The Mint Master Covers Early Bowers Publications

Published monthly by the Utah Numismatic Society, the Mint Master is compiled by Doug Nyholm, who notes he has now edited 180 consecutive issues. The August edition features a retrospective of three early house organs issued by Q. David Bowers. Nyholm writes "As I personally began collecting in 1962 at the age of 10 these publications to me are a time machine into what coin collecting was in my youth." Nyholm was ideally situated, as he recalls "my parents owned a country store and I was allowed to search the cash register till every night to look for those elusive circulation finds which were still made of silver."

Bowers, at the time a college student, was already operating at a professional level. The inaugural issue of Empire Topics features first-rate inventory (an entire roll of 1916-D dimes, an 1838 half dollar pattern, etc.), while Bowers' inquisitive mind could not help including features such as "New Massachusetts Cent Die Variety Discovered." An offering of Hard Times Tokens is accompanied by historical commentary, along with copies of the Lyman Low reference, exemplifying the Bowers approach, which Charles Davis aptly described as "an appealing mix of salesmanship and scholarship."

Image: Empire Topics for summer 1958, announcing the acquisition of an 1894-S Barber dime

Link to the Mint Master on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/533919
Link to Empire Topics:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/535704
Link to Bowers Review:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/535706
Link to the Empire Review:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/535755