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LOOSE CHANGE: OCTOBER 11, 2026Here are some additional items in the media this week that may be of interest. -Editor In this week's Red Book Podcast, Jeff Garrett and Jeff Shevlin discuss So-Called Dollars. See the earlier article linked below for Jeff's latest book on the topic. -Editor So-Called Dollars are historically important medals, generally about the size of a silver dollar, that commemorate events in American history. But as Jeff Shevlin explains, these aren't simply ordinary medals—they can feature incredible artwork, famous engravers, fascinating historical stories, extreme rarity, and surprisingly affordable prices. The conversation covers everything from Augustus Saint-Gaudens and George Morgan to the Erie Canal, World's Fairs, the Columbian Exposition, Fort Sumter, and the Wilson Dollar. One incredible example is the 1826 gold Erie Canal medal. Only a handful were struck, with just two known in private collections according to the interview, and examples have sold for tens of thousands of dollars—and as much as $200,000.
To read the complete Greysheet article, see:
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
The ANS held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new headquarters in Toledo, OH. -Editor 
The American Numismatic Society held a groundbreaking, signaling the building's transformation into a museum.
To watch the complete video, see:
To read Toledo Blade article, see:
Don Cleveland of Australia passed along this article about the demonetization of old Fiji banknotes. Thanks. -Editor 
Australian travellers are being warned to exchange old banknotes from Fiji before they become worthless. The old "paper" notes, made from a cotton-linen blend with a flora and fauna design, will only remain legal tender until December 31, 2026. A new series of polymer banknotes were unveiled last December and issued into circulation in January this year to replace the old notes.
To read the complete article, see:
Everyone loves estate sale find stories. Here's a New York Times piece about an artwork found in Michigan. -Editor 
A cryptic, somber painting of 10 scattered seashells — purchased by a collector for $30 at an estate sale this summer — sold for $1.35 million on Thursday at Freeman's auction house. The work, "Alderman Merriam's Shells," was created in 1951 by Gertrude Abercrombie, a Surrealist painter based in Chicago who died in 1977. The discovery of the work came about in July when a man, nosing around at an estate sale in Kalamazoo, Mich., stumbled upon the enigmatic painting on the wall of a dimly lit corridor leading to the garage. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was familiar with Abercrombie's work and was stunned to see the still life bearing the artist's distinct signature. Zachary Wirsum, a senior vice president at Freeman's, said the man told him he "was shaking as he walked out to his car," with his discovery. "I think, objectively, had he not purchased it, this would have just ended up in the dumpster," Mr. Wirsum added. "So I think that he saved it from forever being lost in time." Last June I visited the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History in Pittsburgh with my E-Sylum assistant Garrett Ziss. While there we encountered a temporary exhibit of the works of Gertrude Abercrombie. They weren't Garrett's cup of tea, but I enjoyed the surreal, dreamlike compositions. I recognized the style immediately when I saw the photo of the estate sale painting. Too bad I hadn't been to any Kalamazoo estate sales. -Editor
For more information on the Gertrude Abercrombie exhibit, see:
To read the complete article, see:
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: Subscribe All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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