Last week's April Fool's item caught a lot of people off guard, but most managed to get the joke. Here are some of the reader comments.

Donn Pearlman writes:

Phil Iversen writes:

I had to write back "April Fool!", and Phil responded, "You got me good this time! Let's hope that others did not take it as seriously as I did. "Alan Weinberg said he and Harvey Stack also swallowed the bait, but most of the readers I heard from were amused - even lawyers!

David Ganz writes:

Another reader writes:

Bob Neale writes:

Don Erlenkotter writes:

At least one person at ANA headquarters got the joke - this was posted on their Facebook page Monday:

Kerry Wetterstrom replied:

Kerry adds:

The misspelling of McNall's name was one of the clues to the dicey nature of the article. But his "I haven't felt stigmatized by my past yet" quote is real. That together with the fact that he wrote a book about the experiences that landed him in jail led me to believe McNall would be a good sport about it. He's paid his debt to society and that chapter is behind him.

Be sure to check out his book - it's well written and an interesting read with a lot of numismatic connections as well as background on his ownership of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team. "Fun While it Lasted: My Rise and Fall in the Land of Fame and Fortune".

Craig Eberhart writes:

Dan Demeo writes:

NBS Vice President Marc C. Ricard writes:

Loren Gatch writes:

Richard Branson and Virgin Holidays have reacted to holidaymakers' frustrations over exchange rates and poor value by launching a new currency today.

The 'Branson' will be accepted as legal tender at all Virgin Holidays destinations from April 2nd and can be bought through one of the company's 100 retail outlets in the UK as well as in resorts upon arrival. The 'Branson' launch follows research commissioned by Virgin Holidays and think tank Gray HL Division which found poor exchange rates polled highest in reasons for not traveling to a holiday hotspot, followed by bad weather, having to take vaccinations and deadly insects.

To read the complete article, see:Richard Branson and Virgin Holidays launch new Branson currency(www.virgin.com/travel/news/richard-branson-and-virgin
-holidays-launch-new-currency-1)

In a rare Sunday announcement, Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner announced that beginning in 2013, the U.S. Mint will change the size and composition of U.S. coinage in an effort to the government additional money.

Beginning in 2013, all coins struck by the U.S. Mint will be made of a inox (stainless steel) and will have its diameter reduced in size by 25-percent. The thickness of the coins will not change.

For colored coins, the one-cent coin will be plated with copper to maintain its traditional color. For the dollar coins, the inox planchettes will be treated with titanium nitride (TiN) to add hardness to the coin and give it a golden color. Titanium will be used as a coating on the silver-colored coins.

To read the complete article, see:Treasury Overhauls Circulating Coins(coinsblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/treasury-overhauls-circulating-coins.html)

Early this morning, Coronado's Bruce Johnson was able to recover roughly $410,00 in silver slot-machine coins from the S.S. Monte Carlo from it's partially, sand-submerged position on Coronado Beach near the Coronado Shores. Yes, you read that correctly, $410,000 in silver coins from a ship that has been beached for over 75 years - completely out in the open. A combination of heavy winter storms, extremely low tides and a Florida-based scavenger service proved to be a perfect storm for one very pleased Coronado local.

Bruce said, "Being born here in Coronado, I grew up listening to stories about all the rumored loot that was trapped inside the Monte Carlo after it sank back in 1936. About two years ago, I made contact with a Florida Keys scavenger crew and we planned the 'attack'. Once we were able to pinpoint the strongest 'metal/silver signal' using a customized LOL (Low Oceanic Locator), it was as easy as cracking a concrete egg!".

To read the complete article, see:Lifetime Local Bruce Johnson Finds $410,000 in Silver Coins from S.S. Monte Carlo Wreckage(http://www.ecoronado.com/profiles/blogs/lifetime-local
-bruce-johnson-finds-410-000-in-silver-04012012715)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:ANA TO NAME NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n14a06.html)