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/ MPC Gram News Letter /
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MPC GRAM
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Vol 7, no 1435 Saturday
March 5, 2006
Mericle Honored
The informal military money community honors
numismatists from time to time for extraordinary or
life-time service.
Marvin Mericle was honored at MPCFest VII for his
life-time of service to the hobby. Marvin has been
recognized as the inspiration that got many collectors
into MPC and military money.
The award was made at MPCFest by the selection
committee Larry Smulczenski, Niel Shafer and Joe
Boling.
Previous award winners are (in order) Elmer Smith,
Larry Smulczenski, Joe Boling and, Neil Shafer.
Downey, Feller Prevail
Jim Downey and Rachel Feller won exciting contests
to become champions of the Fest March Madness and Fest
poker tournament respectively on Saturday.
Jim Downey met Al Glaser in the finals of the
largest ever March Madness tournament. Sixty Festers
participated and 58 went down to defeat before Downey
and Glaser met in the finals. Of the 58 most belived
that they were eliminated only by the worst of bad
luck. Virtually everyone claimed that they knew the
answer, but choked or suffered some other bad luck.
Rachel Feller met her father in the preliminaries of
March Madness then met him again in the poker
tournament when she and Steve were the last two
players. Third place finisher Al Galser was tank out
by Rachel when she slow-played a set of three kings.
She then beat dad with a straigt.
Fest Commentaray
by Joe Boling
Another successful fest is over, with promises all
around to repeat it - particularly among new festers.
I don't think I heard a single _expression of
disappointment from any of them (whereas veterans
always find something to grump about - such as the
absence this year of travel pay).
I heard the figure "60" bruited about as the
attendance this year, a record I believe (although
some individuals came late and others took leave in
the middle to attend to such mundane tasks as going to
work). The new champion of military money trivia is
the first repeat champion, Jim Downey. The winner of
the bowling tournament on Thursday night was Doug
Bell, who is also the supplier of the trophy for that
event - a series 541 $5 note embedded in a sphere of
Lucite that needs only to be drilled to become a
bowling ball itself. The winner of the Texas hold-em
poker tournament Saturday night was Rachel Feller, who
took home a $7000 fest bond for her skills (the
runner-up was her father, Steve Feller - receiving a
$700 fest bond).
At the conclusion of introductions Friday night,
following the bourse, bells were rung and taps played
for festers who have passed - Mike Cummings, Bob
Kutcher, and Leo May. At the distribution of the
official fest souvenir card Saturday night the text of
the card, in the form of a corporate resolution, was
read aloud by battalion clerk Fred Schwan. The
resolution concluded with "Let it be known now and
forever that the site where collectors gather for
MPCFests shall be known as Camp Leo G. May, Jr."
Also on Saturday, MFC series 051 was withdrawn and
replaced by series 062, with notes based on "seven"
and its multiples. However, after the disaster of the
six-based denominations of series 051 (with which pay
clerks had a very difficult time coping), series 062
notes are issued in attached multiples that together
make up more easily counted amounts. For instance, the
seven dollar note (bearing a portrait of Leo May) is
attached to a smaller three dollar note, making a
total of $10 as long as the notes remain contiguous.
Similarly, $14 and $1 notes are combined, as are $21
and $4 notes. A general theme of the series is Olympic
sports, though a Daytona-style racing car decorates
the $14 note and some other apparently non-Olympic
sports are also represented. A gorgeous sunset view of
the HQ building at Camp May adorns the $10 note (a
stand-alone denomination that does not have a minor
note attached to it). Bob Kutcher is commemorated by
an overprint on the $14 note. There is also a $0.50
note this year, the first time we have had fractional
denominations in several years. Unless the series
suffers early retirement, we can expect to see its
notes appearing at official mini-fests this year and
at the military money seminar in Colorado Springs in
July.
I have a comment about an article in a recent gram,
but that will have to wait for my next filing.
