The Numismatic Bibliomania Society

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Welcome to The E-Sylum: Volume 3, Number 47, November 12, 2000: 
an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
Copyright (c) 2000, The Numismatic Bibliomania Society. 
  

SUBSCRIBER UPDATES 

   We have two new subscribers this week: Ron Guth and 
   George Polizio.  Welcome aboard!   This brings our 
   subscriber count to 352. 
  

A NEW SUBSCRIBER DISCOVERS THE E-SYLUM 

   Ron Guth writes: "It's 12:30 in the morning and I'm bleary-eyed 
   from spending an enjoyable two hours reading back issues of 
   the E-Sylum.  What a fount of knowledge!  I've taken some 
   side trips onto some of your recommended websites and have 
   found them to be incredibly useful, as well.  I don't know why 
   it took so long to find you ... I consider myself pretty Internet 
   savvy, but the E-Sylum name never popped up until I did a 
   search for Sheridan Downey (of Half Dollar fame).  Speaking 
   of side trips, I just realized that I never did find Sheridan's site! 

   Please add me to your list of subscribers." 

   [Editor's note:  I couldn't locate a web site for Sheridan 
    Downey, either.  Can one of our readers help out? 
    Also, while we generally refrain from referencing commercial 
    web sites, it is worth noting that Mr. Guth runs a useful site 
    himself - CoinFacts.   The site has a nice collection of basic 
    information and images of U.S. coins.  See 
    http://www.coinfacts.com/Administrative/home.html ] 
  

THE UPCOMING ASYLUM 

   The upcoming issue of our print journal, The Asylum, contains 
   several articles of interest.  Karl Moulton leads off with a 
   "Behind the Scenes" look at the business side of our hobby. 
   Joel Orosz discusses the "Missing Masterpieces" of American 
   numismatic literature.  John and Nancy Wilson contribute two 
   articles, on the Lowe library sale and the special ANA 
   Convention "Redbooks".  Pete Smith summarizes the "News 
   from the Net", and Asylum editor E. Tomlinson Fort provides 
   a review of a new CD on Scottish Currency. 
  

NBS BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATED 

   NBS Board Member Larry Mitchell has added the 
   following sections on Modern Coinages : USA to the 
   NBS Bibliography, available on our web site at: 
   http://www.coinbooks.org/ 

      92. GENERAL & INTRODUCTORY WORKS 
      93. PRE-FEDERAL AND FOREIGN ISSUES 
      94. HALF-CENT AND CENT 
      95. TWO CENTS, THREE CENTS & FIVE CENTS 
  

ANS LIBRARY ACQUISITIONS 

   The Summer 2000 newsletter of the American Numismatic 
   Society reports: "In the recent sale of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. 
   Numismatic Library, Part Four, several items of great 
   interest were acquired for the Society's Library through the 
   generosity of ANS Councilor and Chairman of the Library 
   Committee, John W. Adams and ANS Fellow, George F. 
   Kolbe.  Among these were Ed and Kenneth Lee's unique 
   and heavily annotated research notebook on California 
   Fractional gold coins, the extremely rare, typewritten 
   inventory of the Waldo Newcomer collection of American 
   Colonial coins, prepared by B. Max Mehl and an 
   unpublished 1868 manuscript price guide devoted to 
   American copper and other coins, by Henry Phillips, Jr." 
  

KOLBE CATALOG 

   Craig N. Smith writes: "Just a note to let you know that I just 
   received a copy of George Kolbe's newest "cool runnings" 
   catalogue.  Upon seeing the cover, I was overwhelmed with 
   the urge to sit back,  light-up and read it cover to cover to the 
   lyrics of Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley in the background. 
   I just can't wait to see the hardbound edition.   Rasta on..." 

   [Editor's note:  Mr. Smith is referring to the colorful, bold 
   geometric design on the cover of Kolbe's 82nd catalogue, 
   which practically dances itself out of the mailing envelope...] 
  

ANNE BINGHAM RESEARCH 

   In a follow-up to his research question about Anne Bingham, 
   Reid Goldsborough writes: "A friend of mine, also a Draped 
   Bust enthusiast, lives in Binghamton and has said he'll be 
   checking out the microfilm there about this. 

   I said I would share with you any information I turned up. I've 
   prepared a web site based on an article I wrote for Coins 
   magazine (scheduled to be published in January 2001) about 
   Anne Bingham and Draped Bust coins.  The web site is 95 
   percent done. If you think it would be a service to your 
   readers, feel free to share with it them.  The address is 
   http://www.draped-busts.com." 

   [Editor's note:  the site is blessed with dozens of gorgeous 
    photos of Draped Bust coinage - be sure to take a look.] 
  

