The Shekel, vol. 43, no. 5, 2010

2010·8.6 MB·English

THE

SHEt<El

VOLUME XLIII No5 Sept-Oct 2010
AN
AFFAIR
• • •
. TO REMEMBER
• •
PLUS: • FIRST JEWISH MEDAL
• BUILDING A NATION
• $92,000 MYERS COIN
Published by the AMERICAN ISRAEL NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION, INC.
Option One
Option Two

Input this URL in your Internet
Call David S. Michaels at

browser: HA.com/3010*20110
[phone]
O n August 12, 2010, Lot 20110 in our Official ANA
Signature® Auction of ancient coins will sell: a rare, high The dppointment of Ddvid S. Michdels as Heritage's
grade AV aureus of Gaius Caligula, with Germanicus. A.D. Director of Ancient Coin> ban important [Jdrt of Heritage's
37-41. (19 mm, 7.66 g, 10 h); minted in Rome, A.D. 40. RIC commitment to serve that market with the same enthusiasm
25; BMC 26; Cal ico 324; Cohen 6. Good VF, well centered and expertise that we bring lo U.S. Coins, Currency, and
and good portraits. Germanicus, the father of Caligula, was World Coins. D,wicl brings to our numismatic team a
popular with the Roman masses for his good looks and quarter century of experience speci.iliLing in ,1ncient coins,
wartime heroics, especially the pacification of Germany. µroviding d knuwledge.ible .rnd friendly cuntdcl for the
The grandson of Augustus' wife Livia, Germanicus was community. He luuk> forw,ml tu r<1i>ing dw<1rene'5 of the
named for his father Drusus's spectacular conquests in lieneiit> uf cullecting drKient coin> tu Herildge'> 500,000+
Germany during the second decade of Augustus' reign. registered biuder-rnernber> ,11 HA.cum, the rnu>t popular
Germanicus died during a diplomatic mission under numi>mdlic web>ile in the world. D<1vid luuk> forward tu
suspicious circumstances, and Gcrmanicus' widow helping old and new collectors enjoy the pur>uil of these
Agrippina and her sons Drusus and Nero would lose their enticing pieces of dncient hi>lory, acquiring new treasures
lives in the interminable power struggles - only he more ,md selling uld ones. Heritdge offers the highest sldnddfds of
infamous son Caligula survived. To view the Price RealiLed Cdldloging dnd photogrdphy, the widest po'5ible exposure
by this rari ty, and some 250 other ancients being offered at tu collectors dt dll levels, dnd speedy dnd professional
the 2010 Boston ANA World Co in Auction, just visit www. p.1yment - .tll .ii very competitive terms.
HA.com/worldcoins (Auction 0010).
David can be contacted at: ·

9478 Olympic Blvd., Ste 100, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Office: [phone] • Cell: [phone] • Email: [email protected]

The WOOd's #1 Numismatic Auctioneer
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I I I I
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WC & II Auctioneer rr.ensiw ~a1ruel Foose 44100148? & 095?360. Robert Kor;er 441OJI4? I ?, 1096?.38 Mike Sadler 4410~147R & 130463)
Hen'.age Numrsriatrc Aucbo1s. nc IL# 444 000370
THE SHEKEL
s
VOLUME XLIII No. (CONS. No 233)

SEPT-OCT 2010

ANDREW PERALA, EDITOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ...................................................................... 3

Al NA AT ANA 2010............................................................................ 4

MYERS MYERS, A FIRST MEDAL DISCOVERY? ............................ 7

MYERS COUNTERSTAMP COIN OUTSELLS BRASHER. ............. 11

'CREATING MODERN lSRAEL.......................................................... 13

THE DREYFUS AFFAIR'S SOULS OF CONSCIENCE....................23

JEWISH-AMERICAN HALL OF FAME'S Ross MEDAL ..............27

FRIEDENBERG WINS ODESSER MEDAL .......................................30

Al NA MARKETPLACE ........................................................................31

I AM VESPASIAN .................................................................................33

THE FIRST JEWISH EMPEROR IN AMERICA ..............................36

DATING CHANUKAH COINS ..........................................................42

PROFILE: LOUIS FREEMAN ...............................................................47
AMERICAN ISRAEL

NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION

WEBSITE: WWW.THESHEKEL.ORG
OFFICERS

MEL WACKS, PRESIDENT

CONTACT VlA E-MAlL: [email protected]

OR BY TELEPHONE: [phone]

JOSH PROTTAS, VICE-PRESIDENT

DONNA SIMS, SECRETARY-TREASURER

GENERAL CONTACT

DONNA SIMS

P.O. Box 20255

FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ 85269

E-MAIL: [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JOSH PROTTAS, ROGER MERRITT, IRA REZAK (2011)

DONNA SIMS, ODED PAZ, MARVIN KAY (2012)

MEL WACKS, MICHAEL MOONEY, SAGI SALOMON (2013)

EMERITI

FLORENCE SCHUMAN, TREASURER EMERITUS

ED SCHUMAN, EDITOR EMERITUS

EDITORIAL CONTACT

ANDREW PERALA

P.O. Box 6626

KAMUELA. HAWAII 96743

E-MAlL: [email protected]

"THE SHEKEL" IS PUBLISHED SIX TIMES ANNUALLY BY THE

AMERICAN ISRAEL NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION,

P.O. Box 20255, FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ 85269.

SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOME

2
ANA 2010: FREE MEMBERSHIPS, FREE GIFTS!

As you will read elsewhere
in this issue, AINA signed up a
record number of new members
at the Boston AN A Convention,
including more than a dozen "Ju­
niors."
Thanks go to Donna Sims who
never left her post, along with stal­
wart Michael Mooney, our "Man
in Boston," plus the valued as­
sistance of Oded Paz, Josh Prottas
and other board members.
AINA board members attendingthe American Numismatic Asso­
At the show, we were very ciation201 Oswnmer meeting in Boston included, from left, front
fortunate in meeting Matthew F. row: MichaelMooney, Mel Wacks,Donna Sims. Back row from
Erskine, Esq. Trustee, Kittredge left, Josh Prottas, Roger Merritt. Oded Paz also attended.
Numismatic Foundation, who
In the last issue, I mentioned the very
made us a unique offer.
generous contribution of hundreds of
The Kittredge Numismatic Founda­
Israel Mint Sets by the Halperin Fam­
tion has offered to sponsor any new
ily. These sets are valued up to $40
junior member -age 13 to 19 -who
each-but the AINA Board voted to
wants to join AINA.
give them away! Any AINA member
This offer means that our members
who gives a new 3-year gift member­
can write to us with the names of teen­
ship to someone (for $54 in USA or
agers who would enjoy learning about
Canada or $75 overseas) can choose
our wonderful hobby, and we will give
to receive a free mint set for himself/
them a FREE one-year membership.
herself or to have it sent to the recipi­
New Junior Members will receive
ent. Of course we will also tell the new
six copies of "The Shekel," AINA's
member who was his/her generous
free annual medal, plus all the other
benefactor. That's the equivalent of
benefits of membership.
giving 3-year memberships for as little
You can now give bar/bat mitzvah
as $5 per year!
presents, graduation presents, Chanu­
We look forward to growing AINA
kah presents, birthday presents, etc. at
with the help of our members-giving
no cost whatsoever. So sharpen your
teenagers free 1-year memberships or
pencils and send in those names (along
giving anyone a 3-year membership
with yours!), so we can tell the recipi­
and getting a valuable numismatic gift.
ent who sponsored them.
We look forward to hearing from you!
AINA congratulates the Kittredge
Numismatic Foundation for the out­
Happy Collecting,
standing work they are doing to bring
in new faces to our hobby - which
educates as well as entertains all from
age 9 to 99 and sometimes beyond.
3
AINA ANA

at the
Boston 2010 Worlds Fair ofMoney

programs hugely successful for AINA

BY DONNA SIMS, NLG
LOTS OF HELP at the Boston
2010 A !NA table: Lefl to right,
front row, Michael Mooney,
Oded Paz, Donna Sims, Mel
Wacks, Walter Ostromecki,
Mark Lighterman. Lefl to right,
back row; Paul Kahane, Irvin
Black and Josh Pro/las.
T
he AINA table this year - and Kittredge Numismatic Foundation,
for the first time ever - was which offered to sponsor all new
located in a prime spot among all juniors from the ages of 13-19. The
the club tables, positioned just in­ new members bring total AINA
side the main doors as you entered membership to 769.
the convention area. Our table also featured its annual
With the good location, and with free T-shirt-from-Israel drawing and
our volunteering to be one of the this year's lucky winner was one of
"Question and Answer" for Young our new members, Irvin Black from
Numismatists visiting the bourse, New York City.
the time spent at the American Nu­ With the AINA table busy
mismatic Association's 2010 Bos­ throughout the Aug. 10-14 ANA
ton World's Fair ofMoney was well 2010 convention, we were fortunate
worth the effort. to have had plenty ofhelp staffing
Of the 3 8 new members joining the table.
AINA, 15 are adults and 23 are Board members Michael Mooney,
juniors. We were fortunate this year Oded Paz, and Josh Prottas worked
. . .
m acqumng so many Junior mem­ regularly along with Mel Wacks
bers, thanks to the generosity of the and Donna Sims.
Continued
4
AINAhealthy, growing; 79 new members

Continued
In addition to ISRA L COINS AND MEDALS CORP.