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Championship Question Corner
Question: suspended until after Fest recovery
Yesterday's questions:
The answer is: see below
Comments from the field:
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Editorial
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By all counts, Fest participation passed 60 for the
first time. I think that the most correct number is
61. This includes Judy and me, but not my brother Brad
or his son David even though they now perform
functions at the Fest. Of particular interest is the
fact that my brother is starting to collect Fest
notes. He has not been a collector since 1959 when he
got me started in collecting. Neither does it include
any of the wives who were not registered Festers or a
few other visitors.
Some time in the past few weeks I discussed the
possibility of limiting participation in Fests to 66
(or possibly some other number). A little detail of
such a plan if implemented would be that registration
for the first few months would be limited to Fester.
We will have to give this some thought.
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Mail Call
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Dear Gram,
Another successful Fest as expected.
Neil
Dear Neil,
Thank you. I had a blast. Based upon experience, the
next few days or weeks will be full of Fest
commentary. That is a good thing, but if you do not
want to have the Gram dominated by Fest news and
commentary, you might consider sending in stories or
letters about other things.
Editor
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Calendar
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2006
Feb 9-11, Long Beach, mini fest to be announced
Mar 3-5 MPCFest VII John Cheney$$, Harold Kroll, K & D
Freeland$$, Roger Urce, Pat Bethe, Karen Jach, Jack
Hunter (champ), G. W. Slade$$#, Larry 'Ski'
Smulczenski, Steve Swoish, Cuneyd Tolek, Loretta and
Dick Freyser, Bob Olson$$, Wendell Wolka, Jane* and
Warner Talso, Howard Daniel$$#, George Fitzgerald$,
Doug Bell, David Seelye, Bill Haines$, Bill Myers#,
Nick S.$$ (smoke), Dave Hunsicker#$, Al Glaser, Gary
Hicks, Adolf Witzke (smoke), John Cheney$$, Ron
Waddell, Rachel Feller, Ed Beaman$$, Carlson
Chambliss, Sam Feeback$$, Jim and Deborah* Crowe#$$,
Pia and Ray Bows##$$, Brett Irick$$, Neil Shafer$,
James White#$$, George Cuhaj#$$, John Watta#$,
anniversary couple Louise and Joe Boling$, Steve
Feller, Ian and Bella Marshall, Wes Hardy, Rod Hardy,
Jack Lippincott$$, Jack Hobbs, Judy and Fred Schwan
Running totals: overall 51; new festers 10. $ paid, $$
paid single, # new Fester, *special services
auxiliary. Single occupancy registration is $198,
double is $148. Remember, this includes, room board
and participation. Payment may be sent to Fred Schwan,
132 E. Second Street, Port Clinton, OH 43452 or you
may use PayPal (fredschwan@yahoo.com). Extra nights
are a little difficult to explain. The bottom line is
that they are $44 per room. It is complicated because
roommates do not necessarily arrive and/or depart on
the same day. The address for the hotel in case you
are using mapquest or something like that is 50 NE
Catawba Road, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452.
Honor Roll: Mike Cummings, Robert Kutcher, Leo May.
Fest Training Schedule, version 2
Thursday 2 March
0800-1900 hotel registration individuals Kim
0830-0900 breakfast @ Holiday Inn all personnel Kim
0930-1700 Bourse preparations select personnel david
1900-2100 bourse banquet @ Big Boppers all available
Judy, Ken
2100-2300 1st annual bowling championship all
available Doug, Steve
2400- bull session/swap meet all available Ski
Friday 3 March
0800-1900 hotel registration individuals Kim
0830-0900 breakfast @ Holiday Inn all personnel Kim
0830-1100 bourse set up select personnel David
1050 bourse and Fest registration open all personnel
Loretta
1100-1800 bourse all available David
auction submission/viewing all interested Ski
1730-1900 new Fester training new Festers Doug, Marcus
1800-1930 chow all personnel Judy
1900-1930 exhibits installed exhibitors Joe
2000-2030 pay call by company paymasters
