----- Original Message -----
From: "MPCgram" <mpcgram@yahoo.com
To: <mpcgram@yahoo.com
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 9:06 AM
Subject: MPCGram 1002


 ===========================================
                 MPC GRAM
 ===========================================
 Covering the entire World of Military Numismatics
 Series 004 - Number 1002 Thursday September 4, 2003

       Houston Holocaust Museum Opening

 by Larry "Ski" Smulczenski

   After spending a couple of exciting days in
 Dallas at the Lyn Knight Auction and Bourse, I decided
 to let the wife spend a few more days with the
 grandkids so that we could attend the unveiling of the
 Charlton Meyer collection at the Houston Holocaust
 Museum. Charlton has spent the last twenty some years
 putting together a premier collection of scrip from
 concentration camps, ghettos, work camps, civilian
 internment camps and POW camps. He has decided to
 donate it in its entirety to the Houston Holocaust
 Museum so that it may be exhibited as part of
 their remembrances of the atrocities committed by the
 Nazi's during WWII. The Museum is a lovely building
 located very near the Medical center district of
 Houston. As soon as we walked in the front door we
 were greeted by Rachael Feller. Steve was busy with
 some of the museum staff, but came running over as
 soon as he finished his business. We were also
 introduced to Steve's lovely wife, Barbara and to a
 number of the Museum staff. Steve insisted on giving
 us a personal tour of the notes that were on exhibit
 for the dedication. Only about 20 percent of the
 notes of the Charlton Meyer collection were on exhibit
 at this time. The staff had done a wonderful job of
 exhibiting the notes in deep shadowbox frames in which
 they were attractively featured and explained. Some
 on exhibit were what we consider the common Lodz
 Ghetto and Theresienstadt notes, but also featured
 were coupons from the Lodz Ghetto that I had previous
 not seen such as meal tickets, postal chits, pharmacy
 coupons and coupons for a bath. This was of course
 only the beginning. Then came the exceedingly rare
 notes from the Sokolka Ghetto of Poland, the transit
 camp of Herzogenbusch in the Netherlands, the
 concentration camps of Dachau and Buchenwald
 (including many of the subcamps of Buchenwald), the
 extermination camp at Auschwitz, the labor camp at
 Mauthausen and the female prisoners camp at
 Ravensbruck. Some of these notes I had never even
 seen pictures of before. I remember seeing Charlton's
 collection many years ago but he had added a lot of
 great stuff since that time. Of course the most
 important piece was the note from Natzweiler which is
 believed to be unique. Natzweiler was a small
 concentration camp in the French Alsace built in a
 granite quarry so prisoners could supply stone for
 German construction projects. It was also the
 camp where medical experiments were conducted by the
 Nazis on Jewish and Gypsy prisoners.
 Charlton spotted us as we were drooling over
 the exhibits and we spent some time talking about a
 lot of the notes. He then asked if we wanted to look
 at the rest of the collection that was currently not
 on display. I couldn't get a "yes" or "of course" out
 of my mouth fast enough. A box containing three
 hundred plus notes was brought out and placed on the
 table while Steve and I rubbed our hands together in
 anticipation. It has always been a common expression
 for many of us, to say that we are "meeting old
 friends" when we see notes in a collection that we
 recognize from somewhere in the past. Believe me
 there were a lot of old friends in that collection.
 Steve had personally owned some of the notes
 especially those from the Isle of Man. I saw quite a
 few that came from auction lots over the past five
 years. Many of you will remember the huge group of
 Indian POW camp notes that were in the Lyn Knight CPMX
 auction this year. We all marveled at the number and
 variety of that selection. Well, they were all there
