There are TONS of blogs, e-mails and articles written about coins, right? That’s your gig–collectible coins. But how many novels about coins are there? Not many. You’re probably thinking, fiction has no place in numismatics. Coins are real, tangible, meant to be admired for their beauty and financial value, not some flight of fancy, right?
Let me ask you a question. What if the origin of one of the world’s most celebrated coins was steeped in mystery? Wouldn’t you like to delve into this mystery, even if it’s only a temporary diversion from reality?
Okay, I’ll be honest with you. I’m not one of you–a numismatist. My father was, though. He was not only a collector, but also a coin and stamp dealer in Michigan until his passing in 1986. Although I didn’t follow in his footsteps with a hobby, let alone a career in numismatics, he instilled in me an appreciation for the beauty of coin designs, especially those of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the Irish-born sculptor.
His crowning achievement–the $20 “Double Eagle” gold piece–is in my opinion the most beautiful coin ever minted.
I am an author of novels. By their very nature, novels are fiction. What do my avocation as a novelist and numismatics have in common?
The 1913 Liberty Head nickel–the most celebrated coin in American history.
After reading the fascinating non-fiction book Million Dollar Nickels by Paul Montgomery, Mark Borckardt and Ray Knight, I was hooked on the century-old bizarre mystery of these five illicitly-minted coins. Who produced them and when? How did they leave the heavily-guarded U.S. Mint? Why weren’t they introduced to the public until 1920? And the big question: are there any more waiting to be discovered?
Researching the various internet search engines, I found hundreds of articles about the coins and their often sensational paths of ownership over the last century. But I could not find any speculative works that dared to answer these questions in an entertaining novel.
Ergo, my book NICKELODIUM–A Novel Based on Historical Facts.
I invite everyone–numismatists and anyone else interested in a rollicking good story spanning a century–to visit NICKELODIUM’s Amazon page:
or my website: www.davidcarlmielke.com
If you’re like me and enjoy a good tale with murder, $millions$ and a touch of humor thrown in for good measure, you will enjoy the book.
Soon I will add some more blogs about the history of the Liberty Head nickels (from 1883 to 1912) and their successors, the Indian Head, or Buffalo nickels, which were minted from 1913 to 1938. I welcome any comments or criticisms you may have in response.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I look forward to hearing from you. Happy Reading!
