The months roll by fast. After work on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 I pointed my car to Ristorante Bonaroti in Vienna for the monthly dinner meeting of my Northern Virginia Numismatic Social Group, Nummis Nova. Daryl Haynor was our host and the first member I met upon walking in. As usual we were seated at a long table in the back room and had the room to ourselves.

I sat across from Daryl and between Lorne LaVertu and Jon Radel. Roger Burdette was at the head of our end of the table. Other attendees this month included Steve Bishop, Robert Hoppensteadt, Mike Markowitz, Tom Kays, Julian Leidman and Julian's guest Erik Douglas.

I brought along one book and one medal, shown here atop my menu.

On September 28th I joined a group of neighbors and ran the local "5K on the Runway" race at Dulles Airport. While I'd been a runner in my younger years I was a loner just doing it for fun and exercise. I had only run one other 5K in my life, with a friend visiting from out of town. I'd largely quit running when our kids were young, then resumed for a while when our boys were teens. One day I invited them along and they delighted in showing me up and leaving me in the dust. Discouraged, I pretty much stopped running after that. But one night a year or so ago I had a dream that I'd started running again. The next Saturday while on a morning walk I remembered the dream and ran half a lap around the neighborhood. So I kept it up, and my son Tyler bought me a new pair of running shoes as a present, and I ran nearly once a week after that. When the neighbors started planning the "5K on the Runway", I signed up and started increasing my runs from 2 laps to 3, 4, then 5.

Some 2,000 people participated in the 5 and 10K races. A neighbor drove us in her van. We parked at the National Air and Space Museum, walked thru the museum building and out the other side to a closed runway. United Airlines parked a jet nearby for picture-taking. It was a picture-perfect fall day. I finished 28th in my 61+ age group (I'm 66). It was fun and I proudly wore the medal home.

I'm the cool guy in the middle with shades. I told everyone at dinner that this was my "Yes, as a matter of fact, I DO want a f*&^ing medal."

Back to Nummis Nova - here are my photos from the evening.

Daryl and Roger examine some of the numismatic goodies being passed around the table.

The Neil Shafer book included some of the notes themselves. Great pairing.

The Royal tombs of the Pontic Kings
Robert collects coins with images of ancient architecture. He passed along this image and description of the piece he brought to the meeting. Thanks.

PONTUS. Amasia. Severus Alexander, 222-235. Hexassarion (Bronze, 35 mm, 24.730, CY 228 = 225/6. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander to right, seen from behind. The Akropolis of Amasia: fortified Mount Harsena with temples atop and at the foot; to left of the lower temple, the entrance to the Royal tombs of the Pontic Kings. Dalaison 582 = M&M 333, 1972, 31 = Leu 25, 1980, 374 (this coin). RPC VI online 6467 (this coin is the plate coin.) Very rare and with a fascinating reverse.

Next up is Tom Kays' account of the evening.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW BOOK: MARYLAND TAMS JOURNAL SPECIAL ISSUE(https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n41a06.html)