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21 2010 (2011)

Major international Volume 21 numismatic auctions held Journal of the Numismatic Association of in &

With three major numismatic auctions each year, consignments are wanted. Be a part of our success. Contact our Sydney offi ce (02) 9223 4578 or our Melbourne offi ce (03) 9600 0244 for a free, confi dential valuation. Journal of the NOBLE www.noble.com.au NUMISMATICS PTY LTD Numismatic Association of Australia ground fl oor 169 macquarie street sydney [email protected] level 7 / 350 collins street melbourne [email protected] The state of collecting in a State: numismatics in NSW

Paul Donnelly

This paper is dedicated to Joyce Hanley focused , which whose recent passing is a great loss will by necessity be a very different to Australian numismatics and whose story to those museums with a more warmth and generosity of spirit will specific focus (eg. Australian Centre for be sadly missed by all who knew her. Ancient Numismatic Studies (ACANS) [Editor’s note: see obituary for Joyce at Macquarie University) or who Hanley] currently enjoy generous acquisition funding such as that currently seen in During the last sixteen years I have federal institutions. I hope to generate witnessed in the Powerhouse Museum discussion in which the future of many changes affecting the development numismatic collecting, both personal of the numismatic collection; its and institutional, can be reflected upon presentation and its management. and discussed. These include greatly enhanced access Like many readers, I began my via the web (but reduced presence involvement with numismatics as a on the floor), broadening curatorial window to the past. I can still conjure responsibilities, generous State funding up the feeling of wonder at the gradually becoming less generous, accumulated centuries in the Elizabeth I increasingly complex procedures that hammered I held in my hand take more time, but deliver a better after purchase at London’s Petticoat result, and the elevation of historically Lane market as a youth. No matter that important numismatic material to ‘gilt- the Queen’s head had been erased by edged’ investment. In addition there the vicious scribbles of a Tudor-period have been changing museological detractor; the weight in my hand and attitudes to collections and collecting the legends and shield had taken form that have encouraged less emphasis on between 1558 and 1603 and that was expertise and, as a consequence, that what mattered. Events, personalities, have dissipated expertise, energy, and battles and myriad associations with research focus. My observations in this the times were all inherent in that little paper will mostly relate to the history silver disc. It is hard to imagine that not of numismatic collecting at the multi- everybody shares this thrill, especially

JNAA 21, 2010 (2011) 73 Paul Donnelly given the popularity of history and The purchases of the Charlotte medal archaeology in films and television. by the Australian National Maritime Appealing to all age groups, the past Museum and Timothy Millett’s convict is conjured up in media spanning love token collection by the National interactive games, big budget movies Museum of Australia are hugely such as Indiana Jones, and popular significant events that give key objects documentaries such as the BBC’s Time a place in the nation’s collections. When Team or, even more relevantly, the we consider that around A$1.5 million ABC’s Collectors. I acknowledge that changed hands in these two transactions, the weight of history is not the angle it is a clear verification that numismatic from which all collectors come, but it is items are still valued as culturally vital often the beginning. Over time, my own remnants. It is no accident, however, appreciation has greatly broadened and that both purchases were of extreme these days I can appreciate among many significance to Australian history as numismatic themes for (what shall be well as the focus of each institution and, seen is) a topical example: Amor bread I would suggest, it is also relevant that token dies, as residues of social history neither institution has a specific history and connections to much changed, even of collecting numismatics. if far more recent, times. The Charlotte medal and Millett collection were bought as important Institutional support for numismatics examples of significant events and Prior to some recent purchases periods in Australia’s past, and I by museums in Australia, I mistakenly do wonder whether, ironically, an wondered if the days of major institution with a defined collection of numismatic purchases by institutions numismatics such as the Powerhouse were numbered. I was worried that the Museum actually alienates the varied auction rooms were to be dominated nature of the constituent parts of the by individuals whose bidding ceiling discipline from those who control the was dictated by investment mentality, purse strings. In other words, could the both in the pursuit of rare quality items real significance of numismatic items and a concomitant interest in driving and their role in so capably representing up the prices and further securing unique connections to social, political, numismatic’s reputation as a sound civic, and military records actually be investment. However, thankfully, lost in an arcane word that many cannot this does not seem to be the case and, even pronounce? It is perhaps then, if institutional purchase confirms for reasons other than mere funding, a discipline’s cultural importance, that these two spectacular numismatic we should all be pleased at recent purchases were made by federal acquisitions of numismatic relevance. institutions unburdened by isolating

