Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web5202.mail.yahoo.com ([216.115.106.170]) by tyner.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id t94t7v.q8p.37kbi5q for ; Tue, 20 Feb 2001 08:45:35 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <20010220134534.21205.qmail@web5202.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [152.163.197.212] by web5202.mail.yahoo.com; Tue, 20 Feb 2001 05:45:34 PST Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2001 05:45:34 -0800 (PST) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 260 To: mpcgram@yahoo.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii ==================================================== MPC Gram ==================================================== Covering the Entire World of Military Numismatics ---------------------------------------------------- Series 002-Number 260 Tuesday 20 February 2001 Personalities--Francis Sanders by Joe Boling On occasion the gram has carried stories about personalities from years gone by. One of the fellows who provided much good material to me was Francis Sanders of Browns Mills, New Jersey. By the time I met Sandy, by mail and phone, he was already living in Joisey. He had been in Japan for many years, though I don't know in what capacity, and had married a Japanese woman. In retirement, he was selling off the contents of a foot locker or two full of numismatic treasures that he had brought back, and was also still acquiring material from contacts in Japan that he resold to collectors in the States. Among other things that I bought from him were: the first set of foreign trade payment certificates with a booklet cover to be known to me or Fred (the set illustrated in SB on page 326); a collection of hansatsu (my first large group of these) that had been attributed and appraised by Hitoshi Kozono (that group, 74 pieces, cost me $5.65 each in 1974, a very high price--other hansatsu that I was buying from Sandy were under $2 each); my first Japanese trade dollar; the only Japanese pattern I ever owned (it was included in a bulk lot of medals and e-sen that I would not have bought had the pattern not been there); a partial set of Philippine JIM specimen notes that had been taken from a post office on Guadalcanal; and scores of high grade coins, notes, decorations, campaign medals, and commemorative medals that have never been upgraded in my mainline collection. The only time I ever met him was returning to Germany from a TDY in Biloxi, Mississippi; I had to catch a MAC flight at McGuire, and he lived only a few minutes from there. I spent the day with him and he took me to McGuire to catch the flight in the evening (that was the day I bought the Philippine JIM mentioned above). He was also a collector; in 1974 he tried to trade me a group of medals and decorations for my MPC collection (I managed to hang onto it for a few more months). In 1970 I had acquired a rare-date one yen coin at a show in Topeka, back before anyone even bothered to read dates on Japanese coins, let alone know which ones were the keys. This was just a lucky purchase on my part, as I was only looking for a type coin. When the Japanese market went ballistic in 1972 I traded that coin to Sandy for an equivalent grade common-date piece and lots of boot--at least, that was how the deal was SUPPOSED to go. In fact, he got my coin before he had a replacement in hand, and the market was rising so fast that by the time he found an equivalent grade type coin for me, even it cost more than I got for the key that I had traded him. Grump. He would carry an account for years, as long as you made monthly payments. At one point I owed him $3500 (remember this was 1970s dollars), which I paid off at $100-200 a month. My last letter from Sandy is undated, but from just after the 1978 ANA convention. His wife had died not long before and he remarried, to a woman with a 12-year-old son. That distracted Sandy completely; he dropped out of dealing, moved onto a sailboat, and has not been heard of since. I assume that by now he is long gone. Looking through the invoices from him, I can see that he had a significant impact on the development of a major collection of Japanese and Japan-related material. ==================================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------------- It is official. The venue for the fest has been changed to a MUCH nicer facility. The rooms are nicer, there is a pool, and other things, but most of all there is a great meeting room. No room service, but a nice place. Of course it is more expensive, but it will be worth it. On top of everything else, general manager Kim Caldwell was intrigued by MPC and can be expected to be found looking at MPC during the fest. We have made some other changes to the fest details so be sure to check the info below. The address and other details are included below in the Fest section. =================================================== Mail Call --------------------------------------------------- Dear Gram, I like the classified ads!!! They are always at the end anyway, so peopel can just skip that portion. Besides, I grew up in Boise Idaho and had no idea such things existed!!!!! Do you need some help? My staff is huge Nick Hello Nick, Thanks for the offer of help, but this is a family publication! We will certainly put you to work once you get here, I will try to think of some projects for you before then! Editor Dear Gram, Regarding Mr. Reed's article on Tatam stamp and coin, I was buying from them in 1966 when I started dealing. They were selling Greenland 5 kroner polar bear unc for $2.00 and Fiji 1 shilling and 2 shilling 1942 unc $1.oo each, the 1 penny I think was 25 or 50c. I think they ceased business sometime before 1970 but not sure. I wonder what they had in good notes that I