• Contents of this Issue
  • Notes
  • Minutes of the 1242nd Meeting
  • The German Taler: Enlightenment and the Birth of Modern Coinage
  • Exhibits
  • Minutes of the Chicago 2022 ANA Convention Committee
  • Upcoming Meeting
  • Important Dates
  • Chatter Matter
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Chatter

Editor’s Notes

Soon many of us will meet at the 2022 World’s Fair of Money in Rosemont, Illinois. I work in the Collector Exhibit Area – as a shameless plug, I direct you to the online Exhibit Guide which groups the exhibits by class, just as they are grouped in the bourse hall.

My online library of US Mint-related documents (from its first century) is progressing slowly, with reports for 1860 and 1862 recently added. The main page has links to individual items.

Please consider submitting a trip report for the September Chatter. Tell us what you enjoyed, or what left a lasting impression. Consider this as practice for the report you will write on next year’s convention in Pittsburgh.

Paul Hybert, editor

Minutes of the 1242nd Meeting

The 1242nd meeting of the Chicago Coin Club was called to order by President Lyle Daly at 6:45 PM CDT, Wednesday July 13, 2022. This was a hybrid in-person and online meeting. Attendance at the meeting was 14 in person and 23 online for a total of 37 members.

Club Meeting Minutes and Treasurer’s Report

The June 2022 meeting minutes were approved as published in the Chatter, both in print and on the CCC website. Treasurer Elliott Krieter submitted treasurer’s reports for the June period. The June Period had income of $825 (Dues, Life Membership, and Misc. Income) and expenses of $286.00 (Chatter expenses, Club PO Box rent, Misc. expense) for a net June period of $539.00.

New Members and Communications

Secretary Scott McGowan announced there were no new membership applications, or club communications to report.

Old Business

1. Steve Zitowsky reported on the 2022 ANA World’s Fair of Money. The next and final committee meeting before the Convention is July 20, 2022 at 7:00pm. Any club member still interested in being an Ambassador at the show should complete the application and email to Scott McGowan.
2. Mark Wieclaw did a last call for CCC polo shirt orders. Order deadline is July 15, 2022; contact Mark Wieclaw directly to order or with questions.
3. Mark Wieclaw also reported on the Joint CCC-NYNC dinner during the 2022 ANA World’s Fair of Money. Location is Crust Brewery in their private room space, on Thursday August 18, 2022, 6:30PM. Any club member still interested, please respond to the email RSVP link sent by the club secretary on July 16, 2022.
4. Club President announced new Chicago Coin Club Life Member Shanna Schmidt.

New Business

1. Club President Lyle Daly announced that Member Tom Uram is to receive the new ANA Chester Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award at the ANA World’s Fair of Money in August. See further details in the press release on the ANA website.
2. Bob Feiler announced further details on the December CCC banquet. The survey sent out for locations indicated the preferred location to be Coopers Hawk Restaurant in Arlington Heights. 52 people have RSVPed as of July 13. The room can hold 75-80 people. Approximate cost is $55, subject to change.
3. John Kent announced that the ILNA show scheduled for September 15-17 in Northlake, Illinois has been cancelled. There will still be a Greater Chicago Coin & Collectable Show in Tinley Park, Illinois from September 30 through October 2, 2022.

First Vice President John Riley introduced the Featured Program: Roxana Uskali on The German Taler: Enlightenment and the Birth of Modern Coinage.

Second Vice President Melissa Gumm introduced the evening’s four Show and Tell exhibitors.

The next meeting will be the August session I meeting, August 10, 2022, in-person and online. This will be followed by the August 18, 2022, CCC-NYNC joint dinner, and the second session of the August meeting on August 20, 2022 at 12:00pm in Rosemont, Illinois, at the Donald Stephens Convention Center, Room 21. After the ANA, there will be an online-only CCC Board Meeting on August 24, at 6:00PM CDT.

Lyle Daly adjourned the meeting at 8:09 PM CDT

Respectfully Submitted,
Scott A. McGowan, Secretary

Speaker’s Wor[l]d
The German Taler: Enlightenment and the Birth of Modern Coinage

by Roxana Uskali,
presented to our July 13, 2022 meeting.

What is a Taler? It is a large silver coin issued by German states and territories of the Holy Roman Empire and the Hapsburg Monarchy for nearly 400 years – from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Taler is roughly what we consider a dollar, and then, of course, there are its fractionals and multiples. The weight and fineness of talers vary but are usually between 25 and 30 grams, and they are roughly 40mm in diameter.

