The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine

coinsarefun · July 8, 2008 2:52PM

What years was this published?
Was it popular? Any other info that you want to share?

Do you know approximate year this medal/token was issued?

Stefanie

DUIGUY · July 8, 2008 3:15PM

Don't know if this is of any help or significance, but here ya go.

From Heritage archives.

American Numismatic Association Scrapbook of Mr. H.O. Granberg MS --Chairman, Board of Governors, ANA. This scrapbook contains numerous letters and other documents addressed to Mr. H.O. Granberg of Oshkosh, Wisconsin during his tenure as chairman of the Board of Governors of the American Numismatic Association. Originally from Norway, Granberg was born in October 1860 and arrived in America with his family eight years later. He was a railroad man who lived in Wisconsin. He also held mining interests in Colorado and Wyoming. He was life member number 67 of the ANA and served as President of the organization from September 1915 to August 1917. Granberg's coin collecting interests were varied, and he reached the pinnacle of collector with his acquisition of the Idler specimen of the 1804 silver dollar.
This scrapbook of letters dating from the early years of the American Numismatic Association is of immense historical importance. In our opinion, the philanthropic-minded person should considering purchasing this lot and donating the material to the ANA. Most items range from good to excellent condition, although a few are of lower quality. Most of the correspondence includes the mailing envelopes (primarily torn) as well as actual autographs of those who wrote the letters. The following items are included with nearly all letters signed by the sender:
1. Letter dated June 10, 1909 from the Honorable William A. Ashbrook, of the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures, requesting Granberg's support of Dr. J.M. Henderson as the next president of the Association. Ashbrook was a member of the House of Representatives from Ohio, and served on several different committees during his tenure from 1907 to 1921. His campaign on behalf of Henderson was successful, as Henderson served the ANA Presidency from August 1909 to August 1911. Henderson was a fellow Buckeye who had a 50-year dental practice in Columbus, Ohio.
2. Donation by W.W.C. Wilson for the benefit of the members of the Association, transferring "All my right, title, and interest in that certain Numismatic Publication called 'The Numismatist.'" This document is dated March 31, 1911 at Boston and is signed by several numismatic luminaries including Wilson, Howland Wood, H.O. Granberg, William A. Ashbrook, and others. In American Numismatic Biographies, author Pete Smith specifically discussed this donation: "The Numismatist was owned and published by George F. Heath until his death in July 1908. It was purchased by Farran Zerbe who published for two years. It had been designated as the official journal of the ANA and there was a desire to transfer ownership. Wilson arranged to purchase the publication and donated it to the ANA in 1911." This is easily one of the most important documents in the entire history of the American Numismatic Association. It is also intriguing when one realizes that Wilson was a resident of Montreal and not even an American citizen.
3. Letter dated January 15, 1912 from the Honorable J.H. Davidson, Chairman of the Committee on Railways and Canals, to H.O. Granberg stating that he will give consideration "to the matter in which you are interested" but not stating what that matter is, although it almost certainly involves the ANA charter. Davidson was a Representative from Wisconsin who, like Granberg, resided in Oshkosh.
4. Letter dated January 30, 1912 from the Honorable William A. Ashbrook, Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Post Office Department, to Granberg stating that Ashbrook had been successful in securing the passage of the Association Charter in the House of Representatives after considerable opposition. "I would not shoulder such a job again for much less than an 1804 Silver Dollar," perhaps a reference to Granberg's ownership of such a coin.
5. House Document from the Committee on the District of Columbia reporting on House Bill 12623 to Incorporate the American Numismatic Association "to assist in bringing about better cooperation between all persons interested in the coinage, circulation, classification, collection, sales and exhibition, use and preservations of all coins, bills and medals ..."
6. Letter dated February 10, 1912 from the Honorable Clarence D. Clark, Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, to H.O. Granberg commending the high terms of House Bill 12623. "I can see where a general bill of this sort, unobjectionable in its details, would be very desirable ..." Clarence Clark was a Representative and Senator from Wyoming who was personally acquainted with Granberg in relation to the latter's mining interests in that state.
7. Letter dated February 10, 1912 from the Honorable Francis E. Warren, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, to H.O. Granberg regarding House Bill 12623. "I will give your wishes in reference to the measure my attention." Warren was also a Senator from Wyoming, and was a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in the Civil War. He was also the first governor of the state of Wyoming.
8. Letter dated April 23, 1912 from the Honorable William A. Ashbrook, to H.O. Granberg. "Just a line to let you know that the Senate passed the Charter Bill about half an hour ago."
9. Letter dated May 27, 1912 from the Honorable William A. Ashbrook, to H.O. Granberg. "The President signed the Charter bill several days ago and it is now a law." Also, a comment regarding certain ANA members: "I vote with Ben Green and Chapman to sustain their charges against Whitsett and Schnellick. I am against frauds every time and they appear to be." This commentary could provide the researcher with a topic for an article in The Numismatist.
10. Letter dated December 8, 1913 from Edgar H. Adams, editor of The Numismatist to H.O. Granberg, regarding the accounts of the Association. "I am sending you the December report, which is also for the end of the year 1913." ... "Mr. [Judson] Brenner desires to take the books down to Cincincinnati, [sic] where they will be audited." Edgar H. Adams served as editor and business manager for The Numismatist from 1912 to 1915 at a salary of $60 per month, being the first paid employee of the ANA. Brenner served as the ANA President from August 1911 to August 1913.
11. Letter dated January 7, 1915 from Edgar H. Adams to H.O. Granberg regarding the accounts of the Association. "You will notice that we come out of January with an eight-cent deficit, which is not much when you consider the general hard times." ... "Usually I have had very heavy expense for January, February, and March, but I will curtail this, and restore the old balance of things. Will not publish more than forty pages till things look brighter."
12. Letter dated March 8, 1915 from Adams to Granberg. "I herewith inclose [sic] my reports for February and March, 1915. You will note that we are gradually getting in better financial condition, owing to the usual increased receipts and lower expenditures, which I am keeping within reasonable limits."
13. Letter dated April 7, 1915 from Adams to Granberg. "It is my intention to proceed cautiously, in order that there shall be no question of coming out the year on the right side of the ledger."
14. Letter dated May 24, 1915 from Adams to Granberg. "We are going to have a bad year, and the indications now point to a slump in membership of over a hundred. Of course this, with a falling off in our 'ads,' will much limit our income, and I a(#1)