SPMC RESEARCH GRANT 

   In the November/December 2000 issue of Paper Money, 
   the Society of Paper Money Collectors announces the 
   George W. Wait Memorial Prize, a $500 unrestricted 
   research grant available "to anyone engaged in important 
   research on paper money subjects."   The application 
   deadline is March 15, 2001.  For more information, see 
   p90 of the issue of contact Fred Reed, SPMC Secretary, 
   at P.O. Box 793941, Dallas, TX, 75379. 
  

OLDEST COIN COLLECTION? 

   Regarding the "Oldest Coin Collection Recorded in the 
   U. S.?",  George Kolbe writes: "I call your attention to 
   page 75 of Attinelli." 

   [Page 75 is the beginning of Attinelli "Part II. Catalogues 
   and Price-Lists".  The first entry refers to a mention in the 
   catalogue of the Library Company of Philadelphia, dated 
   1764, to "The Valuable Collection of Ancient MEDALS, 
   in the Library".   This reference predates the 1795 
   collection by 31 years.   The oft-cited 1828 date in 
   Attinelli refers only to auctions.  Parts II and III of 
   Attinelli are often overlooked by readers - my favorite 
   part is Part III, beginning on p102:  "Publications Issued 
   in the United States" - Editor] 
  

GREEK NUMISMATIC BIBLIOGRAPHY 

   Allan Davisson writes: "We will be publishing a major work 
   by Bill Daehn on Greek numismatics, an annotated 
   bibliography of articles published in the English language on 
   Greek numismatics. 

   Bill spent over seven years completing this massive project. 
   The book he has produced lists well over 4000 (4094, to 
   be exact) references, ranging from brief articles to major 
   references.  His goal, as he states in his preface, is to 
   provide a comprehensive guide to the literature in the field 
   of ancient Greek numismatics published in the English 
   language. 

   He has organized the book by region and has a detailed 
   index. I have discovered important articles I did not know 
   about by simply browsing in the section that includes an area 
   I am researching. Each bibliographic entry is accompanied by 
   a detailed summary of the article. 

   The book is planned at 400 pages. In order to make it 
   affordable, it will be a perfect bound volume with card covers. 
   The $65 pre-publication prepaid price is valid until December 
   31, 2000.  After that it will be $75. We can have it custom 
   bound in library buckram by the Campbell Logan Bindery for 
   an additional $50."  Mr. Davisson can be reached at this 
   address:  davcoin@aol.com 
  

1ST  EDITION ENCASED STAMP BOOK 

   In an ad on p207 of the November/December 2000 issue of 
   Paper Money, Fred Reed writes:  "Thirteen unbound 1st edition 
    / 1st printing copies of my book, "Civil War Encased Stamps," 
   are available now at $169 each."  "This is NOT the green-cover 
   1995  printing (560 pages), but 428 pages, unbound on oversize 
   antique, cream colored paper.  Only five were bound in brown 
   case binding.  Two are in the ANA library. BNR Press owns 
   one.  Two are on my shelf.  Only the unbound ... copies are 
   available now...  Send check to Fred Reed, P.O. Box 118162, 
   Carrollton,  TX, 75011-8162." 
  

LAOTION COIN WEIGHTS 

   Howard A. Daniel III writes: "Carl Honore writing about 
   English cartwheels being used as weights in your E-Sylum 
   v3#46 reminded me of a recent purchase.  In my area of 
   Southeast Asia, many denominations were also weights.  For 
   example, the old Thai Baht (Tical) coin equals the weight of 
   the same name and could be used on a scale in a marketplaces. 
   But there were also many weights made in each country of the 
   region with designs unique to each country.  Many of the 
   older weights are very difficult to locate, even in references. 

   When in Bangkok this past May, I found five or six old Lao 
   weights in a junk/gift store.  I was very calm on the outside, 
   but after I paid for them, I was jumping up and down.  The 
   store owner definitely thought I was crazy, but I just could 
   not help expressing my happiness after finding the first old 
   Lao weights for my collection." 
  

NEW FEDERAL MONEY 

   Edward A. Krivoniak writes: "I've just finished re-reading 
   "Of Time, Space, and Other Things" by Isaac Asimov and 
   in it I found an essay entitled "Forget It" that contains 
   information of interest to numismatists.  The gist of the essay 
   was that even though scientific advances are occurring at an 
   ever increasing rate we should not give up hope of 
   understanding them because previous information becomes 
   outdated and ignored by new generations. 

   Within the essay he writes of obtaining an old  book called 
   "Pike's Arithmetic -- A New and Complete System of 
   Arithmetic Composed for the Use of the Citizens of the United 
   States" by Nicholas Pike, A.M.  It was first published in 1785 
   and a Second Edition, Enlarged was published in 1797.   It 
   supposedly is a large book of 500 pages with no illustrations 
   or diagrams. 

