Walter H. Breen
Encyclopedia
Walter H. Breen was an American
author. He is best known among coin collectors
for writing Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. "Breen numbers", from his encyclopedia, are widely used to attribute varieties of coins. He is also well known for activity in the science fiction
fan community
; for his conviction for child molestation, and for his writings in defense of pederasty
.
, the son of Walter Henry Breen and Mary Helena (Nellie) Brown Mehl. He spent the first several years of his life living in Texas with his parents. He strove to distinguish himself academically from a young age and continued excelling academically throughout his post-secondary education. He served briefly in the United States Army
Air Corps and was honorably discharged.
He received his Bachelor of Arts
in mathematics
from Johns Hopkins University
in 1952. He later claimed he finished four years of coursework in approximately 10 months. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and earned his Master's degree
from the University of California, Berkeley
in 1966. He regularly wore his Phi Beta Kappa key as a zipper pull on the fly of his pants. He joined Mensa
in 1958 or 1959, possibly the first American to do so.
Walter Breen also spent considerable time compiling information on the history of homosexuality
and of pederasty
. His research, unprecedented in its extensive treatment of the history of homosexuality, but not adhering to the standards of scholarly research, formed the basis for his 1964 book Greek Love
, which he published under the pseudonym J.Z. Eglinton. Breen collaborated with Warren Johansson
in researching the book.
His other interests included dirty limerick
s and fortune cookie
s. He self-published monograph
s on both subjects.
. He wrote for fanzines, and took over editorship of the fanzine Fanac
from Terry Carr
and Ron Ellik. He married science fiction
writer Marion Zimmer Bradley
on June 3, 1964. They had two children and separated in 1979. After their separation, Breen moved to Oakland, California
. They officially divorced on May 9, 1990.
, which resulted in three years' probation
.
In 1991 he was charged with eight felony
counts of child molestation involving a 13-year-old boy. Though diagnosed with liver cancer
in 1992, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He died in prison in Chino, California
on April 27, 1993.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author. He is best known among coin collectors
Coin collecting
Coin collecting is the collecting or trading of coins or other forms of minted legal tender.Coins of interest to collectors often include those that circulated for only a brief time, coins with mint errors and especially beautiful or historically significant pieces. Coin collecting can be...
for writing Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. "Breen numbers", from his encyclopedia, are widely used to attribute varieties of coins. He is also well known for activity in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
fan community
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
; for his conviction for child molestation, and for his writings in defense of pederasty
Pederasty
Pederasty or paederasty is an intimate relationship between an adult and an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek "love of boys", a compound derived from "child, boy" and "lover".Historically, pederasty has existed as a variety of customs and...
.
Early life
Breen was born in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, the son of Walter Henry Breen and Mary Helena (Nellie) Brown Mehl. He spent the first several years of his life living in Texas with his parents. He strove to distinguish himself academically from a young age and continued excelling academically throughout his post-secondary education. He served briefly in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Air Corps and was honorably discharged.
He received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1952. He later claimed he finished four years of coursework in approximately 10 months. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and earned his Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1966. He regularly wore his Phi Beta Kappa key as a zipper pull on the fly of his pants. He joined Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
in 1958 or 1959, possibly the first American to do so.
Writings
As Breen completed his undergraduate college coursework, he immersed himself in the study of coinage. In 1951, the journal Numismatist published his earliest writings on the subject. Two years later he completed his first book on American coins, Proof Coins Struck by the United States Mint, 1817–1901.Walter Breen also spent considerable time compiling information on the history of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and of pederasty
Pederasty
Pederasty or paederasty is an intimate relationship between an adult and an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek "love of boys", a compound derived from "child, boy" and "lover".Historically, pederasty has existed as a variety of customs and...
. His research, unprecedented in its extensive treatment of the history of homosexuality, but not adhering to the standards of scholarly research, formed the basis for his 1964 book Greek Love
Greek love
In the history of sexuality, Greek love is a concept of homoeroticism within the classical tradition. It is one of the "classically inspired erotic imaginings" by means of which later cultures have articulated their own discourse about homosexuality...
, which he published under the pseudonym J.Z. Eglinton. Breen collaborated with Warren Johansson
Warren Johansson
Warren Johansson was a philologist, author and a leading American gay scholar during his lifetime. He was founding member of the Scholarship Committee of the Gay Academic Union.-Biography:...
in researching the book.
His other interests included dirty limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
s and fortune cookie
Fortune cookie
A fortune cookie is a crisp cookie usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and oil with a "fortune" wrapped inside. A "fortune" is a piece of paper with words of faux wisdom or a vague prophecy...
s. He self-published monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
s on both subjects.
Personal life
In addition to his employment with First Coinvestors, Inc., where he was an officer for many years, Breen was an active member of the science fiction communityScience fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
. He wrote for fanzines, and took over editorship of the fanzine Fanac
Fanac
Fanac is a fan slang term for activities within the realm of science fiction fandom, and occasionally used in media fandom...
from Terry Carr
Terry Carr
Terry Gene Carr was a U.S. science fiction author, editor, and teacher.Terry Carr was born in Grants Pass, Oregon...
and Ron Ellik. He married science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
writer Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...
on June 3, 1964. They had two children and separated in 1979. After their separation, Breen moved to Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. They officially divorced on May 9, 1990.
Crimes
Breen was arrested on child molestation charges in 1990, and accepted a plea bargainPlea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
, which resulted in three years' probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
.
In 1991 he was charged with eight felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
counts of child molestation involving a 13-year-old boy. Though diagnosed with liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
in 1992, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He died in prison in Chino, California
Chino, California
Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....
on April 27, 1993.
Publications
- Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins New York: Doubleday, 1988.
- Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of United States Half Cents 1793–1857
- California Pioneer Fractional Gold: Historic gold rush small change 1852–1856 and suppressed jewelers' issues 1859–1882; co-authored by Ronald Gillio. This is the standard reference for this series of coinage
- Penny Whimsy; assisted William SheldonWilliam SheldonWilliam Herbert Sheldon was an American psychologist and numismatist.- Biography :Born in Warwick, Rhode Island, in 1898, William Sheldon distinguished himself in two fields....
to produce this 1958 update to Sheldon's Early American Cents. - Greek Love; assisted by Warren Johansson and published by Oliver Layton Press in 1964, under the pseudonym J.Z. Eglinton.
- Lusty Limericks & Bawdy Ballads; monograph published in 1956
- The Darkover concordance: a reader's guide; published by Pennyfarthing Press in 1979.
Further reading
- Mader, Donald, "Walter Breen aka J.Z. Eglinton 1928–1993" in Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context. Bullough, Vern L. ed. New York, London, Oxford: Harrington Park Press, 2002.
- Notes about the "Breendoggle" at the 1964 World Con