On September 4, 1998 the first issue of what we now call The E-Sylum was emailed to a list of members and friends of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society. Now archived on our web site as Volume 1, Number 1, that first message started the ball rolling. That email went to 49 people. As the word spread, subscription requests arrived from around the world and by September 15 there were 90 subscribers.

WHAT'S WITH THE FUNNY NAME? Well, our organization is the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, a group for people who love coin books and are crazy for any and all information about numismatics. Our print journal is The Asylum, so our electronic publication naturally became The E-Sylum. While The E-Sylum is free to all, only paid members of NBS receive The Asylum.

An excerpt from the September 4, 1998 message:

And grow and evolve we did. Each issue now contains 25 to 30 (and sometimes more) articles, and our subscription list includes some 7,000 email addresses. Rather than just a vehicle for announcements about the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, we've become a weekly forum where "numismatic bibliophiles, researchers and just plain collectors" congregate to exchange information and ideas about numismatics and numismatic research. Most of the top numismatic authors, curators and collectors around the U.S. and the world are subscribers and contributors.Here are some reader comments:

David W. Lange:

Darryl Atchison:

Along the way we've won multiple awards including the Burnett Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing and back-to-back First Place awards in the electronic category of the American Numismatic Association's Barbara J. Gregory Outstanding Club Publications competition on 2021 and 2022.

Despite the work that goes into each issue, it's always fun to put together. Our readers and fine advertisers are what keep me going - you folks are the best any editor could dream for. It's been a great 24 years, and we're not done growing and evolving. Thanks for all your kind words and support.

For other reader comments, or to read our online archive, see:
http://e-sylum.org/