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About Us The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit association devoted to the study and enjoyment of numismatic literature. For more information please see our web site at coinbooks.org Subscriptions Those wishing to become new E-Sylum subscribers can go to the following web page Subscribe You may Unsubscribe Here Membership There is a membership application available on the web site Membership Application To join, print the application and return it with your check to the address printed on the application. Print/Digital membership is $40 to addresses in the U.S., and $60 elsewhere. A digital-only membership is available for $25. For those without web access, write to: Jeff Dickerson, Treasurer Numismatic Bibliomania Society P. O. Box 578, Weatherford, TX 76086 Asylum For Asylum mailing address changes and other membership questions, contact Jeff at this email address: treasurer@coinbooks.org Submissions To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com BUY THE BOOK BEFORE THE COIN Sale Calendar Kolbe &: Fanning September 26, 2026 Workman's Books November 1, 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 SEPTEMBER 20, 2026

New subscribers this week include: Dan Garske, courtesy Tom Sheehan, Jaye Waterman, courtesy Bruce Perdue, Jason Forsyth, and Matthew Salzberg. Welcome aboard! We now have 6,361 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 more Kolbe & Fanning numismatic literature sale highlights, three new books, updates from the Newman Numismatic Portal, notes from readers, and more.

Other topics this week include medalets of the U.S. Mint, German banknotes, the Castorland jeton, the Santini medal, HaithiTrust, Bob Schulman, fixed price and auction selections, my numismatic diaries, a new Canadian banknote, and one of the most important financial documents of the American Revolution.

To learn more about the Charles Morris collection, Clapp's photographic Type Set of United States Cents, 1793–1857, engravers William H. Key and George B. Soley, the medals of Venice, the 1933 Double Eagles, NBS events at the 2026 ANA, L.W. Hoffecker, Student Work, Hard Times Tokens, the William and Mary Crown, the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of North America, and the Wienermobile's license plate, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum

 

MORE KOLBE & FANNING SALE 178 HIGHLIGHTS

On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the outstanding numismatic library formed by Robert A. Schuman, M.D., is being sold by Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers. The online catalogue can be accessed at bid.numislit.com. Bob Schuman's collecting interests focused on U.S. coins and tokens, and his library includes an impressive array of classic auction catalogues, rare periodicals, special editions, association copies, and much else.

Some highlights include:

 

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NEW BOOK: 18MM MEDALETS OF THE US MINT

18 mm Medalets of the US Mint, William H. Key, and George B. Soley: An Illustrated Reference
by Jonathan Brecher

The ultimate illustrated identification guide to 18 mm US Mint medalets and their die pairings to Civil War tokens and Centennial Exposition medalets (1830s–1880s).

Dive into the fascinating world of 19th-century American numismatics. 18 mm Medalets of the US Mint, William H. Key, and George B. Soley: An Illustrated Reference is a comprehensive catalog designed for collectors, historians, and professional dealers alike.

In the mid-1800s, the United States Mint—alongside celebrated private engravers like William H. Key and George B. Soley—produced a series of small, 18-millimeter political medalets, campaign tokens, and store cards. While earlier catalogers on specific topical areas, this reference proudly steps into the gaps. By analyzing decades of auction history and historic archives, author Jonathan Brecher unlocks a dense web of previously unlisted, rare, and complex die pairings.

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NEW BOOK: GERMAN BANKNOTES, 24TH ED.

German banknotes from 1871 onwards
Hans-Ludwig Grabowski

Paper money issued by German central banks, government paper money, colonial and occupation issues, German territories and banknote-like securities and vouchers

ISBN: 978-3-86646-279-3
Edition: 24th edition 2026/2027
Dimensions: 14.8 x 21 cm
Type of figures: colored throughout
Type of cover: Hardcover
Number of pages: approx. 880

This comprehensive, full-color, up-to-date reference work on German banknotes from the founding of the German Empire in 1871 to the present day, organized by historical period: the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the Allied occupation, the GDR, the Federal Republic of Germany, and related territories. In addition to the notes of the German central banks (including state-owned note banks), it also includes government paper money, colonial and occupation issues, banknote-like securities and vouchers, occupation issues from both World Wars, and military currency. All areas are cataloged with their own numbering systems and currently valued.

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NEW BOOK: VENICE THROUGH MEDALS

427 entries in this new volume that tells the story of Venice through medals, badges, and plaques in the crucial 19th century.

The new edition, entitled Venice through medals. The nineteenth century, is the result of extensive research by Professor Leonardo Mezzaroba , with contributions from Piero Voltolina (1930-2005) and Meri Beni Voltolina. Libra Media & Services, the publishing house of CN Cronaca Numismtica , has released it.

In 544 A4 pages, printed entirely in color and richly illustrated, the author continues, both conceptually and concretely, The History of Venice Through Medals, a work to which Voltolina himself devoted so much energy, culminating in the publication of three weighty volumes. Those volumes, however, were interrupted on May 12, 1797, when the Great Council met for the last time in the Doge's Palace. With Napoleon's armies at the gates, it declared the Most Serene Republic of Venice collapsed , and with it, the last Doge, Ludovico Manin.

