April 1966 Issue of The Numismatist

April 1966 Issue of The Numismatist

By Dr. Sol Taylor
"Making Cents"
Saturday, July 5, 2008

learing bookshelves of old paperbacks, magazines, books and papers is an ongoing task. In a recent spring cleaning, I came across the April 1966 issue of The Numismatist, the official publication of the American Numismatic Association. I wondered why this one old issue was still on the shelf; most issues are from the last year or so.
    On pages 425-429 was the first article I had published in the magazine. The topic was "Coins on Stamps."
    This was well before the United States had issued any stamp with a coin theme, and well before hundreds (maybe thousands) of foreign stamps came out with coins in the design.
    The leading country at the time with coins on stamps was Israel with its first issue in 1948 and several subsequent regular and commemorative issues. All the coins featured were ancient coins.
    Greece was next with several commemorative issues featuring ancient coins. After that, a dozen countries had various issues featuring coins. Peru was the first to show coins honoring a numismatic convention.
    There was also a one-page summary of the 1966 Assay Commission, which had met earlier in Philadelphia. Some of the commission members included Kenneth Bressett (editor of the "Red Book"), R. Henry Norweb, Emil Voigt, Opal Morris, among eight ANA members and the wives of several ANA members. Miss Eva Adams, director of the Mint, was also present.
    An interesting half-page story was headed, "Cent Shortage in Vietnam." David C. Briggs reported from Vietnam (during the war) that the post exchanges were out of pennies, since earlier the military had issued Military Payment Certificates instead of U.S. currency and banned virtually all U.S. coinage and currency in the country. Somehow, pennies were excluded from the ban in order to make correct change. It seems the locals liked these coins so much, they hoarded them. Shipments of new coins dated 1964 almost immediately disappeared upon arrival.
    This story was dated January, 1966.
    The new ANA headquarters goal was within reach, with some 80 percent of the funds needed in hand. The new headquarters on the campus of Colorado College would be slated for opening in the next year if all funds were received by then. To this date, the ANA operated out of various leased facilities with the editor in Illinois, printing in Kansas, and advertising out of Arkansas.
    The 1966 summer ANA convention was set for Chicago with Harry X. Boosel as general chairman.
    The ads included a one-page ad from Art Kagin and Paul Kagin of Iowa, featuring more than 100 early bank notes.
    B. Max Mehl had a full-page ad offering various circulated Washington quarters for 50 cents each and processed 1943-P, -D and -S cents for $1. He was located in Beverly Hills at the time — formerly in Fort Worth, Texas.
    Stacks featured a major auction set for April 21-23, 1966, in New York, highlighting the prize-winning collection of Dr. Conway A. Bolt. A second page listed many of the major pieces in the collection. The catalog and prices realized were available for $1.
    Walt Laub's one-page ad featured Brilliant Uncirculated rolls from the 1930s to date, from cents to half dollars. This was the era of BU roll collecting.
    Dan Brown's Coin Shop across from the Denver Mint offered many rarities in his one-page ad.
    L.S. Warner featured United States paper money in his two-page ad, with more than 100 notes listed.
    William Donlon also had a two-page ad listing many early bank notes.
    Al Overton, best known for his book on bust halves, had a full page featuring $20 gold pieces with nearly 100 listed.
    Tom Wass had a full page listing all of the commemorative half dollars (1892-1954).
    The middle two pages featured Abe Kosoff soliciting consignments for the ANA convention auction. He was located in Encino at the time and was a major contributor to the new ANA headquarters.
    Bill Willoughby was perhaps the first to advertise "Red Books" for sale from the first issue of 1947 (for $9.00) to the current issues. Bill was an active member of the Whittier Coin Club in the early 1960s.
    The remaining 50 or so pages featured various ads from dealers well known to this day and many others who passed on long ago. Some of these include: Norman Schultz, Robert R.. Johnson, Maurice Jensen, Kenneth W. Lee, Christian Blom, Jess Peters, Joel L. Malter, Sol Kaplan, Randolph Zander, C.E. Bullowa, Lester Merkin, Sidney W. Smith, Robert F. Batchelder, Spink & Son Ltd, B.A. Seaby, Lou Friedman, Aubrey Bebee, Christensen & Stone (Alva and Ethel), and Saturn Stamp Company of Buffalo, N.Y.
    Maybe I'll keep this issue a few more years.