Exhibit Descriptions

More Collector Exhibits

Sir Winston Churchill: A Selection of Medals
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Winston Churchill, the exhibit showcases a selection of well-designed medals spanning the period from the end of World War Two to shortly after Churchill’s death.

The 1893 Puerto Rico Exposition Medal Exhibit
The 1893 Puerto Rico Exposition was organized to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of Puerto Rico by Christopher Columbus, and featured scientific, literary, commercial, industrial and agricultural products and goods from Puerto Rico and Cuba, the Antilles, the Metropolis (Madrid), and other countries in the Americas.

The Puerto Rico Volunteer Corps Alfonso XII (1880) and Alfonso XIII (1888) Medals Exhibit
The Alfonso XII 1880 “Constancy” medal was created on August 27, 1880 and awarded to members with at least ten years of service who had also exhibited exemplary conduct. Since the Alfonso XII 1880 medals were produced by private mints, varieties in silver and bronze, with different design elements exist. Our exhibit showcases several of varieties or types.

A Glimpse of the Life of Charles T. Steigerwalt
This exhibit displays just a few accomplishments of Charles T. Steigerwalt. Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He became one of the most respected numismatists in the United States and Canada between the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Select Medals and Commemorative Items for the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration
The Hudson–Fulton Celebration from September 25 to October 9, 1909, in New York and New Jersey was an elaborate commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River and the 100th anniversary of Robert Fulton’s first successful commercial use of the paddle steamer. This exhibit focus’ on the official medals produced for the event but includes some of the many other items that are available to collectors today.

Select German States Wildman Thalers
This collection was inspired by an article suggesting collectors should think outside of the box in order to keep the hobby interesting. This worked for me and can work for anyone looking for something “different” to collect. Despite the common theme of the collection there are many interesting and unusual varieties. No variety is common although Wildman coins in general are not scarce. Unless stated otherwise there is no duplication of variety in the display. Wildman coins are a “fun” area to collect and can lead to a broader collection of German States and other European coins. These were minted in denominations as small as Pfennigs and as large as multiple Thalers, silver coins that can have a diameter of 50mm or larger.

A Short History of the Suez Canal as Told by Coins. Tokens, and Medals
To present a short narrative of the history of the Suez Canal starting in 1859 through modern times using coins, tokens, and medals.

Canadian $1 Banknotes with the Sovereign
Displaying a history of Canadian one dollar banknotes from when the sovereign first appeared on them in 1923 through to the last issue of 1973.

Grizzly Bear Coins and Medallions
Numismatic items showcasing the grizzly bear.

A Zionist So-Called Dollar
This exhibit centers around a discovery piece, a World War One Armistice medal (So-Called Dollar HK-896) with an American flag crossed with a Zionist (now called Israel) flag. It gives the historic context of the role of Zionism in the Allied war effort, including other artifacts and commemoratives of Britain’s Jewish Legion.

Vermont’s Catamount
This exhibit describes the unusual design of the Vermont Sesquicentennial half dollar, shows other medals using a similar design, and discusses the history of the Catamount Tavern and its namesake catamount.

Israel & Currency: Her Innovative Approach to the Question of Idolatrous Money
Since ancient times, Jews have been concerned that portraits of people and animals on coins could be considered graven images in violation of the Second Commandment. After a ruling by Israel’s Chief Rabbi that some types of portraits were permissible, the Bank of Israel has designed coins with sunken profile portraits, photographic-like flat images, line drawings, negative space, and stylized profiles to avoid creating a graven image or giving the appearance of supporting idolatry.

The Heh Amulet
This exhibit shows a selection of Jewish amulets whose inscriptions include, often in their entirety, the Hebrew letter heh as a substitute for God’s name. Most of these inscriptions are engraved, on a coin or blank

Discovery: The Last $10 1902 Plain Back printed for The Pacific National Bank of Nantucket
A brief history and the importance of this bank to the population of the island and the whaling industry of the 1800’s. I will also include photos and postcards of the historic bank building. The Pacific bank was a prolific issuer of national currency, and I will provide banknote information for Charter # 714. The history of the bank will include a brief history of the bank president Albert Brock whose signature is on my note.

