a floating tremolo system—specifically, early versions of the double-locking Floyd Rose bridge. A floating bridge balances the tension of the guitar strings against a set of springs in the back of the guitar body. This delicate equilibrium allows the player to bend the pitch both up and down.
However, floating bridges come with a significant drawback: if a single string breaks during a performance, the overall tension is lost, the springs pull the bridge backward, and the entire guitar goes drastically out of tune. Additionally, resting a palm heavily on a floating bridge while playing can inadvertently push the strings out of pitch.
ABOUT THIS ISSUE: MAY 24, 2026
See my diary article elsewhere in this issue for my numismatic highlights this week. After my Nummis Nova dinner I located an Asylum article Chris Neuzil asked about: Thomas Wyatt and the Birth of Numismatic Fraud in the United States by David Fanning in the Winter 2016 issue.
Found on the Interwebs:
- "I'm not gonna lie…. it's pretty weird being the same age as old people."
- "I don't drink anything worse than Pop. Mind you, Pop could really drink."
Finally, here are some interesting non-numismatic articles I came across this week. Keep you head to the grindstone with the first article on malaphors.
What Is a Malaphor? (https://wordsmarts.com/malaphors/)
Ancient Roman Technique Discovered 8,000 Years Earlier, Study Says (https://www.sciencealert.com/ancient-roman-technique-discovered-8000-years-earlier-study-says)
Inside the Enhanced Games, Where Athletes Compete on Steroids. And Growth Hormones. And Adderall. (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/inside-the-enhanced-games)
How Did a Genius' Name Become an Insult? (https://wordsmarts.com/dunce-cap-origin/)
Frampton Comes Alive! at Fifty: The improbable story of rock's greatest live album. (https://quillette.com/2026/05/14/frampton-comes-alive-at-fifty-steve-marriott-humble-pie/)
5 Bizarre Medieval Battle Tactics (https://historyfacts.com/world-history/article/bizarre-medieval-battle-tactics/)
Florida's Osborne Reef: 2 Million Tires Dumped in the Ocean to Build a ‘Revolutionary' Reef… and It Wrecked the Marine Ecosystem (https://ecency.com/@davideownzall/floridas-osborne-reef-2-million-tires-dumped-in-the-ocean-to-build-a-revolutionary-reef-and-it-wrecked-the-marine-ecosyst)
‘Corpse Point' In the Arctic Is Melting, Disturbing Centuries-Old Bodies (https://www.404media.co/corpse-point-in-the-arctic-is-melting-disturbing-centuries-old-bodies/)
Mathematics is out there (https://aeon.co/essays/for-sergiu-klainerman-maths-is-a-fact-to-be-divined)
Cognition founder and nerd emperor Scott Wu (https://colossus.com/article/scott-wu-tapes-cognition/)
AI's New Acceleration Phase (https://aidailybrief.beehiiv.com/p/ai-s-new-acceleration-phase)
Dumbo Could Already Fly: 100% pure human copium about OpenAI solving Erdos problems (https://www.theintrinsicperspective.com/p/dumbo-could-already-fly)
The New A.I. Money Should Be Spent on Beauty (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/opinion/artificial-intelligence-philanthropy-beauty.html)
-Editor
Editor Wayne Homren, Assistant Editor Garrett Ziss
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