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THE U.S. MINT 1933 DOUBLE EAGLE PANEL

The U.S. Mint Presents the 1933 Double Eagles

At the American Numismatic Association convention held in Pittsburgh, PA, August 25-29, 2026, the U.S. Mint exhibited eleven 1933 double eagles. On August 27 and 28, Stephen Fenton, Greg Weinman, and David Tripp presented on the coins and took Q&A from the audience. This video includes the August 27th presentation, with Q&A, followed by the Q&A from the second session held on August 28th. U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis hosts.

Fenton, owner of Knightsbridge Coins in London, is a one-time owner of an example of the 1933 $20, while Greg Weinman serves as U.S. Mint Counsel. David Tripp is the author of Illegal Tender: Gold, Greed, and the Mystery of the Lost 1933 Double Eagle. All three played a prominent role in the litigation surrounding this enigmatic piece of U.S. Mint history.

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2026 ANA NUMISMATIC BIBLIOMANIA SOCIETY EVENTS

Video from Numismatic Bibliomania Society Events Available

Video from the NBS events at the recent American Numismatic Association is now available. In the NBS Symposium on Thursday, August 27, Cassie Brand spoke on "Book Matters: A Brief History of the Object." This presentation touched on the history of printing, typography, binding, and illustration, with a focus on how the look of the book changes in response to technological advances. Brand is the Rare Books Curator at Olin Library, Washington University.

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VIDEO: THE CASTORLAND JETON

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MORE ON THE SANTINI PRIZE MEDAL

Below is another example of the Washington & Lee (W&L) University Santini medal. John Lyle Campbell was a professor of chemistry, mineralogy and geology at the college. John Lyle Campbell Jr. was the treasurer at the college (1877-1886). As treasurer, he would have been the one to pay for the medal struck by the U.S. mint in 1882. That medal is most certainly the one in the mint records. This medal was presented to Harry Donald Campbell who served as an instructor and assistant professor at W&L University - besides being an undergraduate there earlier. Harry is the son of John Lyle Campbell professor of chemistry and geology and the brother of John Lyle Campbell Jr. the treasurer.

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NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: SEPTEMBER 20, 2026

More on L.W. Hoffecker
Jason Elwell writes:

Jason adds:

To read the complete L.W. Hoffecker articles, see:
Go Tell it on the Franklin Mountains ... L.W. Hoffecker is reborn (https://texasnumismatics.org/hoffecker)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
L.W. HOFFECKER ARCHIVE DISCOVERED (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n45a07.html)

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NUMISMATIC LITERATURE ON HATHITRUST.ORG

Introduction
Are you having trouble finding obscure or out-of-print numismatic literature? HathiTrust.org has a digitized library of over 19 million items, including books, journals, and government publications. You can search anonymously or create a free account to organize your finds into customizable "collections." Filter items by type, date, language, author, subject, and more! You can download PDFs of relevant pages for offline viewing.

Search Using Keywords
A keyword search is the quickest way to find numismatic information, and you don't even have to login to do so! Broad search terms yield the greatest number of results. For example, if I search our organizational namesake word numismatic, the site produces 112,533 results. That is a lot of matches! Similarly, if I search the general term coin, I get an astonishing 2,342,540 results. Working with such a large number of results requires refinement of the search criteria. This can be done using the advanced search feature.

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VOCABULARY TERM: STUDENT WORK

Student Work. Early medallic creations while an artist is in training or learning the craft. The student work of artists in training at the Zecca Mint in Rome are not allowed to leave the premises. Elsewhere these examples are often saved by the artist and occasionally come on the market. Student work can be highly creative, but often lack the sophistication and detail of a professional medallist. Knowledge and execution of the later comes with experience in the field. Much of the member work of the American Medallic Sculpture Association in America, and the British Art Medal Society in England, is student work because these organizations support learning in the field.

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PROFILE: ROBERT A. SCHUMAN, M.D.

Welcome to our sale of the Robert A. Schuman, M.D. Library. Bob (as he was generally known in the hobby) was involved in numismatics since the late 1950s, and he developed a level of connoisseurship that is infrequently encountered. Indeed, over the years of his collecting, he became an expert in no fewer than three areas: U.S. large cents, Hard Times Tokens, and numismatic literature. These are all areas that require years of study to attain expertise, though they all have their charm and their capacity to entice and intrigue the more casual collector.

Bob was far more than a casual collector, though. Even as a teenager, he took his coins seriously, delving into die varieties and other minutiae. He was a born specialist, so perhaps it comes as no surprise to learn that his only years away from the hobby were when he was attending university and medical school as he trained to become a radiologist: another sort of highly skilled specialist that requires a keenly interpretive mindset. His years as a large cent collector really blossomed when he became aware of EAC—Early American Coppers— and Bob became active in the social world of collecting. Bob tells that story himself in the article we reprint on the following pages.