could not buy with my currency budget of less than $1000. Gary Snover Dear Gary, In the past few years I bought an uncirculated fractional MPC from a dealer for far more than I thought that it was worth because it had a label from TSC. It is somewhere here in my piles as a relic of MPC collecting. I figured that the label was from the 1960s, but possibly from as early as the 1950s. Thanks for the recollections. We look forward to many more from you! Fred Dear Editor, DO NOT PUBLISH THIS IN THE GRAM. Mr. D. Dear Mr. D. OK, OK, whatever you say. Editor =================================================== Departments --------------------------------------------------- WWII numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar 2001 --------------------------------------------------- Not only does the scholarship fund have an official identity but also has a bank account! Any further donations should be paid to the order of "Military Numismatists Scholarship" and sent to: Military Numismatists c/o Marcus Turner 8103 East US Highway 36 Suite 163 Avon, IN 46123 THE UPDATED LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP BENEFACTORS 2/12/01. These folks have generously provided money or material to finance scholarships to the ANA WWII Numismatics seminar. Your contributions will help promote collecting WWII material and be greatly appreciated. Mr. Anonymous Donor Mike Cummings Sue and Keith Bauman Ed B. Doug Bell Tom Denly, Denly's R. A. Medina Harold MPCKid Kroll Leo "Paymaster" May Mrs. R.C. Matherne Bill McNease Marcus Turner Larry Ski Fred PK6 Joel Shafer World Wide Ventures John & Nancy Wilson Neil Shafer W. E. Yanchick ----------------------------------------------------- MPC Fest II ----------------------------------------------------- MPC Fest is the annual feast of MPC. After some difficulties of coordination we have not changed the dates and tentatively scheduled 9-11 March 2001 for MPC Fest II. Confirmed participants in MPC Fest II Doug Bell Sam Feeback Al Glaser Phil Goldstein Rod Hardy Wesley Hardy Harold Kroll Jack Lippincott Ian Marshall Larry Smulczenski Bill McNease Leo May Kevin Maloy Marv Mericle Bruce Potter David Seelye Nick Schrier Fred Schwan Dan Swartz Warner Talso (and Jane) Marcus Turner Tom Warburton William E Yanchick Dick Freyser (We are well past last year's participation level. We have doubled that level. Can we triple it, more? If you have made a reservation and your name does not appear above, please contact the gram immediately (MPCgram@yahoo.com). PayPal and PayDirect are available, the associated email address is fred@papermoneyworld.com. It works great. We love it. Tentative schedule as of 15 February 2001 Holiday Inn Express, 50 NE Catawba Road, Port Clinton, OH 43452 Friday March 9 1500-1900 Arrivals at headquarters, registration 1900-2030 no host dinner Chinese take out at service club 2030-2300 bull session in day room 2200 MPC chat, day room (Wiz) 2400 lights out Saturday 0400-0530 physical training, 10k run, 2k swim (depending on ice), optional (first sergeant) 0730-0845 breakfast at dining facility 0900-1000 equipment issue (supply sergeant) 1000-1100 pay operations, orderly room (pay master) 1100-1230 show and tell, session I, day room 1230-1330 catered lunch (Submarine sandwich) 1330-1800 swap session (dealer surcharge, TBD) 1800-1930 spaghetti dinner (mess sergeant) 1930-2030 award ceremony, secret operations 2000-2345 commemorative poker game in day room 2200 MPC chat (simultaneous with poker game, Wiz) 2400 lights out Sunday 0400-0530 physical training, 10k run, 2k swim (depending on ice), optional, (first sergeant) 0830-0900 breakfast at Service Club 0900-1000 research updates 1000-1230 show and tell 1230-1330 pizza at Service Club 1300-1500 field trip to WWII POW camp 1530 closing ceremonies Monday (optional, weather permitting) 0600-0630 breakfast at NCO Club 0700-1400 Walleye fishing trip, optional Remarks: registration is $164, after March 1, $189). This includes two nights lodging (double occupancy, room assignments by first sergeant the only possible exception is married couples), Meals as indicated (Friday evening not included), equipment and amenities. The value of souvenirs and goodies distributed will likely exceed the cost of the entire Fest. Reservations accepted now at MPCGram@yahoo.com, deposits ($50 minimum) accepted at MPC Fest, 132 East Second Street, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452. Confirmed reservations will be listed daily in the gram—make your reservations now! Additional information; the Holiday Inn Express is located at 50 NE Catawba Road, Port Clinton, Oh 43452, you may use one of the online map services to get exact driving directions. DO NOT make your own reservations or inquiries. The best airports in order of distance are Toledo (45 mins), Cleveland (90 mins), Detroit (100 mins). We will try to coordinate ground transportation, but there are no guarantees here. Questions: send your questions to MPCgram@yahoo.com. In most cases the questions will be answered in the letters section of the gram. After all, if you have the question, someone else probably does too. ==================================================== Post/Base Exchange (PX/BX/NEX) Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for items for sale 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. Send in a list of items for sale and we will list them here in the gram. In all cases confirm your order via email first. FOR SALE Retail Merchants Bureau of Boise, Idaho "tokens," $5.00, limit ONE shipped postpaid. (please no checks on this item) WOW!! These are by the way, new, mint, as made, uncirculated or whatever you wish to call them. So in honor of Presidents Day, rush your payment to: Doric C&C POB 911 N Attlebor __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/