Quarterly Journal of The Garden State Numismatic Association: Fall 2016

2016·0.51 MB·English

by  Garden State Numismatic Association

Quarterly Journal
Of
The Garden State
Numismatic Association
Fall 2016
GSNA Convention ?
May 18-20,2017
Ukrainian Cultural Center
135 Davidson Avenue
Somerset, NJ Our 42nd show!
The GSNA Convention will feature US and world coins and currency as well as
tokens and medals brought to you by dealers from across the country.
There will be educational presentations as well as meetings of the EAC and the
C4. We will have a program for young numismatists on Saturday at 10 AM.
Show Hours Admission
Free to members of the GSNA
Thur. 12 PM-6 PM
$3 for non-members
Fri. 10 AM-6 PM
Children - Free
Sat. 9 AM-4 PM
Directions
Dealer set up:
Route 287 to Exit 10
9 AM to 12 PM Thur.
Take Route 527 North
Early admission
Turn left on Davidson Ave.
badge, good for all
The Ukrainian Cultural Center
three days, is $25.
is on the right at 135 Davidson
The GSNA Convention is a non-commercial show brought to you by volunteers from
around the state. We welcome new members and volunteers to help us run the
convention. For more information about the organization and for dealer contracts,
visit the web site at www.GSNA.ora.
Show Chairman: Tom Hyland
PO Box 296, Sussex, NJ 07461
973-222-6608
New Jersey Numismatic Newsletter
rho
piiLilication of the Garden State Numismatic Association
Fall Issue Volume 41, Number 3
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audience.
The demographics of the
average New jersey collec¬
tor suggests that they have
disposable income. Spe¬
cial services such as the set¬
Presidents Message ting up ot wills, trusts, etc.
could ne met with a simple
Fall is here, and 1 cannot
ad from a lawyer. Other
wait. As the days cc4ol off,
professional services, such
coin cc^llecting heats up.
as financial planning, real
Clubs come out ck’ their
estate brokers, website de¬
summer hiatus, and start
sign, computer setup and
in full swing. In addition,
basic training should be
club shows start, enabling
considered.
collectors to add that spe¬
cial coin to their collection.
Coin shops could also ben¬
Needless to say, it is a spe¬
efit from an ad. Many of
cial time.
us no kmger have local
coin shops to visit to buy
Our last journal was spe¬
and sell cciins, or get sup¬
cial including numismatic
plies. An ad might intro¬
articles as well as a great
duce you to a new cliental.
summation of our annu¬
al three day convention.
Coin Clubs should also
Maybe you observeci new
consider an ad illustrating
ads in the back of the jour¬
what makes them special,
nal. Joe Pargola has made
rather than just relying on
it his mission to have more
the free name, address,
ads to offset the cost of
time listing.
printing and mailing this
journal. I would like for
I will be attending differ¬
each of you to consider
ent shows this fall, feel free
placing an ad in our jour¬
to stop me to say hello and
nal. Not only are our ads
discuss our hobby.
reasonable, but it is a way
cif reaching a special niche
Dave
Page 1
Chibs Around the State of New Jersey
The GSNA is chartered to promote education in Numismatics and to support
our member clubs around the State.
Monday Evening Clubs Northern Valley Coin Club
Mooting I’imo: Fourth Tuo.sday of oach
Sussex County Coin Club month at 7:30 PM, Except April, June
Mooting Timo: Socond Monday of tho and July.
