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"The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint," by Orosz and Augsburger
Dentuck
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“Orosz and Augsburger outstandingly present the exciting historical detail of the first U.S. Mint.”
— Eric P. Newman
How did the son of a poor farmer grow up to buy a priceless treasure of American history? And why—if his mission was preservation—did he ultimately destroy it?
Frank H. Stewart is both the hero and the villain in this remarkable tale ripped from the headlines of early 20th-century Philadelphia. He was a high-school dropout . . . who wrote the definitive history of our nation’s first coin factory. He was no art connoisseur . . . and yet he commissioned unforgettable paintings of the first U.S. Mint, by famous artists. A poor boy made good, Stewart bought the old Mint, labored to preserve it, and failed in the most dramatic way possible.
Could his later acts of commemoration redeem his failures in preservation?
The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint tells, for the first time, the full story of the paradoxical Frank H. Stewart and his self-appointed life’s mission to celebrate an irreplaceable slice of our nation’s heritage. This groundbreaking new book is filled with dozens of sketches, paintings, and photographs of the first Mint that have been preserved in archival collections for decades, and have not been seen by living numismatists until now.
“What makes the Frank Stewart story so amazing is that it’s not fiction. Like history detectives, the authors unearth long-buried facts, brilliantly connect past and present, and take a sledgehammer to age-old myths and misunderstandings about Philadelphia and the first U.S. Mint.”
—Q. David Bowers
“Orosz and Augsburger have achieved an unusual feat: the telling of a fresh and exciting narrative that relies entirely on original sources. Their ability to track down unknown archives and materials places this work in rare company. It is engrossing as literature, and unimpeachable as history.”
—John Kraljevich
The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint will debut at the FUN Show in January 2011. After that it will be available from booksellers nationwide, and on loan for free to members of the American Numismatic Association, through the Dwight N. Manley Numismatic Library.
— Eric P. Newman
How did the son of a poor farmer grow up to buy a priceless treasure of American history? And why—if his mission was preservation—did he ultimately destroy it?
Frank H. Stewart is both the hero and the villain in this remarkable tale ripped from the headlines of early 20th-century Philadelphia. He was a high-school dropout . . . who wrote the definitive history of our nation’s first coin factory. He was no art connoisseur . . . and yet he commissioned unforgettable paintings of the first U.S. Mint, by famous artists. A poor boy made good, Stewart bought the old Mint, labored to preserve it, and failed in the most dramatic way possible.
Could his later acts of commemoration redeem his failures in preservation?
The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint tells, for the first time, the full story of the paradoxical Frank H. Stewart and his self-appointed life’s mission to celebrate an irreplaceable slice of our nation’s heritage. This groundbreaking new book is filled with dozens of sketches, paintings, and photographs of the first Mint that have been preserved in archival collections for decades, and have not been seen by living numismatists until now.
“What makes the Frank Stewart story so amazing is that it’s not fiction. Like history detectives, the authors unearth long-buried facts, brilliantly connect past and present, and take a sledgehammer to age-old myths and misunderstandings about Philadelphia and the first U.S. Mint.”
—Q. David Bowers
“Orosz and Augsburger have achieved an unusual feat: the telling of a fresh and exciting narrative that relies entirely on original sources. Their ability to track down unknown archives and materials places this work in rare company. It is engrossing as literature, and unimpeachable as history.”
—John Kraljevich
The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint will debut at the FUN Show in January 2011. After that it will be available from booksellers nationwide, and on loan for free to members of the American Numismatic Association, through the Dwight N. Manley Numismatic Library.
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Comments
--RYK, US Coin Forum
Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner.
<< <i>I recognize one of those cover photos
From the credits and acknowledgments:
"Jeremy Katz photographed both the Dunsmore and the Lamasure paintings at Independence Hall National Park as well as tokens, medals, and coins in the Old Mint collection, plus portraits in possession of the Philadelphia Mint."
<< <i>"Augsburger is the QDB of the 21st century. (Who is this Orosz dude?) I cannot wait to purchase and read it."
--RYK, US Coin Forum >>
LOL!
After posting, I realized that --- in a Longacre-esque turn of phrase --- I never once mentioned the authors by their first names! I was just about to edit my original post when I decided to leave it in that format.
Or, should I say: Dentuck considered editing the text, but he thought better of it, to keep a Sense of Mystery™ about the proceedings.
The material can be read on multiple levels of interest, and there is something for almost every coin collector. It's also a wonderful resource for educators and libraries. I can personally attest to the diligence and attention that went into "The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint," and have nothing but praise for the authors, their work, and Whitman's publication quality.
Frankly, this is the ideal gift for the coin collector at any level of sophistication or of any collecting means.
[Disclaimer. I was one of several peer reviewers of the draft, so I got to see the insides of the work-in-progress!]
One of the (many) cool connections in the book: see pages 214 and 215. On the left, a photograph of Thomas Becker photographing Edwin Lamasure's Ye Olde Mint in 1969. On the right, a photograph of Jeremy Katz photographing the same painting in 2009. Becker, the assistant director of the National Bank of Detroit Money Museum at the time, was in the basement of the First Bank of the United States Building. Katz was in the basement of the Second Bank of the United States. It's a neat juxtaposition of photographs-within-photographs, separated by 40 years but joined by a great piece of numismatic artwork.
<< <i>Not only do Len and Joel share the information they've uncovered and pieced together --- they show how they did it.
One of the (many) cool connections in the book: see pages 214 and 215. On the left, a photograph of Thomas Becker photographing Edwin Lamasure's Ye Olde Mint in 1969. On the right, a photograph of Jeremy Katz photographing the same painting in 2009. Becker, the assistant director of the National Bank of Detroit Money Museum at the time, was in the basement of the First Bank of the United States Building. Katz was in the basement of the Second Bank of the United States. It's a neat juxtaposition of photographs-within-photographs, separated by 40 years but joined by a great piece of numismatic artwork. >>
The mint painting is stored at the Second National bank? I was just there a week and a half ago. Wonderful collection of paintings. The Peale family is represented well there.
I have been really looking forward to this book.
John
Does anyone know if this Augsburger guy will have signed copies in the offing (even if signed by autopen by the guy in the mailroom)?
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
<< <i>I recognize one of those cover photos
Jeremy did some great work for this project - lots of false alarms, overnight flights, and working on no sleep! He is a true pro.
Looking forward to that read.