Nummis Nova diners are seen above at VASOs Greek Restaurant, formerly the Dixie Pig, in Alexandria, with Wayne Homren presiding from the vicinity of bar. Tom snapped this table photo inches inside the front picture window, indicating the cozy surroundings, but less than stellar "mood lighting" thwarting professional coin photography. The following pictures were taken directly off the table cloth amid menus, as show-and-tells floated by.

Tom sat far opposite Wayne, and saw these items pass quickly within the first few minutes of the evening, well before we ordered dinner. With so many interesting numismatic items floating along, just a fleeting snapshot is all that would suffice for many, with some of the stories behind the items lost in the din at the far end of the table and only revealed now, in The E-Sylum, if the "shower and teller" took time to tell again what they brought and why they esteem it above others like it.

Some large displays of items must remain a mystery, left to your imagination, such as a collection of pre and post-war wooden money including nickels, double nickels, shillings, and dollars, and a frame of dug, Spanish billion blancas of Ferdinand and Isabella, monogram maravedis of Philip III, Austrian Empire coins with Jamestown era dates and French first empire military buttons (cuffs with regimental numbers) that were present, but went by un-photographed.

Ron Abler announced with grand ceremony and after much clinking of glassware, his release of A Cabinet of Centennial Medals: Exploring the Medals of the 1876 Centennial. He says this achievement launches the start of a numismatic catalog, an "iBook," a searchable database, a downloadable and printable e-book and a perpetual collaboration with the numismatic public to add any new discoveries of 1876 Centennial material Ron has not yet seen (of which we doubt exists) to be retrofit into the on-line book and released anew in current version with each download staying the most complete possible.

Ron brought and passed around the premiere medal from the 1876 Centennial, the U.S. Centennial Large Commemorative Medal, Variety 1, in Bronze.

Aaron passed around a binder with some beautiful 1850s - 1870s daguerreotype parlor store cards, druggist tokens and even an 1866 Irish Republic, Fenian Brotherhood token.

In a reprise of a prior dinner's theme this unusual Marine Presidential Helicopter Squadron challenge coin made the rounds.

A Gorham, uniface, So-Called Dollar with William Jennings Bryan's complements passed by as well, and no, it was not obtained in person, despite the relative maturity of some senior Nummis Nova members and immaturity of others who might think to wonder and ask.

Dave Schenkman passed around a rare die for tokens with "All Goods Warranted" - "Established 1857" and a pocket watch face at center. The image is reversed at right for ease of reading.

Also present was a beautiful and impressive copy of Dr. Philip L. Mossman's new book "From Crime to Punishment - Counterfeit and Debased Currencies in Colonial and Pre-Federal America" Numismatic Studies 27 by the American Numismatic Society, New York, 2013, now on sale directly from the ANS.