The spring 2014 issue of The California Numismatist features 80 pages of organizational news and articles on a range of numismatic subjects.

The quarterly journal is the joint publication of the Numismatic Association of Southern California and the California State Numismatic Association.

Among the contributors, Bill Febuary provides "Never a Dull Time Being a Numismatist." He writes about his collection of older auction catalogs, including those published by B. Max Mehl in the early 20th century. Febuary offers insights to Mehl's grading standards, standards that would seem quaint to today's collectors.

Jim Wells provides "The Life and Times of America's Half Dimes," tracing the development of the silver 5-cent coin from its first appearance in 1792 as a pattern piece that may have also circulated, to the denomination's end in 1873 with the last of the Seated Liberty coins.

Thomas F. Fitzgerald contributes "Friends of Silver," which discusses the power wielded by lobbyists for the silver mining industry. The result was the production of millions of silver dollars that went from the coining presses to vaults because they were unneeded in circulation.

Contact journal editor Greg S. Burns at GregSBurns@gmail.com.