Odyssey of a Half Cent; From Discovery Coin to My Coin
This is a single coin exhibit with an article, books, auction catalogs and coin ephemera, telling the story of the 45 year journey made by a rare half cent die variety from its discovery in 1967 to the exhibitor’s collection in 2012.

American Presidents, Washington Through LBJ – An Elongated Series by Ralph Jones
This exhibit will take visitors on a walk through the history of the American Presidency, starting with George Washington and ending with Lyndon Johnson, featuring 37 elongated cents created by well know engraver Ralph Jones.

It’s Elementary!
Metal coins were (probably) first used as money in the 7th Century BCE in two widely separated areas: in the West, coinage began in what is now Turkiye with round coins struck in electrum, an alloy of the metallic elements Gold and Silver, while in the East, coinage began in China with knife-shaped and spade-shaped coins cast in bronze, an alloy of the metallic elements Copper and Tin.

Over the past 27 centuries, 20 additional metallic elements have been used to mint legal tender metal coins. Together, the coins in this exhibit demonstrate the use of all 24 of these metallic elements.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Bracteates* (*but were afraid to ask)
The coin known to us as the “bracteate” was created to deal with a 12th Century monetary crisis. Its success in resolving that crisis led to the bracteate serving as a primary European coin type for over 200 years. The bracteate’s distinctive beauty continues to draw great interest.

This Exhibit tells the story of the bracteate, from its origins in small German monasteries to its adoption throughout Central and Eastern Europe (and to lands a bit beyond).

Heavenly Gold
In 1300, Giotto revolutionized Western art by painting a blue sky. Before Giotto, artists only painted golden skies: they believed that heaven was somewhere “up there,” in the sky, and that the divine realm itself must be golden, despite what our eyes tell us. The blue in the sky is really a function of the way molecules in the atmosphere scatter light, and lovely though a blue sky may be, it still seems appropriate to use gold to represent the heavens. This exhibit presents a golden gallery of numismatic portraits of those who dwell in heaven, wherever heaven may be.

A Library of the Works of David R. Sear
For over 60 years, collectors of ancient coins have looked to British Numismatist David R. Sear for education and guidance in building their collections. Sear’s books on Roman, Greek and Byzantine coins have made what was once a “hobby of kings” accessible to commoners. A key feature in his work is the way in which he enriches the basic numismatic information he provides by placing each coin in its historical and cultural context.

This exhibit is intended as a tribute to Sear and his work and displays a copy of each of the books he has written or co-authored.

Berghoff Waiter Tokens
The Berghoff restaurant in Chicago was opened in 1898 and has become a Chicago landmark. The restaurant followed a European accounting system under which waiters purchased food from the kitchen using special Berghoff tokens and resold it to the customers. The exhibit explores the rich history of the restaurant and the unique tokens used by the waiters to facilitate commerce.

Liberty Centennial Gold
In 2016 the United States Mint celebrated the 100th anniversary of three famous silver coins with the release of three gold coins. The Liberty Centennial Gold Coin Program used the designs and approximate dimensions of United States silver coins that were first issued in 1916 including the Winged Liberty or “Mercury” dime, the Standing Liberty quarter, and the Walking Liberty half dollar.

Remainers of Bricks of United States One Dollar Silver Certificates 1935
Silver certificates and ID blocks.

Flower Fairy Coins
Being unable to go to school due to epilepsy, Cicely Mary Barker spent most of her time drawing and spending time with nature. She went on write and illustrate her first book of short poems in 1923. Today, the Flower Fairy story has a worldwide audience that and has captured the imagination of young and old alike. Almost a century later a beautiful series of commemorative and legal tender coins was released celebrating the Flower Fairy story.

Get Your Kicks – A Numismatic Cruise on the Mother Road
For nearly a century US Route 66 has captured the imagination of Americans heading west. This exhibit features a collection of coins, medals, awards, and other exonumia associated with the “Main Street of America” and the many attractions along the route. No other road has the American Spirit of US Highway 66.

The Conquest of Yellow Fever
The congressional medal for the conquest of Yellow Fever.