 including the Camp "B" Ramgarh Town Cash Coupon that
 no one had ever seen before and was listed as " a once
 in a lifetime opportunity". A couple years ago Smythe
 had an auction that had a number of notes with pieces
 of Scotch tape at the three and nine o'clock
 positions. Included were a group of Canadian POW
 chits. They too were all there including the
 Scotch tape. World War II Remembered has a sketch of
 a Metropole (Isle of Man) cardboard token that I
 remember seeing in an auction within the last year or
 so. I believe it was in a Lyn Knight auction, but I
 couldn't find that one as I wrote this report. Well,
 there were two values in Charlton Meyer's collection.
 I also made some new "friends" as I was introduced to
 some Australian Defence Canteen Eastern Command Camp 7
 notes. The only one I had previously seen was the one
 penny note pictured in WWII Remembered. I didn't
 think to check the serial number, but that may have
 been one of the four values that we saw. There were
 also the Camp Hay notes that feature the kangaroo and
 ostrich (emu?) on them and some other notes from Camp
 Hay. I could go on and on, but there was just too
 much in this fantastic collection. You should go see
 it for yourself.
 I was encouraged to come back for the seven
 o'clock presentation of the collection to the public
 and where Steve Feller was going to be the guest
 speaker. I really wanted to, but I realized that
 everyone was going to be dressed up in coat and tie.
 Now-a-days, I usually only wear a coat and tie to
 weddings and funerals. Since I hadn't anticipated
 going to either of these when I started this trip,
 there was no coat or tie in my luggage. After
 assurances from the museum staff that there would be
 many people attending in casual attire we agreed to
 come back for the festivities.
 Prudy and I rushed back to the Holiday Inn to
 shower and change clothes. Do any of you remember the
 Johnny Cash song--"Sunday Morning Coming Down"? There
 is a line in that song that goes something
 like--"fumbled through my clothes and found my
 cleanest, dirty shirt."
    That is exactly what I did and Prudy did a great
 job with the motel supplied iron. Our fears were not
 justified as we did not feel out of place since a
 number of the locals came casual. The neat part was
 that there were a couple of Holocaust survivors in the
 audience that we got to talk with while others were
 the descendents of concentration camp prisoners. The
 president of the Holocaust Museum thanked those
 responsible for putting together the exhibit and
 Charlton for his significant donation. Charlton then
 told why he wanted to contribute his collection to the
 museum. Steve Feller then did a great job of
 explaining the significance of the notes and stressed
 the rarity of many of the items. After Steve finished
 his presentation with an invitation to the audience to
 view the specific points that he emphasized in his
 talk, a gentleman in a wheel chair rushed to Steve's
 side. He told Steve that he handled the notes while
 he was a prisoner at Sachsenhausen. As a matter of
 fact, he said that he arranged brothel visits for high
 ranking non-Jewish political prisoners and collected
 the fees in scrip. Very few prisoners had these
 privileges. The gentlemen was Dr Marcus D. Leuchter,
 a survivor of the Holocaust who dedicated a wing of
 the Museum to his wife Sophie who was interned at
 Ravensbruck, also survived but has since passed away.
 This wing of the Museum pictures life in the women's
 camp of Ravensbruck and the subcamps where these women
 built parts for V-2 rockets and sewed uniforms for
 German soldiers.
 I was really impressed with the Houston Holocaust
 Museum and would encourage any of you that are
 traveling through Houston to take the time to visit
 this Museum and see the Charlton Meyer collection. I
 guarantee you that there are notes there that you have
 never seen before and without a doubt will only see
 here under one roof.

