Spoke w/ Eric Newman Today - For RS Members & Friends of Eric

Rittenhouse

For Rittenhouse Society members & other friends of Eric,

I spoke with Eric today. As many know, Eric and I have worked, fought, cooperated, and argued over the past 25 years or so. I hadn't heard from Eric recently, he hadn't showed up at the ANA 2003 for the 1913s, and I was becomming a bit concened.

Low and behold, I get an email today on an article I wrote for JRCS. We had a great discussion and I can assure all that he is as sharp as ever. We discussed a couple of tech points on early US minting methods, reminisced about his association with the 1913 Lib nickels, and a few other esoteric subjects.

Eric is still active. In fact he has a new article coming out in the ANS journal on the Albany Church pennies.

In all it was great to hear from "The Godfather" of US numismatic research (maybe I shoud change his title to "Grand-daddy", but "The Godfather" sounds so much more elegant and fitting).

If you're RS, please drop me a line and I'll fill in some further.

Mark

Rittenhouse:

I am not a member of the Rittenhouse Society and so I hope you forgive some ignorant questions. I know the Rittenhouse Society was founded about 40 years ago. But how active is it today? Are there meetings at the ANA convention (or the ANS headquarters)? About how many members are there? Are the results uncovered by its members published in any specific Rittenhouse Society journal or location?

Thanks in advance for answering the questions. Also, any other information you think interesting about the Rittenhouse Society would be greatfully received by me.

Mark

Rittenhouse

Mark,

The Rittenhouse Society is an honorary, elective society of numismatic researchers. One member is elected each year by majority vote of the membership. The society itself is not active - there are no dues, journal, or other activities in general. We meet one a year for breakfast at the ANA - society members and spouses only. Membership is an honor conferred on the recipient for contributions to numismatics. Members are as active today as in the past. We have no president or officers per se.

A journal is an interesting idea. I'd propose it at the next meeting except as Secretary I'd have to collect the articles and publish it . Maybe a web site, lemme think about it.

Mark

So, let me understand--the Rittenhouse Society is comprised of a bunch of researchers who meet at the ANA to drink their breakfasts??? (orange juice, I mean)

More seriously, thanks for the information. I concur with you that a web site would be neat. It would be fun to read the history of the Rittenhouse Society and a list of the Society's members since its inception. You might ask current members to submit a short biography to put on the web site so that this information isn't lost in the passage of time.

Mark

dorkkarl

Mr. Newman is THE GREATEST living numismatist, hands down, no question about it. nobody, not even bowers, comes close.

K S

dbldie55

It was too bad Eric did not make it to the ANA last summer as I would have loved to meet him in person. I have wrote to him numerous times and he is always quick to respond.

A great person indeed.