Royal Mint Beatrix Potter Commemoratives
In 2016, the Royal Mint issued a series of commemorative 50p coins celebrating 150 years since the birth of the beloved British children’s author, Beatrix Potter. The reverse of four of these coins depicted a selection of Potter’s characters, including the iconic Peter Rabbit, while the fifth celebrated the author herself. The Royal Mint followed up on the popular initial series by issuing more Beatrix Potter commemoratives in the ensuing years. This exhibit will showcase some of these issues as well as the writings and illustrations of Beatrix Potter that inspired them.

George Washington Carver on U.S. Coins and Medals
In 2024, the U.S. Mint will honor the famous scientist and inventor George Washington Carver on a one-dollar coin as part of the American Innovation series. This new coin will not, however, be the first time that Carver has been honored in this way. From 1951 to 1954, Carver was featured along with his Tuskegee colleague Booker T. Washington on a series of half-dollar commemoratives. In addition, Carver has been featured on medals produced by the Franklin Mint and various local organizations. This exhibit will present some of the numismatic material that has honored George Washington Carver over the years.

Three Cent Patterns: The Largest Exhibit Ever
This collection of Three patterns is the largest ever amassed and exceeds the 1914 ANA exhibit and any other previous collections by nearly twenty percent. In this display, there will be proposed changes to the current Judd classification. Nearly 50 years of research will demonstrate proposed consolidation of some patterns, proposed expansion of others, and entire elimination of some designations. This collection has all five of the know unique patterns and eighty percent of the collection are the highest graded specimens certified. This will be the first time several of these patterns have ever been exhibited.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
This exhibit is a tribute to American numismatists who have earned distinction as hobby leaders, have earned rewards for excellence in literature and who have presented award winning exhibits, Shown are twenty-seven examples of sixteen awards. The exhibit shows how collecting and preserving awards may honor those who have won awards in the past and continue to win awards into the future.

Fighting Fire with… Education
This exhibit contains elongated coins related to Fires, Firefighters, Fire Safety and examples of fire damaged coins. The history of firefighting is a journey of continuous education. This noble profession combines bravery, dedication, and community service to save lives and property. 

A Selection of Ancient Minting Errors
Minting errors have occurred since the first coin was struck in the sixth century B.C. .
Because coins were individually struck, they happened with more frequency than todays automated and more sophisticated process. However, the great majority of ancient errors were destroyed or melted down.

In this exhibit, the viewer will observe some truly rare and spectacular errors that escaped the mint and were either placed into circulation or apparently set aside by a collector in ancient times.
Represented by coins from the first century B.C. through the sixth century A.D., a wide selection errors, including brockage (obverse and reverse), double strikes, drastic off center strikes, blank (obverse or reverse), flip over double strikes, and even a few with multiple errors, will make you wonder how they could possibly have been released.

Twilight of the Gods: The Anonymous Pagan Coinage of Roman Emperor Maximinus II
The gods of great antiquity, once so prominent on coins, were eclipsed as Christianity ascended in influence. This exhibit presents a group of five coins, some very rare, dedicated to pagan gods. The deities depicted on both sides of these coins were revered at the three cities in the eastern Roman Empire where the coins were issued. Unusually, the coins do not carry a portrait, or any reference at all, to the emperor. Minted at a time when Christianity was gaining adherents in Roman society, these coins honor gods who would soon be displaced forever.

A Mark of Identity: The Church War Cross
To tell the story of a medallion created during WWI by the bishops of the Episcopal Church to be worn by Episcopalian troops as a mark of their faith and denomination. The medallion is still in use today.

One Hundred Years of Ike: The History of the 1990 Eisenhower Centennial Dollar
To educate the public about the historical importance of the Eisenhower Centennial Dollar. This should also be in YN Class 1

Walking the National Mall: A Selection of Washington D.C. Commemorative Coins
To educate the public about the historical importance of the Washington D.C. series of commemorative coins.

A Brown Back Journey Through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
This exhibit depicts a walking journey through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with stops at 10 of the 22 national banks that circulated the elusive Series 1882 brown back national currency notes, now coveted by many Michigan collectors. Census data help summarize the 59 notes, which remain today, from the approximately 300,000 notes circulated by these 10 banks.

