A Scion Society of The Baker Street Irregulars
Numismatists Do Not Fear Change
“… it was a present from a certain gracious lady …” – The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans (BRUC) There are numerous references to coins sprinkled throughout the sixty stories of the Canon. I find it helpful to visualize the design of the coins and the other items mentioned in the stories as I am reading.… Continue Reading
“… near the museum …” – The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (BLUE) Between 2012 and 2014, the Numisproof Collection issued a series of 18 designs that it called its Iconic London Collection, with each medal being plated in 24 karat gold. Designs included in the series included: British Museum, Leicester Square, Greenwich Observatory, London Zoo, The… Continue Reading
“It might be his portrait.” – The Hound of the Baskervilles (HOUN) Today, we are featuring this 1913 Buffalo nickel that has been engraved by Sam Alfano of Louisiana. His biography, from his Master Engraver website, offers up this capsue: Sam Alfano began engraving in the early ’70’s with a set of engraving tools purchased from a… Continue Reading
“Why not give ourselves up to the unrestrained enjoyment of the present?” – The Adventure of fhe Mazarin Stone (MAZA) Several years ago, we first reported on the Jerrry Lewis Enjoyment Certificates that promoted his 1962 film, It’s Only Money. The $1,000 note features Lewis donning a deerstalker cap, and all of the notes features an… Continue Reading
“But thanks to my cheque-book and the good Altamont all will be well to-night.” – His Last Bow (LAST) In the last several weeks, we have seen groups of wooden nickels, including 2 with Sherloockian themes, being offerred repeatedly on a major online auction service. We are making the assumption that both woods were issued… Continue Reading
“… we have very properly laid in the new almanack …” – The Valley of Fear (VALL) With the release of the Baker Street Almanac 2019 earlier this month, we thought that now would be an appropriate time to reprint this adapation of our article that appeared in the 2018 Alamanac. When The Fourth Garrideb was… Continue Reading
“… embellished with a rude engraving …” – The Valley of Fear (VALL) 89Pines carvings can usually be identified by his engraver’s mark that he places on the opposite side of the coin he engraved. (See above FIVE CENTS) Over the past five years, your editor has come across many auction listings on eBay for… Continue Reading
” It was not a photograph, but an ivory miniature, and the artist had brought out the full effect …” – The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor (NOBL) Back in 1992, the Original Hobo Nickel Society was formed to promote the collecting of engraved buffalo nickels that had been produced prior to 1980. Most of these “original” nickels were… Continue Reading
“… two drops of castor oil …” – The Sign of The Four (SIGN) Castor Oyl statue outside Memorial Hospital – Chester, IL ~ Photo by Baskerville Productions Chester, Illinois is the hometown of Elzie C. Segar, the creator of the Popeye the Sailor Man cartoons. In 1977, the city erected a statue in his… Continue Reading
“No living man could tell a Prescott from a Bank of England …” – The Adventure of The Three Garridebs (3GAR) The sixfth different “edition” of the fantasy Kingdom of Great Britain 10 pound banknotes has recently been issued. You can read about the 2015 version HERE, the 2016-2018 editions HERE.and last year’s 2019 version… Continue Reading