74 JNAA 21, 2010 (2011) The state of collecting in a State terminology. In forming an opinion, that the medal would remain a part of I ask you to consider the treatment of that object’s history. the pre-eminent numismatic collection Both the Powerhouse Museum in the country, that of the Museum and Museum Victoria have undergone Victoria, and what I consider to be major overhauls in their change from the shabby treatment of its esteemed traditional to ultra modern museums curator, John Sharples. of international standing. The evolving It should be acknowledged that of the Museum of Applied Arts and the Charlotte medal was acquired with Sciences (MAAS) to Powerhouse assistance from the National Cultural Museum in 1988 was much more than Heritage Account, but they required a a greatly enlarged space, glitz and contribution (and in this case I imagine interactivity. To bring about such a a substantial contribution) by the major change there had been a new requesting institution. I discovered this leader in 1979; Dr Lindsay Sharp, a requirement to my regret when applying historian, was the first non-technical for assistance to acquire the copper test research appointment to director that piece for the holey dollar auctioned by the Powerhouse Museum had seen in its Noble Numismatics in March 2007. The then 100 years’ history.1 Sharp’s vision Powerhouse Museum didn’t have the and whole-hearted State government funds, and representations to Macquarie support combined to develop a very Bank for corporate sponsorship didn’t different museum to the cramped earn a reply. You win some, you lose and under-funded MAAS.2 To judge some, but from my perspective, any from the impact on numismatics (and item going to an institution is a win for philately), these two museums suggest the State as well as the standing of the that while more relevant, engaging and discipline. After the Charlotte medal’s popular museums are to be welcomed, purchase I sent a congratulatory note to the combination of a broadened scope the director of the Australian National and aggressive popularity is potentially Maritime Museum noting how pleased contrary to specialist collections in the late curator, Pat Boland, would have terms of focus, development and been to see the medal in a museum. Pat, display. on behalf of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, had been the under History of the Powerhouse Museum bidder to John Chapman at its last numismatic collection sale in the 1980s and Pat considered So let’s step back a bit and look the Charlotte medal the Holy Grail of specifically at how the numismatic Australian numismatics. I wanted to collection has developed in content and share this story with the Australian numbers. The Powerhouse Museum National Maritime Museum in the hope was a progeny of the 1879 Sydney

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International Exhibition, which in itself The numismatic registers of the was the direct descendent of the grand- accompanied the daddy of all international exhibitions, collection and saw the appointment of London’s 1851 ‘Great Exhibition of the collection’s part-time curator, H.P. the Works of Industries of All Nations’, (Pat) Boland, who continued to add in what fondly became known as the newly acquired material into the ex- Crystal Palace. The birth of museums Australian Museum’s N-prefix register.3 and galleries (the Art Gallery of Added to the centralised collection were NSW is also an 1879 sibling) from the Art Gallery of NSW and Mitchell such exhibitions similarly emulated Library collections, although missing, the Victoria and Albert and Science due to the legal terms of the bequest, Museums beginning in 1851. was the significant Dixon collection in By 1961 the MAAS had an the State Library of NSW.4 Pat Boland opportunistic collection relevant to in his role as curator at the MAAS, its general collection and usually rather than acting as mere caretaker, accessioned in the H (miscellaneous) or instead embarked on an aggressive Applied Art Registers. These included acquisition policy that saw some of a discrete collection of international its most significant items come into coins, engineering medals and awards the collection, particularly Australian won for displays by the museum itself; material (Donnelly and Sheedy 2006). for example, at the Franco-British Pat was especially busy in the 1960s due Exhibition in 1908 (A960 & A961 later to the decimal change-over and people’s renumbered N18071 & N18072, Fig. increased interest in their small change; 1). In 1961, however, the disparate which may have included, they hoped, numismatic collections of NSW were the much-talked about 1930 . The merged into a single collection by addition to the Museum’s territory of the government decree and consolidated Hyde Park Barracks and especially the at what is now the Powerhouse Sydney Mint site (as will be discussed Museum. The Australian Museum’s below) added a further impetus to the (see http://www.australianmuseum.net. numismatic collection’s visibility and au/) collection was the largest, but its relevance. once-logical placement at what was, By the early 1980s the rest of the at its inception, the only museum in Power Museum’s broad collection Australia was seen over time as an experienced a similar growth to Pat’s anachronism. By the middle of the earlier lead in numismatic collection 20th century it was considered that development, as staff endeavoured to fill numismatics was better suited to the new themes such as domestic history, applied art and technological focus which had been identified as essential of the MAAS/Powerhouse Museum. for the redevelopment of the MAAS on