Having Fun with the King of American Coins: The Dollar of 1804
This will be a marquee exhibit telling the story of the 1804 silver dollar through the history of the Dexter 1804 dollar. Additional items show casing the 1804 dollar in general will be included

Tokens of the Goodman Lumber Company of Goodman, Wisconsin
The storied history of the small town of Goodman, Wisconsin is entwined with the growth of the Goodman Lumber Company founded in 1907. What was a tract of heavily wooded land became a booming lumber company town in just a few years – attracting numerous workers and their families. For several decades in the early to mid-1900s, the company issued their own tokens to pay its workers who, in turn, would spend the tokens at the company store or at other company amenities across town. This exhibit focuses on the history of the Goodman Lumber Company, the town of Goodman, and the people who lived there while also analyzing the different varieties and designs of the company tokens they used.

A Brown Back Journey Through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
This exhibit depicts a walking journey through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with stops at 10 of the 22 national banks that circulated the elusive Series 1882 brown back national currency notes, now coveted by many Michigan collectors. Census data help summarize the 59 notes, which remain today, from the approximately 300,000 notes circulated by these 10 banks.

A 2024 Elongated View of the 1924 Paris Olympics
This exhibit displays a set of newly created elongated coins based on the illustrations in a series of postcards created for the 1924 Paris Olympic Games by Jacques Emile Blanche.

The Commonwealth of the Philippines (November 15, 1935 – July 3, 1946)
The formal treaty that ended the Spanish American War of 1898 granted independence to Cuba and ceded sovereignty over Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. When the terms of the treaty became known in the Philippines, Philippine patriots who had been in armed rebellion against a harsh, repressive, and largely ineffective Spanish Colonial government since 1896 and had already proclaimed their independence from Spain considered themselves betrayed by the United States whom they regarded as an ally. In February 1899, the Philippine Republic declared war on the United States and attacked the American garrison in Manila. When the Philippine army was defeated in formal battle, the Philippine American War (Philippine Insurrection) morphed into a protracted guerrilla war. During the Spanish colonial period Spain had dealt very harshly with insurrectionists, including the use of summary executions, imprisonment, or exile. The American policy was very different and offered full pardons to any Filipino who would swear loyalty to the United States and welcomed them to serve in positions of authority in the U.S. colonial government.

After the Philippine American War U.S. public opinion was sharply divided between the proponents of America’s Manifest Destiney who wanted to permanently keep the Philippines as an American territory and those who believed that it was contrary to American values to be a colonial power and that the Philippines should be granted immediate independence. The situation was further complicated by the lack of institutions needed for Philippine self-governance and the likelihood that another Pacific power, such as Germany or Japan, would annex the Philippines if it was not protected by American sovereignty. After careful study the McKinley administration rejected both the idea of permanently keeping the Philippines as an American Territory and granting immediate independence and enacted a policy of “Nation Building” to prepare the Philippines for eventual independence.

By 1934 “Nation Building” had progressed to the point that the Philippines were ready to transition from a U.S. territory to a semi self-governing Commonwealth under U.S. sovereignty. In March 1934 the U.S. Congress passed an act which laid the groundwork for the creation a Commonwealth of the Philippines as a transition to full independence by 1946. The act was ratified by the Philippine legislature on May 1, 1934. The Commonwealth constitution called for the election of a Philippine president who would serve as the chief executive of the Commonwealth government. The office of U.S. Governor-General was abolished and replaced by a U.S. High Commissioner who would serve as an advisor to the Commonwealth. Government.

The Commonwealth of the Philippines was officially inaugurated on November 15 1935. On December 8th 1941 the Philippines were attacked by navel & air forces of the Empire of Japan. The Japanese invaded the Philippines in early 1942 and occupied the Philippines for two and a half years. During the Japanese occupation the commonwealth government was forced into exile but maintained a presence in the Philippines through the Philippine Resistance and U.S Philippine guerrilla units. During the Japanese occupation coins in circulation and in private and public numismatic collections were seized, melted down, and shipped back to Japan for use in their war effort. The coins that were not seized were hidden away until after the war. With no coins available for circulation, coinage was replaced by either Japanese invasion notes or Gorilla & Emergency currency issued by military or civilian currency boards authorized to print money by the president of the Commonwealth. In 1944 and 1945 U.S. Mints in the continual United States struck millions of war time U.S. Philippine coinage which would accompany the forces of liberation when they returned to the Philippines. On July 4 1946 the Commonwealth period ended with the promised independence of Philippines.

