|
Older News & Events ScrapBook . . . Page 25
|
|
|
Leaf through OHNS ScrapBook... 
|
|
|
|
|
26 February 2010
U.S. Coin Mutilation Laws
The E-Sylum: Volume 9, Number 36, September 3, 2006, Article 25
www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n36a25.html...
Coin Mutilation? Who, me?
|
|
Regarding the question on U.S. coin mutilation laws, Katie Jaeger writes: I researched the topic recently − and came up with the following quotation from Title 18 at the website
www.straightdope.com...: Title 18, Section 331 states, “Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.” This law enacted in 1909 was strictly enforced at first, bringing an abrupt end to countermarking, elongating, carving, cutting away blank fields, and pushing out reliefs on coins.
The Treasury Department, however, has come to view the decree as hinging on its second word: fraudulently. Examples of fraudulent tampering are the ancient practice of shaving metal off the edges of solid gold coins, or the 1883 practice of making “racketeer nickels.” (When the Mint issued a nickel design which did not bear the words FIVE CENTS on the reverse, but instead employed a Roman numeral V just like the one on the $5 gold piece, some miscreants plated gold on their nickels and passed them as $5 pieces.)
Section 331 takes aim at these types of deceptions, but not at the creation of coin novelties. The law was probably responsible for the practice of stickering and capping coins, which enabled advertising on coins without altering them. Elongated roller machines did disappear for a while, but the law never stopped kids from putting pennies on the railroad tracks!
|
John and Nancy Wilson write: Here is information from the Wikipedia on the legality of making elongated coins in the U.S. and Great Britain: “The process of creating elongated coins is legal in the United States, Japan, South Africa and parts of Europe. In the United States, U.S. Code Title 18, Chapter 17, Section 331 prohibits “the mutilation, diminution and falsification of United States coinage.” The foregoing statute, however, does not prohibit the mutilation of coins if the mutilated coins are not used fraudulently, i.e., with the intention of creating counterfeit coinage. Because elongated coins are made mainly as souvenirs, mutilation for this purpose is legal.”
It is no longer illegal in Great Britain to mutilate the image of the Queen, It is still illegal in Canada and blank planchets, slugs or U.S. pennies are occasionally used, though this law is often ignored both by the users of the machine and law enforcement.
Full Story...
|
Kerry Rodgers writes: I have an article on elongated coins in the September issue of Coin News. (That's the UK fella.) I have specific quotes from the Royal Mint and UK Treasury folk as to its legality. These quotes came from bureaucrats and lawyers − need I say more? They neatly avoid saying making stretchies is illegal − in so many words − but make it clear they don't approve. They have never prosecuted for it and thereby tested the law as they understand it.
In the EU it is a whole different ball game and even though stretched EU cents are offered on eBay and elsewhere, it is a no-no. As the UK is part of the EU it could be illegal to squish EU cents in the UK, where they have no currency, whereas doing it to UK money itself may not be illegal if you have a smart lawyer. What was that about the law being an ass?
The elongation issue in the US has been discussed at length in several places and I defer to my North American colleagues. It is not illegal from what I can gather. Nor is it in New Zealand since a change in the law sometime back overlooked deforming coins although it has some harsh things to say about melting them. A similar situation exists in Australia.
|
“Zanathustra at his engraver's ball vise” drawing −by Fred Ross, RM557.
This article reprinted here by the kind permission of Wayne Homren, E-Sylum Editor.
|
|
| |
|
Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
26 February 2010
Ken Hunt & Barry Hands
|
|
LESSONS FROM THE GUNMAKERS
AND ENGRAVERS OF LONDON
originally published in “The Double Gun Journal” as:
Craftsmen of London
photos and text copyright 2004 by
Barry Lee Hands
|
|
Barry Hands & Marcus Hunt
|
For several years my friend, stock maker David Trevallion, formerly of James Purdey & Sons, had encouraged me to get together with some of his colleagues in the fine firearms business in London, England. Although I truly yearned to visit the England where rose and scroll engraving, the Purdey underbolt mechanism and the Anson and Deeley boxlock had been developed in the 19th century, earning my livelihood as a full-time firearms engraver left little leisure for travel − but when somewhat unexpectedly the opportunity of a combined business and pleasure trip to Africa and Italy presented itself in 2004 I immediately arranged my international flights to return to my Montana home state with a seven day layover in London.
