The E-Sylum:  Volume 11, Number 10, March 9, 2008, Article 18

WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY MARCH 9, 2008

I hear dead people.  No, I'm not crazy - I'm just a researcher.
And audio tapes are great tool for researchers.  Lately I've
been researching my family's history and this weekend I
listened to a cassette tape I'd made on an afternoon back
in January 1985.  I sat down that day with my grandmother
and her sister and asked them to tell me about their parents,
relatives, and their lives.   Both passed away years ago and
it was a bit eerie to hear their voices again.  But some of
the stories are priceless and I'm excited to be able to capture
them for the benefit of our children and future generations
of our family.

I also listened to a tape I'd made years ago of a phone call
with Abner Kreisberg.  I'd called to interview him for an
article I was writing for The Numismatist on John A. Beck
and the fabulous Beck collection which Kreisberg auctioned
in the 1970s.

So who will help capture numismatic history for future
generations?  NOW is always the best time to record memories
of our elders.  My family history tape bounced around with
me for years, together with a group of old family photographs.
I was too busy with my career, wife and kids and hobby to do
much on our family history.  But I kept the material safely
at hand, and a few months ago I finally started the project
in earnest.  I've been interviewing my 80-year-old mother,
a 91-year-old great aunt, other relatives and elderly family
friends.  It's coming together nicely.  But the project could
have been sunk before it got started if I haven't captured
key material when I had a chance.   NOW is the time to
interview our hobby elders and capture their knowledge and
experience before it's gone forever.

I made a quick trip to Pittsburgh this weekend to visit my
mom and work on the family history.  On my way back this
morning I stopped to see Tom Fort and his family.   Tom's
an old friend and neighbor of mine and a fellow member of
the Western Pennsylvania Numismatic Society and the Numismatic
Bibliomania Society.  For several years he was the Editor of
our print journal, The Asylum.  It was great to sit and chat
for a while and trade hobby news and gossip.

I had a pleasant drive back home to Virginia, but nothing
new to report in terms of numismatics.  Are there no numismatic
titles on Book on Tape?   I did spend a "Where's George" dollar
bill along the way, though.

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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