This exhibit features the very rare 1935 Silver and Bronze Commonwealth of the Philippines Inauguration medals, an unique named Philippines Inauguration Badge worn by the wife of the incoming Commonwealth Vice President (later president) S. Osmena, and an assortment of privately struck Commonwealth Inauguration medals.

The exhibit also features a complete set of U.S. Philippine coins issued during the commonwealth period including the two conditionally rare 1936M Commonwealth of the Philippines Commemorative Pesos, the single finest known 1936M 50 Centavos Commonwealth Commemorative, and mint state examples of the pre-world War II commonwealth coinage, and 1944 – 1945 war time coinage

Culion Leper Colony World War II Emergency Currency
This exhibit features an extremely rare and possibly unique Culion Leper Colony World War ll Emergency Currency Presentation Set.

The original recipient of this presentation set was Boston banker, civic leader, philanthropist, amateur historian and numismatist Allen Forbes (Allen Forbes was a cousin of Cameron Forbes the former U.S. Governor-General of the Philippine and had a special interest in Philippine Emergency & Guerilla Currency.)

This presentation set was sent to Allen Forbes by Dr. Casimoiro Lara, the Chief Physician and Chief of the Culion Leper Colony. The exhibit also includes the original letter from Dr. Lara which accompanied the presentation set when it was sent to Forbes.

The presentation set is unlisted in Krause and is the only Culion Leper Colony World War ll Emergency Currency Presentation Set offered at public auction during the past 40 years. It differs from the regular issue Culion Emergency Currency in that the serial numbers are consecutive within the seven denomination presentation set (ie serial # 90031 for the One Centavo note through 90037 for the Twenty Peso note) and are outside the serial number range for the regular issue Culion Emergency notes of their denomination. In addition the presentation set’s Fifty Centavo note has a back not previously seen on Culion Emergency Currency of this denomination.

Examples of the regular issue Culion Emergency Currency are included for comparison. Also include is an example of the very scarce Fifty Centavos error note, a scarce uncut sheet of unissued One Centavo notes and a rare uncut sheet of unissued One Peso notes.

U.S. Philippine Proof Sets (1903 – 1906 & 1908)
Beautiful and rare U.S. Philippine proof coins are the highlight of any U.S. Philippine collection.

United States coinage for the Philippine Islands are one of the most interesting and historically important series of U.S. coins. After the United States defeated Spain in the Spanish-American war of 1898 the Philippines, along with Puerto Rico, became United States possessions.

Although regular U.S. coins and paper money were used in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories, the economy of the Philippines was too poor to use the U.S. dollar. In 1902 a bill was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt authorizing a new and distinct coinage to be struck for use in the United States Territory of the Philippines. The bill provided that subsidiary and minor coinage should bear devices and inscriptions expressing a dual concept – the sovereignty of the United States, and the fact that the coins were for circulation in the Philippine Islands. The Philippines is the only U.S. possession for which a separate coinage was ever produced. (Shafer, 1961)

The “Peso” was established as the basic economic unit for the new “colonial” coinage and paper money. The official valve for the Philippine Peso was established at 50 Cents U.S. In addition to the silver Peso minor silver coins were authorized in Fifty Centavos, Twenty Centavos, and Ten Centavos denominations. The bill also authorized a copper-nickel Five Centavos, bronze One Centavo, and bronze Half Centavo.

1903 was the first year of issue for U.S. Philippine coins. All seven denominations of U.S. Philippine coins were struck in Proof from 1903 through 1906 and again in 1908. Proof coins were created using polished dies and planchets and double struck to bring out more pronounced devices. Unlike U.S. Philippine business strikes, which are frequently not well struck, U.S. Philippine Proof coins really bring out the detail in the coins handsome designs.

The mintages for U.S. Philippine Proof coins were minuscule compared to modern U.S. proof issues. U.S. Philippine Proof Sets were produced in very limited quantities at the Philadelphia Mint in 1903 (2,558), 1904 (1,355), 1905 (471), 1906 (500) and 1908 (500). With the exception of the 1905 One Centavo, which was also struck at the Philadelphia Mint as a business strike, all of the coins in the 1905, 1906 and 1908 U.S. Philippine Proof Sets are PROOF ONLY ISSUES.

