New book: "Fads, Fakes & Foibles" now available. 1 1

[RWB]

Fads, Fakes & Foibles brings together a strange crew of idealists and opportunists – creators of the best known, but little understood coinage proposals. The author, building on original archival sources separates fact from fancy while providing today’s collectors with a delightful journey through some of the oddest coinage proposals ever made.

Be the first in your neighborhood to find the "secret" foible built into the book! No prize except your good eyes.

Edited June 10, 2021 by RWB

[comicdonna]

 Congratulations Roger.  I will look forward to checking it out.  

[Conder101]

Ordered.

[RWB]

There's more detail in a thread on the Coin Marketplace forum.

Also, if you want an autographed copy just ask when ordering. It's free. (Signing several cases of books tomorrow morning.)

Edited June 11, 2021 by RWB

[J P M]

Very nice, I hope it does well.

[Conder101]

When I ordered mine all they had were autographed ones.  I accidently tried to order a non-autographed one at first and it wouldn't let me check out  because it said they were out of stock.  So I ordered the autographed one and it went right through.

[RWB]

27 minutes ago, Conder101 said:

When I ordered mine all they had were autographed ones.  I accidently tried to order a non-autographed one at first and it wouldn't let me check out  because it said they were out of stock.  So I ordered the autographed one and it went right through.

Your book with autograph was shipped at 9am this morning.

[Coinbuf]

Will have to order one, looks like a nice read.

[physics-fan3.14]

Congrats Roger! I look forward to reading this. 

[RWB]

The press release posted on the Coin Market Place has more information on the chapters and subjects.

Anyone with non-sales questions should ask them here, so that all can benefit.

[DWLange]

I got to see a preview of this book awhile back, and I've just ordered my copy.

[RWB]

Comment from noted numismatist Ken Bressett:

Wow! What a tour de force. My head is still spinning from trying to absorb the research and detailed
accounts you have presented to weave this into an absorbing story of these occurrences. What keeps running
through my mind is how similar things were in Washington 175 years ago as compared with today. That
history repeats itself is a truism that should never be forgotten. That seems to be true whether on a
numismatic, or international level. I can only hope that Mint officials, and participants in the current
Monetary Affairs committees take time to read and reflect on these things.

The scope and purpose of this work is well defined and accomplished. The various chapters blend well
together and form an interesting account of the skullduggery and ignorance of the cast of characters. The
detailed information given about Patterns, Trial Pieces, and Novodels, provides much new and important
information for the numismatic community. I find the text commendable in every way and cannot think of
anything that would improve or enhance it.

Edited June 13, 2021 by RWB

[RWB]

Another nice comment from a reader ---

Hi!
Your incredible book arrived today. I don't know how you do it.....its awesome. Love all the photos, illustrations and letters. Soooo much interesting information. It jams my head up thinking of what you had to do researching and finding all the supporting data.

Edited June 13, 2021 by RWB
corret spelling

[Just Bob]

Has anyone posted this announcement ATS? 

Got myself a copy for my birthday. 

[RWB]

7 hours ago, Just Bob said:

Has anyone posted this announcement ATS? 

I haven't looked. OK with me if you want to do it. (I'm not allowed. Was a Baaaad Boy and told the truth, so they kicked me out...)

Edited June 13, 2021 by RWB

[Just Bob]

3 hours ago, RWB said:

I haven't looked. OK with me if you want to do it. (I'm not allowed. Was a Baaaad Boy and told the truth, so they kicked me out...)

I'm not a member over there, but I lurk once or twice a week. Hopefully, someone who is a member both places will get the word out.

[RWB]

That would be nice. The printer wants to be paid and he rejected my offer of 12 tons of fresh, tasty cicadas.

[VKurtB]

12 hours ago, RWB said:

I haven't looked. OK with me if you want to do it. (I'm not allowed. Was a Baaaad Boy and told the truth, so they kicked me out...)

Truth and discussion boards frequently are incompatible.  

[RWB]

Ok....the cicadas are not so tasty -- unless you add that Louisiana hot sauce they slather on "bugs" and other critters.