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Figure 1. Medal, Franco-British Exhibition, awarded to Technological Museum, silver, 1908 (N18072). its converted Powerhouse site. Numbers coining section at the eastern side of the were further swollen by the multiples of courtyard. During much of the MAAS similar (organic based) items collected tenure at the Sydney Mint building, the to allow regular changeovers, and thus numismatic collection was stored at the able to share over time the deteriorating Mint site. The heightened visibility of effects of exposure to light. Staffing was the numismatic collection displayed at at its greatest height in the mid to late the Mint, combined with Pat’s personal 1980s, and currently the museum runs charm and knowledge, attracted a great at nearly 200 fewer full-time people number of excellent donations. These than those heady days, an important included, from Tom and Joyce Hanley, factor considering the increased level of the 1862 and 1879 medals awarded documentation and research expected in to the Deputy Mint Master, Robert a modern museum. Hunt (Fig. 2), as well as the wide- The opening of the Sydney Mint ranging collection of WD Bush (Figs Museum in 1981 further stimulated 8, 9 and 10), who enjoys the status the relevance of the, by then, greatly of being arguably the most generous swollen numismatic collection. Both single donor to the Museum to date this first and the second 1993 Sydney (Donnelly 2006). Between 1980 and Mint Museum incarnation under up to his death in 2006, Bill Bush gave MAAS/Powerhouse Museum control close to half a million dollar’s worth of gave prominence to the numismatic numismatic material. Bill Bush lived in collection at a perfectly suited site, Vancouver, Washington State but, as a although it wasn’t until the substantial US citizen, he received no benefit other 1993 interior redesign by Burley Katon than altruistic satisfaction. This material Halliday that the Powerhouse Museum can be seen on the Museum’s website was given access to a part of the (http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/)

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Figure 2. Sydney International Exhibition medal awarded to Robert Hunt, ‘Honorary Member of Commission’, silver (51mm diameter), 1879. Gift of Thomas and Joyce Hanley, 1995 (95/284/1). using the ‘Search our collection’ under its home institution. In the years leading the ‘Collection & Research’ tab. up to its opening in 1988, display space When control of the Sydney at the Powerhouse Museum had been Mint was removed from the Museum hard fought and long divvied up among in 1997 (it later reopened under the the various departments. Numismatics Historic Houses Trust in 2004), the as a discrete collection based at the display collection returned after more Sydney Mint had missed the boat and, than fifteen years to the Powerhouse by 1997, coincided with a view that Museum, which was then a very specialist collections needed to be different institution.5 The loss of a thematically displayed and integrated dedicated site with a strong numismatic within displays. Philately had also relevance was, I think, a disaster for the been based at the Mint with a dedicated collection, and this was only partially display and suffered the same fate, reversed by its later comprehensive but the nature of numismatics at least presentation on the Museum’s website. made it easier to incorporate a selection I have often wondered if, ironically, it of items within many displays, for would have been better if the Mint had example, on the Boulton and Watt beam not been an interlude (1981 to 1997) engine, Loco No 1, What’s in Store, WS in the collection’s history for, upon its Jevons, and the recently opened Back to ‘return’ to the MAAS, it was a seemingly the 80s. Nevertheless, scale is an issue foreign area inherited due to the loss and on an object list the ratio of object of a more relevant and suitable site. In types, including numismatics, looks fact, the collection had been returned to reasonably balanced, but in reality one

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Figure 3. Silver stater, Aspendos, Pamphylia, (Asia Minor, modern Turkey), 385-370 BC (Purchased 99/80/1). or two coins and medals are not nearly production. Material outside this area as visible as, for example, even a single could and can be justified if relevant to garment or piece of furniture. As at the an upcoming exhibition, but otherwise month of November 2009 there were the justification for material outside not more than 200 numismatic items these key areas is hard. The silver stater on display in the Powerhouse Museum, from Aspendos featuring two wrestlers including coins, medals, and badges. (Fig. 3) was bought for display in the During the course of the same 1000 years of the Olympic Games period that the numismatic collection exhibition of the Sydney Olympic year featured at the Sydney Mint, a new in 2000, and Chinese representational change had taken place in the focus of money was purchased for supporting the institution, perfectly justified it must displays of the Great Wall of China be said, but profound in terms of the exhibition in 2007. However, with development of the collection. This was ACANS and the Nicholson Museum’s the general focus on Australian history increasing role in this area, purchases and material culture that was rightly of ancients will be few and far taken up with gusto in the evolvement between, although gifts (preferably not of the MAAS into the Powerhouse overlapping with ACANS) are most Museum. Over the course of the 90s welcome! Asia, too, became a collecting and Thus far, in this paper we have seen exhibition priority, and the numismatic the Powerhouse Museum numismatic collection took advantage of this collection grow with the consolidation direction. Kenneth Sheedy, now director of NSW collections, followed by further of ACANS, acquired in his time as growth thanks to the new prominence curator in the late 80s to early 90s a of the Sydney Mint, only to suffer fine selection of Australian agricultural with the Mint’s change in ownership medals with relevance to Sydney Mint and subsequent return to an already

