aDp D AaaYy o in eneedi ? \ Lost” MILWAUKEE NUMISMATIC NEWS April 2021 — Monthly meetings seem to be going well as more people are vaccinated and the virus incidence has been substantially reduced. Our April MNS meeting wili be held on Thursday, April 15 beginning at 6 PM. Please continue to follow usual precautions aacahe niskandram disinfection), and see the president’s message on page 2. The April program will be show and tell. President: Justin Perrault Vice President: Jim Heinrich Secretary: James Kubley Treasurer: Chris Kantak Sgt. at Arms: Dave Herrewig Trustee ’19-’21: Lee Hartz Trustee ’17-‘19: Dave Hunsicker Trustee ’18-‘20: Gary Bieringer Librarian: Justin Perrault Newsletter editor: Leon Saryan Mailing address: clo PO Box 26886, Wauwatosa, WI 53226-0886 Newsletter material: c/o PO Box 210313, Milwaukee, WI 53221-8006 [email protected] Web Site Address: www.milwaukeenumismaticsociety.com The Milwaukee Numismatic Society, founded in 1934, is the oldest and largest organization in Milwaukee devoted to the study of money. Meetings in 2021 will be held at 6 PM in the Mayfair Mall community room on the third Thursday of each month. April Coin of the Month: Treasurer Chris Kantak has some more W mint quarters to offer. Here is a sample photograph. The starting price is not indicated. Good luck everyone, and bring plenty of cash! caer: eae nT eee »tCAnte esIeE t e - eua eeneaneuensiremeemnentante April 2021 MNS President’s Message It looks like there might be some good news on the horizon in terms of coin shows that are scheduled and will hopefully not be cancelled. Coming up later in April and May are shows in Green Bay, Sheboygan, and maybe even Madison. Use this as an opportunity to get out of the house and add to your collection. The Club will be holding the spring auction at the May meeting. If consigning items for sale please ensure your list of items is sent to Leon by the end of April so they can be published in the newsletter. Please note that we will not be having any show and tell in May so we may optimize our time for the auction lots. However, we will of course be having show and tell at this month’s April meeting, so please bring something! You will also notice that starting in May refreshments will be back by popular demand. Yours truly will get the ball rolling by bringing something, but after that we will need volunteers again. Reimbursement amount will remain at $65.00, which should not be a problem since meeting attendance is still slightly down. Try to bring items that are prepackaged to minimize handling and potential contamination. This would include cans of soda and any other individual serving size packages of snacks. Plan snacks for an average attendance of 15-20 members. That is about all for this month. Thanks for reading and hope to see as many members as possible for the April 15 meeting later this month. Happy Collecting, Justin J. Perrault masters 1 [email protected] 262.613.9996 MN$ 2021 2021 Numismatic Events April 16-17 piensa “Oi4 pilen: ginr : isi e (B S a om linie A Apr 7") Schedule BOTH EVENTS CANCELLED Monthly meetings for 2021 are ready to April 21-24 CSNS Convention Sch aseaeetl, commence. Due to changes at Mayfair Mall, our meetings will run from 6:00-8:00 PM on the CANCELLED 3™ Thursday of each month in the Community April 25 Nicolet Coin Club Show Meeting Room in the lower level of Mayfair Stadium View Bar & Grill 1963 Holmgren Way, Green Bay Mall. Visitors interested in numismatics are 9-3 PM welcome. May 2 Sheboygan Coin Club Show Lakeshore Lanes Monthly meeting programs 2519 S. Business Dr. Sheboygan Jan 21: General Business/Show & Tell 9-3 PM Feb 18: General Business/Show & Tell May 16 Madison Coin Show March 18: General Business/Show & Tell Madison Marriott West April 15: General Business/Show & Tell 1313 John Q Hammons Dr. Middleton (9-4 PM) May 20: Spring Auction Aug. 8 Beaver Dam Coin Club Show June 17: Show & Tell-Non Numismatic American Legion Post July 15: Open 300 Beichl Ave. (9-3 PM) Aug 19: Open/ANA Show Recap Aug. 8 Wisconsin Valley Coin Show Sept 16: Open Quality Inn, Wausau i a Open 2901 Hummingbird Rd (9-4 PM) Nov 18: Open Aug. 10-14 ANA World’s Fair of Money Dec 16: Christmas Party/Office Elections Rosemont, IL ck. 3: MNS Coin Show at Serb Hall 5101 W. Oklahoma Ave. (9-4 PM) Annual Dues Refreshment Schedule Dues for 2021 are $10. Please pay Leon A. at the next meeting, or they can be mailed to MNS, PO Box 26886, Wauwatosa, WI 53226-0886. May 20: Justin P. Thanks to those who have paid. Those who have not June 17: Open paid will be removed from the club’s mailing list. July 15: Open Aug 19: Open Sept 16: Open Random Information Oc zi: Open MNS is a volunteer organization. We always Nov 18: Open need new and interesting programs, activities, Dec 16; Christmas Party and helpers to work at events. To volunteer, please contact Pres. Justin Perrault at 262.613.9996 or VP Jim Heinrich at 262.796.1814. Thanks to everyone who has stepped up by volunteering their time and talent to make the club a success. Milwaukee Numismatic Society Minutes March 18, 2021 The 1,013th meeting of the Milwaukee Numismatic Society was called to order by MNS President Justin Perrault at 6:03 pm, March 18, 2021 with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. In attendance were 14 members and 2 guests. Door prizes were won by: Tom R., Justin P., Dave H., Tom S., Jim H., Chris K., Leon S., Paul K. and Kevin F. Coin of