     West Fest Update

 by Al Glaser

    The mini-FEST in Long Beach California will be
 Saturday Sept. 20 at 5:00 PM in one of the rooms
 adjoining the show. We will try to post the name of
 the room soon. We will probably have pizza and soft
 drinks available before and during the show and tell
 session. Remember, in order to receive your travel
 pay, you must have a show and tell item or story for
 the troops. The WestFEST Currency Board is in hopes of
 breaking even on the refreshments, therefore, please
 be prepared to pay a token sum to help us accomplish
 that goal. Please make a note of the date and time
 since we have LOST the listing in the calendar section
 of the Gram (HINT-HINT-NUDGE-NUDGE). [I am pleased to
 see that my technique worked. Dropping the listing
 prompted a Gram submission--ed]
 ===========================================
            Editorial/opinion
 ===========================================
 That the history of WWII is endless--and
 fascinating--is obvious. Of course the numismatic
 history is the most fascinating of all, even if it is
 less available in the general media.
   In reading Military Trader (newspaper of military
 collectibles) I found a fascinating, if brief, account
 of the sinking of a German submarine by a Cuban ship!
 I had never heard nor even thought of offensive
 military action by Cuba during the war. (OK, sinking a
 sub in one's own waters might be defensive rather than
 offensive. I guess that I had not thought of Cuba
 taking part in combat operations at all.)
   Of course my next thought was what numismatic issues
 might exist for Cuba relating to the war. Hidden away
 in the coin appendix of WWII Remembered are some
 listings for Cuban coinage (see coin appendix, page
 813). These coinage changes were the result of
 shortages, the kind common throughout the war and
 around the world. In my own copy of the book, I have a
 notation to consider the 1944 Republic of Cuba issues.
 Before the war the US BEP had printed notes for Cuba.
 This 1944 issue by the ABNC might well be considered
 to be an emergency change of printer even without any
 additional information.
   Now I wonder if any military decorations were issued
 specifically for this sinking or for the greater war
 effort. Other issues are possible too. Does anyone
 have any info in this area?
 ===========================================
    MAIL CALL
 ===========================================
 Dear Gram,
    Continuing the poker theme of the letter that I
 sent a few days ago. I believe that we should start
 the Fest Poker Tour--FPT. It seems that it has started
 anyway: Fest-Colorado Springs-Dallas.

 Cuneyd

 Dear Editor:
   At Bond Blast One there was much discussion
 regarding the Armed Forces Leave Bonds (AFLB) issued
 at the end of WWII. I talked to my Brother-In-Law and
 learned several things that, while not contributing
 directing to knowledge of the Bonds, may help in
 understanding the general situation. My BIL served
 aboard the Battleship USS Indiana for 3 years and 9
 months and was discharged on 23Nov45. He accrued
 leave at the rate of 30 days per year - just the same
 as today. He could accrue a maximum of 60 days leave
 - the same as today. He took two leaves of 21 days
 each in his entire time of service. These coincided
 with overhaul periods for the ship. Keep in mind that
 Battleships were the premier ship of WWII and were
 kept busy all the time. He lost leave every year.
 Additionally, he drew an average of $5 pay per month
 and left the rest on the books. There was little to
 spend money on aboard ship. So when he mustered out,
 he was paid a sizable amount of pay and accrued
 leave. He did not receive an AFLB. The term is
 unfamiliar to him. I believe he was separated from
 the Service before the Bonds came into being. But
 this also demonstrates the purpose of the Bonds, which
 was to keep money out of circulation and help control
 inflation. I suspect his situation was similar to
 that of many discharged Service personnel.

 Warner

 Dear Gram,
   If you like the idea of helping what would it take
 to make a real difference over the course of a year. I
 have lots of ideas and lending a helping hand with a
 couple would be neat. See what it would take to
 provide something for these children on an ongoing
 basis and then we can find an idea big enough to help.
 That is just my two cents worth.

 lyn knight
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  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 ===========================================
 Long Beach California will be Saturday Sept. 20 at
 5:00 PM in one of the rooms adjoining the show.
 Contact: Al Glaser, thetrader2@cox.net.

 PCDA National and World Paper Money Convention.
 November 19-23, 2003. St. Louis Hilton Airport Hotel,
 10330 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, MO 63134. Lyn
 Knight auction, consignment deadline September 30,
 2003

 2004
 CPMX February 26-28, Lyn Knight auction. Consignment
 deadline January 10, 2004.

 March 5-7, MPCFest V, reservations now being accepted.
 Reservations entered in order received: Roger Urce#$$,
 John Cheney#$, David Seelye, Harold Kroll, Gail
 Baker#, Leo May$$$, Kevin Neidy, Cuneyd Tolek, Warner
 Talso, Cameron Bueschel, Wendell Wolka, John V.
 Craig#, John Cheney#, Steve Swoish, Joe Bissell#,
 Sparky Watson, Nick Schrier, Loretta Freyser, Dick
 Freyser, Ron Waddell, Robert Drew, Ed Arrich#, Neil
 Shafer#, Fred Schwan. # new Fester, $ paid. $$ paid
 single occupancy. Running totals: total 24, new
 festers 8.