The smallest in size (I believe) is the 1/192nd taler. Fractional denominations were issued by various countries, and their weights were not exactly standard. [A shown example was a 96th of a Taler from Pomerania – issued by Carl XI of Sweden and dated 1684.] I believe the largest issued Taler for circulation was the 10 Taler, but there was a 12½ Taler of Austria issued in 1621 that was a uniface Klippe. The larger the multiple, the scarcer the piece.

Before Talers and large silver denominations came onto the scene, the largest circulating silver coin during medieval times was the Groat/Groschen, weighing around 6gm. [An undated Groschen from Saxony, of Wilhelm I (1381-1407) was shown.] Here is an interesting fact: The Crown (England) and the Ecu (France) were gold issues before Talers, becoming silver coins afterwards.

The weight/size of the Taler was based on the Spanish 8 Reales. But, we need to go back just a bit to the Taler’s predecessor (the Groat/Groschen) which contained very little silver due to a number of reasons including war, famine, and trade issues. The development of new silver deposits in Europe, near the end of the 15th century, allowed for the size and composition of the previous currency to undergo a substantial change. A few countries issued coinage that was considerably larger, both in weight and in size.

The introduction of the silver Guldengroschen, or Guildiner, was one such type, and its success ultimately led to copycat or imitation issues across Europe. Standing as a giant within the world numismatic series, the 1486 Guldiner of Archduke Sigismund of Tyrol serves as an iconic type, recognized and coveted by collectors the world over. Its recognition as the first taler-sized coin accords it a special place, not just in numismatics, but also in world history, with the type serving as an essential prototype for all large-sized silver coins to come after it across Germany, Austria, and beyond.

Cut to 1512 in the Kingdom of Bohemia, where rich silver deposits were discovered near the town of Joachimstal (now Jáchymov of the Czech Republic) which is in the Ore Mountains. In 1520, a guildiner was minted of a somewhat reduced weight and fineness from the Guldengroschen. Coined at the Joachimstal mint, it was known as the Joachminstaler, which was eventually shortened to “taler,” and a term which later became “dollar.”

It is fair to say that the introduction of the Taler and corresponding large silver denominations across England and Europe signaled change. Occurring during the Renaissance period, an era that saw dramatic stylistic changes in art, architecture, music, philosophy, and politics, coinage also went through a substantial makeover. Let us take a closer look. The larger flan now accommodated artistic leeway and embellishment like never before. These giant “canvases” showcased artwork in the way of larger portraits, intricately detailed designs with dimension and perspective, large coats-of-arms, local landscapes and city views, celebrated themes, and larger (sometimes even rows) of text. The engravings were so lifelike, mimicking art, and the portraits were humanized and very well done.

What is in a name? Here is just a sampling of types, issued across several countries, that are types of Talers. [Obverse/reverse examples were shown of the: Daalder, Riksdaalder, Leeuwendaalder, Speciethaler, Kronenthaler, Vereinsthaler, Reichsthaler, Joachimsthaler, Conventionsthaler, and more.] Moving forward, I want to concentrate on two of my favorite types, the Mining Taler and the Wildman Taler.

Silver mining was tantamount to the production of currency, so much so that they were celebrated on a series called “Mining Talers.” According to Jeremy Bostwick’s article for CoinWeek in 2019, other metals were mined, including gold, iron, mercury, tin, copper, and lead. “One of the ways in which these metals were subtly referenced on such talers was through various celestial symbols then associated with the metals. Gold and silver, rather appropriately, were associated with the sun and the moon, while the remainder of the metals were associated with Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, respectively.” [We were encouraged to see how many of these representations we could find in the upcoming images.] A 1774 coin celebrates the yield of the Holzappel mine – I love the beaming sun rays and fluffy clouds that hover over the rolling hills of the mining settlement.

A 1752 coin celebrates the yield of the Cronenburgs Glück mine. It is the final date for what must be regarded as one of the most captivating mining Talers in the series – all the more so in a practically immaculate condition, graded MS65 by NGC. You can see the hand of God emerging from the heavens, while each minute detail, from the individual boughs of the pine trees to the shingles on the buildings of the mining settlement, are fully expressed.

I am personally a huge fan of toning, and many of the talers in this collection have incredible patina. A 1756 coin commemorates the yield of the Güte des Herrn (“Goodness of the Lord”) Mine. More clouds and shining sun are centered atop this mining scene, with the settlement and horses in the foreground and trees lining the illustration in perfect perspective and depth to give a 3-D appearance. The design includes three symbols: the moon, which represents silver; the symbol of Venus, which represents copper; and the symbol of Saturn, which represents lead.