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Figure 4. Banknote, ten shillings, completed 1923/25, George V, N415139Z. Gift of Reserve Bank of Australia, 1984 (N21296-1). full museum space at the Powerhouse of processing costs including storage Museum.6 To this we can also add space and management. Vastly economic impacts and changes in improved documentation and recording collecting practice. Economic issues of provenance and context is, of course, encompass factors both internal and to be wholeheartedly welcomed in a external to a museum. Internally, modern institution, but the impact on along with greater professionalism and museum costs and resources is a real accountability, there is far more time one. The decision to acquire an object spent per acquisition and consideration requires careful consideration and

80 JNAA 21, 2010 (2011) The state of collecting in a State justification and can take a whole day. Of Contemporary collecting: spoilt for the three main fields in the acquisition choice? fields of the Museum’s collection The last subject to be covered in database, ‘significance’ is a narrative this paper relates to greatly increased evaluation demonstrating why the object production in numbers and types of is worthy of addition to the collection, material, with the resultant changes and ‘reasoning’ covers all the aspects in personal collecting practice and the relevant to that object as discussed in impact this has had on institutional detail in ‘Significance 2.0’ (Russell & collecting. The enormously wide Winkworth 2009)7 A visit to any recent range of material available and, most (or recently updated) acquisition on importantly, targeted to collectors the Powerhouse Museum website will makes contemporary collecting difficult demonstrate how worthwhile this extra for, clearly, it is impossible to be effort is.8 However, gone are the days comprehensive let alone exhaustive. In when we can justify the time required the face of such a ‘plethora of modern to acquire, for example, an ephemeral production many museums have simply token commemorating a club meeting; thrown in the towel with collections the acquisition process has become a frozen or, worse, abandoned’ (Spalding self-regulating filter. 2002: 9). Further choices involve Then we have the external museums becoming period pieces that economics that include greatly recreate the days of less challenging increased prices of numismatic items times or ‘turn themselves into high-tech, due, in large part, to the targeting of interactive theme parks and put most of museum-quality numismatic items for their collections into storage’ (Spalding investment, especially for self-managed 2002: 9). Of relevance to numismatics superannuation funds. The concomitant is the enormous range of Royal rise in prices of quality material can Australian Mint products. The now- be prohibitive to many institutions retired production manager of the Royal and certainly to the Powerhouse Australian Mint (RAM), Ron Gardener, Museum in the recent and current for many years kindly arranged a economic climate. Increasing prices selection (even the couldn’t over all collecting areas combined be exhaustive!) for the Powerhouse’s with shrinking State subsidies is not a collection (Fig. 6), but this no longer good mix for developing the collection. happens. My current approach with Thankfully there are still generous gifts contemporary Australian numismatics including those under the Cultural Gifts is to be opportunistic and rely on gifts tax scheme to bolster growth, but this and bequests. A large bequest by James makes for opportunistic rather than and Mary Brady included nearly 400 focused development. items (totalling nearly $40,000) of

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Figure 5. Banknote, fifty pounds, George V, completed 1923/25, Y507840. Gift of Reserve Bank of Australia, 1984 (N21296-12).