month (oxcopt August and Docombor) Mooting Location: Domarost Method¬
at 7 I'M. ist Church, 109 Hardonburgh Road,
Mooting Location: Morriam Avo Domarost, Nj
School, 81 Morriam Avo, Nowton, Nj Anthony Mastice, President
t)78b(1
WWW.sussoxcoinclub.org
GSNA Club Koprosontativo: Wednesday Evening Clubs
Doug DolGurocio
Roxbury Coin Club
New Jersey Numismatic Society Mooting Time: First Wednesday of
Mooting Timo: Third Monday of tho oach month at 7:00 PM
month (oxcopt August) at 7:30 I'M Mooting Location: Roxbury Township
Mooting Location: liolon Chaso Room, Library, 103 Main Street, Succasunna,
at tho Madison Public Library Nj
Madison, NJ Club Website: www.ledgewood.net/rcc
GSNA Club Koprosontativo:
Harry Garrison
Hackettstown Coin Club
Trenton Numismatic Club
Mooting Timo: Fourth Wednesday of
Mooting Timo: F'ourth Monday of tho
oach month at 7:00 PM
month
Mooting Location: Hackettstown Com¬
Vlooting Location: Hamilton Township
munity Center on Route 46
Lihrarv Club Website:
1 justice Samuol Alito Wav, Hamilton,
www.hackottstowncoinclub.org
NI (18610 609-583-8104
President: Rudy Boschoror
v\’ v\’ VC’. t ro n t on CO i n c I u b rg
GSNA Club Koprosontativo:
1 larrv Garrison
Atlantic County Numismatic
Society
Tuesday Evening Clubs
Mooting Timo: First Wednesday of the
month at 7:00 PM
Watchung Hills Coin Club Mooting Location: Linwood Public
Mooting Timo: Hrsl I'uosday of oach Library, 301 Davis Avo, Linwood, Nj
month (oxcopt August) at7:30 I'M [phone]
Mooting Location: Rolf's Restaurant,
65 Stirling Rd, Warren, Nj
www.watchunghillscoinclub.com
GSNA Club Koprosontativo: 3om
Rothackor
Page 2
When Money Grew on
Thursday Evening Clubs
Trees
Ocean County Coin Club
by Spencer Peck
Meeting Time: 3rd Thursdays of the
month at 7:15 (Jrs at 6:30) The Cocoa Bean Money of
Meeting Location: hrick Township
the Aztec Empire
Civic Center
President and GSNA Club Representa¬
T he Aztecs subjugated the many
tive: Dennis Berube
tribes of Mexico and Yucatan
Club Website: www.occoinclub.org
in the period prior to "discov¬
ery" by the Europeans. Iribute
West Jersey Numismatic Society
payments were made by these
Meeting Time: Third Thursday at 7:00
tribes to the Aztecs largely in
PM
the products of their lands as
Meeting Location: St. Paul's Lutheran
Church, Collingswood, South jersev well as hostages to be sacrificed
Corner of Park Blvd and Dill Presi¬ to the many Aztec gods. Mon¬
dent: Fred R. Giebel ey, in the European sense, did
Contact: Dennis Helmer at D.P.HEL.M- not exist. While the Aztecs had
ER(« CO.MCAST.NET
accumulated much gold and
silver, it was used primarily for
Clifton Coin Club
jewelry or in the ornamentation
Meeting Time: First Thursday of each
of their temples; for the Aztecs
month at 7:30 PM.
believed gold to be the tears of
Meeting Location: Community Center,
the sun and silver the tears of
Clifton, NJ
the moon. Therefore these tem¬
ples, in particular, were covered
The Currency Club of Chester both on the inside and outside
County with hammered slabs of these
metals.
Meeting Time: Third Thursday of each
month at 7 PM
The most universal medium of
Meeting Location: Borough Hall,
exchange among the Aztecs was
corner of Adams and Gay Streets, West
the cacao bean, from an elcMi-
Chester, PA
gated cucumber-like fruit re¬
sembling a melon. Cacao is the
Spanish name obtained from the
Mexican caca-uatl which trans¬
lated literally means coca-tree.
Cacao beans are the seeds of the
trees of the genus Iheobroma,
which in Creek means fcK>d of
the gods, and no doubt it was so
considered by the tribes occu¬
pying that part of the American
Continued on Page 4
Page 3
Money from l’iige3
Club News from Continent comprising Mexico and
all Central America republics, for
Around the State
they prized it highly.
The Aztec Treasury was silos con¬
Hackettstown Coin Club taining these beans. Antonio de
Herrera in his Historia General de
hosts the Steve Middleton
las Indias Occidentales reported:
Coin/Collectible Shows
"and it happened that a storehouse
where Moctezuma (Emperor of the
Aztecs) kept more than forty thou¬
Fall Show 10-30-16
sand cargas of cacao beans, was
at the American Legion Hall on
entered. (A carga weighs twelve
Groove Street in Hackettstown
arrobas, each arroba weighs twen¬
ty-five pminds.) About three hun¬
For more information
dred natives worked all night and
contact Jim Ingram 973-534-3421
were able to carry away about 600
or j icoinshows(<'’gm a i 1.com cargas and only six of the baskets or
bins serving as granaries had been
Sussex County Coin Club emptied."