[RWB]

Here are the chapter titles and abstracts:

• Dr. Barclay's Experimental Coinage ~ 1832-1876 -- James T. Barclay's experiments at the Philadelphia Mint are mentioned in many coin collectors' books but rarely explained.  Who was this enigmatic experimenter and what did he accomplish?
• Donuts to Dollars ~ 1849-1854 -- An excess of California gold and a shortage of silver encouraged experiments with America's annular gold dollar and half dollar patterns.
• Examination of Counterfeit or Debased Coins ~ 1860 (by Jacob R. Eckfeldt, William E. Dubois and James B. Longacre) -- During and after Dr. Barclay's experiments at the Philadelphia Mint, it was claimed his ideas were not original and had no influence on Mint experiments.  Yet his exposition of problems with adulterated coinage evidently inspired internal examination.
• Ring Around the Dollar - A Device to Reduce Abrasion ~ 1867 -- Ignatius Sargent and J. S. Getchell assured the mint director that a metal ring would protect gold and silver coins from abrasion.  After all, it worded for wooden buttons.
• Wharton's Folly ~ 1864-1870 -- The Civil War era economy required an unusual decision for United States coinage: should small change be made of high value precious metal, or nearly worthless base alloy?  Nickel mine owner Joseph Wharton eagerly promoted his opinion to the Mint Bureau.
• Prevention of a Fraud Upon Our Gold Coins ~ 1873 (by William E. Dubois) -- Mint Assayer William Dubois examined adulteration of gold coins by filling with platinum.  His report discussed detection methods and suggested that thinner coins could reduce the frequency of this fraud.
• International Coinage ~ 1865-1868 -- From the 1860s through the 1880s, multiple international conferences were held with the goal of rationalizing financial exchanges. This section introduces coin collectors to the purposes for and outcomes of the discussions.
• The Holey Money of Hall and Johnson ~ 1866-1885 -- Could cutting holes in small denomination coins help alleviate financial inconvenience and loss for much of the working population?  Edwin Hall and Eastman Johnson thought they had the answer.
• Bickford-Dunning Gold Exchange Coin ~ 1874-1877 -- Recent research proves that most of the design and promotion of Dana Bickford's International $10 pattern coin was performed by former New York Assay Office Superintendent George F. Dunning.
• Louis Garnett, Wheeler Hubbell, and the Goloid Fiasco ~ 1878-1882 -- Goloid and metric coinage alloy patterns are among the most popular and common of all pieces struck as proposed coinage.  The entire episode was expensive, disruptive, wasteful and useless.
• The Cometallic Money Plan ~ 1885-1886 -- Nicholas Veeder was convinced his cometallic money plan would make the word a financial utopia.  Few others were similarly persuaded.

[Conder101]

My copy arrived yesterday, haven't started it yet, but was pleasantly surprised to find it was hardbound.  At the price I was expecting a softbound book.

[RWB]

2 hours ago, Conder101 said:

My copy arrived yesterday, haven't started it yet, but was pleasantly surprised to find it was hardbound.  At the price I was expecting a softbound book.

I prefer hardcover for 8.5x11-in books. This one has a good "feel" to it. Books that are approx 6x9-in are usually soft cover - largely because the cover boards add too much bulk.

Edited June 18, 2021 by RWB

[RWB]

This short thread on another message board relates directly to content of the new book. I think readers will find it interesting.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1048193/master-die-trial-for-undated-1840-quarter-judd-110

[DWLange]

It is very interesting. I just finished reading it today.

[RWB]

On 6/13/2021 at 1:38 AM, Just Bob said:

Has anyone posted this announcement ATS? 

Got myself a copy for my birthday. 

Tom Delorey posted it in the pinned thread about books. Also referred to it in regard to J-110 pattern identification.

[Just Bob]

16 hours ago, RWB said:

Tom Delorey posted it in the pinned thread about books. Also referred to it in regard to J-110 pattern identification.

That should sell a few copies. 

[RWB]

Selling the books is nice - but my real purpose in publishing is getting new, interesting information into the hands of collectors, professional dealers and auction companies.

[RWB]

Each copy includes the ability to download the complete, searchable text in PDF format. This acts as an index for the book. It's free.

This replaces the CD used in previous publications.

Before printing it was realized that a diminishing number of book buyers have access to a CD/DVD reader or even a USB port. That meant the only way to get the index to everyone was to post a buyer's download link on the Wizard website. Making access dependent on the internet is not a preferred option, but for now it seems to be the best available.

[DWLange]

Blame it on mobile devices. I use them only when I can't get to my desktop computer.

[RWB]

39 minutes ago, DWLange said:

I use them only when I can't get to my desktop computer.

I put my PC in the grocery cart next to underwear and my winter coat. That way it's always at hand when a July cold-snap hits. The computer also makes the cart heavier so I can 'accidentally' bump into anyone who doesn't put money into my collection bucket at the stop light....Now where's that Pogo Possum lunch box..it was here someplace last week...Had a tuna sandwich in it.

Edited July 2, 2021 by RWB