I've got several projects in the pipeline, but right now I'm working on putting together information on gold deposits at, and the officers of, the Dahlonega and Carson City mints for the forthcoming new editions of Doug Winter's books on the gold coins of the two mints.
I am no author but I did stay at a Court Yard Marriott once so I have been doing a long term research project on the die progression of the Doubled Obv Die for the 1934 Denver Peace dollar. Trying to nail down the progression between the non-doubled coin to the doubled version and then the change of the Rev die and back to a non-doubled coin as both of the Rev dies on the doubled coin are known without doubling too.
Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
I'm still trying to finish the book on John J. Ford, Jr. and the "Franklin Hoard".
About a half dozen reviewers went over the 325 page (text only) manuscript right after the first of the year. Their suggestions and contributions were incorporated to make the presentation all the better.
One problem (if someone can really call Dave Bowers a problem) is that QDB, an intended Ford biographer, is now going through over 50 years of interaction with Ford and will be adding some personal insights and background that only he has access to. He, like the others, was asked to review and comment, and after making some volutary suggestions in the Preface, I told him, "Go for it!".
So, after two and a half years of near constant research and writing, along with having Ford's correspondence files (with invoices and more) since 2005, I can only hope that this project finally gets finished this year.
Stay tuned for further updates as the book gets put together.
PM me if you are looking for U.S. auction catalogs
Looking forward to the Franklin Hoard book - should make for some really good reading.
"My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko.
Here's what has been occupying a few spare moments. Bold face are chapter headings and their starting page number. There are many more subjets and subsections. There is also much more to do on this draft.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – International Gold Standard 15 The International Monetary Gold Standard 16 World War I and Later 20 Treasury and Federal Reserve Control of Gold 20 Chapter 2 – Economic Depression 32 The Great Depression 33 Hobbies and Leisure Interests 52 Chapter 3 – Slowly Digging Out 53 Banking Failure – Near Collapse 56 Courage and Confidence 65 Chapter 4 – Gold and Silver Nationalization 76 Anti-Hoarding Efforts 77 Gold Mining 91 Bureau of Engraving and Printing 94 Silver Nationalization 96 Chapter 5 – Export and Hoarding of Gold Coin 103 How Many Gold Coins Were Melted? 109 What Dates/Mints Survived? 115 Identifying Hoards, Treasure and Accumulations 129 Chapter 6 – America in the 1930s 140 Fear Itself 143 Beyond Politics 145 Chapter 7 – Coin Collecting During the Depression 153 Counterfeiting 160 Half Cent and One-Mill Coins – States Look for Revenue 180 Chapter 8 – Depression Era Mint 189 Mint Conditions and Leadership – 1920s 189 The Women Who Ran the Mint – 1933-1946 195 Working at the Production Mints 206 Expanding Coin Production 208 Protecting The Nation’s Treasure – Fort Knox Bullion Depository 217 Protecting The Nation’s Treasure – West Point Bullion Depository 225 Chapter 9 – Bitter Fruit 228 Khalkhin Gol 231 Chapter 10 – America at War 237 Protecting Philippine Treasure 246 Golden Boat – USS Trout’s Second War Patrol 254 Diving as a Guest of the Emperor 259 Invasion of Alaska 268 Chapter 11 – Production Soldiers 277 Community and Shared Sacrifice 278 Chapter 12 – Treasury’s Quiet Battles 292 U.S. Special Currency 295 Clandestine Operations 305 Swiss Banks and Gold 309 Nazi Plunder – Merkers Kaiseroda Salt Mine 313 Chapter 13 – Experimental Coins and Currency 317 Experimental and Pattern Coinage – 1941-1944 321 One Cent – Producers of Experimental and Pattern Pieces 329 Five Cents – U.S. Mint Experimental Pieces 382 New Coin Denominations – Half Dime 386 Chapter 14 – Foreign Coinage and Lend-Lease Silver 394 Saudi Gold Discs 397 Lend-Lease of Silver 409 Chapter 15 – New Attitudes, New Economy 411 A Future Unforeseen 412 Franklin Roosevelt Dime 413 Changes to the Mint Bureau 426 Benjamin Franklin Half 428 Appendix A to J - Texts of documents, production reports and submarine action reports Bibliography 511 Index 531
I left out a bunch of stuff, like prefaces, and forwords and backwords and sidewayses.
For those who enjoy footnotes and references, there are over 1,000 and that's only the 500 pages drafted so far. But it's killing my MS Word software. An update I did tonight crapped out - it was only a 600 meg document.... I guess losing another $500 on Quark Express won't matter any more.