helping at the
AINA table,
Josh was an
ANA volunteer
and judge in the
Exhibit Room
and Oded also
wasanANA
volunteer and
assisted at the
Elongated Coins
club table. From left: Donna Sims, Arthur Boxer, CEO of the Israel Coins and Med­
als Corp., and Mel Wacks at the ICMC booth.
The board of
the American treasurer stated a total balance of all
Israel Numismatic Association met accounts at $225 ,045.90.
on Wednesday evening for one of The membership analysis report
most productive meetings ever. showed a total of 50 new members
The Election Committee reported from July 1, 2009 through June 30,
the following were seated as board 2010.
members for three-year terms: Mel The board also agreed that AINA
Wacks, Sagi Salomon, Michael will donate to the American Nu­
Mooney and Marvin Kay of To­ mismatic Society $2, 700 in January
ronto. 2011 , to digitize all of the ancient
The announcement at the board Judaean coins in their collection.
meeting that the children of Dr. The board also agreed upon to
Samuel Halperin, Dr. Elan C. reinstitute AINA Regional Repre­
Halperin and Dr. Barbara Brynel­ sentatives. More information on
son, had donated 164 mint sets to this program will be forthcoming.
AINA was well received. The board The general membership meeting
decided that any AINA member was held Thursday afternoon. Each
who gave a three-year membership person attending received a goodie
to a new member (total dues: $54) bag assembled by Michael Mooney.
would receive one of these mint One of the last three silver coins
sets. The mint sets are valued at up donated by Arnold Kagan was
to $40 each. placed inside one of three special
For the year ending June 30, goodie bags.
2010, the year-end report of the (Fair disclosure: I must admit that
Continued
5
AINA's outreach programs very succesful

Continued
I happened to
be one of the
lucky recipi­
ents!) AINA
member Sim­
cha Kuritzky
gave a slide
presentation
on the Tem­
ple Tax.
Special
guests at
the meeting
were mem­
bers of the
YOUTH OUTREACH: Young Numismatists from the Little Children Schoolhouse
Israel Coins
in Brookline, MA, visited the American Israel Numismatic Association table and met
and Medals with, standing in the back row, left to right, AINA members Michael Mooney, Mel
Corporation:
Wacks and AINA member and ANA Board Member Walter Ostromecki.
Arthur Boxer,

Simcha Kuritzky, longtime ex­
Gilli Ra'anan,

hibitor at many numismatic shows,
Iris Vainer and Adi Amar.

was the honored recipient of several
The ICMC donated Yi Shekel
awards, including two First Place
notes which were included in the
awards and one Second Place award
goodie bags.
for his exhibits.
AINA member Paul Kahane,
Modern US. Coins and Modern
who is the designer of this year's
Medals - 1_) Simcha Laib Kuritzky,
membership medal, will also be
"Feline Species Type Set"
the designer for next year's medal,
Engraved Coins - 2) Simcha Laib
"People of the Book."
Kuritzky, "A Zulu Love Token"
Also in attendance was Lewis B.
Numismatics ofAfrica and the
Dashe, president of the ZOA, Mid­
Middle East - 1) Simcha Laib Ku­
Atlantic Region.
ritzky,. "The Jewish Lion"
On Thursday evening, AINA
Radford Stearns Memorial for
board members were dinner guests
Excellence in Exhibiting (Best in
of the ICMC.
Show. runners-up) - 2) Simcha Ku­
Overall, Boston was good for
ritzky "The Jewish Lion."
AINA. See you in Chicago!
Congratulations Simcha!
6
7
ANEW

C ANDIDATE

FOR THE FI RST

AMERICAN-JEWISH M EDAL

BY MELWACKS
-'
~
I
.\
I
/
A drawing ofthe 1784 Circumcision Medal created by Myer Myers ofNew York City.

It is believed that this is the first time that this drawing is reproduced in a numismatic publication.

Thanks to Tammy Kiter, Reference Librarian/Archivist ofthe American Jewish Historical Society,

for supplying Jacques Judah Lyons ' drawing made in the 1870s [The Lyons Collection, Vol. I/,

PAJHS, 27 (1920), pp. 383-84} ofMoses Etting Hays ' circumcision medal by Myer Myers.

I
t has been universally held Medal, pp-.37-8).
that "Moritz Hirst ... has However, this was not the first
to his credit the first recorded American Jewish medal!
American Jewish Medal ...of That distinction belongs to a
Gershom Mendes Seixas" (Daniel circumcision medal created by
Friedenberg, Jewish Minters & the great Jewish colonial Ameri­
Medalists, p. 70), that according can silversmith Myer Myers
to new research, the first medal (1723-1795), as was noted by
was made c. 1812 (Mel Wacks, Friedenberg (Jewish Medals from
Gershom Mendes Seixas, "The the Renaissance to the Fall of
First American Jewish Medal," Napoleon, p. 68).
in the Spring 2009 issue of The
Continued
8