Highlights of the week of May 30 to June 5 include John Hull taking pay cut, English changing coinage standard, Victor D. Brenner exhibiting Confederate cent dies and feds busting wooden nickel ring.

Numismatic events this week:

May 30

1852, Robert Patterson III becomes acting U.S. Mint director for second time; 1860, sidewheel steamer Arctic, of Ward’s Detroit and Lake Superior Line, which may be the Arctic on Confederate $1 note of 1862, runs aground on Huron Island in Great Lakes; 1864, issue of two-year U.S. Treasury notes of 1863 ceased, according to U.S. Treasurer James Gilfillan; 1908, Congress authorizes national banks to deposit securities other than U.S. bonds to secure national bank note circulation.

May 31

1727, The Equivalent Company incorporated by royal charter as the Royal Bank of Scotland; 1781, Congress declares Continental Currency no longer legal tender; 1861, final coinage of 887 1861-C Coronet gold half eagles at Charlotte Mint; 1878, Congress requires legal tender notes to be reissued when redeemed or received at the Treasury Department for any reason to maintain a circulation of $346,681,016; 1908, English archaeologist and expert on coins of ancient Britons Sir John Evans dies.

June 1

1234, Hugh Pateshull, bishop of Coventry, becomes lord high treasurer of Kingdom of Great Britain; 1720, sterling .925 fine silver standard restored in London after 23 years of the higher Britannia .958 standard; 1787, “The Company for Coining [Connecticut] Coppers” reorganized as James Jarvis & Co.; 1837, City of Newark, N.J., issues scrip for 12½ cents and 25 cents.

June 2

1731, initial first lady Martha Washington, subject of current series of $10 gold coins, born; 1865, New York sculptor Adolph Leconte files for patent for Abraham Lincoln medallion; 1905, Judson Brenner exhibits original Confederate cent dies at Chicago Coin Club meeting; 1925, General Order 13 authorizes a “Badge of Service,” designed by Anthony de Francisci.

June 3

1675, John Hull agrees to double fees paid to Commonwealth of Massachusetts for seven-year extension of coining privilege; 1864, Congress sets penalty for counterfeiting U.S. notes at $1,000 and/or five to 15 years at hard labor; 1928, dealer Harvey Stack born.

June 4

1818, Peter Maverick’s patent uses multiple plates as “An attempt to prevent forgery of bank notes”; 1897, legislation formally subordinates director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to the Treasury secretary for the first time; 1936, date on Nazi counterfeit Bank of England £5 notes; 1964, U.S. Marshals seize 450 wooden nickels from First National Bank of Monroe, Mich., after balance of 20,000 printing were presumably circulated during change crisis.

June 5

1877, first annual meeting of the Vermont Numismatical Society; 1964, Bureau of Engraving & Printing accepts first order of standard currency paper from Gilbert Paper Company; 1980, Ruth Hill cuts the currency ribbon to open the fourth Memphis International Paper Money Show; 1999, George F. Kolbe holds the second auction of numismatic literature from the collection of Harry W. Bass Jr.

My favorite is my numismatic library.

What’s yours?

Fred Reed has been a collector and writer for many years. If you have additions or comments, you can reach him at www.fredwritesright.com or P.O. Box 118162, Carrollton, TX 75011-8162 and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.