 Standard rate $148, single occupancy $198, payments
 may be made by mailing paper instruments of any kind
 to BNR Press (or MPCFest or even Fred Schwan) at 132
 E. Second St., Port Clinton, OH 43452. Payments may
 also be sent via PayPal ( fredschawan@yahoo.com ).
 Once you have sent your payment, monitor the above
 list to ensure that it has been received and posted).
 Show n tell: Gail Baker ( education@money.org ) Travel
 coordination: Sparky Watson ( mcwatson@yahoo.com )
 Auction items: Larry Smulczenski ( skifla@prodigy.net)
 Exhibits: Joe Boling ( joeboling@aol.com )

 Masstricht April 23-25, Valkenburg, The Netherlands,
 contact Jos Eijsermans, Box 3240, NL 5930 Tegelen
 Netherlands
 ========================================
 2004 scholarship fund Donations of cash and numismatic
 material will be gladly accepted. Generally the
 numismatic material is auctioned at MPCFest, but might
 be sold via ebay or other places. Your scholarship
 donations help the hobby by sending qualified
 individuals to the ANA summer seminar military money
 class. Except for unavoidable charges like ebay fees,
 100% of yourdonation goes to scholarships.

 Al Glaser
 RA Medina
 Warner Talso
 David Seelye
 Russ Walsh
 Joe Boling
 Harold Kroll
 Pam West
 Ed Hoffman
 Ron Wadell
 Wes Hardy
 Dick Freyser
 Robert Drew
 Brett Irick
 Kevin Neidy
 Brian Giese

 2003 Scholarship Donors
 Ed Hoffman - RA Medina - Dick Freyser -Larry
 Smulczenski - David Seelye - Howard Daniel - Steve
 Feller - Warner Talso - Pam West - Mr. 691 - Leo May -
 John & Nancy Wilson - Max Spiegel - Gail Baker - Chris
 Connell - Bill Haines - Joel Shafer - Mikhail (Misha)
 Istomin - Gary Hicks - Robert Drew - Tom Warburton -
 Larry Lee - Fred Schwan - Mark Watson - Harold Kroll -
 Ian Marshall - Marcus Turner - Neil Shafer - Keith &
 Sue Bauman

 Contact me at: "Marcus Turner" mailto:
 maturner@indy.rr.com Checks should be made out to the
 "Military Numismatists Scholarship." or
 Marcus Turner
 8103 East US Highway 36
 Suite 163
 Avon, Indiana 46123
 USA

 IMPORTANT SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

 Additional information can be found at the link below.
 We encourage everyone to print copies of this
 information and distribute it to those who might be
 interested. Further you are encouraged to e-mail the
 pdf document to anyone you see fit. Thank you
 http://www.papermoneyworld.net/news/Military
 Numismatists Scholarship Fund 2003.pdf Marcus Turner

 Scholarships from the ANA: See the following location
 for an application for financial aid to the summer
 seminar: http://www.money.org/sumsemfin.html
 ===========================================
   MPC ANA Museum Project
 ===========================================
 ANA collection of MPC:

 Thanks to donations from Douglas Bell, Dick Fryser, Ed
 Beaman, Bruce Peacock, David Seelye, Michael Cummings,
 Ray Czahor, David Pitchford and Mr 691the ANA MPC
 collection is current as follows:

 Series 100 - [50 sen], [1Y, 5Y, 10Y, 20Y all A
 underprint]
 Series 461 - 5, [10] cents, [$1]
 Series 471 - [5, 10, 25, 50 cents, $10]
 Series 472 - [5, 10 cents], [$1, $10]
 Series 481 - 5 cents, [10, 25 cents], 50 cents, $1,
 [$5] $10
 Series 521 - 5, 10, 25, 50 cents, [$10]
 Series 541 - 5, 10, 25 cents
 Series 591 - [5, 10, 25, 50 cents, $1]
 Series 611 - [5, 10, 25 cents, $1]
 Series 641 - 5, 10, 25, 50 cents, $1, $5, $10
 Series 651 - [$1]
 Series 661 - [10, 25, 50c], [$5], [$1, $5] $10
 Series 681 - 5, 10, 25, 50 cents, $1, [$5], [$20]
 Series 691 - [$1, $5, $10, $20]
 Series 692 - 5, 10, 25, 50 cents, $1
 Series 701 - [$1, $5, $10, $20]

 [50c etc.] = notes donated by Gramsters
 --Chris Connell
 ===========================================
     RESEARCH
 ===========================================
 New modification to the database you can now retrieve
 your password if you have forgotten at the main logon
 screen. Keep in mind syntax is important.

