a little difficult for mc to see my way with regard to our 

 collections. These matters arc now clarified so that I know 

 better where we stand. 



We should like to accept your collection under the stipu- 

 lations ofTered at the beginning of your letter and can a.ssurc 

 you that your wishes as indicated there will be met. 



At the present time I do not feel that it is proper to make 

 extensive exhibitions of valuable gold coins for a number of 

 reasons. The principal one among these is the pos.sibility 

 that we may have some sporadic bombing from enemy 

 sources here along the Eastern seaboard. I am not pessi- 

 mistic concerning the matter but is it definitely prudent to 

 have this in mind and to make the proper dispositions in 

 case such circumstances should arise. I would consider it 

 very foolish not to make arrangements for such a possibility. 

 There is a further matter that at the present time so far as 

 I can see now it will be impossible to get the proper grade of 

 shatterproof glass for cases. We have some of oin- coin cases 

 now equipped with this gla.ss made for us by the Pittsbingh 

 Plate Gla.ss Company from a special grade called water 

 white which is so clear and so well prepared that there is no 

 hint of coloring and consequently no indication of the lamina- 

 tion of the glass. This grade of glass is not available at the 

 present time. The ordinary gla.ss such as is used in our auto- 

 mobiles and in the armored trucks that transport valueabls 

 around our cities will not serve since after a period of a year 

 or two it becomes yellow and more or less opaciuc. 



We expect to place an important series of specimens from 

 our coin collection in a location outside Washington where 

 they will be properly guarded and safe from any bombings 

 that may come to us here near the coast. I realize that you 

 wish to make a permanent arrangement about your col- 

 lection. May I suggest to you, therefore, the po.ssibility that 

 you may wish to make the transfer to us at the present time. 

 It this is done we would accept the collection with the 

 understanding that the bulk of it would be put into safe 

 storage for exhibition at the clo.sc of the war. We would then 

 arrange the storage of the material with the other specimens 

 that we expect to remove from our collections here. 



If this does not meet with your approval perhaps you 

 would be willing to consider the actual legal transfer of the 

 collection to us at this time with the understanding that it 

 would remain in your possession during your life. 



I shall greatly appreciate hearing from you in regard to 

 these suggestions. I may add for your own information, and 

 not for publication, (hat in common with other large 

 museums we have removed some of our valuable specimens 

 already and that other material is being packed. We expect 

 to maintain our public exhibitions in their present extent 

 and will merely change somewhat the type of things that we 

 show. It is our definite feeling that our museums and art 

 galleries have a highly important function in times like 

 these in the mental relief they give to the individual from 

 the stresses brought about by the matters of the day. At 

 the beginning of the war in England the museums were 



closed but were opened almost immediately on public 

 demand, and have been kept open often under the most 

 trying circmiistances since. 



Straub, in turn, formally confirmed his gift with a 

 letter dated February 26,, 1942. At the same time he 

 announed the preparation of an inventory and raised 

 some questions concerning duplication of coins already 

 represented in the national collections. Wetmore 

 replied on March 9, and on the 29th Straub reported 

 to Belote that he was making progress with the prepa- 

 ration of the inventory as well as with the acquisition 

 of new pieces. Among others, he had acquired a 50- 

 zecchini piece struck in the name of the Doge Paolo 

 Renier of Venice (1779-1789) and had increased the 

 number of gold coins to 1,450 and the number of 

 multiple talers to 51 pieces. 



After this the exchange of correspondence stopped 

 imtil 1945, when, in reply to a letter of March 27 from 

 Secretary \Vetmore, Straub promised on April 3 

 that he would have the collection ready "any time 

 after May 1st." He mentioned at the same time that 

 the collection of gold coins had grown in numbers and 

 importance. "There are now at least 1,750 gold 

 pieces ranging from Ya to 50 ducats." 



Months went by and, in November, Straub apolo- 

 gized for the delay. He had discovered inconsistencies 

 between his listings and the collection which he was 

 attempting to clear up. 



The delay in delivering the collection to the museum 

 in the beginning was caused in part by World War II. 

 The main reason, however, was Straub's ambition 

 to build up first a collection which "Uncle Sam could 

 be proud of," These were, in fact, the words used by 

 himself on more than one occasion. 



.'\fter its arrival in 1949, delays in displaying the 

 collection followed. About half of the gold coins were 

 installed in six upright cases by May 1950."" Problems 

 in obtaining the special shatterproof glass delayed the 

 installation of the other gold coins until May 1953.'"' 

 Since that time the Smithsonian has had the largest 

 display of gold coins on view an\'where in the world. 



Straub continued to take an active interest in the 

 exhibit, and in spite of advanced age, visited Wash- 

 ington from time to time, always bringing along a 

 few coins to be added to the collection. 



He was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the 

 Smithsonian in 1955. He died on December 9, 1958, 

 at the age of 93 years. 



""Letter from Stuart Moshcr to Paul .\. Straub, May 19' 

 19,')0. 

 '" Stuart Mosher to Paul A. Straub, May 7, 1953. 



102 



BULLETIN 229: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