A personal favorite commemorates the yield from the Regenbogen or “rainbow” mine. The obverse depicts a stunning rainbow over the mining settlement, again done in exceptional detail – the rainbow is rendered as four concentric arcs of dots. Those are just a few examples of Mining Talers. It is a very popular series, along with city-view Talers, that collectors cannot get enough of.

Now we are moving on to my other favorite type of Taler – the Wildman series. Start with a 3 Taler dated 1665. Struck to commemorate the yield from the Harz mint, which was the most productive source of silver in Germany, the boding Wildman depicted on the obverse likely signifies that the silver used to strike this coin was extracted from the mining area around the town of Wildemann, which took its name from the figure. Legend has it that miners, looking for a promising source of silver, had discovered a Wildman in 1529 and, after succeeding in capturing him, discovered vast deposits of silver. This example was sold as part of the Paramount Collection in March, 2021.

I chose to highlight this 1629 Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel piece for its incredible detail. The Wildman’s abs and hair are impeccably done and have been incredibly preserved. A vastly superior piece from one of the longest-running Taler types and, a specimen whose quality pays testament not only to the extraordinary circumstances of its minting and preservation, but also to the superior quality of Friedrich Ulrich’s coinage in the 1620s and ’30s. Produced during a period of widespread debasement and devaluation, known as the Kipper- und Wipperzeit, corrupt minting practices had led to a shortage of high-quality, high-purity silver coinage throughout Germany. Thanks to the prolific production of the silver mines in the Harz Mountains, however, Friedrich Ulrich was able to largely avoid this economic crisis in his own realm, with the coins, down to the Duke’s personal motto – Deo et Patria (“For God and Fatherland”) – inspiring copies throughout the neighboring states.

Comparing Wildman Talers to the Mining Talers, you can see the focus is on the Wildman, and the coin’s surrounding fields are usually open, whereas the Mining Talers packed nearly every inch with design and detail. Doubling was a common feature of the Wildman type, but facial features have not been affected in this example. You have probably also noticed a running theme from this series – the Wildman usually holds something. On this example, he is holding a tree that appears to be still rooted, but on others the tree may have been uprooted (as in the previous slide), just a trunk, or even sideways in his grasp.

I have to include thise 1574 Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel example because, in this type, the Wildman is not holding a tree but a candle! Just a splendid type emblematic of the vibrant artistry that characterized the 16th and 17th-century issues of the Duchy. It is thought that the candle, from which the type derives its name (“Lichttaler”), was meant to serve as a visual metaphor for the obverse legend: Aliis inserviendo consumer (“In the service of others, I consume myself”) – Julius’ personal motto. Such was fitting for the Duke, who regarded the role of his position as being in service to his realm.

Last, I have to include a Wildwoman example. The shown worn 1617 example from the Free City of Erfurt is prevalent as a type and features symbols of alchemy to the left and right of the reverse shield. I hope you enjoyed this presentation. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Talers, but I hope I at least entertained you for a bit!

The majority of the coins featured in the presentation are part of the Cape Coral Collection of German Coins, Part 1 – text descriptions from the lot descriptions were used in this presentation. These coins will be auctioned on August 25, starting at 9:00am CDT [see https://www.ha.com/3101] as part of our ANA sale. We will also have all 269 coins at the Chicago office on Wednesday, August 10, and Thursday, August 11, so I hope you will all stop by to view them in person because they are absolutely incredible. Walk-ins are welcome from 10:00am until 5:00pm both days. [Note: The regular August meeting of the CCC will be in downtown Chicago, about a mile away, on August 10.] We will also be holding a reception Thursday evening from 5:30-7:30, with drinks and food, so I would love for you all to come to that as well – this reception needs an RSVP to 312-260-7297 by August 9. During the week of the ANA convention, auction lot viewing (for all auctions to be held the week after the convention) will be at the Loews Hotel in Rosemont. See https://www.ha.com/1348a and https://www.ha.com/3101a for details on the US and World/Ancient auctions, respectively.

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Show and Tell

Items shown at our July 13, 2022 meeting,
reported by Melissa Gumm.