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ATLAS NUMISMATICS SELECTIONS: SEPTEMBER 20, 2026

1087901 | GREEK. PAEONIAN KINGDOM. Lycceius. Struck circa 359/6-335 BC. AR Tetradrachm. NGC Ch. AU (Choice About Uncirculated) Strike 4/5 Surface 5/5. 23mm. 12.69gm. Laureate head of Zeus, right ???? - [????]. Heracles crouching to left fighting with the Nemean lion, grasping its neck and holding club in his right hand; (bow and quiver, right). SNG ANS 1019; AMNG III, 8; HGC 3.1, 142.

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NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: SEPTEMBER 20, 2026

103724 | UNITED STATES. San Francisco. Mechanics' Institute silver Award Medal. Engraved and awarded to Weed & Kingwell in 1885. (49mm, 43.50 g, 12h). By Albert Kuner.

MECHANIC'S' INSTITUTE, Columbia standing facing upon base featuring "MI" (Mechanics' Institute) monogram; she presents laurel crown to personifications of industry—with hammer, anvil, gear, and compass—and of agriculture—with plow, sickle, bushel, grapes, palette, and harp; in background, locomotive crossing stone bridge and steamship sailing in the bay; SAN FRANCISCO in exergue // INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION / AWARDED TO, Weed & Kingwell / "Best Plumbers Goods" elaborately engraved in two lines; decorative scroll work above and below; all within laurel wreath; 1885 in cartouche in exergue. Edge: Plain.

Harkness CA-92. NGC MS-63. Extremely brilliant and prooflike, with very colorful toning throughout. A popular series and very rare when encountered this attractive and problem free.

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HERITAGE: GERMAN STATES SHOWCASE

Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Wilhelm gold Krone 1858-B MS61 NGC, Brunswick mint, KM1153. We have only sold this issue once before, and to find this fleeting, gleaming type in certified Mint State is a delight.

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SOVEREIGN RARITIES AUCTION XXIII: MEDALS

Marriage of Princess Mary to William of Orange, 1641, Marriage of Princess Mary to William of Orange, 1641, silver medal by J Blum, the couple face each other and clasp hands, each crowned with a wreath by a cloud-borne cherub, above them a dove in a radiant sun and in the distance a palace, ALBIONUM GENUIT REX ME SUMMUSQUE MONARCHA CAROLUS, ET SPONSAM ME JUBET ESSE TUAM, PRINCEPS ME HENRICUS GENUIT FORTISSIMUS HEROS NASOUIÆ, ET SPONSUM ME JUBET ESSE TUUM, in exergue, LONDINI DESPONSATI WILHELM' ET MARIA, ANO 1641, 12 MAJ, rev. the Titan Pallas, trampling Bellona, and attended by Victory with attributes of the Archangel Michael, receives an olive branch from Peace attended by Ceres, BELLONAM PRINCEPS PALLAS PEDIBUS TERIT ET PAX FLORET, ET ALMA CERES, CONFERT SACRO ALITE FRUGES, in exergue, NOUI IMPERII AUSPICIO BONO, 72mm, 95.29g (Eimer 137; MI i 287/100; Scher (1997) 15; vL II, 251). Good extremely fine with the classic deep, cabinet tone associated with medals from the Bute collection.  

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MORTON & EDEN OCTOBER 2026 BYZANTINE SALE

Byzantine coins at Morton & Eden, London, 7 October, 2026

A major sale of Byzantine coins from the Porphyra collection is to take place in London on 7th October. Covering coins from the time of Constantine the Great up to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 it is the most comprehensive offering of its type for many years, comprising over 400 lots and covering more than a thousand years of history.

The collection was built up over a 10-year period and previous auction provenance is recorded for each piece. Among the highlights are:

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WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: 2026 ANA, PART 4

This segment discuses my time at the Pittsburgh ANA on Friday, August 28th. Here's a view from my room, looking toward the convention center.

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WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: SEPTEMBER 20, 2026

Tuesday, September 15th was the meeting night of my Northern Virginia numismatic social group Nummis Nova. Wayne Herndon was our host at the Lazy Dog Restaurant in Fairfax. Other attendees included Mike Packard, Mike Markowitz and his guest Jim Sims, Jon Radel, Steve Bishop, Erik Douglas and Julian Leidman. I didn't get a group shot, but here are some of my photos.

A smiling Julian Leidman presides at the head of the table.

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IAPN'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY MEDAL

The International Association of Professional Numismatist's 75th Anniversary Medal charmed admirers when it was first revealed at IAPN's Congress held in Rome, Italy, on May 21, 2026. The medal garnered more praise when it was exhibited along with its engraver's plaster casts at the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from July 26-28,, 2026.

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NEW VERTICAL CANADIAN $20 BILL

It's official — Canada has a new $20 bill.

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem unveiled the new, vertical bill featuring a portrait of King Charles on Thursday in Ottawa. It's the first Canadian bank note to feature Charles, whose image replaces that of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN LOAN DOCUMENT

One of the most important financial documents from the American Revolution has sold at RR Auction. This twice-signed Benjamin Franklin promissory note records the first installment of the final French loan that helped finance the Revolutionary War.

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ABOUT THIS ISSUE: SEPTEMBER 20, 2026

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