Sunday, April 17, 2011

JR Newsletter: 17 April 2011 (32)

Dick Kurtz wrote:

In response to Rick A.'s question about the Tompkins and Peterson, et al bust quarter books, I'm a numismatic book junkie and so have both. Both have features that differ somewhat from the other (no time to cover right now), but either will suffice for attributions assuming that you don't mind carrying a large book (both are) around the bourse floor.

Dick Kurtz #049
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Alan Bricker wrote:

In clarifying my previous comments regarding Winston Zack's 1802 JR-2 "cud" dime, I want to add that my remarks were basically a matter of personal opinion based largely on past general observations of major die breaks ("cuds"). Although did I pass over the coin because of the opinion that a true "cud" was not present here, I certainly never considered such an opinion to be infallible. To test my prima facie presumption that this was a true "cud", I looked at several factors with the coin in holder, primarily: (1) the reverse-side surfaces directly opposite the cud, (2) the edge reeding alongside the cud area, (3) and the general appearance of the cud's internal boundary as it crosses the field and the devices from the rim just under *13 to the rim under the first portion of the date. Firstly, the reverse side surfaces opposite the cud area did not appear to show the weakness expected, and separation did exist between the field and those cloud tops which should have been affected accordingly. Secondly, the corresponding edge reeding should have been weakened due to diminished metal pressure flow into this area during striking. Thirdly, the generally straight-and-squared appearance of the presumptive cud's internal boundary line, ignoring the tooling damage at the date, simply did not strike me as being expressive of a true "cud". While it is entirely possible for a major die break "cud" to suddenly develop de novo in the absence of pre-existing die deterioration in the form of die cracks, such cases are fairly rare. Yet the shielding of the adjacent devices from wear tells us that whatever transpired here must have occured quite early on in the coin's circulation life, even possibly before it left the Mint. Please do keep us posted regarding any findings from further analysis of the piece out-of-holder; certainly this would be a wonderful discovery if further examination and study could provide a definitive case for the existence of a true "cud".

Alan Bricker
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Nathan Markowitz wrote:

The hotel has extended guaranteed contract rates for our group through April 18 so the end of procrastination in near

Also, they have agreed to provide free parking for those who reserved hotel rooms at contract rates and for day guests who come just for the day.  Those who reserved at an online discounted rate will pay $9 nightly.
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ANA Library revamps catalog with new, improved features

The American Numismatic Association Dwight N. Manley Numismatic Library recently re-launched its online catalog with features that will improve the library experience for hobbyists and researchers.

ANA members now can use the online catalog to sign up for library accounts, request materials, place items on hold, and rate and review library materials. The online catalog can be accessed from the library pages on www.money.org (select “Library” from the “Explore the World of Money” tab).

“The ANA Library staff is always looking for ways to make using the library easier and more convenient,” ANA Library Director RyAnne Scott said.

Visit the ANA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AmericanNumismatic to view two videos about the catalog: one explains how to set up a library account; the other demonstrates new library catalog features.

As the videos detail, signing up for an online library account is a simple process. Once registered, members can log in and begin searching the online catalog right away.  Members will need to call the library to place a credit card on their account, as all outgoing postage costs are charged to the card. After that, whenever members request books directly from the online catalog, the materials will be shipped out within two business days.

“Now, members can order books at any time of day. It’s as easy as clicking the ‘request item’ button for an individual item,” Scott said. “If the book they want is checked out, they can reserve the next available copy by pressing the ‘hold’ button.”

Other new catalog features include:
·         Save searches in order to quickly access them later;
·         Rate library materials from one to five stars and see the average user rating;
·         Leave a personal review of the book you’ve just read.
If you have any questions about the ANA Library or using the online catalog, please call Library Assistant Manager Amanda Harvey at 719-482-9821 or Library Director RyAnne Scott at 719-482-9867. The ANA Library is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays (MST).

The American Numismatic Association is a congressionally chartered nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging people to study and collect money and related items. The ANA helps its members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of education and outreach programs, as well as its museum, library, publications, conventions and seminars. For more information, call 719-632-2646 or visit www.money.org.


RyAnne Scott
Library Director
American Numismatic Association
818 N. Cascade Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
719-482-9867
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