National Archives

[RWB]

I've noticed here and on other message boards multiple references to the National Archives (NARA). While most of the surviving US Mint and Treasury documents are held by NARA and open for public access, finding what you want is by no means a simple matter. You cannot call or write and ask the staff to send you copies.

 

First, mint documents are scattered among six regional NARA facilities. There are rough finding aids to help locate materials, but nothing comprehensive has ever been produced.

 

Files were organized by non-specialists in the 1930s and again in the 70s-80s. Titles might not have anything to do with the contents. An example might help -- In researching the 1905-1921 renaissance of American coinage period, I was assured by "experts" that the documents for the new coins and events were lost: that Taxay and Breen had found all there was. But, being hardheaded (as my Mom kindly described me) I looked anyway. I found thousands of pages of original documents that "didn't exist." They were not where others had looked, but were mixed with 100,000+ pages of miscellaneous correspondence, and in oddly-labeled folders and boxes. It took years of work to extract and copy the originals, then analyze and understand what I had. Even then, I had to visit more than 30 archive collections in the US to find "everything" - or as much as I could get of everything.

 

Nearly every numismatic subject fits this same pattern - things are not easy to find, are not labeled correctly and are often in unexpected places. You cannot open a box of letters and expect to find a neat chronological or originator order.

 

 

 

[dadams]

I don't doubt nobody will disagree that Roger W. Burdette is a Champion of History.

 

Many of us don't ever think to fathom the amount of time, money, research, travel and organization that goes into producing a well written, historically accurate, couple hundred page book - all before even a single word is put on paper, and for little in return.

 

As for the difficulty in locating items that The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) maintains one must kind of have a grasp on the amount of material we're talking about. NARA preserves historically important documents pertaining to all business of the United States which, per NARA "only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept". Records include paper documents, microfilm, still pictures, motion pictures, and electronic media. Roger mentions six regional facilities, but the number grows quite rapidly should you count Presidential libraries, Regional facilities, and Affiliated facilities that have authority to store accessioned material.

 

I am unaware of the overall scope of holdings (typically measured in linear feet for textual items) but it is without doubt in the millions. Doing a quick search for "mint" in the National Archives Catalog returned 2547 results. That is 2547 catalog entries and each of these records may not be for a single item but for a group of items: Reports of Coinage Executed at the Mints, 1918 - 1932; Correspondence with Branch Mints and Assay Offices, 1835 - 1898; and Fiscal Reports of the United States Mint, 1792 - 1826 are just a few examples. In one record I checked the extent of that record consumed 38 linear feet of shelving.

 

(is that RWB down there looking in a box?)

 

But seriously, I understand the pains and efforts that a true researcher like Roger must undertake to unearth the buried treasure that has made his books such a delight. I wish it was easy but it certainly isn't. In many archives, not just the National Archives, there are efforts underway to digitize and catalog materials to make them available for public consumption. This is slow and tedious work, especially for those tasked with the projects in environments that are usually understaffed to begin with.

 

NARA was established in 1934 to save our history and by and large they have done a good job, otherwise it would indeed have been true "that Taxay and Breen had found all there was" and our history would have crumbled into dust.

 

Below is an example of the typical record storage conditions at the time of the establishment of NARA:

(War Department Records at White House Garage)

 

Thanks for the work you do Roger.

 

-doug

[RWB]

Notice the historically important tire at right. The War Dept records were in better shape than most.

 

As to Mint material, some entries (subjects) have only one box or one volume, others have hundreds. Letters sent and received (two separate entries) from 1873 to about 1939 include more than 1,100 boxes and volumes, each containing 200 to 500 items...every item has to be examined....all paper.

 

Agencies are supposed to decide what is important and should be retained. But their approach is rarely consistent or comprehensive, and their goals are not necessarily the same as historians. Thus, much "good stuff" gets thrown out.

[DWLange]

That tire was all they could salvage from the truck that ran into those shelves.

[RWB]

Note: I did not post the original to chide or chastise anyone....only to present perspective on the difficulties in locating materials and the near impossibility of getting everything. Even a letter and its response can be very difficult to match. I remember it taking 2 years to locate the letter suggesting changing the date on the SL quarter, and the Mint response....that was after having a good idea where the letter could be found.

 

Anyone who wants to dig into the archives, let me know and I'll help however I can.

[leeg]

These concerns are not just at the National Level. It trickles down to the State and Local Level's also.

 

[johnny9434]

That tire was all they could salvage from the truck that ran into those shelves.

drats, dont ya hate that when that happens

[Mr. Smith Guesser]

 

 

...looks like the warehouse at the end of Indian Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[RWB]

In reality, the NARA facilities have moveable metal shelves so that more can be packed into available space. There are safety features so employees don't get squished between shelves. Everyone rides electric carts.