2200-2300 March madness round 1& 2 all personnel
Wendell
2300-2330 bull session by company 1SGs
2330 exhibits must be removed exhibitors Joe
2331 FPO, px, canteen closed interested personnel
Dick, Roger
0045 lights out by company 1SGs
Saturday 4 March
0400-0600 10k run, 3k swim (ice permitting) all
personnel 1SG
0730-0830 chow all personnel Kim
0830-0845 bn picture mess hall hardies
0845-0915 autograph party all personnel Ski
0915-1100 show n tell all personnel 1SG
1100-1230 March Madness all personnel Wendell
1245-1315 chow all personnel Judy
1315-1630 show n tell all personnel 1SG
1630-1830 show n tell all personnel 1SG
1830-1930 chow all personnel Judy
1830-1930 bond drive IV interested collectors Warner
1930-2030 March Madness finals all personnel Wendell
2030-2100 Texas Holdem training interested personnel
brad
2100-2400 RVN poker game reenactment all personnel
Nick
2100-2400 auction lot viewing (concurrent) all
personnel Ski
2400 snacks, mess hall interested personnel Judy
0045 lights out by company 1SGs
Sunday 5 March
0400-0600 10k run, 3k swim (ice permitting) all
personnel 1SG
0700-0745 sick call (by appointment) all sickies Drs
T&M
0730-0800 chow all personnel Kim
0700-0730 destruction of obsolete MFC select personnel
Bill
0730-0830 auction lot viewing optional Ski
0830-0845 awards all personnel 1SGs
0845-1130 auction all personnel Ski
1130-1230 police call and early departures select
personnel Sparky
1230-1315 chow all personnel Judy
1315-1500 local field trip interested personnel Fred
1500-1800 break camp and police call volunteers Harold
1830- chow at Crow’s Nest interested personnel Robert
Monday 6 March
0700-0730 breakfast Holiday Inn Kim
0730 field trip departure to AF Museum, Dayton, OH
select personnel TBA
1845 return from field trip
1900 local poker game (FRNs required) select
personnel
Tuesday 7 March
0830-0900 breakfast Holiday Inn Kim
0900- R & R
Wedenesday 8 Maarch
0830-0900 breakfast Holiday Inn Kim
1000 departure for CPMX
Coordinating instructions:
Problems etc contact the battalion clerk at 419 732
6683 before March 11; after March 11 call clerk
(Schwan) at 419 732 7322 (Holiday Inn), or 419 349
1872 (Schwan cell phone).
Arrival/departure coordination: It is critical that
Fest HQ know of your transportation plans (note Fest
HQ will help with ride coordination but this year will
not be responsible for rides]. Please send your
transportation plans to MPCGram@yahoo.com.
Remarks: Saturday poker game will be a Texas holdem
tournament with $25MFC buy in, first place $6000 Fest
bond (and championship bracelt with unique silver
medal), $600 Fest bond (and unique bronze medal),
third place $600 Fest bond. Concurrently will be
dealers choice poker tables.
Mar 9-12 CPMX, Chicago,
http://www.collect.com/shows/article.asp?id=9585
1-2 April 2006, "PaperMoneyFair-Maastricht", in the
"Polfermolen" in beautiful Valkenburg. Netherlands.
The most important and best attended paper money
bourse in Europe if not the world! For more
information, go to the show's web site at
http://www.papermoney-maastricht.org/ or contact the
show organizer, Jos Eijsermans, at
apnc.eijsermans@wxs.nl
7-9 April ANA convention, Atlanta
The London Paper Money Fair has moved to: Victory
Services Club, 63 Seymour Street, off Edgware Road,
Marble Arch London and the dates are: May 7, July 2
and Nov 26. see: www.britishnotes.co.uk or
www.londonpapermoneyfair.co.uk
June 1-3 Long Beach, mini fest to be announced
16-18 June Memphis
1-14 July ANA summer seminar
16-20 August ANA convention, Denver
September 14th-16th, Long Beach, mini fest to be
annuonced
The World Paper Money Fair, organised by the London
chapter of the IBNS will be September 30/October 1 at
the new venue: Hotel Russell, Russell Square,
Bloomsbury, London. see: www.ibnslondon.org.uk
Oct/Nov Pcda St Louis
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for dealer Hot Contact list, ANA MPC museum holdings
and other static information please click this link:
http://www.papermoneyworld.net/Gramattichments.htm
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2006 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 your donation goes to scholarships.