DUIGUY · July 8, 2008 3:22PM

Link to more.

coinsarefun · July 8, 2008 3:30PM

Thanks Doug but I thought that this medal referred to a magazine published monthly like here
unless the medal refers to something else?

Stefanie

Quarternut · July 8, 2008 3:41PM

The scrapbook was published from 1935 - 1976.

QN

Pistareen · July 8, 2008 4:35PM

Ask Capt. Henway. He knows more about this magazine than anyone else on the boards.

It was popular. It included high quality articles from the leading lights of the era and some pulpy content too. It was THE place to shop by mail for coins in the era -- I think it's fair to say most folks subscribed for the ads.

Anyone who indexes the Scrapbook or produces a compilation of its best articles will receive my undying respect. There is a lot of great stuff in there -- it's just tough to get to.

jmski52 · July 8, 2008 10:00PM

I used to read Numismatic Scrapbook in the late '60s, and I always wondered whatever happened to it. It was well over 100 pages, published once a month (I believe), was printed on smooth white paper, and always had good content. I wish that I'd kept some of my copies.

CaptHenway · July 8, 2008 11:40PM

I wrote for Numismatic Scrapbook for its last year or so. Last issue Feb., 1976.

Lee Hewitt had contracted with Amos Press to print the magazine many years earlier, and then sold them the magazine as he reached retirement age. The irony was that the weekly Coin World killed the monthly format, which is now only viable for a member-supported organization such as the ANA.

The aluminum contributor medals were struck in the early 60's by the Osborne Register Co. of Cincinnati. They used the first five president obverses of one of their standard sets, along with the same reverse die. I have four of the five. The Washington seems to be the most common. I spoke with Lee about them once, and I think he said that he had had 100 of each struck. However, I doubt that most of them were distributed. After I bought the Washington at a show and asked him about them, he gave me three more from what he had. If you can find whoever handled his estate, you might find the others.

Tom DeLorey

Edit: Oops! I meant brass, and typed aluminum.

291fifth · July 9, 2008 12:25AM

<< I wrote for Numismatic Scrapbook for its last year or so. Last issue Feb., 1976.

Lee Hewitt had contracted with Amos Press to print the magazine many years earlier, and then sold them the magazine as he reached retirement age. The irony was that the weekly Coin World killed the monthly format, which is now only viable for a member-supported organization such as the ANA.

The aluminum contributor medals were struck in the early 60's by the Osborne Register Co. of Cincinnati. They used the first five president obverses of one of their standard sets, along with the same reverse die. I have four of the five. The Washington seems to be the most common. I spoke with Lee about them once, and I think he said that he had had 100 of each struck. However, I doubt that most of them were distributed. After I bought the Washington at a show and asked him about them, he gave me three more from what he had. If you can find whoever handled his estate, you might find the others.

