Money Talks | Mark D. Tomasko

BANK NOTES: FROM DESIGN TO PRINT
with Mark Tomasko

February 3, 2018 | 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
$30 for members / $50 for nonmembers

America became the world leader in bank note engraving by the 1860s. Through the American Bank Note Company, the United States system and style of bank note engraving provided bank notes for many of the world’s nations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mark Tomasko, a collector, author, and researcher on bank note engraving, will lay out the process of designing, engraving, and printing bank notes and securities. The presentation will be accompanied by samples of vignette artwork; bank note and securities models; vignette books; color books; engravers’ tools; steel dies, transfer rolls and printing plates; and progressive proofs of vignettes, litho tints, and bank notes.

[A small example: have you ever noticed that the geometric lathework on our paper money (and on the borders of securities) is “white line” rather than “black line” engraving? As an additional security step, black line engraving in lathework is turned into white line engraving. This presentation will show you the metal pieces used to make this change.]

 

Money Talks: Numismatic Conversations is supported by an ANS endowment fund generously given in honor of Dr. Vladimir Clain-Stefanelli and Mrs. Elvira Clain-Stefanelli.