Coin Documentary

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I'll be interested if you find it

 

Please keep the ideas coming

 

Yes we will do the research

 

My ears were burning, so I figure I'll respond.

One of the slogans used by the ANA is and/or has been "History in Your Hands." To wit, the possibilities of tying coins to historic events are endless, and I won't try to list very many possibilities.

Significant "history of the world" events in the US that are observable in coins also include the California gold rush, leading to all these territorial gold coins and eventually the establishment of the San Francisco mint. The 1848 "CAL" $2.50 or the 1854-S $5, both quite valuable, would be great coins to feature here. You can follow this through to the discovery of the Saddle Ridge hoard.

The story of the coining of the Morgan dollar (designed by a young British engraver who was invited to Philadelphia and eventually became Chief Engraver) would also be a good one, as it is a coin that is attainable for almost anyone. Its existence owed to the silver mining booms and laws that the government was to buy silver and coin dollars. The affect of the Pittman Act was already mentioned and ties closely with world history as mentioned.

You mention Sir Isaac Newton's modernization of the mint, but he was preceded by modernization efforts of Nicholas Briot, which were cut short during the Civil War in the 1640s when he left England and sent his presses back to France, then resumed by Peter Blondeau in 1656, ending the millenia-old hammered coinage era within a few years, and paving the way for Newton's continued modernization.

The New Orleans contemporary counterfeit Morgan dollars make a fascinating story, but much of the story of their origin is purely conjecture, not based on evidence other than "reading the coins." If my theory involving the New Orleans mob is correct, it would make a good detective story and touch on the history of the Mafia in the US. When presenting it as an unsolved mystery you need to make sure everyone understands it's an unsolved mystery. They also need to understand that just because a silver dollar has an O on it, it doesn't mean it's a counterfeit. We often have to reassure seasoned US collectors that certain "micro O" issues are authentic, so caution must be exercised when presenting this sort of thing to the general public.

If we go back a few years, the Roman EID MAR denarius, arguably the most famous ancient coin there is, would be a great centerpiece for an episode.

When the weather turns nasty, head to the South Pacific and do a story on Yap stones.

Looking at a specific coin, there's the 1860 $20 that was given to a Confederate Lieutenant, George Dixon. He carried it in his pocket during the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 and the coin stopped a bullet. He later engraved it "My Life Preserver." This is arguably the most famous coin connected with the US Civil War.

And, yeah, the Martha Washington story is an old one, but it's a myth.

 

If you tell the story of America's coinage, you have to include it's shortage during the civil war which brought about fractional paper currency. I knew that there was a law on the books that prevents the image of a living person on U.S coins, and the myth that George Washington was the one who fought for this law to separate the US from the traditions of English Kings.
While doing research this past weekend, a learned that the actual law came about after a congressional approval for fractional currency was either misinterpreted, or manipulated by the Superintendent of the National Currency Bureau, and he put an image of himself on a 5 cent note.
There is alot of History in every part of our coins and currency.

 

The story of the "Midnight Minter" might be a thought. In 1857 there were some really interesting Multi-denominational clashed die cents leaving the mint.
Snow-7, 8 and 9.

 

If you want to engage the young then why not talk about a young person? Augustus Sage was a 15 year old coin dealer from NYC who was a founding member of the American Numismatic Society in 1858. They even held their first meetings at his mother's house.

Sage also produced medals and contributed articles, called Gleanings From Coins, to the New York Dispatch. He and Charles Bushnell even had a
flame war once in the Dispatch over some info. that Gus published in Gleanings. And Bushnell commissioned a medal for Gus when their war was over.

Dave Bowers wrote an excellent book called American Numismatics Before The Civil War which was mostly about Gus Sage. It was a fitting tribute to someone I believe would have become the Dave Bowers of his day had he not died at such young age.

 

Could I suggest the story of casino owner Ted Binion who hoarded a huge load of silver dollars from his gambling den, later to be found in a vault buried in the desert? A contemporary tale of Las Vegas, betrayal and murder......

 

One might contemplate including the story of the Henning Nickel as an example of, um, numismatic entrepreneurial spirit.

 

How about First Coinage? Ancient coinage? Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, Ancient China, Ancient India? Everything you list is "modern era", however the narrator starts by saying coinage is thousands of years old. This would narrate HOW coinage started, what materials used (Gold, Electrum, Silver, Bronze, etc.) why coinage started, who started coinage in the West AND the East, etc. etc. We see all of coinage's effect of today, but it was conceived and invented in Ancient Times... And the time period of Ancient Coins is actually LONGER than the "modern" coins you narrate today...

 

WADR, I hope your "reaserchers" have better fact checking than spell check...also, "...the stories will be mostly true"?

 

You like that bit, huh?

Like I said, "reality coin TV," where the shows are "mostly true."

 

Documentaries typically include legends surrounding a topic, but the good ones examine the legend for credibility and report on their provable veracity. That's often an interesting part of the program.

 

I think Bill O'Reilly should do a "Legends & Lies: United States Coinage" after his Civil War one coming up next

The revolutionary war series that just ended was great!

 

I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and assume that what was meant was that there may be some myths, legends, and theories on unsolved mysteries presented as such, but the rest of the stories will be factual.

 

Hi all this is great

Hi all
Good ideas and coins and controversial stories fought out by numismatic experts will be included
Also ancients

 

Yes that's the idea

 

Thanks for that yes interesting
Jordan