"Legal-tender playing cards" and "cartographic paper money" may sound like incongruous titles for collecting subjects. However, the link between various collectors' items not only is possible and practical, but also can become quite fascinating. Bank notes, almost from their inception, have been used to depict a wide variety of themes that have often formed a collecting subject in their own right. Coins on bank notes and maps on bank notes, with their comparison to the original item, are the subject matter of this lecture. Packs of playing cards bear depictions of coins and bank notes, and a 52-card pack has actually served as a comprehensive atlas of the counties of England and Wales. Yasha's lecture tries to expand the interest of the collector who often prefers to limit himself to the boundaries of his own favorite subject. Speaker(s): Yasha Beresiner.
Elvira Clain-Stefanelli, Executive Director of the National Numismatic Collection (NNC), presents a brief history of the Smithsonian Institute and its founder, James Smithson, followed by the history of the NNC since its inception in the 1840's. Using a series of slides, Dr. Clain-Stefanelli shows some of the treasures of the NNC collected over a century and a half. Among them will be familiar pieces from the U.S. Mint and Chase Manhattan collections, from Josiah K. Lily, the Norwebs and many other generous donors. Lecture with slides. Speaker(s): Elvira Clain-Stefanelli.
The venerable dealer Arnie Margolis was one of the first to deal in error coins. Hear the story of thye get out of the Mint. Speaker(s): Arnold Margolis.
The gold Washington before Boston medal was presented by Congress to General Washington and remained in his family until 1876 when it was purchased for $5,000 by 50 Boston citizens and presented to the city. A silver specimen, one of only four known, was presented to the General by the French government and subsequently was owned by Daniel Webster. There have been five distinct restrikes of the medal! Learn the fascinating history of this significant medal from one of its foremost experts. Speaker(s): Dick Buckley.
The Pittsburgh convention medal was designed by John Mercanti, assistant chief engraver of the U.S. Mint, as a token of appreciation and support for the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists. In designing the medal, Mr. Mercanti wanted to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Washington's ?rst presidential inauguration. The medal's obverse depicts George Washington as a young surveyor atop Mt. Washington looking down on a wooded site where the three rivers converge. Behind the woods is Washington's vision of what was to develop on that site, Pittsburgh's present-day skyline. Don Carlucci describes how this beautiful medal came to be. Speaker(s): Don Carlucci.
Margo Russell talks about the collection of coins at the American Numismatic Society, at the 1989 Pittsburgh ANA convention. Speaker(s): Margo Russell.
Dr. Sedwick begins with a brief commentary on the concept of "treasure coin." He answers questions from the audience about different aspects of the ?eld that are of interest to collectors and the curious. His presentation is lecture only and includes the location and signi?cance of certain shipwrecks and their typical yields, how the coins are recovered and cleaned, identi?cation of specimens, and their relative values in the numismatic market. Speaker(s): Frank Sedwick, Ph.D.
Michael Hodder completes an exhaustive study of the New Jersey copper coinage of 1786-88. He has used statistical analysis of metrology and die-state records of several thousand coins. His research has led to a revision of die-emission sequences and mint attributions that were proposed by earlier researchers. Not only has the terminal date for the coinage been pushed back to 1789-90, but Mathias Ogden's role over the whole period has been re-examined. Learn about some important research in a fascinating area of early American coinage. Lecture with diagrams. Speaker(s): Michael Hodder.
