Robert I. Nesmith scrapbooks, 1946

Descriptive Summary

Repository
American Numismatic Society
Extent
0.5 cubic feet (1 box)
Language
English
Abstract
Two scrapbooks of photographs and illustrations of coins struck at the Mexico City Mint, 1536-1556, and a list of documents held by the Library of Congress that concern payments made in pesos in Peru, 1531-1556.

Traced illustrations of coin design elements from one of the scrapbooks

Creator

Name
Nesmith, Robert I., 1891-1972
Abstract
Robert I. Nesmith (1891-1972) was a numismatist, photographer, and an authority on treasure hunting. He ran a photography firm, R. I. Nesmith & Associates, in New York City and was chief photographer for Copper Commando, a newspaper published during World War II that was devoted to demonstrating the importance of metal production to the war effort. He later owned and operated a bookstore in Rye, New York, called The Foul Anchor, which specialized in books on treasure hunting. He became an associate member of the American Numismatic Society in 1943 and a fellow in 1944.

Contents

Administrative Information

Access

Collection open to all researchers.

Preferred Citation

Robert I. Nesmith scrapbooks, 1946, Archives, American Numismatic Society.

Restrictions

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to publish or reproduce must be secured from the American Numismatic Society.

Biographical Note

Robert I. Nesmith (1891-1972) was a numismatist, photographer, and an authority on treasure hunting. He ran a photography firm, R. I. Nesmith & Associates, in New York City and was chief photographer for Copper Commando, a newspaper published during World War II that was devoted to demonstrating the importance of metal production to the war effort. He later owned and operated a bookstore in Rye, New York, called The Foul Anchor, which specialized in books on treasure hunting. He became an associate member of the American Numismatic Society in 1943 and a fellow in 1944.

Scope and Content Note

Two scrapbooks of photographs and hand-drawn and traced illustrations of coins and coin design elements, one of which has the handwritten title “A Suppliment [sic] to the Study of the Silver and Copper Coins of Carolus and Johanna being The First Coinage Struck in the New World of the Americas at the Mexico City Mint, 1536-1556, & Illustrated with Many Large and Plaine [sic] Prints Not Included in any of the Printed Pages, For the Better Understanding and Enlightenment of all Searchers in Numismatology.” A note on the title page reads “Compiled from Many Collections with the Kind Permissions of ye Owners and herein assembled and shewn for the First Time in any volume for the Library of the American Numismatic Society, N.Y, by Robert I. Nesmith at the Foul Anchor over nearby Milton Point at Rye, New York, 1946." Also includes a typewritten list of documents, which are housed in the Harkness Collection in the Library of Congress, concerning payments made in pesos, entitled “Calendar of Spanish Manuscripts Concerning Peru, 1531-1651.”

Related Entities