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Figure 6. 2008/171/1 Coin sets (29), circulating / uncirculated / piedfort / proof, packaged commemorative and collector’s sets including, Sir Henry Parkes / Tribute to Sir Donald Bradman / International Year of the Family / The Centenary of Women’s Enfranchisement. Gift of (2008/171/1). both RAM and Mint products such as numismatics and philately. that, in date range, neatly preceded This impacts on museums inasmuch the period of donations by the RAM. as demand from this sector could This acquisition, together with the WD greatly benefit arguments for greater Bush material (Figs 8, 9 and 10), was visibility. Peering into rows of coins at finally fully accessioned in 2008 (but the British Museum when I was a boy photography is on-going!). brought me huge pleasure, but such youngsters if they exist these days are Targeting acquisitions not vocal! The real growth in numbers Considering production across of collectors can be seen in the sourcing the board it is not surprising that of ephemeral or commonplace material collecting per se is a growing and from popular culture. For example, it is popular pastime. However, this doesn’t documented that a UK collector placed necessarily include the young being a small advertisement in a monthly active in traditional collecting areas magazine proposing a new club devoted

JNAA 21, 2010 (2011) 83 Paul Donnelly to collectors of McDonald’s ‘Happy less an encyclopaedic storehouse Meal’ toys, which are given away free dedicated to collecting the rare and with children’s meals. Three thousand beautiful for the betterment of the enquiries were received before the next masses and, instead, has moved to issue of the magazine!9 Inevitably, a being a venue where education and proportion of these collectors would be entertainment merge and collecting is under 20 (although, apparently, adult at best, general and, at worst, sporadic. collectors of these ephemeral toys For a display of gold sovereigns, are well represented) and it would be for example, this is the difference nice, but perhaps overly optimistic, to between a selection representing every imagine a similar response from any monarch and a couple of examples age group to an advertisement from one showing, respectively, a Sydney Mint of the Australian numismatic collecting and imperial reverse. The including of societies. So, why is the collecting of different mints and years within those numismatics not seemingly of appeal mints is up to the specialist institution, to the young? Clearly, collecting is collector or the producing mint itself. not dead, but compared to these new The growth of the Powerhouse Museum areas, is numismatics considered numismatic collection involves mainly too highbrow? Here we get into the Australian items of interest, including sociologists realm, which is beyond the numismatic machinery building upon scope of this paper but, if we accept industrial history and related to the that our area is currently taking a back history of manufacturing in Australia. seat among the young, can we expect The machinery from Amor-Sanders them to gravitate as they age and and Prestige Badges (ex Melbourne mature? Perhaps the oft-repeated lament Mint) has been covered by me at an regarding the young not being interested earlier NAA forum. Most recently, a is just recognising a change in trend, that range of milk and bread token dies were is, collectors of numismatic material are acquired via a good friend and affiliate starting at a later age than used to be the of the Museum, Les Carlisle (Fig. 7). case. It is gratifying that a proportion These had been saved from Amor’s of investment-driven collectors was store, and the aluminium test strikes motivated to the area through interest.10 that were made were also acquired. No doubt the dealers among us are better These dies could easily be justified as exposed to observing these trends, and supporting material to previous Amor it would be good to have some feedback factory acquisitions and, in the process, on this speculation since sales and improved representation of an important prices do not seem to be suffering from Sydney minting facility. The dies were a lack of interest. also relevant to Sydney’s social history The modern museum has become and were suburb-specific in their

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Figure 7. Amor bread dies: Steel cylindrical dies (66) made by Amor, Sydney, to produce milk and bread purchasing checks for Dairy Farmers and various bakeries in a number of Sydney suburbs including Ashfield / Bexley / Canterbury / City / Cronulla / Enfield / Kingsford / Manly / Marrickville / Mosman / North Sydney / Waverley / Willoughby, c. 1920-1940. Gift of Leslie Carlisle OAM (2009/57/1-1-51). identities; most Sydney suburbs from However, any activity is sporadic and Mosman to Cronulla are represented. far broader than a decade ago. The last Thankfully such acquisitions are easy numismatic–related item I purchased to justify and valuable additions to the was the printing plate engraved by the State’s collection. American Banknote Company for the Additionally, a few international Sydney International Exhibition of 1879 items have also been acquired when (2007/121/1:2) but, demonstrating our there is relevance to Museum displays, broadening responsibilities, the latest for example, the stater from Aspendos item I have purchased was a modernist and the ancient Chinese representational chair by Gerrit Rietveld made in Utrecht currency, as mentioned earlier. in 1932 (2009/22/1).

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Figure 8. Among the thousands of donations from US donor, the late Bill Bush, is a rare Fijian five pounds overprint on Reserve Bank of New Zealand 1934 note, Serial Number 4K 828807, paper, provisional issue during World War II, New Zealand / Fiji, 1934 / [1940] Gift of William D Bush, 2008 (2008/142/1-6).