Counting all seven denominations only 37,689 U.S. Philippine Proof coins were ever minted (1903 – 1908 inclusive). This is far less than the mintage of many key date classic U.S. coins.

During the early years of the 20th century the mint had not yet developed the special protective packing used for modern proof sets, and over the years, the condition of many of the surviving proof coins have deteriorated due to improper storage and improper cleaning.

Proof Sets were not sold in any sort of protective packing or cases but were contained in plain paper coin envelopes. Each coin was wrapped individually in thin tissue paper. This method of packaging has contributed to the micro thin hairline scratches seen on most proof coins as well as the heavy toning often seen. As a look at NGC and PCGS population reports will attest that GEM quality U.S. Philippine proof coins are quite RARE.

This exhibit features a 1903 U.S. Philippine Proof Presentation set gifted to Major General Stephen Otis, Military Governor of the Philippines (8/30/1898 – 5/5/1900), by Secretary of War Elihu Root and the original transmittal letter from Secretary Root to General Otis.

The exhibit also features a complete 35 coin set of NGC or PCGS certified proof coins for 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1908. (*No proof sets were issued for 1907). The Certified proof coins in this exhibit range in grade from proof 65 to proof 67+ and have an average grade of proof 66.114.

An Uncut Obsolete Two Subject Sheet from the Grundy County Bank, Illinois
The purpose of this exhibit is to show an exceedingly rare piece of uncut currency. A history of Grundy County, and the “Free Banks” in Illinois. The Grundy County Bank in Illinois is the only bank in Grundy County to issue obsolete currency. It’s close proximity to the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad has helped the bank to be one of the oldest in Illinois. As of this date, it continues to be active, and is the fourth oldest bank in Illinois.

Postage & Fractional Currency Design Type Set
Coins disappeared from circulation shortly after the Civil War began due to hoarding and something needed to be done. New paper money introduced in August of 1862 initially called Postage Currency filled the need for the missing coins. Later these notes were called Fractional Currency. Counterfeiters took advantage of the situation and soon afterwards counterfeits of the new notes were being passed. The Government responded by making changes to the notes to stay ahead. This exhibit showcases the 24 major note designs used for Postage and Fractional Currency issued between 1862 and the end of the series in 1876 by the Federal government along with the single Confederate fractional note that was issued.

Boar Hunt!
Exploration of meaning on a group of Roman coins depicting hunted wild boars.

Zeppelins and the Great War: A Medallic History of German Military Airships in WWI
The exhibited medals offer insight into the role of zeppelins in the Great War. Also included are a few examples of trench art from England made from fragments of zeppelin wreckage.

Lands Across the Sea: Connections to the African Continent on Coins of the Later Roman World
This exhibit presents coins as tangible evidence of the rich history and cultural exchange between Rome and its provinces in North Africa. Our journey begins in AD 193 with the rise of Septimius Severus, the first African emperor. It concludes as the empire ceded control of the province of Africa in the fifth century AD. Together, they bear witness to the reigns of emperors, the economic history of Egyptian coinage, and the syncretism of Greco-Egyptian deities and Roman religion. Some coins depict exotic African animals captured for Roman entertainment. Our numismatic record also reflects the enduring legacy of Carthage and its assimilation into a post-Roman Vandal kingdom.

A Year in Philadelphia
Have you ever wondered how many different types of coins were produced by one Mint in a single year? Today we have 4 coins regularly in circulation. The cent, nickel, dime and quarter. In 1857 we had 15 coins, all produced at the Philadelphia mint! This is a fun little single case exhibit showcases a collection of coins all from the Philadelphia mint and all from this single year. We had a lot of half coins back then! The half-cent, the half-dime, the half-dollar, the two and a half-dollar and the half-eagle, but all of these coins are whole! You’ll find Copper, Silver and Gold, oh my. Enjoy!

