Category Archives: History

Toasted cloves

Posted on October 16, 2013 by John M

The other day I was browsing through lots in a coin auction and spotted a very interesting silver restrike 1780 Maria Theresa Taler with clove countermarks from Pemba Island, off the coast of modern-day Tanzania. The coin Maria Theresa talers (or thalers) feature … Continue reading →

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The Palisades

Posted on September 27, 2013 by John M

Below are photos and descriptions of landmarks from a walking tour of the Palisades District in Washington DC. The tour starts from the Palisades Recreation Center, 5138 Sherier Place NW, Washington DC, GPS = 38.92525,-77.10339. The walk is about 5.75 miles and takes about 2 hours. The surface is a mix … Continue reading →

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Commemorative medal

Posted on September 19, 2013 by John M

I think this is what an old-fashioned commemorative medal would look like if something like the Nine Years’ War took place today, with Barack Obama as William of Orange. They seem to share a similar self-perception: “IOVI TONANTI” (Jupiter the Thunderous). We’re in for trouble if there … Continue reading →

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A walking tour of DuPont and Kalorama

Posted on September 9, 2013 by John M

Below is a set of 32 photos with descriptions to accompany a walking tour of the historic DuPont and Kalorama Districts in Washington DC, starting from DuPont Circle. The photos show notable buildings and landmarks in the two districts, mostly drawn from the National Register … Continue reading →

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Fort C.F. Smith hike

Posted on July 3, 2013 by John M

Fort C.F. Smith is actually a deceptive name for the 6-mile hike we took on June 24, because the old Civil War fort in Arlington, Virginia, was not really the focus of the hike. It was simply a convenient assembly point because of its central location, parking, and the amenities … Continue reading →

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Catching up: Sky Meadows

Posted on May 24, 2013 by John M

I’ve been so busy out walking around over the past week or so that I haven’t taken time out to write about any of them! Back on May 12 I organized a 5-mile urban walk along the Bluemont and Custis Trails … Continue reading →

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Atrocious Hideousness

Posted on March 27, 2013 by John M

Many American numismatists may have heard this expression, used by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in a 1904 letter to Secretary of the Treasury Leslie Mortier Shaw to describe US coins: “I think our coinage is artistically of atrocious hideousness. Would … Continue reading →

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Four Mile Run: Barcroft to Glencarlyn

Posted on January 9, 2013 by John M

Last Sunday wewent for a walk along Virginia’s Four Mile Run. The stream, which takes its name from a misreading of the label “Flour Mill” on an old map, runs parallel to the trace of the old Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) railroad, and … Continue reading →

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Evliya Çelebi and the Leopold Taler

Posted on February 5, 2012 by John M

Here’s an entertaining description of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I; who lived from June 9, 1640 to May 5, 1705; given by Evliya Çelebi, an Ottoman traveler who visited Leopold’s court at Vienna in 1665: One may almost doubt whether the Almighty … Continue reading →

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The Young Victoria Collection is complete!

Posted on January 24, 2012 by John M

I finally acquired the key date of the series, 1841, and the Young Victoria Collection is now complete!   1841 (S.3852), ‘GRɅTIɅ’, extremely rare (R3), XF Details, the key date of the series This collection of British shield sovereigns from the early years … Continue reading →

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