Tom DeLorey >>

Most interesting info. I had guessed the medal was from about 1940. Osborne certainly got a lot of use out of their stock medal dies! I'm somewhat surprised at the 100 mintage numbers. I would have guessed the minimum order would have been higher.

dorancoins · July 9, 2008 12:34AM

I think, and there will be those who would either like or hate what I am about to say, that the time is right for the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine to be revived. Between CW, NN, and CoinAge, I feel that there are some of us who want more good numismatic stories that otherwise would not make it in NN or CW. I have some Numismatic Scrapbooks that I got as part of a lot of coin books in a coin club auction (alongside some 1970's Numismatists, which has triggered yet another collecting facet for me - periodicals and books). Very interesting stuff.

Back to what I was saying - I think that the time is right for the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine to be revived. Does anyone here agree or disagree, and why?

PreTurb · July 9, 2008 1:40AM

Some time ago, I bought a long run of these with the intent of going through them in search of good research info... but havn't gotten around to it yet. I think it would take a full day to go through a year's worth of issues and compile the key content. Would be quite a project.

shorecoll · July 9, 2008 1:45AM

I think if you could do a year a day, that would be good. Whenever I start going through them I get bogged down reading them. I have three or four sets (1 bound) but I've been too lazy to list them or pack them for shipping. p.s. they weigh a lot...

CaptHenway · July 9, 2008 3:46AM

<< 

<< I wrote for Numismatic Scrapbook for its last year or so. Last issue Feb., 1976.

Lee Hewitt had contracted with Amos Press to print the magazine many years earlier, and then sold them the magazine as he reached retirement age. The irony was that the weekly Coin World killed the monthly format, which is now only viable for a member-supported organization such as the ANA.

The aluminum contributor medals were struck in the early 60's by the Osborne Register Co. of Cincinnati. They used the first five president obverses of one of their standard sets, along with the same reverse die. I have four of the five. The Washington seems to be the most common. I spoke with Lee about them once, and I think he said that he had had 100 of each struck. However, I doubt that most of them were distributed. After I bought the Washington at a show and asked him about them, he gave me three more from what he had. If you can find whoever handled his estate, you might find the others.

Tom DeLorey >>

Most interesting info. I had guessed the medal was from about 1940. Osborne certainly got a lot of use out of their stock medal dies! I'm somewhat surprised at the 100 mintage numbers. I would have guessed the minimum order would have been higher. >>

Labor costs were nothing back then. Set up the reverse die with obverse A, load 100 blanks in the machine and hit start. Change to obverse B, load another 100 blanks, and hit start. Repeat. A good press operator could do the whole 500 in under a half hour.
TD

RollSearcher · July 9, 2008 4:53AM

Does anyone know of a good outlet for finding the older issues? I have most of them from the mid 50's on, but have only had luck getting a few scattered copies from the 30's and 40's. They occasionally come up on Ebay, but its usually issues I already have.

shorecoll · July 9, 2008 5:25AM

Rollsearcher, send me a PM or turn on yours. I may have an easily reachable set of the 40's I'd let go.

CaptHenway · July 9, 2008 5:54AM

<< Does anyone know of a good outlet for finding the older issues? I have most of them from the mid 50's on, but have only had luck getting a few scattered copies from the 30's and 40's. They occasionally come up on Ebay, but its usually issues I already have. >>

Contact the ANA Library. They get runs of old magazines in estate donations, and usually blow out duplicate magazines at the Summer Seminar. If you are willing to take groups as is for the shipping and a reasonable handling fee as they come in, they might be able to help you.
TD

DaveG · July 9, 2008 8:07AM

The numismatic booksellers and numismatic book auctions frequently have copies.

I was told by one bookseller that he finds these difficult to sell, so I'm sure they're fairly inexpensive.

291fifth · July 9, 2008 9:03AM

<< The numismatic booksellers and numismatic book auctions frequently have copies.

I was told by one bookseller that he finds these difficult to sell, so I'm sure they're fairly inexpensive. >>

About fifteen years ago I had a very large selection of Numismatic Scrapbook magazines. They were taking up too much storage space so I decided to sell them. After much effort I think I realized about twenty cents each for them. Without a usable index they just aren't of much use.

RollSearcher · July 9, 2008 10:36AM

Thanks everybody for the help and suggestions.

I've had a notion to start compiling an index as I go through them, so I may just take Pistareen's challenge and try to compile something. Check back with me in about 5 years and I'll let you know how I'm doing

Gemini · July 9, 2008 11:48AM

I loved reading this magazine back in the 60's and bought a scattered run of them from a deceased local collectors estate. They go back as far as 1949. I bought some 20 milk crates of assorted you name it. Some day I will photograph and show some of the early covers and stuff.

The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine

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