The gentleman is a well established business man, with no 

 immediate heirs, so that I am convinced that his ideas art- 

 serious and not just '-pipe dreams." 



The acquisition of this collection by the Smithsonian. 

 would I believe, give you a really outstanding coin collection. 



Let me hear from you at your convenience. 



Of course when my friend gels back from his trip and when 

 you get to New York after that time, I shall of course be 

 glad to introduce you to him.'*^ 



About July 20, 1939, Belote visited with Wormser, 

 who arranged for a meeting with Paul Straub in 

 March 1940. The delay was occasioned, in part, by 

 Straub's extended trip to Europe. Following the 

 meeting, Straub wrote on March 28, 1940, to Dr. 

 Charles G. Abbot, Secretary of the Smithsonian 

 Institution: 



I have been collecting coins for a number of years, and 

 have somehwere between five and six thousand pieces at 

 present, and of these about 1200 pieces are of gold. 



It is a general collection of types, and covers the Americas 

 and Europe from about 1500. Over ninety-five percent of 

 the pieces are extremely fine or better. 



I would like to give this collection to the Institute [sic] 

 if it can arrange to show it, as I think it should be shown, 

 and if the necessary protection can be given it, — safety glass, 

 etc. 



As to the collection itself, I would refer you to Mr. M. 

 Wormser, 95 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y., whom you 

 may know and who has seen it. Would gladly show it to 

 the Curator of this division of your museum any time he is 

 in New York. 



If my offer appeals to you, I would be glad to hear from 

 you and remain. 



Yours truly. 

 Paul A. .Straub 

 PAS:S 

 Mr. Graf: .See also letter of March 29, attached herewith. 



In a supporting memorandum addressed to Dr. 

 Alexander Wetmore, the Smithsonian's Assistant 

 Secretary, Belote pointed out that Straub was 



intensely interested in art and history [in fact, he had a large 

 library of Lincolniana] and this interest has expressed itself 

 in the form of coin collecting. He has spared no expense to 

 acquire a collection of the very finest specimens of ex- 

 ceptional art and historic interest and he now feels that he 

 might assure the perpetuation of the collection by present- 

 ing it to some mu.seum of the first rank in the United States 

 where it might be permanently shown for the benefit of the 

 American public. . . . .Xt first he thought of offering the 

 collection to the American Numismatic Society in New York 

 but finally concluded it would have a wider sphere of use- 



fulness if accepted by the U.S. National Museum. If the 

 Museum should accept the collection, Mr. Straub will 

 continue to add to the collection annually as a gift to the 

 Smithsonian a large number of new specimens of the same 

 fine character as those which it already contains. '^^ 



The Secretary replied to Straub on April 17, 1940: 



Dear Mr. Straub: 



We appreciate indeed your recent letter, in which you 

 indicate that you wish to present your collection of coins to 

 the .Smithsonian Institution as an addition to our national 

 collections in this important field. Y'our material is well- 

 known to those working in numismatics, as containing only 

 the finest type of specimens. 



You are no doubt familiar with our present important 

 collection, to which your series would make a highly valu- 

 able addition. We handle this material under suitable con- 

 ditions as regards display, and safeguard those parts of the 

 collection that are not on public exhibition, but are used 

 for study by experts, in a manner that insures their careful 

 preservation. For some of the important gold coins on dis- 

 play, we use a special safety glass that protects against 

 vandalism, a matter of definite importance now when the 

 high price of gold is considered. 



With gifts such as the one you contemplate, it is our policy 

 in all branches of the Museum to catalog the material given 

 by the donor and to keep his name on the labels with each 

 individual specimen. We arrange our collection according 

 to some definite scheme of classification, interpolating new 

 pieces that come to us from material such as yours in the 

 proper place, with the name of the donor. The whole thus 

 makes a unified display with each piece properly labelled. 

 We do not find it practicable to display individual collec- 

 tions as a unit, since to do so detracts from the value of the 

 collections as a whole, since it makes it necessary for those 

 interested to go to several places to see our series covering a 

 single subject. I am sure you will appreciate the desirability 

 of having one systematic series so that the materials can be 

 directly compared. I shall appreciate hearing from you 

 further regarding your desires in the presentation of your 

 collection. 



With appreciation of your attention, I am. 



Very truly yours, 

 Charles G. Abbot 

 Secretary, 



Abbot wrote at the same time to Wormser to 

 express his appreciation of "your long continued and 

 \aluable assistance." Wormser's reply of .April 26, 

 1 940, was characteristic of his unassuming attitude : 



I was very glad indeed to receive your kind letter of the 

 25th and to hear from you that the matter of the Straub 



'•' Letter in the USNM Archives, Accession 161590. ">' USNM Archives, Ace. 161590. 



100 BULLETIN 2 29: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