 The mpc database has changed its name it now going to
 be referred as,

  WW II P a p e r M o n e y D a t a B a s e

 This is just a hint of things to come If you are
 having trouble logging on please inform Doug Bell At
 doug@papermoneyworld.net Papermoneyworld maintains an
 innovative interactive data base of all military
 payment certificates. Everyone is invited to enter
 notes in their possession or that they have observed.

 Visit the site at:
 http://www.papermoneyworld.net/user/default.asp this
 project is financially supported by David Seelye
 http://www.thempcman.net/ , mailto:
 coinman@rochester.rr.com
 ===========================================
 Subscription information:
 ===========================================
 You can enter an email address to receive the gram by
 using the link below. Use this to change your address
 (add the new one), add a friend or enemy.
 http://www.papermoneyworld.net/WebMailList/Default.asp
 =========================================
 HOT CONTACT LIST - DEALER & RESOURCE LIST

 Below is the BNR Press Hot Contact List. This list
 serves several functions. Obviously it is an outreach
 by the dealers listed for your business. Most of them
 buy and sell MPC. Others organize shows or publish
 periodicals, or furnish information dedicated to this
 field. They have supported the new Comprehensive
 Catalog of Military Payment Certificates with their
 advertising.
 They deserve your support and patronage!

 Name phone fax / cell email
 Allens (614) 882-3937 (614) 882-0662 info@allens.com
 American Coins & Collectibles (800) 865-3562
 American Numismatic Ass'n (800) 367-9723 ana@money.org
 Guy Araby (562) 945-7891(310) 508-0018
 guyaraby@earthlink.net Bob Baker(713) 864-3122
 Ken Barr (408) 272-3247 ken@kenbarr.com Fred Bart
 (810) 979-3400
 Dick Balbaton (508) 699-2266 (508) 643-1154
 RBalbaton@aol.com Keith and Suzanne Bauman (248) 647
 8938 tnaksbauman@earthlink.net Joe Bissell (602)
 440-0442 (602) 494-9103
 BNR Press (419) 732-6683 (419) 732-6683
 fredschwan@yahoo.com Remy Bourne (800) 789-7070 (763)
 789-4747
 Ed Carne (614) 882-3937 (614) 882-0662 info@allens.com
 Champion Stamp (212) 489-8130 (212) 581-8130
 Cookie Jar Collectibles (301) 604-9225
 cjcpi@comcast.net Guido Crapanzano [39] 2-8056228 [39]
 2-4459856
 Currency Dealer Newsletter (310) 515-7369
 David F. Cieniewicz (205) 852-7015
 CGC (602) 493-4758 (602) 494-9103
 sales@gradedcurrency.com Mike Cummings (863) 603-9899
 (863) 603-9880 mpccoin@hotmail.com Cygnet Charters
 (419) 734-2422
 Ray Czahor (301) 604-9225 cjcpi@comcast.net Denlys of
 Boston (617) 482-8477 denlys@aol.com Doric Coins &
 Currency (508) 699-2266 (508) 643-1154
 FUN (407) 321-8747
 Great Lakes Bank Note Company (419) 732-6683 IBNS
 joeboling@aol.com Essie Kashani (909) 627-3996 (909)
 627-2776 kashani10@aol.com Lowel Horwdel (765)
 583-2748 (765) 583-4584 horwdel@inshightbb.com Lyn
 Knight (800) 243-5211
 Krause Publications (715) 445-2214 (715) 445-4087
 bnr@krause.com Harold Kroll(251) 649-5134
 HARBONS@aol.com Leo May (305) 720-0659
 LeoMayEnt@aol.com Ian Marshall (416) 445-0286 (416)
 445-0286 iam@total.net Memphis Coin Club (901)
 757-2515
 MPCGram (419) 732-6683 MPCGram@yahoo.com Pomexport
 Ltd. 1-201-641-6641 / Fax: 1-201-641-1700
 E-Mail: Info@pomexport.com // website:
 http://www.Pomexport.com Bob Reed(504) 361-5684
 bobreed@rrcoins.net Fred Schwan (419) 732-6683 (419)
 732-6683 FredSchwan@yahoo.com David Seelye (585)
 594-1987 (585) 594-2311 coinman@rochester.rr.com
 Richie Self (318) 868-9077
 R. M. Smythe (800) 622-1880 (212) 908-4047
 www.smytheonline.com
 Mel Steinberg & Son (415) 897-1654 (voice and fax)
 melsteinberg@mindspring.com Military Trader (800)
 334-7165
 Scott Winslow Associates (603)472-7040 (603) 472-8773
 scott@scottwinslow.com George Warner(307) 672-3700
 Pam West [44] 0208 641 3224[44] 0208 641 3224
 pamwestbritnotes@compuserve.com
 =======================================
 POST / BASE EXCHANGE(PX/BX/NEX)

 Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for
 items for sale, purchase or trade will be run here for
 free. Send your ads to the gram. This service is for
 everyone, most humble dealer or most advanced
 collector. The point is to make the gram more
 interesting. In all cases confirm your order via email
 first.

 FOR SALE

 I have a few duplicates from the R. A. Median
 collection auctioned by Lyn Knight at Dallas last
 weekend:
 20 yen A series 100, this is the series used as trial
 MPC. This is a classic VF note (most would call EF,
 some AU, but I did not check to see what the auction
 called it). It has a modest stain on the right side. A
 nice, pleasing note: $150
 1 yen B REAPLCEMENT SN H00186518A F-VF, no edge
 damage, it looks real nice, in demand [sold]
 1 yen B AU-CU, A16316923A. There is no justification
 to include this note in such a listing, EXCEPT that it
 is from the Medina collection and therefore of
 interest. $4
 1000 AM marks, Soviet printing. This is an average
 uncirculated example but is particularly desirable for
 two reasons 1) it is from the Medina collection 2) the
 first three characters (-31) of the serial number are
 offset UP in addition to laterally (a diagnostic of
 the Soviet printings). [sold]
 100 AM marks, Soviet printing. A routine unc note, but
 once again from the Medina collection: [sold].
 Contact fred@papermoneyworld.net or
 fredschwan@yahoo.com WANTED SECTION:
 Collectors may submit lists of items wanted for their
 collections for listing here.
 Dealers and collectors who have these items, are then
 encouraged to list them for sale in the above section
 as a reply.
 Wanted listings will run for a period of 1 month.

 WANTED 01;
 ===========================================
 MPC Gram Staff:

 Publisher, editor: Fred Schwan - MPCGram@yahoo.com
 Subscription Manager:Doug Bell-
 doug@papermoneyworld.net Tuesday Columnist : JoeBoling
 - JoeBoling@aol.com Friday Columnis: Warner Talso:
 wtalso@aol.com Fest Auctioneer: Larry "Ski"
 Smulczenski - skifla@prodigy.net Critic:Harold Kroll -
 HARBONS@aol.com Scholarship Coordinator: Marcus Turner
 - maturner@indy.rr.com Webmaster & Technical
 Advisors:Doug Bell "Wiz" - doug@papermoneyworld.net
 Russ Walsh - russ.walsh@gte.net Fact Checker: Warner
 Talso -Calendar Coordinator: John
 & Nancy Wilson -
 The Boss: Judy Schwan

 =====
 MPC Gram is published by BNR Press and papermoneyworld.com as a free
service to the community of military money collectors. Your suggestions,
criticisms, complaints, editorial contributions, letters, and even praise
are very welcome. The entire contents including linked illustrations are
copyright protected by the publishers. In the case of contributors, the
copyright is protected on behalf of the creators. Please send all
correspondence regarding the gram to MPCgram@yahoo.com. Thank you very much
for your participation.

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