WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY FEBRUARY 25, 2024
The E-Sylum (2/25/2024)
Book Content
WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY FEBRUARY 25, 2024
Tuesday, February 20, 2024 was the meeting night ofNummis Nova, my Northern Virginia numismatic social group.Steve Bishop was our host - he pickedAkasaka Japanese Restaurant in Manassas.Other attendees includedJon Radel, Eric Schena, Dave Schenkman, Mike Packard, Mike Markowitz, Lorne LaVertu, my guest Jonas Denenberg.
Dave Schenkman, Mike Packard, Jon Radel, Jonas Denenberg
Mike Markowitz, Lorne Lavertu, Eric Schena, Dave Schenkman checking out coins
Flame on!
I brought along my newly acquired 2001 book Nobel Medals, The Royal Coin Cabinet by Lars O. Lagerqvist, which had been mentioned earlier by John Sallay. I also passed around a new Jovita Idar quarter that I'd found in circulation. Interesting and unusual design.
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
GOLD NOBEL PRIZE MEDAL EBAY FIND(https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n04a25.html)
Lorne looks at my Jovita Idar quarter
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
LOOSE CHANGE: OCTOBER 1, 2023 : Jovita Idar, Methodist Social Reformer(https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n40a28.html)
Finding room to look at coins
Aluminum Cyrus Field Medal
Dave Schenkman brought an amazing item that was too delicate to pass around, and he provided these images afterwards - a Cyrus Field medal in aluminum. While Field's name is little known today, he was responsible for the greatest technological success of his day, the laying of the transatlantic telegraph cable. Field crossed the ocean over 50 times, working past failure after failure in accomplishing the crowning achievement of his life. He recieved a Congressional gold medal, and multiple countries around the world honored him as well.
Dave writes:
"It was engraved by William Barber and according to the Mint correspondence that Roger Burdette was kind enough to send me, it was struck in November 1868; only six aluminum medals were struck."
Remember, while aluminum is an inexpensive coining material today, it was still exotic and expensive in the 1860s. These aluminum pieces were quite large and valuable. As noted in recent discussions, the original case is an important part of the complete package.
Communications which once traveled as letters aboard slow-moving ships now crossed the ocean at he speed of a telegraph operator's fingers, and a major part of today's internet follows Field's path. I live in Northern Virginia, the data center capital of the world, connected by fiber optic cables that run underground past my neighborhood, along old railroad rights of way past Baltimore, New York, Boston and on to where they cross the ocean between Nova Scotia and Ireland, the closest landing points between the two continents.
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
THE CYRUS FIELD MEDAL(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n46a23.html)
THE 1868 CYRUS FIELD CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL(https://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n50a24.html)
MORE ON CYRUS FIELD MEDALS(https://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n51a12.html)
Steve's Beauties
Steve Bishop showed off a number of U.S. coins, including some nice proofs and toners. He supplied this selection of photos. Thanks!
1825 Draped Bust Half Dollar
1871 Liberty Seated Half Dollar
1882 Liberty Seated Quarter
1885 Liberty Seated Quarter
1892 Barber Dime
1893 Morgan Dollar
1895 Barber Quarter
1900 Lafayette Dollar
1901 Barber Half Dollar
1906 Barber Quarter
1931 Gold 50 Lira
Mike Markowitz showed off this nice 1931 gold 50 Lira piece.
Civil War Scrip
Eric Schena brought a familiar Civil War scrip note.
Eric writes:
"In a previous E-Sylum, Wayne showed some images from a scrapbook a library shared and it included a rare, privately issued note from Winchester, VA, issued by Charles Broadway Rouss. I had been looking for one for 25 some-odd years and they always seemed to elude me when they showed up for sale. Well, that scrapbook post must have been good luck because I was finally able to get a Rouss note and I brought that to the dinner. This particular example was previously in some Heritage sales that I had missed - here's an image of this note from one of those sales."
Congratulations on a great purchase! Nice piece.
I also had nice conversations with Jonas Denenberg about his cross-country coin-buying jaunts and other business ventures. It was another great evening of numismatic fellowship.
To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
SOUTHERN STATES BANKNOTE ALBUM(https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n53a24.html)
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 7, 2024 : Charles Broadway Rouss of Winchester, VA(https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n01a10.html)