George Cuhaj's Halloween Tokens
George Cuhaj of Iola, WI writes:

For more information on the Badger Mint, see:
https://www.facebook.com/Badger-Mint-98014314320/

Heads Impaled on Pikes

QVAM SIMVLATA PACE DECIPI ("how pretense of peace to deceive"), decapitated corpses of Egmont and Horn; above, heads impaled on pikes. Low Countries, Nederlands Opstand (Dutch Revolt -1566/8-1581).

To read the complete lot description, see:
Heads Impaled on Pikes - Low Countries, Nederlands - Struck 1579(https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heads-Impaled-on-Pikes-Low-Countries-Nederlands-Struck-1579-/282691031331)

The Beistle Company

The Beistle Company was founded in 1900 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Martin Luther Beistle. "M.L." began a company that grew to become one of today's largest American Halloweennovelty producers.

M.L. gave birth to the company in the basement of his Pennsylvania home crafting decor for hotel lobbies with his wife and brother-in-law. In the beginning, Beistle lines consisted mainly ofartificial plants and wooden products. M.L. kept his job as a calendar salesman while the company "got off it's feet". It was not long before he was able to purchase the company forwhom he had worked.

The firm saw a brief setback during the financial collapse of 1907, and M.L. moved his company and family back to his home in south central Pennsylvania.

The company soon rallied however and moved quarters to a wagon shop owned by M.L.'s father-in-law. Beistle was able to move to yet another new headquarters in Shippensburg, Pennsylvaniashortly thereafter.

M.L. made a shrewd business move in 1910, when he brought the technology to produce honeycombed tissue to the United States. This technology had formerly only been available in Europe and theOrient. He built and patented new machines for this process.

The new honeycombed tissue was a hit. Beistle rapidly expanded their production lines of paper decorations and the business thrived.

The Dance of Death

Without doubt one of the more macabre items we've handled on the Newman Numismatic Portal recently came through the scanning queue at the American Numismatic Society, which partners with theNewman Portal on digitization. The American Art Association, a New York firm, in 1922 published the auction catalog A notable collection of coins and medals bearing emblems illustrative of "The Danceof Death," collected by Miss Susan Minns of Boston, Mass. Skulls, skeletons, and dead bodies are littered throughout the cabinet, which must have been quite the conversation starter between MissMinns and her acquaintances. The plates are halftones but illustrate the concept well enough.

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
COINS FOR HALLOWEEN (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v07n43a17.html)
ZOMBUCKS: CURRENCY OF THE APOCALYPSE (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n44a41.html)
M. L. BEISTLE AND THE BEISTLE COMPANY (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n44a35.html)
NEWMAN PORTAL SCANS DANCE OF DEATH CATALOG (http://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n28a07.html)