Identifying Hobo Nickels Carved by Frank Brazzell
Frank Brazzell was a prolific hobo nickel carver from the 80’s until his death in 1996. Over the years the popularity and value of these carvings have increased significantly. This exhibit is not only designed to show some of the ‘typical’ carvings done by FB, but help the viewer to identify the real carvings from the look alike versions. At the end, test your skills from what you’ve learned at picking an actual FB carved coin from similar stylized coins.

Elongated Coins of the Oklahoma City Zoo
Elongated coins are a popular collectible that many enjoy picking up while traveling. The Oklahoma City Zoo has had many penny press machines over the years. This exhibit presents those designs, and some rare host variations.

McDonalds 50th Anniversary of the Big Mac
In 2018 McDonalds celebrated it’s 50th anniversary milestone of the Big Mac with a set of (5) tokens celebrating each decade of existence. This short exhibit shows the tokens and a brief history of the big mac.

Four Error Medals
While error coins are fairly common, medals containing errors are seen infrequently. This exhibit shows four such medals with explanations of the errors each present.

Financing World War II in the USSR
This exhibit showcases the various paper financial instruments the USSR utilized to raise funding for waging war against the Axis powers during World War II. The instruments displayed\explained include:

1st through 4th series of war loans (Lottery Bonds)
1st through 4th series of war loans (Coupon Bonds)
Lottery Tickets
Bonds of the Tuvan Peoples Republic (Tannu Tuva)
Soviet/Swedish Bonds

The exhibit attempts to provide basic information about the documents, their use and historical context. Documents displayed range from the common to one-of-a-kind.

Six Named U.S. Assay Commission Medals and Associated Ephemera
The United States Assay Commission was established concurrent with the establishment of the U.S. Mint and our first national coinage in 1792. The Commission was charged with the important task of conducting an annual assay of a sample of each year’s coinage to insure that the weight and fineness of the coins conformed to legal standards. Starting in 1860 the mint began the practice of striking an annual assay medal as a token of appreciation to the Assay Commissioners who served without pay. Struck in very limited numbers, with distribution limited to members of the Assay Commission and high level Mint and Department of the Treasury officials, these carefully hand crafted medals are among the rarest, most beautiful, and historically important medals produced by the U.S. Mint.

A review of U.S. Assay Commission medals that have appeared in major auctions during the past decade revel that named U.S. Assay Commission medals comprise less than 10% of the total. Medals with a documented provenance to individuals who have had a significant influence on American Numismatics are even rarer.

All of the U.S. Assay Commission medals in this exhibit have a documented provenance to a significant individual in American Numismatic history. These medals have everything, absolute and condition rarity, beauty, historical importance and significant pedigrees.

The U.S. Assay Commission medals in this exhibit include the following rarities’:
1) 1869 (JK-AC-6 Aluminum) from the personal collection of U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Charles Barber.
2) 1921 (JK-AC-65 AE) pedigreed to pioneer ANA president Judson Brenner.
3) 1945 (JK-AC-90 AE) pedigreed to long serving U.S. Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross.
4) 1967 (JK-AC-111 AE) pedigreed to the legendary numismatic scholar and author Eric P. Newman.
5) 1976 (JK-AC-120 Pewter) pedigreed betty Higby, Superintendent of the Denver Mint.
6) 1977 (JK-AC-121 Pewter) presented to director of the Mint Mary Brooks by President Jimmy Carter.

PCGS Regency (R) Holder, The Holder and Associated Print Materials
A display of the history of the PCGS Regency (R) Holder.

The Original Norfed American Liberty Dollars 1998-2009
Norfed American Liberty metal and paper private medium of exchange is a little known numismatic subject because it was a sound system of value that the U.S. Government did not approve of. The founder was arrested and all material was confiscate, then the system was exhonorated and material returned. All Material is now legal and approved by Joe Boling for display. All is legal.

U.S. Civil War Created Fractional Currency Regular Issues with Selective Varieties Plus Related Historical Items
To show viewers what U.S. Fractional currency is all about. Easy to collect but not found in all varieties at coin shows anymore. To present material important to U.S. History.

Two Significant Numismatic Entrepreneurs Their Selected Unique, Rare and Related Literature
To present to viewers much history and some original research on Waterman L. Ormsby, a genius engraver, yet a part time scoundrel, and Laban Heath, and ambitious promotor who flourished, then crashed. Seldom seen in literature to educate viewers.