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Figure 9. Also from Bill Bush, pre-Columbian arrowheads as examples of exchange commodities. Primitive currency (25), obsidian / igneous rock / sedimentary rock / slate, probably New Mexico, United States of America, 1000-1500 CE. Gift of William D Bush, 2008 (2008/233/2)

Conclusion bars (87/1558), to Tiger money from The numismatic collection Thailand (89/477) and the very earliest is a jewel among the Powerhouse of electrum coins of Asia Minor Museum’s holdings. I maintain that no (2003/48/1), to 23 medals awarded other part of the collection can provide to early Sydney Horticulturalist, a tangible link to so many Australian John Tomas Baptist (eg. N12514, and international events, from General Fig. 11) along with many others. The Gordon’s emergency Khartoum money Powerhouse collection is relevant to (2009/2/1, Fig. 10) to Culver’s medal many of our exhibitions and those of commemorating the insertion of the other institutions to whom we regularly last rivets joining the Sydney Harbour lend.11 Furthermore, the collection’s Bridge (N21454), to Thomas Mitchell’s presentation on the web makes it Military General Service Medal and accessible to all and, as documentation

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Figure 10. Uniface banknote, 2500 Piastres, signed by General Gordon, emergency issue during the Siege of Khartoum 1884-1885. Gift of William D Bush (2009/2/1).

Figure 11. Award medal Floral & Horticultural Society exhibition, February Show 1843, awarded to John T. Baptist, silver. Transferred from the Australian Museum, 1961 (N12514).

88 JNAA 21, 2010 (2011) The state of collecting in a State improves more and more, will have Association of Australia, Vol 9: 52- images and improved information. 53. No doubt people have noticed that Martin, P. (1999) Popular collecting and when searching for numismatic items the everyday self: The reinvention many Powerhouse objects appear. The of Museums? Leicester University Powerhouse has expended a great deal Press, London. of energy in creating a web presence Russel, R & K. Winkworth (2009) that maximises public access to the Significance 2.0, Collections Council collection. Right from the beginning of Australia. a decision was made to present the Spalding, J. (2002) The poetic museum collection ‘warts and all’. Although Prestel-Verlag, Munich. there are fewer acquisitions than in the past, provenance and context are Notes far better documented and available 1. Davidson and Webber (2005): 32. to a much wider audience across 2. Since the 1930s, director’s comments the globe. Numismatists have been in the annual report have frequently well represented in the Museum’s called for new and greatly-expanded professional awards; Robert Carson premises. 3. This system continued until 1985 when was an Honorary Associate, Pat Boland an annual prefix was adopted. Since and WD Bush were Life Fellows (Pat then, developing collection databases was the only non-director staff member have necessitated a third numerical so awarded) and, as recently as 2008, system. Les Carlisle was given a Distinguished 4. Tom Hanley, who catalogued the Dixon Service Award by the Museum. collection and knew it better then Times have changed, but there are anyone, was of the opinion it should improvements too and the outlook is by have also come to the Powerhouse. no means bleak. 5. The greatly extended and stunning renovation conducted under the Bibliography Historic Houses Trust has made visible far more of the site, but the numismatic Davidson, G. and K. Webber (2005) focus is greatly dissipated. Yesterday’s tomorrows, Powerhouse 6. The glass wall of 2500 years of gold Publishing, Sydney. coins was removed from the Sydney Donnelly, P., & K. Sheedy (2006) ‘Pat Mint’s Bullion Room with the intention Boland 1921-2006’, Journal of the of displaying in the Powerhouse. Sadly Numismatic Association of Australia, no space or opportunity was ever found Vol 9: 49-51. to be suitable. Donnelly, P. (2006) ‘William (Bill) D 7. ‘Significance 2.0’ is available Bush: Generous Benefactor and Life on the web: http://significance. Fellow’, Journal of the Numismatic collectionscouncil.com.au/home

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8. http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/ ‘search the collection’ tab. 9. Martin, P. (1990): 2. Martin also notes later in the book that adults started to collect but many fell away when McDonald’s recognised this and began to cater for the broader demographic (1990: 95). He mentions other people were attracted at this point and one can’t help comparing the attitude of collectors to the almost infinite variety of Royal Australian Mint and Australian Post Office collectable material where the main challenge, if one doesn’t specialise, is to avoid bleeding one’s bank account dry! 10. SMH Feb 3 2010. 11. For example, the Historic Houses Trust 2008 exhibition and publication on gardens featured examples of Baptist’s medals.

Dr Paul Donnelly is Acting Principal Curator, Collections & Access at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. [email protected]

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