"My first publication Croatian Banknotes: A Standard Reference has been translated into both German and Croatian languages and is available from RB Numisbooks."

Nice - congratulations. -Editor

Over on Facebook, Dennis Tucker posted a note about a new book acquisition. -Editor

"I've already read and enjoyed Ivor Noel Hume's delightful "All the Best Rubbish," but couldn't resist picking up this copy when I saw it at a local thrift store. Hume had been director of Colonial Williamsburg's archaeology department for fifteen-plus years when he wrote this book, "being an antiquary's account of the pleasures and perils of studying and collecting everyday objects from the past." If you're not familiar with Hume's work, look him up. John Kraljevich calls him "archaeological royalty" — a curatorial predecessor of Colonial Williamsburg's Erik Goldstein. Recommended!"

"I am a relatively new collector of modern coins and banknotes more of an enthusiastic amateur than a specialist numismatist.

"I have been extremely lucky to have come so early into contact with Fred Liberatore.

"I started and still do collect European, then Worldwide, modern currency. If any of your other members require help or advice on this subject - I am willing to help them as best as I can!"

Welcome aboard! -Editor

"We are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States of America.

"We are constantly being bombarded with what is wrong with this country. It is time to recognize the history and ideals that lead to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The ideals - not the imperfect implementation. To call these designs "banal" is an insult to our founders.

"I am sure the designs selected by the CCAC, which have nothing to do with the semiquincentenial, will be recycled."

I agree that not enough is said about what's right with the country. It isn't news when everything goes right and no one is unhappy. "Banal" is a word I probably wouldn't have used myself. My own comments were about the designs, not the ideals or Declaration or Constitution. If the Treasury had gone back to the drawing board and given CCAC a selection of newly themed designs, I'd like to think they'd have picked better ones.

See two articles elsewhere in this issue - one on the chosen circulating coin designs, and another on the proposed dollar picturing President Trump. -Editor

I came across this "History of Simple Things" video myself today. It's a topic I always enjoyed teaching to young numismatists. Check it out, but be aware that the creators used the internet and AI tools to create it. While the images can be odd, I thought the narration was quite clear and accurate. Has a numismatic organization covered this topic in a video explainer? -Editor

"Coins are one of the most common objects we use every day, yet their shape is rarely questioned. Why are coins almost always round? Is it tradition, design preference, or something more practical? In this video, we explore the real reasons behind the circular shape of coins, from ancient minting techniques and physics to trust in trade, mass production, and human perception. The answer turns out to be a mix of history, efficiency, and surprisingly smart design choices that have lasted for thousands of years."