Welcome to the latest edition of my Notes. I am preparing these before heading off to Washington, D.C., to visit the Smithsonian Institution, after which I will be in Philadelphia at the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Exposition (as you read these words). There, Stack's will be in the middle of its Americana Sale in two catalogues-certainly one of the most exciting presentations of the year, if not of the era. Particularly enticing, in my opinion, are the wonderful tokens and medals, ranging from absolutely incredible Betts medals to Washington pieces, to more, plus the Richard Gross Collection of Hard Times tokens and the first part of the Alan Bleviss Collection of Civil War tokens.
It has been said that to study a token or medal is to love it, and I agree with this philosophy. Of course, I can appreciate regular coins-the 1909-S V.D.B. being one of my all-time American favorites-but the acquisition of these is more a matter of affordability rather than opportunity. On the other hand, while some tokens and medals are expensive, many of the inexpensive ones are very rare. Did you know that you can buy a Civil War token variety of which fewer than a dozen are known and pay only in the low hundreds of dollars? If it were a date and mintmark of a United States coin struck since 1793 the price would likely be over $100,000. A relatively small budget goes a long way in what people call "exonumia," a term invented by Russ Rulau to describe things outside of the regular series.
In the meantime, reglar United States coins are doing quite fine. We are embarking on a buying campaign to acquire high quality pieces in popular series-including Morgan dollars, commemoratives, "type" coins, and gold, this being just a small list. In addition, as ever, we are soliciting items for auction. Coming up are many important sales, including our Anniversary Sale in November and sales inaugurating the year 2010.
I mention once again our special pre-publication offer on the forthcoming volume, The Whitman Encyclopedia of United States Paper Money- well worth taking advantage of. I spent the best part of a couple years (while doing other things as well) creating what I believe you will find to be a really great addition to your library, a reference that you will use and that will pay for itself. Comprising 900 pages and fully color illustrated, it contains much information not available anywhere else. I am very grateful for the many people who helped, including Tom Denly, who chaired the Valuations Committee, with technical advice from Doug Murray, Peter Huntoon, and Don C. Kelly, and help from many others, including illustrations from the Smithsonian Institution, the American Numismatic Association, and leading private cabinets. The preparation of this was a great adventure, lots of interest, many new things to be discovered. The foreword by Fred Reed will command your attention when you receive your copy, after which you can look forward to spending a week of enjoyable evenings perusing the descriptions and illustrations page by page. There are thousands of listings and prices!
The list price is $69.95 plus $7 shipping and our pre-publication price is $58.95 plus shipping. If you'd like one, e-mail, telephone, or use regular mail to send your order. The toll free telephone and e-mail addresses appear here under "Contact Us," and direct your message to Beth here in the New Hampshire office. At your request, I'd be happy to personally autograph your copy to you or to the gift recipient of your choice.
My gosh, it is now autumn. The summer has flown. If you are planning a trip to New York City, this is a great time of year to visit. The air is crisp and the leaves in Central Park (just a short walk from our 123 West 57th Street gallery) are beginning to turn colors. Shops along West 57th Street have their windows filled with enticing art and other items, and not far away is Fifth Avenue.
Stack's is open on Saturdays, too! Time was when most coin dealerships were open on this day, but with the Internet, business by telephone and mail, Saturday is often a time to take it easy. We've revived our old tradition and invite you to stop by.
My best to you.
Sincerely,