1. Mark Wieclaw used the theme of “If you make it, someone will fake it.” A contemporary counterfeit, a fouree (a coin with a base-metal core, plated with precious metal), of an electrum sixth stater or Hekte from Lesbos, Mytilene, circa 377-326 BC. Electrum is a natural alloy of gold and silver – its composition can vary from 40% to 60% gold content. The coin features a young male head (Apollo) on the obverse with some of the plating missing, and a female head (Artemis) on the reverse with the plating intact. Then he showed it next to a real example of the coin type: the fouree weighs 2.20 grams, while the real coin weighs 2.52 grams; both pieces are about 10.5mm in diameter.
2. The USS Nashville medal issued in 1909 by the Chicago Numismatic Society (CNS), the precursor to the present day Chicago Coin Club (CCC), was shown by Dale Lukanich. This medal was the first art medal struck by the CNS to commemorate important events in the city of Chicago. The medal measures 38.5 mm by 76 mm and was struck in two materials: 500 in bronze and 100 in silver. The issue prices were $0.75 for the bronze and $2.50 for the silver. Each issued medal was presented in a black box: with purple velvet lining for the silver, and green velvet lining for the bronze. Distribution was done at the January 7, 1910 meeting. The dies for the medals were created by future CCC Charter member J. Henri Ripstra. Dale gave much information about the medal and the ship, which was known as Gun Boat #7 during construction, was decommissioned in 1906, and came to Chicago after assignment to the Illinois Naval Reserve.
3. Deven Kane showed four items:
   1. A coin outside his normal interests, as it features an Egyptian Pharaoh. A laureate head of Hadrian is prominent on the obverse of this coin from the Nome Arsinoites. The reverse features the head of the local deity named Premarres (in life he had been Amenemhet III) wearing nemes with uraeus in front. Amenemhet III (1860-1814 BC), the last great pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom, was worshipped as a god in the Delta for more than two millenia after his death. He reigned for about 45 years and may be the only pre-Persian conquest Egyptian Pharaoh depicted on an ancient coin, and may be one of the oldest people depicted on a coin.
   2. A denarius of Rome circa 126-137 featuring Sabina, the wife of Hadrian, with a diademed and draped bust with hair in a long plait behind her neck, a unique hairstyle. he reverse has Juno standing, holding a patera and long sceptre.
   3. A denarius of Rome circa 196-211 features Julia Domna, the wife of Septimius Severus. The obverse features a draped bust, and the reverse has Hilaritas standing, holding a long palm frond with his right hand and a long sceptre with left. This coin also features a unique hairstyle, and is believed to show the aging of Julia from previous issues.
   4. A First Day Cover and a sheet of stamps, issued in April 2022 to commerate the 50th anniversary of the death of PV Kane and the 75th anniversary of India’s independence. The 5 Rupee stamp has a portrait of PV Kane. This issue is of significance to Deven as PV was his great grandfather. Deven also showed one volume of PV Kane’s multi-volume History of Indian Religious Law.
4. Joe Boling showed a short snorter that doubled as a “membership card” in the “West of Tokyo Missionary Society,” an informal group of sailors and aviators created in 1944 on the USS Lexington CV-16 (the successor to the USS Lexington CV-2 that was lost at the Battle of the Coral Sea). The occasion of the founding of the society was a successful raid on the Japanese anchorage at Palau in March 1944. After the Japanese left Palau, the US Navy used it as a support station. Palau is at the 134th east meridian; Tokyo is at the 140th. Palau is thus west of Tokyo. Anyone serving west of 140E could claim membership in the society. The sailor who received this “card” served on the USS Pocomoke AV-9, a seaplane tender. He evidently reached Palau on 16 September 1944. The underlying note is a Japanese 10 yen piece issued 1943-44. It is not annotated to indicate how it fell into US hands.

Reminders:

• You can email to Melissa a description of what you will show at a meeting, to give her a start on this write-up.
• Send it to mjg513@yahoo.com.
• After a meeting, all members who viewed the meeting should email her their scoring sheet – a listing of each exhibit number followed by a score is all that is needed.

Minutes of the 2022 WFoM Host Club Planning Meeting

July 20, 2022

Attending: Steve Zitowsky (Chair), Dale Lukanich (Asst Chair), Greg Gajda, Carl Wolf, Mark Wieclaw, Deven Kane, Dale Carlson, John Riley, Rich Lipman, Bob Feiler, Paul Hybert, Jim Ray, Scott McGowan, Dan Shemwell, Mike Gasvoda, Marc Charles Ricard, and Jeff Amelse.

Committee Chair Steve Zitowsky called the meeting to order at 7:00PM, reporting that Logan from the ANA says at least 450 tables have been sold for the show and 27 tables are still available. The interactive floorplan is available at money.org under Events, World’s Fair of Money.