Hosts their coin shows
Fernadez de Oviedo in his 1611:
Historia Eclesiastica de nuestros
tiempos explains "how the ca¬
Fall Show 9-25-16
ciques (chiefs) who inherited lands
at the Ogdenshiirg Firehouse
having cacao trees were considered
very wealthy princes, and that the
For more information
nuts (beans or seeds) of such trees
contact Jim Ingram 973-534-3421
were esteemed bv the aborigines as
or jicoinshowsC«’gmail.com much as the Christians esteemed
their gold coins. There is nothing
Trenton Numismatic Club among the natives that cannot be
bought or sold with or for these
will host a coin and collect¬ nuts, just as among Christians with
able show in October 2016. gold doubloons or double ducats.
Thus a rabbit could be procured for
Details and location will be
ten cacao beans; two zapoles (the
finalized in the next edition
apple-shaped fruit of the Achras
of the journal.
sapota tree) were worth one cacao
For more information ct'm- bean; a slave could be purchased
tact jocX’pargola.com for one hundred cacao beans, and
a concubine could be engaged for
eight or ten beans."
Please send all your Cliih News to
GSNA for the Winter Newsletter Up to January 28, 1527 cacao was
to ioe@par^ola.com
sold or exchanged by count, after
Page 4 Continued on inside back cover
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Page 5
What's So Special
feathers. The eagle holds the left
About 1907? portion of the scroll in its beak. The
scroll is inscribed with the motto E
by Mike Sussman PLURIBUS on the left and UNUM
on the right. In its talons are the ar¬
By 1907 tlie First Roosevelt was rows and olive branch. A circle of
in his second term ot otfice. Per¬ stars is above the eagle's head and
haps the president was tired ot the above it from wing to wing is an
Goldbrecht and Longacre designs arc of rays. UNITED STATES OF
ot tlie gold coinage ot the time or AMERICA is above at the periph¬
maybe he just didn't like them. In ery with the denomination below.
any case, we know he had no con¬ Dentils surround the whole and
fidence in the ability of Charles there is a reeded edge. In 1866
Barber, the Mint's Chief Engraver the motto IN GOD WE TRUST
to improve the look ot the nation's was added within the slightly en¬
larged circle of stars, and in 1877
gold. Roosevelt's "pet crime" in
the denomination was changed
fact, was to avoid Barber and enlist
from TWENTY D. to TWENTY
Augustus Saint-Gaudens and later
DOLLARS. Despite the success of
Bela Lyon Pratt to redesign the
this design. President Theodore
quarter eagle, the half eagle, the
Roosevelt had another idea. He
eagle, and the double eagle. Un¬
enlisted the aid of the great August
fortunately Saint-Gaudens did not
Saint-Gaudens, and with his help
live long enough to work on the
produced something new and very
two former denominations, but
special. Both men marveled at the
we do have his magnificent eagle
high relief coins of ancient Greece
and double eagle coins. Of par¬
and Rome. Saint- Gaudens had
ticular interest is the double eagle
designed a high relief inaugural
and how it compares to Longacre's
medal for Roosevelt's second term
twenty dollar coin.
of office. They decided to embark
on a journey that was both illegal
In 1907 the Philadelphia and
and breathtaking. The illegali-
branch mints produced a total of
tv came w'hen Roosevelt advised
4,459,836 double eagles with
Saint-Gaudens to omit the motto
Longacre's design. Clearly this
"In God We Trust" from his new
design was favored since it was in
designs (for both the eagle and
production from 1850 without
double eagle). Roosevelt felt that
substantial change. I'he obverse
it was sacrilegious to have God's
shows a profile of a young Liberty
name on a coin considering the
looking left. She is surrounded by
many venal uses of money. He also
13 six-pointed stars with the date
did not want to see God's name
below the truncation. Her hair is
stepped on if a coin fell to the
tightly tied in the back but Hows
ground. Saint-Gaudens' omission
down her neck under her LIBER¬
may have been in accord with Roo¬
TY inscribed coronet. The reverse
sevelt's wishes, but it was against
shows a heraldic eagle facing
the law that had been passed in
left with an elaborate scroll from
1865 which mandated "In God We
above the shield to the eagle's tail
Page 6
Trust" on iill gold and silver coins by excess metal being squeezed
that "shall admit the inscription between the dies and the collar.
thereon." The breathtaking part Depending upon the size of the
of the journey was the creation of protrusion, it caused difficulties
the high relief eagle and ultra high ejecting the coin after striking.
relief double eagle. The double ea¬ (Of course. Barber also objected to
gle is considered by many to be the every outsider's design from his
quintessence of beauty for United appointment as Chief Engraver in
States coinage. Liberty steps for¬ 1897 until his death in 1917.) I'he
ward carrying the torch and olive result was that the ultra-high re¬
branch as if she is alive. The date lief coins remained patterns and
in Roman numerals is at the lower ne\’er went into full production.
right and the Capitol building is at However, high relief double ea¬
the lower left in the background. gles were produced. They are also
Behind her are the rays of the sun. called Regular High Relief coins.