|
|
|
| |
|
Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
24 February 2010
Classic Carving from Dave Wilson's Estate Surfaces on eBay
|
| |
| |
This extremely rare two-sided Classic carved nickel just sold on eBay for the exceptionally low price of $38.52. We know that this piece came from the estate of the late Dave “Willy” Wilson because the new owner saw it in the Wilson collection prior to Dave's passing. When it was last publicly offered for sale at OHNS's 2001 FUN Convention Auction #9 in Orlando, Florida as Lot #6... it was attributed to George Washington “Bo” Hughes and brought a nominal $132. ~ Art DelFavero, RM552
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
Photos by Becky Thurner Braddock
|
|
Photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
17 February 2010
|
J.Press & J.Allen Photos Acquired for Archives!
|
John F. Press 9/20/46-3/10/83
John F. Press began making hobo nickels circa 1980, and died 1983. He taught J.Allen (see below) how to make hobo nickels, and their works are very similar in style. He signed his hobo nickels “J.PRESS” using a metal die, counterstamped on the buffalo. Hobo nickels signed by J.Press are much scarcer than those of J.Allen.
J. Allen 8/1/47-
J. Allen, of Rochester, N. Y., is the only known female Early Modern hobo nickel artist. She began creating hobo nickels in 1982 and is still active. She learned the craft from her friend John Press (see above), and their workmanship is very similar. J.Allen uses hand-held gravers, and punches (arcs, circles, stars, dashes, etc.), to create her hobo nickels. She makes many designs, which include clowns, bikers, firemen, pirates, RR engineers, Santas, Uncle Sam, Einstein, etc. It takes her about one hour to make each hobo nickel. She signs her works “J. ALLEN” which is counterstamped on the buffalo; others are signed “JA”, and some were not signed. Some unsigned pieces have a rough field behind the head.
|
|
|
| |
|
Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
17 February 2010
Spring 2010 “BoTales” Feature Articles
|
|
| |
| |
Six Nickel Carvers Attend FUN 2010 ..... Front Cover
BoTales Banner Banter & Editor's Message ..... 2
2010 Dues Reminder ..... 2
New OHNS Members ..... 2
BoTales Publishing Schedule ..... 2
President's Message ..... 3
OHNS Website Receives Honor ..... 3
ANA Summer Seminar Scholarship ..... 3
Board & Annual Meeting Highlights ..... 4
11th Annual OHNS Souvenir 2010 ..... 5
Auction 18 Summary ..... 6
OHNS Board Members ..... 7
2010 Hobo Tokens Available ..... 7
Membership & Quality Designation Form ..... 8
Prices Realized − OHNS Auction 18 ..... 9
Three's A Match ..... 10
| |
Who is “MAB?” ..... 10
23 Skidoo Puzzle Solutions ..... 10
Family Treasure ..... 11
Story Contest Extended into 2010 ..... 11
Hobo Nickel Carver Amy Armstrong ..... 12
Introducing “Willie Wideneck” ..... 14
Introducing “The Chiseler” ..... 14
Introducing “Sharp Ear” ..... 15
BoRetro, “Remembering the railroad jungles of Baraboo” ..... 16
We Have Fun at F.U.N. − Hobo Prank ..... 17
We Have Fun at F.U.N. − Coming Up A Little Short ..... 17
We Have Fun at F.U.N. − “Stool Sample” ..... 17
We Have Fun at F.U.N. − A Fabulous Floor Find ..... 17
Some Recent eBay and B&M Sales of Hobo Nickels ..... 18
More Recent eBay Sales of Hobo Nickels ..... 19
Action at the OHNS FUN Show Bourse Table ..... Back Cover
|
Introducing “Willie Wideneck”, “The Chiseler”, and “Sharp Ear”
|
−by Stephen Alpert LM10, Art DelFavero RM552 and Fred Avan RM908
|
|
|
“Willie Wideneck”
|
“The Chiseler”
|
“Sharp Ear”
|
|
|
|
The ONLY way to enjoy all the other fantastic content in “BoTales” is to join OHNS. So quit procrastinating and do it NOW!
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
Carving Chips.....
•
“Not All Things Worth Carving Are Carved On Nickels” ~ V-Dubya
•
|
Hull Decoys
Gary Hull
Williams, Minnesota
21" Walleye
“Peoples Choice” Award
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
October 24, 2009
|
|
|
| |
|
Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
689
16 February 2010
Ron Landis... A Huge Talent Working On Canvases To Match!
|
A.N.A. 1995 • OHNS Auction #2 • Lot 81 • $566.50
|
F.U.N. 2010 • OHNS Auction #18 • Lot 96 • $781
|
 
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
|
688
14 February 2010
|
|
OHNS webpages often have too many graphics/pictures to display swiftly. Be patient while this page loads.
OHNS Auction #18 
5¢