Committee Reports:

Exhibits: Paul Hybert and Marc Ricard reported there will be 226 cases of exhibits. The exhibit area will also have a table for a raffle and three tables for items up for auction with final bidding to be completed during the Friday ANA banquet. The workers in the Collector Exhibits Area will select a supervisor pool for both the raffle and auction tables, which will be supported by Ambassadors as requested. The format for People’s Choice will be slightly different in that exhibit area attendees will receive their People’s Choice ballot after submitting their raffle ticket. There is also a brief exhibit synopsis listed on the World’s Fair of Money website. Marc and Paul to review their Ambassador needs for the Raffle, Auction, and General Exhibits areas, and email to Scott.

Money Talks: Mark Wieclaw reported that the speaker’s medals are currently being engraved. Rich Lipman and Bob Feiler will assist Mark in doing the Speaker introductions. There are 18 total sessions, nine per day on Thursday and Friday. Two sessions have two speakers, therefore 20 speaker’s medals.

Ambassadors: Scott McGowan reported the Ambassadors list is at 44 individuals. A first draft schedule has been shared with the host club chair and assistant chair. Three ambassadors have yet to provide the days they can be at the show. There will be two “Ambassador’s book of knowledge” at the Ambassador’s table, containing the Bourse and convention center floor plans, daily convention schedule, nearest UPS, USPS, and Fedex locations, ANA membership information, and map of convention center with parking garage and entertainment district. Scott to email Steve with table and power needs for the Ambassador station at the show’s entrance.

Pages: John Riley reported speaking with Jennifer at the ANA; she has 12 applicants and more are expected closer to the show.

YN/Scouts Workshop: Jim Ray reported that there is a new sponsor for the YN workshop, Kevin Lipton Rare Coins, who will be sponsoring some donations for the youth. Registration deadline is July 29, 2022. Approximately 20 youth have registered so far. Scott McGowan asked about the “Scouting at the ANA” badge and if we will be doing it. Ray has the questionnaire and will look to promote it. Both the CCC and ILNA should have a supply of the round patches. Scott indicated he would investigate a 2022 patch segment.

Members-at-Large: Carl Wolf will staff the CCC table (bourse table #626) during the show. Carl indicated the ANA will have free Wifi but it may be overloaded with so many users. Carl will have power strips with USB ports for phone charging at the booth, and also a hotspot. Carl also asked about the daily volunteer meetings which are usually held Wed-Sat at 8:00am, to review the prior day’s highlights and issues. The daily volunteer meetings are usually attended by ANA staff and Host club chairs and Ambassador Chairs.

Joint Dinner: Mark Wieclaw reported on the “Great Numismatic Pizza Party,” a joint dinner between the Chicago Coin Club and the New York Numismatic Club. The dinner will be Thursday August 18, 2022, at 6:30pm Sharp. Food will be available from 7:00 pm and replenished through 8:00pm. The event will be at CRUST Brewery in their private event spaces with the buffet tables in between the rooms. Mark to request the restaurant to have stations up in front of the buffet with “Private event” signs to keep regular restaurant diners from the buffet tables. Attendance is limited to 100 and currently at 60. Price is $55, $60 if paid at door as we request payment in advance. Deadline is Tuesday August 16, 2022. Attendees must be members of CCC or NYNC, or their guest. Wrist bands are recommended for attendees at check in. Mark is working on a Souvenir sheet for the dinner.

COVID: Paul asked about the Covid pandemic status and about precautions and thoughts. The committee will always follow recommendations by the ANA and local health information. Jeff Amelse offered to secure a supply of masks for our committee members which will be at the ambassador’s table.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:46PM.

Future Meeting:
2024 Host Club meeting on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 7:00PM (pending ANA approval of CCC as host club).

2022 World’s Fair of Money® Dates
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL
August 15-20, 2022 (Monday-Saturday)

2024 World’s Fair of Money® Dates
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL
August 6-10, 2024 (Tuesday-Saturday)

Respectfully submitted
Scott McGowan
Secretary, Chicago Coin Club

The “Things, not Numismatic, to do” list is available online at http://www.chicagocoinclub.org/ANA2022TTD, or scan the QR code.

Our 1243rd Meeting

Important Dates

Unless stated otherwise, our regular monthly CCC Meeting is in downtown Chicago and also online on the second Wednesday of the month; the starting time is 6:45PM CT.

Chatter Matter

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