the Month: Several coins of the month were auctioned off. All were Salt Bay quarters with W privy marks. The first two coins were NGC-slabbed with the winners Steve J. for $25 and John R. for $24. Three more quarters in plastic holders were won by Steve J. for $24, Jordan H. for $21 and Steve J. for $15. Treasurer’s Report: The revenues for the month of February were $161 with disbursements of $451.43 for a net cash flow of minus $290.43. Fantasy Numismatics: Leon S. reminded the membership that they need to submit their picks for the 2021 MNS Fantasy Numismatics to him. There are currently 6 participants. Leon also reported that the Newsletter is currently in good shape with several back articles. Coin Show: There was some discussion/status report about the annual MNS coin show. Serb Hall is still for sale. Of the interested parties, 3 of them plan to continue offering rental of the hall. Currently, we have no idea whether a new buyer will honor all contract commitments. They are hoping to sell Serb Hall by the end of April. South Shore Coin Club inquired about the possibility of our two clubs joining forces tor a show. This was discussed with no action taken. Additional Items: We are planning on having a Club auction in May. If you are interested in auctioning off some of your items please contact Leon S. or Justin P. A maximum of 40 lots is anticpated. It was also mentioned that the Facebook and Website need to be updated. Show and Tell: Justin P. showed a Byrd Expedition Medal; Jordan H brought a Lithuanian Euro Set and WWI Royal Navy Centennial Committee; Dave H. brought is a couple of interesting ads and Leon S shared a recently received Armenian electrotype of King Tigranes from the British Museum. The meeting was adjourned at 7:27 pm. Respectfully submitted by Jim Heinrich, MNS Vice President Editorial: I spent most of my career working in a health care laboratory. If my boss required a test performed rapidly, I would work doubly hard to satisfy that need (especially if I wanted to stay employed!). We called that “stat”; today, it’s the same as what is meant by “warp speed.” That’s how the real world works. I would hazard a guess that, as a result, many if not most of our members have now received a full course of vaccine and should feel comfortable attending our meetings, which are always conducted in a safe manner.--LAS Sometimes You Just Have to Look Up By Dave Herrewig The former bank building at 4015 N. Oakland Avenue in Shorewood, a few doors north of East Capitol Drive, has motifs, or representations, of nine coins on the fagade high above the front doors. It took me a long time to notice them. I lived in Shorewood, and have gone past the bank for years. | went into it on occasion, walked across the street from it, and still never noticed the coin images. Finally, | saw a picture of the Buffalo nickel reverse, and the other coin representations, in a history of Shorewood by the Shorewood Historical Society (Images of America Shorewood Wisconsin). At that point I went there and looked at them, and then began to study the building. The Buffalo nickel is above the top (third) floor and the eight other coin designs are above that, on the cornice along the top. The eight coins have four different designs which are repeated; more on that later. Viewing the bank entrance from the sidewalk in front one can see colorful low relief images of mythological figures around its double doors, but those aren't the focus of this article. By standing near the curb, you can look up and easily see the buffalo, and also the eight coins along the top of the building. Both are better viewed from across the street; mornings are best. The building they decorate is a large, three-story structure that occupies the whole northwest corner of E. Capitol Drive and N. Oakland Avenue. The building has both apartments and retail establishments, and has doors along Capitol and along Oakland. The bank building has its northernmost doors on Oakland. The building was finished in 1931, and has gone by several names in its history. The State of Wisconsin refers to it as the Armory Court Buildings; presently it's called North Shore Apartments. The Armory name refers to a National Guard Cavalry Armory that stood just north of this location in the early 20" century. The building was designed and completed at a time when Art Deco architecture was in vogue, and it reflects the use of external color and ornamentation common to that style. When Armory Courts was planned it was known that a bank would be the tenant for the north section so its exterior was planned with that in mind. In addition to the coins, there are images of what appear to be the Roman god Mercury who ruled trade and commerce. Noted Milwaukee architect Herbert Tullgren designed Armory Courts. He also designed the retail building a few blocks north on Oakland which houses the Shorewood Coin Shop. Although the bank offices are not occupied today, several banks have been located there in the past. After construction was completed it was occupied by the Bank of Shorewood, which closed the following year. During World War II the Office of Price Administration (OPA) briefly rented the bank because they wanted a burglar-proof vault to safeguard their gasoline coupons. Beginning in 1946, it was the home of North Shore State Bank (not connected to the current North Shore Bank). It was acquired by Citizens Bank of Sheboygan, then by First