"After reading your week in Pittsburgh I think you have a second career in writing travel brochures. You could make a flat tire on a rainy day sound like fun."

Thanks. Last week in Pittsburgh was definitely rainy, but also fun. If you missed my diary articles, they're linked below, and I have a new one elsewhere in this issue.

Actually, a couple weeks ago really I did have a flat tire in the rain on my way to work, waiting about an hour on the Capitol Beltway for a tow truck to arrive and haul my car and I down Whiskey Bottom Road in Maryland to a dealership. It wasn't fun. But I learned just now that the road is "in an area that was first settled by English colonists in the mid-1600s [and] was named in the 1880s in association with one of its residents delivering whiskey after a prohibition vote. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_Bottom_Road . -Editor

"The 2 cent chit issued by New York's Civil War era liquor establishment, Ireland's Old Star Hotel on Lispenard Street, had a 3 cent mate, illustrated here. They were together in the large Proskey-Boyd collection of Civil War chits auctioned by Bowers and Merena on March 26, 1985, both in lot 1418. Since this collection was largely formed during the Civil War, it's a good bet that most of its contents were issued then. David Schenkman confirmed this by locating a listing for this merchant at the address on the chit in the 1863 New York City directory.

"Notice the two-color printing on these chits. The printer used a black-ink form to print the merchant's name and address. Then, using different colored cardboard, he printed the denominations in red. Most likely a 1 cent denomination was made as well, and possibly others too. In the current issue of Civil War Era Numismatics columnist Schenkman describes an Illinois series of Civil War chits issued in five denominations. All are dated Dec. 1, 1862, leaving no doubt as to their Civil War status.

"These pieces offer the collector a triple opportunity: History, rarity and affordability. Let's go for it. A forum for your research awaits in the aforementioned quarterly journal. A name search online can lead you to information over and above the terse city directory listings."

Indeed. These are much easier to research these days, and well worth the time. I was fortunate to purchase a lot or two of cardboard scrip from that sale. When my collection was published in an American Numismatic Rarities sale in 2006 I got a call from token dealer Steve Tanenbaum, who told me he'd been wondering for years who'd ended up with them. As Dave Schenkman noted last week, these little money substitutes are both rare and historically important, yet selling cheap these days. Don't miss the opportunity. -Editor

"I've just been looking at your very informative website. I thought I'd drop you a line as I have one of the Art Directors Club Medals as illustrated on your site and recently sold on eBay. Image attached.

"I've not been able to find much about this in the past so it was good to read about it. I wonder how my one made it to England. I've never seen another one!"

Thanks - nice find. This is a nice medal by sculptor Paul Manship. The earlier example we pictured came from the American Numismatic Society eBay offerings. It was hotly contested, with 38 bids. -Editor

"Printer's Proofs from Perkins Bacon Archive of Banknotes were sold in four Spink Auctions in 1995/96. An IBNS post said there was also a catalogue covering India, Ceylon, Singapore, and Straits Settlements sold in Singapore in June 1995. I have been unable to locate that catalogue online. I will appreciate finding that from the collective knowledge of the E-Sylum. Thanks."

Can anyone help locate the catalog? -Editor

"I recently listened to a new podcast that addressed the issue of AI pricing.

"Jeff Stark, along with Chris Bulfinch, has launched The Coin Collecting Podcast. This podcast is "brought to you by Numismatic News". I want to call attention to episode three: "Threats to the Hobby". It is 68 minutes long and dropped on May 15.

"Jeff and Chris's guest was Charles Morgan of CoinWeek. Their topic under threats was AI pricing.

"One of Charles' points that got to me was how would AI be able to price a MS70 modern coin? These coins are created by submitting many coins to a TPG in hope that one will yield the MS70 grade. This coin meets the need of the Registry collector and a high market price is paid. However, a human market analyst would realize that this price is based on a mistaken sense of rarity since at any time other coins will appear with the MS70 grade thereby lowering the price. How would AI know that this will happen?

"I recommend Jeff, and Chris's new endeavor to everyone.

"I also enjoy my weekly trip through the Numismatic World with the E-Sylum."

Thanks! I'll give it a listen. -Editor

"Right now the only place to access it is through the numismaticnews.net website, but we are working to get it on other platforms."