Wayne Homren

New subscribers this week include Dan Lute, courtesy of John Mutch,Jonny Oneal andMarilyn Reback.Welcome aboard!We have 1,619 email subscribers, plus 209 followers on Facebook.

Although separate from The E-Sylum, I'd like to mention an NBS web site update. We have two new advertisers on the NBS home page. Kolbe-Fanning Numismatic Booksellers are our new Featured Sponsor. Also, the NBS Board has agreed to have short text-based link ads on the site, available to any legitimate hobby-related firm or individual. Our first link ad is for CoinSupplyPlanet.com. Thanks to both firms for their support.

These are one-year arrangements, but are not exclusive - other advertisers are welcome, too. Contact me for rates and other information. Gold, silver and bronze sponsor slots are available, as well as additional link ads.

This week we open with an update from Fred Lake, reports on the Kolbe-Fanning New York book sale, the new edition of Coins of England and my review of Jon Amato's book on the 1796-97 Half Dollars.

A featured topic this week is next: Dick Johnson's Wall Street Journal opinion piece, where he advocates eliminating the U.S. cent and nickel, and also proposes creating a bronze statue of our first Mint Director, David Rittenhouse.

Other topics include favorite Mint Directors, California Treasury Warrants, sculptor Amy Kann's Obama-Biden 2nd inaugural medal, counterfeiting in Cuba and whether the maple leaf on the new Canadian banknote is Canadian or Norwegian.

To learn more about Harold Bareford's high standards, William Sheldon's personal copy of Early American Cents, the John Eshbach's collection of Charles Steigerwalt works, Hans Vogler's coin rolling mill, the Arms of California half dollar, coffin tokens and The World's Most Valuable Hobo Nickel, read on. Have a great week, everyone!

Wayne Homren
Editor, The E-Sylum