The whole is surrounded by for¬ These included wire rim and flat
ty-six tiny stars, one for each state rim pieces. (Bowers estimates that
in the Union in 1907. The reverse 10,000 were probably saved of
shows a majestic eagle that glides which about 6,000 remain today.)
effortlessly across the rising sun Of course, the meddling, petty
with its rays behind. Above the Charles Barber would haye his
eagle in two lines is the inscription due. With Saint-Caudens out of the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA picture, he lobbied for and got the
and the denomination TWENTY relief lowered to "stackable" coins.
DOLLARS. All the words of the Among other things, he changed
in.scription are separated by dots. the date to Arabic numerals. Bar¬
Although the ultra-high relief ber's modified, commercial double
proved to be impractical (accord¬ eagle had a mintage of 361,667. In
ing to Bowers' A Guide Book of the subsequent year Barber added
Double Eagle Gold Coins, Whit¬ the motto to the rev'er.se. A tribute
man Publishing, Atlanta, GA, 2004, to the strength iif Saint-Gaudens'
only 18 to 22 were made), I2,3(S7 double eagle concept is that de¬
high relief coins were struck. Of spite all of Barber's interference,
these perhaps 100 were proof the broad strokes of the original
coins, although opinions vary design haye endured. So much
on whether or not any are truly admired was the ultra-high relief
proofs. However, eveji the high re¬ double eagle that a cxmtemporary
lief pieces proved to be unwanted modified copy for bullion coinage
by Engraver Barber and the tech¬ was struck in 2009. In fact, the en¬
nocrats he epitomized. He felt that tire American gold bullion series is
the new designs were impractical ba.sed on Saint-Gauden.s' original
for commerce because they did not obyerse design.
stack well and many had a "knife Because of the emergence of
rim" or "wire edge." The wire Saint-Gardens' new double ea¬
edge was a flange around most or gle, 1907 was a yery special year
all of the coin on either side, of¬ for numismatics, and that's just the
ten on both sides, that was caused beginning of the story.
Page 7
Alexander Zaika Passes
large, chock full binders of
tokens and medals organ¬
ized by type, such as bank to¬
kens, coal scrip and merchant
goodfors. His wife Betty, who
died in 1998, usually accom¬
panied him to the shows and
helped with setting them up.
Alexander Zaika, the found¬
In later years Al suffered from
ing president of the New Jer¬
progressive macular degen¬
sey Exoniimia Society in 1980
eration which weakened his
and the editor of its journal,
vision, making show attend¬
lerseyana, for many years,
ance difficult and requiring
died September 3,2016, at the
him to sell his collections of
age of 97. A1 was well known
mostly New Jersey material.
as a collector of, and part time
Close friends kept in touch
dealer in, a variety of tokens,
with him, as did his family.
medals and paper scrip, es¬
Al lived in Bellmawr, Cam¬
pecially those of New Jersey
den County, New Jersey, and
about which he published
was retired from a career as
numerous articles and devel¬
a conductor and brakeman
oped catalog listings. In ad¬
with the former Reading Rail¬
dition to his presidential and
road. In the 1930s he worked
editorial posts with NJES, he
for the Civilian Conservation
served as its treasurer and
Corps building public works
filled several positions on a
projects in the state of Ne¬
pro tempore basis when they
vada. During World War II,
became vacant and until a
he served on active duty in
successor took over. NJES
the 623rd Ordnance Ammu¬
folded in 2011, victim of a
nition Company of the U. S.
declining and aging member¬
Army in the Pacific theater,
ship. 'lall and friendly, AI was
with the rank of Technical
a familiar figure at the annual
Sergeant. He earned a Good
shows of the Garden State
Conduct medal, a Philip¬
Numismatic Association,
pines Liberation ribbon with
of which NJES was a member
one bronze star, an Amer-
club. At his table he displayed
Page 8