We are going to deviate from standard operating procedures (SOP) for this month’s Coin Views & Reviews: Something Old column. Instead of reviewing a single publication we are going to look at a magazine and its impact on foreign coins and the market for them in the United States of America. The reason for this is that many new collectors of Mexican coins may be unfamiliar with this publication and what impact it had on collecting foreign coins here in the USA.
Originally the brainchild of J. Oliver Amos, this magazine first appeared on the scene in 1965 and soon became “the standard” publication for foreign coin and paper money collectors. This wasn’t just your ordinary “rag” because by its 12th issue in March 1975 it was chocked full of interesting articles and ads devoted to foreign numismatics.
Amos entered into the “fray” of advertiser versus collector soon after it became legal for U.S. collectors to own gold bullion coins. He was adamant about the difference between Proof and Prooflike coins! In an editorial in March 1975 he stated his and his magazines position on which (collector or advertiser) he was trying please.
I would like to quote from this editorial entitled “The Collector is King”:
“All numismatic publications of Amos Press, including World Coins, have followed the policy “The Collector is King.” We want our readers to know that we are acting in their best interests as we see them. If advertisers do not agree, we will stand or fall on this basic principle — the collector’s interest in numismatics must come first and the advertiser’s interest in any area of numismatics must come second.”
He goes on to say advertisers will not be tolerated who advertise gold coins as “Proofs” when in fact they are only “Prooflike”. What a man and idea! But it was on the fact that The Collector is King that the magazine reached its excellence and reputation.
All of the greats, and not so great, foreign coin dealers chose to advertise in World Coins during the magazine’s life, so he must have made his point.
Soon after publication began Amos created “special theme” issues to be published once a year. There was the “Gold” issue, the “Mexican Coins” issue and many other special editions that would become the cornerstone for these areas of interest.
Amos wasn’t afraid of serialized articles. He allowed Richard Long to produce his long (pun intended) series of articles on “Mexican Paper Money” that undoubtedly became the standard reference for many years and made Richard’s name a household name in that area of overlooked numismatics. Richard Long became famous and was labeled a Mexican Numismatic Expert, which he surely is today, because of these articles.
I feel sure J. Oliver Amos and World Coins helped spur the rapid growth of Mexican Numismatics during the years the magazine was published by putting the spotlight on this area of numismatics in his annual Mexican Coin issue. Many interesting articles appeared and many rare coins were advertised in the magazine, some by little known foreign coin dealers that have simply disappeared into the fog of history, while others became the leaders in the field of Mexican Numismatics for their time.
All of today’s Mexican Numismatists owe a great deal to J. Oliver Amos and World Coins for helping promote Mexican coins and paper money when the rest of the numismatic world ignored and still does, the Wonderful World of Mexican Numismatics.
You also owe it to yourselves to try to find old issues of these digest-sized magazines, at least those “Mexican” and specialized gold issues, if you collect Mexican gold because you will find many interesting articles and ads for coins that have never been offered publicly since it ceased publication. Once publication of this magazine ceased Mexican coins and collecting them slipped back in oblivion on the national level and overall interest in Mexican Numismatics waned.
When World Coins ceased publication it left a void in the World Coin Numismatic Market. This void has never been filled and I personally believe it eventually led to an overall downward spiral in the world coin market that continues even now because really good articles seemed to disappear and with them a lot of the vigor and excitement of collecting world coins.
You might want to personally thank J. Oliver Amos, next time you see him at a coin show, for helping create the Wonderful World of Mexican Numismatics with his pioneering work!
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