Donations are now being accepted for the 2006
scholarship fund. Applications are also being accepted
for the 2006 scholarships.
Contact me at: "Marcus Turner" mail to:
maturner@indy.rr.com Checks should be made out to the
"Military Numismatists Scholarship." or Marcus Turner
Marcus Turner
PO Box 191
Danville, Indiana 46122
USA
Contributors to the 2005 scholarship were: Ed
Hoffman, Warner Talso, RA Medina, John & Nancy Wilson,
Keith & Sue Bauman, Dan Freeland, Tom Koch, Doug Bell,
Cuneyd Tolek, David Seelye, Brian Giese, Larry
Smulczenski, Joe Boling, Dick & Loretta Freyser, Mark
Watson, John Cheney, Roger Urce, Harold Kroll, Al
Glaser. (also Memphis Belle note purchasers and summer
seminar participants. irie Harris, Robert Connell,
William Benton, Ed Beaman, Frank Clark, Howard A.
Daniel III, Dick and Loretta Freyser, Dan and Kathy
Freeland, Jack Hunter, Harld Kroll, Tim Kyzivat, Leo
May, Robbie Robinson, Joel Shafer, Neil Shafer, Larry
Smulczenski, Steve Swoish, Roger Urce, Ron Waddell,
Pam West, John and Nancy Wilson, Adolf Witzke, Wendell
Wolka.
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
Scholarships from the ANA: See the following location
for an application for financial aid to the summer
seminar: http://www.money.org/sumsemfin.html
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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.
We are pleased to offer the following WWII items.
Contact: melsteinberg@mindspring.com
FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA
5 Francs, 1941 Free French issue P6 AU-UNC,
tiny spot 95.00
5 Francs, 2.2.1944, Duval sign. P15a UNC
135.00
5 Francs, 2.2.1944, without serial numbers P15c
AU-UNC 135.00
5 Francs, 2.2.1944, prefix D P15g AU-UNC
185.00
10 Francs, 2.2.1944, Duval sign. P16a AU
250.00
10 Francs, 2.2.1944, Postal-Vinay sign. P16c
AU-UNC 300.00
10 Francs, 2.2.1944, prefix A P16d AU-UNC
325.00
20 Francs, 2.2.1944, Postal-Vinay sign. P17b
choice EF-AU 325.00
FRENCH WEST AFRICA
5 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, wide V P28a
UNC 30.00
5 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, narrow V
P28b AU-UNC 37.50
5 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, without serial
numbers P28c UNC 150.00
10 Francs, 2.1.1943 P29 AU-UNC, 3 small
pinholes 250.00
25 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, block letters
F or L P30a UNC 85.00
25 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, French style
serial numbers P30b UNC 175.00
25 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, w/o serial
no. or block letter P30c1 UNC 300.00
25 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, block letter
P, w/o SN. P30c2 AU 275.00
100 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright P31a
AU-UNC 250.00
100 Francs, 14.12.1942, E. A. Wright, w/o serial
no. or block letter P31b EF-AU 475.00
1000 Francs, 14.12.1942, ships, trains, best we
have seen P32 choice EF 1750.00
50 Centimes, (1944) P33 AU-UNC 25.00
50 Centimes, (1944), unlisted brown color P33
G 15.00
1 Franc, (1944) P34b EF 17.50
2 Francs, (1944) P35 AU-UNC 500.00
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.
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MPC Gram Staff:
Publisher, editor: Fred Schwan
fred@papermoneyworld.net; Subscription Manager:Doug
Bell- doug@papermoneyworld.net Tuesday Columnist :
JoeBoling- JoeBoling@aol.com Friday Columnist: Warner
Talso: wtalso@aol.com Fest Auctioneer: Larry
"Ski"Smulczenski - skitex@cox.net, Critic:Harold Kroll
- HARBONS@aol.com Scholarship Coordinator:
Marcus Turner- marucs@papermoneyworld.net; Webmaster
and Technical Advisors:Doug Bell "Wiz" -
doug@papermoneyworld.net Russ Walsh -
russ.walsh@gte.net Fact Checker: Warner Talso
-Calendar Coordinator: John and 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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