I am taking a break - my last book contracts were a nightmare (due to people "not understanding" the darn contracts)! So, I am helping a younger writer.
For the last five years I have done original research from archival records on Robert Scot, chief engraver of the US Mint 1793-1823. Scot is probably the most misunderstood person of the early US Mint. He was one of the most prolific engravers of early America, his work was appreciated and in great demand by contemporary accounts, and he also trained a number of engravers who went on to train others such as Kneass, Gobrecht, and Longacre. I have identified a number of previously unknown engravings by Scot from researching archival documents.
Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
Comments
Check out the Southern Gold Society
My PCGS Set Registry Profile
TD
About a half dozen reviewers went over the 325 page (text only) manuscript right after the first of the year. Their suggestions and contributions were incorporated to make the presentation all the better.
One problem (if someone can really call Dave Bowers a problem) is that QDB, an intended Ford biographer, is now going through over 50 years of interaction with Ford and will be adding some personal insights and background that only he has access to. He, like the others, was asked to review and comment, and after making some volutary suggestions in the Preface, I told him, "Go for it!".
So, after two and a half years of near constant research and writing, along with having Ford's correspondence files (with invoices and more) since 2005, I can only hope that this project finally gets finished this year.
Stay tuned for further updates as the book gets put together.
I haven't started it yet but it would make an interesting short read.
I'm a furniture restorer by trade BTW.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – International Gold Standard 15
The International Monetary Gold Standard 16
World War I and Later 20
Treasury and Federal Reserve Control of Gold 20
Chapter 2 – Economic Depression 32
The Great Depression 33
Hobbies and Leisure Interests 52
Chapter 3 – Slowly Digging Out 53
Banking Failure – Near Collapse 56
Courage and Confidence 65
Chapter 4 – Gold and Silver Nationalization 76
Anti-Hoarding Efforts 77
Gold Mining 91
Bureau of Engraving and Printing 94
Silver Nationalization 96
Chapter 5 – Export and Hoarding of Gold Coin 103
How Many Gold Coins Were Melted? 109
What Dates/Mints Survived? 115
Identifying Hoards, Treasure and Accumulations 129
Chapter 6 – America in the 1930s 140
Fear Itself 143
Beyond Politics 145
Chapter 7 – Coin Collecting During the Depression 153
Counterfeiting 160
Half Cent and One-Mill Coins – States Look for Revenue 180
Chapter 8 – Depression Era Mint 189
Mint Conditions and Leadership – 1920s 189
The Women Who Ran the Mint – 1933-1946 195
Working at the Production Mints 206
Expanding Coin Production 208
Protecting The Nation’s Treasure – Fort Knox Bullion Depository 217
Protecting The Nation’s Treasure – West Point Bullion Depository 225
Chapter 9 – Bitter Fruit 228
Khalkhin Gol 231
Chapter 10 – America at War 237
Protecting Philippine Treasure 246
Golden Boat – USS Trout’s Second War Patrol 254
Diving as a Guest of the Emperor 259
Invasion of Alaska 268
Chapter 11 – Production Soldiers 277
Community and Shared Sacrifice 278
Chapter 12 – Treasury’s Quiet Battles 292
U.S. Special Currency 295
Clandestine Operations 305
Swiss Banks and Gold 309
Nazi Plunder – Merkers Kaiseroda Salt Mine 313
Chapter 13 – Experimental Coins and Currency 317
Experimental and Pattern Coinage – 1941-1944 321
One Cent – Producers of Experimental and Pattern Pieces 329
Five Cents – U.S. Mint Experimental Pieces 382
New Coin Denominations – Half Dime 386
Chapter 14 – Foreign Coinage and Lend-Lease Silver 394
Saudi Gold Discs 397
Lend-Lease of Silver 409
Chapter 15 – New Attitudes, New Economy 411
A Future Unforeseen 412
Franklin Roosevelt Dime 413
Changes to the Mint Bureau 426
Benjamin Franklin Half 428
Appendix A to J - Texts of documents, production reports and submarine action reports
Bibliography 511
Index 531
For those who enjoy footnotes and references, there are over 1,000 and that's only the 500 pages drafted so far. But it's killing my MS Word software. An update I did tonight crapped out - it was only a 600 meg document.... I guess losing another $500 on Quark Express won't matter any more.
What articles and books are others working on at present?
This is in-progress and at least 2 years away from publication.
A very interesting series that is rich in history with many "stories" to tell.
Eric