The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-16
WRITING Up THE
COINAGE OF WEST
Vice President of American
! NumiSmatiC Society Visits
Salt Lake City.
INTERESTED IN UTAH COINS
SAYS STUDY is IMPORTANT
BRANCH OF ARCHAEOLOGY

Farran Zerbe, a special writer for the
st. Louis Post Dispatch. was at the
Knutsford yesterday Mr.. Zerbs is vice
president of the American Numismatic
society and is making inquiries into the
coinage Of the various western states
The result of his investigations will be
embodied and published by the society
which he represents.
ar, Zeroe was IN charge Of the society 5
exhibit at the St Louis exposition and
was in attendance at the recent expOsf-
ton in Portland. He said:
When my work closed at Portland I
went TO San Francisco arriving there
April / L spent some time making in
quirles into the history of the territorial
coinage, using largely the records Of the
historical society Of pioneers. There was
8 wonderful collection, and nobody ap-
preciates its entire loss more than my
self II can never be replaced. I refer
particularly TO the collection founded by
the benefaction OF James Lake in 1850
had just completed my researches there
when the earthquake occurred BY the
way, San Franciscans are quite willing 70
forget that there ever was an earthquake
and refer to the disaster as the fire
Much Interest in Utah.
7 have found much of uumizmatic in
Jerest IN Utah, and have just completed
an inquiry into the coinage here with the
assistance of Elder Milton MusSer The
Mormon coinage was Of particular inter
4 II
number Of things that were n doubt
The study or 1umismatics IS not yet
FULLY appreciated The public genera lly
set us down as coin CrankS, but ] believe
II VIII soon be recognized a an import
ant branch of archaeology. and the time
IS not Tar distant when il viii be an
elective study in the schools. Researches
D% students or the science have eSteh-
ltShed much In ancient history that could
be discovered in no other way Take the
Old Mormon currency and coinage from
4n
history from the devices and INSCRIPTIONS
TT he American Society OF Numismatics
Is increasing in strength very rapidly
The president, A. r. Fry Of New York
S man Of deep research. In addition to
speaking seventeen languages. he can
tell at glance the history of all known
coins end IS employed by the severn
inenJ as an expert His knowledge has
been largely acquired through life study
OF the coinage OF al countries There
are several persons in Utah with whom
have kept i'm close touch and who ad-
wise me. as the seciety's representative
when anything rare turns up I am going
rom here TO Denver to look into the
Pike Peak coinage 1 haze not been
there for several years, and am advised
that there are some things of interest TO
be seen there just nov"
MI Zerbe spent two DAYS and q night
N the refugee camps in Frisco before he
could get to Oakland where he Joined
himself to the relief workers and has
been engaged in that work since
lie Is not only interested In coins hut
in anything antique He carried with
him an ancient English striking watch
several hundred years old. and OF the
most cnaste Workmanship In beaten gold
r. IS almost priceless. He also has with
'Eim five old so slugs of the coinage of
1s5i ana 1852 now very rare. Another
relic which he picked up in California was
e very heavy nugget watch chain made
r. 1873 He says that the results of his
Genealogical labOTs in the west will be
ublished next year under the society's
ausCices.