Interstate; and then became a branch of Norwest Bank before its merger with Wells Fargo. In 1973 North Shore State Bank ran a newspaper ad which promoted the "...11"" Annual Coin Clinic April 16-20. Bring in Your Old Coins for a free appraisal: A Numismatist will be At The Bank to answer your questions." But what about the coins on the building? Ben Tyjeski, who has studied terra cotta and published a book about its use in Milwaukee architecture, explains that these coin motifs were made of terra cotta. It's a clay that has been formed in a mold and then fired in a kiln, resulting in a very hard ornamental material. These coin motifs were made with a matte beige glaze to match the color of the blocks on the front of the bank. All of the coin images are reproduced in bas (low) relief. All have a wide rim, a feature that I can't explain. Aft ZFC) Qyure-- 7 ed : 2 A , heEee ) Mee LiA D i= | ear ‘ shui Photo 1: Bank facade, Buffalo Nickel reverse e and eight coins above The stylized reverse of the Buffalo (or Indian Head) nickel (photo 1) is the coin representation that most resembles its namesake, though the artist added a mountain range which doesn't appear on the coin itself. Its 1931 date is credible as the Buffalo nickel was struck that year. This image is the dominant one on the upper part of the bank front. Its rim is different because it has an inner rim recessed inside the outer one. After the Buffalo nickel, we are left to speculate as to the intent behind the other coin likenesses. The Wisconsin Architectural Archives does not have Herbert Tullgren's plans for this building, so we don't have possible clues as to his intent. a Zs) a, eAey), MLD Za f MA jes =- Fy P | Photo 2: Detail The layout of the four coins is shown in photos 2 and 3. In photo 2 the Lincoln cent appears on the left. For unknown reasons, this design has Abraham Lincoln facing left instead of right as he appears on the cent; a major difference. The "In God We Trust" motto is accurate, and the run of this popular coin began well before 1931, though there's no date here. The other coin design in photo 2 is more difficult to label definitively. Searching through A Guide Book of United States Coins \ed me to think that perhaps the head portrayed here is intended to resemble the Barber or Liberty Head dime which was produced from 1892-1916. The right-facing head with a wreath resembles that particular coin's design, as does the legend "United States Of America" on the obverse. The 1931 date was not part of its run; but, as we can see, all of these designs vary from the actual coins they appear to represent. ~ C, Ay MEYG ; Lga ah) oj oey Photo 3: Detail In photo 3 the coin on the left is an interesting fantasy, and one of the most intriguing in this group. Its legend proclaims "Victoria Dei Gratia Regina" (Victoria by the Grace of God Queen). That claim, which Wikipedia states indicates a monarch ruling by Divine Right, seems quite unusual for a bank in the United States. The image of the Queen seems to resemble a design that appeared on Canadian cents beginning in 1876. They had a left-facing Queen Victoria with the same legend. On the actual coin there was no date below; instead, the word "Canada". The date was on the reverse. The 1931 date in the image on the bank is thirty years after her death. I did find some comments about the coin on the right in photo 3. A 2016 Shorewood Historical Society newsletter described it as an Indian Head penny. The person shown is wearing a headdress, as on the actual cent; but this head faces right. On the actual coin the figure faces left. In 2008 a researcher for the Wisconsin Historical Society's Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory described it as "...the reverse of the Buffalo Nickel, a Native American Chief." The word "reverse" here refers to the opposite side of the buffalo, so it's really the obverse. The obverse of the Buffalo Nickel does show a right-facing Native American, and does have the legend "Liberty" as does this image, so the label is accurate in that regard. However, the representation in photo 3, in my opinion, more resembles the Indian Head cent, though there are some significant differences. Overall, from what I've found, it appears that these coin motifs originated with the architect creating his own variations of the coins shown. None of them perfectly represent an actual coin that I'm aware of. Nevertheless, it's a unique collection. I'm still curious whether information exists somewhere that explains what the architect was intending to convey with his creative coins. And, in the meantime, whenever I'm outside, I'll try to remember to look up. Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Karen de Hartog of the Shorewood Historical Society for her assistance, and for introducing me to Ben Tyjeski. Thanks to Ben Tyjeski for answering my questions about terra cotta, and for all of his research on the subject. Bob Bauter (1944-2021) MNS Life member Robert S. (Bob) Bauter passed away in Garden City, Idaho, of Alzheimer's on March 6, 2021. He was born in Milwaukee on August 18, 1944. He was a 1970 graduate of Drake University and was adept at computer science. He enjoyed traveling, trains and coin collecting. He is survived by his wife Susan, a son and two daughters, and two grandchildren. Bob was active in the MNS for several years and served as Vice President. MNS extends its condolences to his friends and family.