Who said - - - "there is no Santa Claus in numismatics."

1630Boston

Lee F. Hewitt
Biography
Born in Keokuk, Iowa; brother of Clifford and Robert Hewitt. His wife Dolores died August 15, 1966. Married to Doris Eileen and later Bernice. His wife Virginia died June 26, 1979. He had a brief career in show business and traveled with a circus band. He served in the military during World War II.

Founder and publisher of Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine January 1935 to 1968. The publication was sold to Amos Press in 1968 and discontinued in 1976. He contributed the "As I See It" column to Coin World. Contributor to Handbook of United States Coins. He was appointed temporary editor of The Numismatist from September 1, 1942, through the end of the year.

Author with Ted Weissbuch of United States Numismatic Dictionary in 1967. Author with Willian Donlon of Hewitt-Donlon Catalog of United States Small Size Paper Money. Author of Nevada Gaming Tokens in 1968. Hewitt Bros of Chicago published a number of numismatic books by various authors.

Served as president of the Chicago Coin Club in 1971. He received the ANA Medal of Merit in 1950 and the Farran Zerbe Award in 1962. In 1978 he was elected to the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame. Hewitt consigned to four auctions conducted by Katen in 1975 to 1977 and two sales by Bowers and Merena in 1984 and 1986.

Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine warned of possible errors under a heading, "No Santa Claus." Hewitt became known for the quote, "there is no Santa Claus in numismatics." He died in Boynton Beach, Florida.
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Source credit: Pete Smith, American Numismatic Biographies

1630Boston

BY NUMISMATIC NEWS STAFF
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Over his long career he wrote Mint Record of United States Coins (with fellow Chicago Coin Club member C. E. Green), Price Catalog of Hard Times Tokens, United States Numismatic Dictionary (with Ted Weissbuch), Hewitt-Donlon Catalog of United States Small Size Paper Money (with Willian Donlon), and Nevada Gaming Tokens. In addition to his own works, he reprinted Crosby’s Coinage of 1793 and Newlin’s Early Half Dimes, eventually publishing a number of original booklets in his Hewitt Numismatic Information Series.

In January 1935, Hewitt founded Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine, originally intended to reprint classic numismatic studies (thus the name). It quickly expanded, added news and original articles, and eventually bulged with advertising. Sold to Amos Press in 1968, it was discontinued by them in 1976. Hewitt was very instrumental in the revival of proof set issues in 1936. He spearheaded the formation of the Central States Numismatic Society, and received their Medal of Merit in 1959.

Hewitt was appointed temporary editor of The Numismatist from Sept. 1, 1942 through the end of the year, following the unexpected resignation of Frank Duffield. And in 1943, he was drafted, serving in the Military Police until 1946. Despite these obstacles, neither The Numismatist nor the Scrapbook missed an issue during this time. He received the ANA Medal of Merit in 1950 and the Farran Zerbe Award in 1962. In 1978 he was elected to the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame.

From time to time pricing mistakes would appear in the Numismatic Scrapbook, due to copy, typographical, or proofreading errors, and readers would flood the advertiser with orders for “bargains,” much to Hewitt’s annoyance. After repeatedly warning of the possibility of such mistakes, he wrote an Editor’s Note in the January 20, 1958, issue, “No, Virginia, There Isn’t a Santa Claus,” adding, in the June 20, 1959 issue, “Don’t Believe in Santa Claus; At Least Not in the Coin Business,” ** and occasional later issues under “No Santa Claus” or similar headings. After he sold the magazine, this note became standardized as **“There is no Santa Claus in numismatics” — now credited to him.

Tall and dignified, with a deep voice, Hewitt commanded respect from all. In his obituary in the May 1987 Chatter, Carl F. Wolf, Chicago Coin Club Archivist, wrote: “he was honest and ‘called the shots as he saw them.’… [he] had great powers of concentration and had an outstanding ability to absorb and retain information, which could best be described as an archival memory.”

thebeav

Very interesting !
All these years, I had attributed that quote to my dad. When, as a youngster, a '55 doubled die never appeared under the tree......

braddick

For me the ample "You Suck" awards given on these boards over the last twenty years proves otherwise.

ElKevvo

@braddick said:
For me the ample "You Suck" awards given on these boards over the last twenty years proves otherwise.

I have not seen one of these on the board in a while though! Might have missed it...

K

Jzyskowski1

Offering from a YN who is sure about Santa

bolivarshagnasty

So you are saying Homerun Hall plagiarized Lee Hewitt? Next you are going to tell me there is no Easter bunny. Oh, the humanity of it all.

Tibor

@braddick said:
For me the ample "You Suck" awards given on these boards over the last twenty years proves otherwise.

When was the last time a " You Suck " award given and why?

TurtleCat

@Tibor said:

@braddick said:
For me the ample "You Suck" awards given on these boards over the last twenty years proves otherwise.

When was the last time a " You Suck " award given and why?

Probably the guy who recently bought a coin charm bracelet which had a 3 legged buffalo which ultimately graded 63. He bought the bracelet for like $85. It was several months ago.

coinkat

For those that take the time to learn and look, there are reasons to believe. Visits from Santa come when you least expect it. And even then, you may not recognize he stopped by until years later... it's always fun when that happens for those that believe.