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I was just handed a package, and a delightful numismatic tome was contained within…

LongacreLongacre Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
As I write these words, gentle readers, I am toiling away in my office for The Man, deep into a reading of the proposed Treasury regulations surrounding Section 987 of the Internal Revenue Code. My Tax Bliss™ was interrupted momentarily, as one of my personal assistants handed me a package.

I opened the package, and contained within was The Secret History of the First United States Mint, hot off the Chinese presses. A review of the book will be forthcoming, but I wanted to give my initial impressions here.

The book is in full color, and comprises 318 meaty pages. A delightful picture of Messrs. Orosz and Augsburger, the authors of the book, greets the readers on Page IV. They say that married people start to look like each other after a while, but perhaps writing a book together with someone has the same effect.

A Foreword by numismatic literary great Eric Newman is provided, and the book contains a Preface, Acknowledgments, an Introduction, ten chapters, an Afterword, 5 Appendixes, Notes, a Bibliography, and an Index. Flipping through the pages briefly, I see full color pictures on nearly every page, and a well laid-out format throughout. The text is clean and clear, and well footnoted. In today’s age of Tweets, IMs, and other means of communication for short attention-spanned persons, it is nice to peruse nearly 25 pages of footnotes, which are chock full of information and lend credibility to the text that one is reading.

Tomorrow, I need to take a business trip to Washington, DC. Longacre decided to help reduce his carbon footprint and ride the rails on this trip, rather than taking a jet. I will be sure that the person carrying my bag tomorrow will have my copy of The Secret History of the First US Mint contained within, as I glide along the New Jersey countryside, sipping a cognac, and enjoying the pleasures of this important numismatic tome.
Always took candy from strangers
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)

Comments

  • RYKRYK Posts: 35,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sorry to burst your numismatic bubble, but I think that buying a book, printed in China, offsets any carbon footprint reduction you made by traveling by train. An ebook, on the other hand, is the preferred low carbon way to read.

    When is the Kindle version coming out?
  • CalebCaleb Posts: 739


    << <i>Sorry to burst your numismatic bubble, but I think that buying a book, printed in China, offsets any carbon footprint reduction you made by traveling by train. An ebook, on the other hand, is the preferred low carbon way to read.

    When is the Kindle version coming out? >>



    SLAMMED! image
  • nederveitnederveit Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭
    Kindle...no color, so the nice color photographs would be wasted. Not knocking it, I have one (Kindle that is).
  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sorry to burst your numismatic bubble.....

    Man - rough crowd. image
    "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, Big Moose, Cardinal.
  • bronzematbronzemat Posts: 2,666 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Sorry to burst your numismatic bubble, but I think that buying a book, printed in China, offsets any carbon footprint reduction you made by traveling by train. An ebook, on the other hand, is the preferred low carbon way to read.

    When is the Kindle version coming out? >>



    LMAO
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I may be old fashioned (may he_ll - I am) but I still prefer the 'real' thing, a book I can hold and put in my library. Cheers, RickO
  • shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,447 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There's also a controversy brewing with e-books, one publisher just announced that e-books sold to libraries will expire after being read a certain number of times (26?). Now wouldn't that be lovely to have your prized references lock you out.
    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
  • ColonialCoinUnionColonialCoinUnion Posts: 10,087 ✭✭✭


    << <i>one publisher just announced that e-books sold to libraries will expire after being read a certain number of times (26?). >>



    I am going to go first thing in the morning.
  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I am going to go first thing in the morning.

    I do that EVERY morning. image
    "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, Big Moose, Cardinal.
  • BarndogBarndog Posts: 20,515 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I got my copy of the book today. I'm only about fifteen pages in. I like what I have read so far.
  • MrHalfDimeMrHalfDime Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭
    I'm afraid that this well-intended thread has taken an odd turn, and diverted attention away from this very important book. I'm glad that Barndog brought it back where it belongs. I have been greatly intrigued by the Frank H. Stewart story, and the history of the first United States Mint, ever since I first read Frank Stewart's own book several years ago. I have followed, with great interest, the exhaustive research conducted by authors Len Augsburger and Joel Orosz, which has culminated in this fascinating reference book. Like Barndog, I am part way through the book, and I find that I can hardly put it down. I eagerly await Longacre's review of this authoritative book, as I know that he will find it every bit as informative and educational as I do. Every member of this forum who has an interest in the First Mint, the contemporary and later history of that facility and the people who worked there, and particularly in the twentieth century saga of Frank H. Stewart and his often misunderstood involvement in the demolition and subsequent saving of this national treasure, will want to add this important book to their library.
    They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,753 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Sorry to burst your numismatic bubble, but I think that buying a book, printed in China, offsets any carbon footprint reduction you made by traveling by train. An ebook, on the other hand, is the preferred low carbon way to read.

    When is the Kindle version coming out? >>




    I heard somebody talking on the radio today about the Nook
    e-reader. Sounds funny when you say it out loud......

    image
    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.
  • NysotoNysoto Posts: 3,824 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I got the book about a month ago, it is a must read for anyone interested in early US coinage. Whitman does a great job in the presentation, and the amount of research is incredible. I am mostly interested in the activities of the First US Mint, but the Frank Stewart story is also interesting.
    Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
  • CoinosaurusCoinosaurus Posts: 9,645 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We have a late breaking announcement --

    At the Baltimore show, Frank Greenberg of Delaware Valley Rare Coin is graciously allowing us to exhibit his Frank H. Stewart Electric Company calendar from 1916.

    The calendar features a lithographic reproduction of John Ward Dunsmore's "Inspection of the First Money Coined by the United States." This large format calendar appears to be unique in private hands. It has not been displayed publicly since the Philadelphia ANA in 2000.

    We will be setup next to the Whitman booth (#1463) all day Friday and Saturday.
  • MrHalfDimeMrHalfDime Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭
    "This large format calendar appears to be unique in private hands."

    I don't believe it is unique in private hands.
    They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,615 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image
    "short attention- spanned persons"

    edit to add: I forgot what I was going to say.

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