   The interesting thing about this book from a numismatic 
   standpoint is that it discusses the "new" Federal money which 
   came into being 11 years before the second edition.  It gives 
   the exact wording of the law and discusses it in detail.  Also, 
   since other forms of money were still in use, it lists the rules 
   for converting one system into another.  The partial listing in 
   Dr. Asimov's article is as follows: 

        I.  To reduce New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode 
            Island, Connecticut, and Virginia currency: 

            1. To Federal Money 
            2. To New York and North Carolina currency 
            3. To Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and 
                Maryland currency 
            4. To South carolina and Georgia currency 
            5. To English money 
            6. To Irish money 
            7. To Canada and Nova Scotia currency 
            8. To Livres Tournois (French money) 
            9. To Spanish milled dollars 

        II. To reduce Federal Money to New England and 
             Virginia currency: 

        III. To reduce New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, 
               and Maryland currency: 

            1. To New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
                Connecticut, and Virginia currency 
            2. To New York and  ... 

   At this point Dr. Asimov gives up but he listed enough to make 
   this extremely interesting to colonial numismatists and I would 
   assume to scholars in general." 
  

WHERE IS NUMISMATICS HEADED? 

   In reply to Dick Johnson from E-Sylum #346, Greg Heim 
   writes: "Why should you be concerned where numismatics is 
   headed just because people like myself and others collect 
   coin albums, mint bags, etc??  Even though you say you are 
   not casting stones from your glass house, you actually are 
   when you refer to coin album collecting as peripheral and of 
   questionable value. 

   Coin albums are an extremely important part of numismatics, 
   as are the other items.  They tell a a tale of the evolution of coin 
   storage and dictated how our collections were assembled by 
   "filling the holes."  These albums, which were meant to be used, 
   are a treat to find in excellent condition and getting harder and 
   harder to find." 

   Carl Honore' writes: "absolutely we are NOT moving away 
   from the core of the hobby, but rather expanding our knowledge 
   of the moneying process.  As far as engraving, yes it is an 
   essential part of the coinage design process but by no means 
   the only part.  Part of the engraving process as we all know is 
   by hand, but then the machine takes over.  Another instance of 
   Man and Machine working together to produce memorable 
   and lasting art. 

   As far as the German book on engraving ... what a great 
   opportunity to learn another language!!  I can't begin to 
   imagine how much coinage has increased my love of 
   languages.  I have learned at least 3 new languages since 
   starting to collect coins.  Just a rudimentary basic 
   understanding of the german words should help translate 
   that book somewhat. 

   Additionally we have many resources here in the states , 
   specifically Ron Landis at the Gallery Mint who can help 
   immensely with engraving. 

   In short, please don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. 
   I myself dressed up in an old west outfit and showed some 
   barber coins and morgan dollars and so forth to children this 
   past halloween at a gathering.. the costume added to the flavor 
   of the coins and gave a sense of history...much like those old 
   coin bags and cardboard holders do..." 
  

WORD OF THE WEEK: SOLANDER 

   solander (suh-LAN-duhr) noun 

   A case for maps, plates, etc., made to resemble a book and 
   having the front cover and fore edge hinged. 

   [Named after Daniel Charles Solander (1736-1782), Swedish 
    naturalist who invented it.] 

   From the "A.Word.A.Day" mailing list: 
   http://www.wordsmith.org/awad/ 
  

FEATURED WEB PAGE 

   This week's featured web page is contributed by Henry 
   Bergos.   It's a lengthy discussion of efforts to investigate 
   onetime "urban legends" surrounding the efforts of 
   "Penny Whimsy" author William H. Sheldon to photograph 
   legions of college freshmen  as part of his studies of 
   human body types.  Non-numismatic, but an interesting 
   sideline nonetheless, providing some background information 
   about a famous numismatic author and father of the 
   70-point grading scale for coins. 

http://www.urbanlegends.com/collegiate/ivy_league_nude_photos.html 

   Additional web pages located by your editor include: 

      http://members.aol.com/somagraph/page1.htm 
      http://www.museums.org.za/sam/conf/enc/hentie.htm 
  

  Wayne Homren 
  Numismatic Bibliomania Society 
  

  The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a 
  non-profit organization promoting numismatic 
  literature.   For more information please see 
  our web site at http://www.coinbooks.org/ 
  There is a membership application available on 
  the web site.  To join, print the application and 
  return it with your check to the address printed 
  on the application.   For those without web access, 
  contact Dave Hirt, NBS Secretary-Treasurer, 
  5911 Quinn Orchard Road, Frederick, MD 21704 

  (To be removed from this mailing list 
   write to me at whomren@coinlibrary.com)   

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