Letters to the Editor (July 3, 2018)

Author:
Numismatic News Staff
Publish date:
Jun 15, 2018

Still thinking up theme songs for numismatics

Should numismatics have a theme song?

I’d like to nominate “When the CENTS come marching in.”

Name withheld
Lombard, Ill.

Nobel Prize medal research will lead to exhibit

I very much enjoyed your recent article on the gold Nobel Prize that was recently in an auction. It sounds like the proceeds from the sale are going for a great cause.

In a related matter, I recently purchased a silver 1926 silver Nobel Prize medal for Chemistry in the original IVA case. I am still doing some research on the medal but hope to exhibit sometime in the future.

Gary Lewis
Florida

Circulation finds include coin from Panama

Since I last wrote you, I’ve found some more interesting coin finds that I thought were worth mentioning:

I found a 2008 Panama nickel featuring Sara Sotillo, a Panamanian feminist. I also received four 2018-D pennies, a 2018-D dime, and a 2018 Apostle Islands, Wisconsin quarter.

Ari Kaufman
Address withheld

Why would anyone bother to fake a common dollar?

I recently received a counterfeit Morgan dollar from an online auction. It’s an 1879-O in VF condition. The seller appeared to be U.S. based, but the coin eventually arrived from China! It passes the magnet test but has tiny cracks in the plating that can be seen and felt. It’s also a half gram too heavy and does not have the proper ring when dropped. I’m only out 20 bucks, so I’ll just consider it a lesson learned. When I left negative feedback to warn other bidders, I noticed that the seller had several more suspect Morgans listed, and they were getting bids. It just makes me wonder why someone would bother to counterfeit a $30 coin.

Fool me once,

Name withheld
Denton, Texas

No response to suggestion for mintmarks on bullion

At last somebody has jumped on the bandwagon concerning putting mintmarks on bullion coins. I wrote the Mint, I chatted with the Mint, and I called the Mint about this. I couldn’t believe that Numismatic News had never addressed this problem before. Thank you. Thank you.

Chuck Miller
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Credit cards just one more example of progress

In the June 5, 2018, issue, a reader from Fairbanks, Alaska, laments the cashless society. He obviously owns a shop and does not like paying credit card fees to banks. My friend, you can’t stop a runaway train. Today, just about everyone has a wallet full of credit cards, not to mention Apple Pay, Paypal and other electronic payment systems. It is the way most people prefer to pay. OK, maybe not coin collectors, but most coin collectors are stuck in the last century. The fees associated with credit cards are a cost of doing business. I personally will not patronize any retailer who does not accept credit cards, although nowadays those retailers are a dying breed. I have credit cards that pay me rebates. It is not unusual for me to receive several hundred dollars a year in rebates. Why would I not want to do this?

On a related note, another earlier reader lamented automated payment systems, claiming that they are an attempt to take jobs away from people. Again, automated payment systems constitute progress. When Henry Ford started mass producing automobiles, it threw blacksmiths out of work, but I’m sure Ford did not deliberately set out to do that; it was a byproduct of the era. Paying people to do things that can be automated is a waste of time and money.

Peter Glassman
Illinois

How can book be dated 2019 when it is only 2018?

In the May 15, 2018, edition of Numismatic News, there is an article about the 2019 Coin Digest available for shipping on May 10th of this year. How can this be? Shouldn’t a person reading a 2019 edition at some point in the future be entitled to believe that the contents reflected the state of numismatics in the year 2019? If it is published so early in 2018, then the contents, and especially prices, would have to reflect early 2018 or even late 2017 in order to get it printed in time. By the same token, if I find a used copy of, say, the 2015 issue, I am entitled to believe it reflects the state of affairs in 2015.

Steve Fawthrop
Radford, Va.

Editor’s note: New editions are always dated a year ahead, or few collectors would buy them. It is the same reasoning that allowed me to buy a car with next year’s model year.

1936 cent tops reader’s latest coin finds

I received 94 cents in new uncirculated change yesterday (May 22) at lunch. Although I had six cents in my pocket, I’m a sucker for change! The 94 cents (which the teller had to open two or three rolls to give me) were as follows: three 2017-D George R. Clark quarters; one 2018-P dime, my first 2018 dime; one 2018-D nickel, my first 2018 nickel; and four 2018-D cents. I should’ve asked for a manager to see if they would have sold me some rolls.

I also found a 1936 wheat cent (+/- fine) in the work till yesterday. It’s always a nice little treat to find feral wheats not in the 1940s or 1950s!

Jay Woodin
Address withheld

Chicago Coin Club notes passing of Tillie Boosel

Below is Tillie Boosel’s obituary.

Many people knew Tillie’s husband, Harry (1912-1994). Some facts about Harry:

• Member of numerous numismatic groups, including: ANA, ANS, CSNS, FUN

• Past President of Chicago Coin Club, Washington (D.C.) Numismatic Society, Central States Numismatic Society

• Charter member of the Central States Numismatic Society

• Not sure this record still stands, but Harry was the youngest member elected to ANA governor 1937-39 (age 25)

• Harry’s collecting specialty was the Coinage Act of 1873

Recipient of numerous merit awards.

Tillie Boosel, 1922-2018, passed away April 24, 2018, at the age of 96 and was laid to rest at Westlawn Cemetery, Norridge, Ill.

Tillie joined the Chicago Coin Club in July 1950 using her maiden name Sicher, since she was engaged, but not yet married, to Harry Boosel. After their marriage and up until his death in 1994, Tillie traveled the country with Harry attending many coin shows.

Harry served in many numismatic leadership positions and received numerous awards. Tillie was always by his side and frequently served as a convention volunteer. The American Numismatic Association recognized their years of teamwork by jointly presenting them with the ANA Presidential Award at the 1994 Detroit Convention.

Tillie is survived by daughter Nanci Judge, son Wayne (Bonnie) Boosel, grandchildren Clayton and Lyndsay Judge and Wendy Boosel. She is preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Harry; son-in-law Charlie Judge; and sisters Ann Caplan and Lillian Gizzardo.

Carl Wolf
Chicago Coin Club

More Collecting Resources

• More than 600 issuing locations are represented in the Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800 .

• Keep up to date on prices for Canada, United States and Mexico coinage with the 2018 North American Coins & Prices guide.