Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web12703.mail.yahoo.com ([216.136.173.240]) by osgood.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id tstcff.q5o.37kbi1v for ; Thu, 18 Oct 2001 06:41:51 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <20011018102028.45096.qmail@web12703.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [205.188.199.162] by web12703.mail.yahoo.com via HTTP; Thu, 18 Oct 2001 03:20:28 PDT Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2001 03:20:28 -0700 (PDT) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 462/3 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 462 Thurski, October 18, 2001 Collectorama Show Report by Larry "Ski" Smulczenski I had a chance to drive down to Lakeland, Florida to attend the Collectorama Show last weekend. Collectorama is somewhat like the Long Beach Show except on a smaller scale. Both are held twice a year and dealers with all types of collectibles can be found there. Naturally there are the normal coins, paper money and stamps; but then there are postcards, matchbook covers, magazines, maps, and just plain stuff. Its always a thrill to go see what kind of esoteric item you can find to compliment your notes. I have found POW camp newspapers , postcards with pictures of ships that have issued scrip, war bond pamphlets and matchbook covers from camps, posts and bases to name just a few. This year attendance seemed to be down, both in the number of dealers and in the number of visitors walking the floor. I was only there on Friday, so I don't know if attendance picked up on Saturday or not. Lakeland is midway between Tampa and Orlando on highly traveled Route 4. There are thousands of collectors in that part of Florida and a high percentage of them are retirees, so a weekday should not limit attendance, but the people weren't there. Could this be a sign that folks are staying home because of the terrorist threat? Let's hope not, but it is possible that some folks that fly to shows will think twice about having to go through extensive searches of their stock before getting on an airliner. That could explain some dealers not coming to a show, but what about the collectors? Could there be some financial concerns? We hear about layoffs by major companies that are putting thousands of people out of work. The stock market decline has left many senior citizens with paper loses in their retirement funds. Does this indicate that people are watching their discretionary funds a little more closely until the world situation stabilizes? It could be. There were a number of dealers that had MPC and Military notes. David Amey was there and had a nice set of 691's in his case. He also had a great group of nice condition MPC that he picked up at the Strasburg show. It's always a pleasure to go through David's stock because even the notes that I don't collect are great to look at because of the their condition and appearance. David does like to stock and sell the good-looking notes. Mike Cummings had a table right across the aisle. Beside some nice MPC, he had some of the best looking Korean MPC Coupons that I've ever seen. As most of you know, MPC coupons usually come in lower grades, but these were nice conditioned notes for this series. Gary Brown also had a couple of tables at the show. Gary always has a good assortment of MPC and many other notes. You name it, Gary will root around and many times he comes up with it. Many of the other dealers had a smattering of MPC. I saw one dealer with a couple hundred 641 $10's. Then there was a lot of the exonumia that I mentioned above to look at. So all in all, it was a lot of fun looking and talking, but not the large crowd of previous years. ============================================== Editorial ----------------------------------------------- News has just come through that the New York International has found a new home. For the past several years the show has been held IN the World Trade Center. That fact is what made the attacks very personal for me and many other numismatists. I and many other collectors and dealers from around the world spent hundreds of hours inside those buildings. The show has been rescheduled for January (details below). At press time I do not know if there will be an attempt in the future to get it back into December, but I hope so and encourage Kevin Foley and the other decision makers to figure out a way to reinstitute the traditional December date. New York is fun in December with lots of activity on the streets. In January it will be just another show. I will try to attend in January this year and in the future, but hope that we can have it back in December. Here is the show information. It will be integrated into the show information. New York International Numismatic Convention, January 19-20, 2002, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, NY, Kevin Foley, P.O. Box 573, Milwaukee, WI 53201, Telephone 414-421-3484 or Fax 414-423-0343. ============================================== Mail Call ----------------------------------------------- Dear Gram, I respectfully decline the series 641 assignment in favor of Phil. However I will volunteer for the Series 521 assignment. David Seelye Dear David, I must have had a brain cramp. Phil G., Mr. 641, is clearly and obviously the choice to do the 641 article. Now that I am thinking of it, I want to figure out a way to skip 150 issues to get to whatever he will come up with. So, Phil, will you take the mission? While I was at it, I forgot to think of a perfect candidate for Series 591. Ray Czahor is Mr. 591. Heck, that is the ONLY series that he collects (so far). Ray, will you investigate 591 for us? Probably I goofed up some others too by commission or omission. Please help. Hit me between the eyes with an email and volunteer for a series. Even if it has been assigned it is likely that the previous assignment can be changed. Editor Dear Editor, Some time ago, someone who wanted to keep hard copies of the Gram on file, worried about copying all the material that is repeated each week. I meant to make this suggestion then, but with all the computer experts around thought better of it, but someone local made the same comment to me about another newsletter. Here's the idea for the Gram, I first read it to see if I want it or not. If it does not happen to have good reference material (and it doesn't ALWAYS have some) I copy the first page only. That ensures my file is complete. If reference material is available, I copy just the first three pages, look to see if that has reached, "Departments" (where all the repetitive material begins to appear), and if so, I'm done. If I still need to copy more of the GOOD stuff, I do so just one page at a time till I have it all. You may not think this worth printing, and you are the editor. Bill Murray P. S. I hope you took good care of the Boss. ================================================ Departments ------------------------------------------------- Calendar of events for Gramsters maintained by Howard Daniel, Nancy and John Wilson and Gram staff, last updated September 7, 2001 show reports are requested on all events. Even if it was not a great show, there must be something to report. What and whom did you see? Market activity? Share your observations and thoughts with Gramsters everywhere. ---------------------------------------------------- Special "MPC" events March 2002 8-10 - MPCFest III - reservations in order received: Guido Crapanzano, Harold Kroll, Larry Smulczenski, Gary "Got any fours" Hicks, Tom Warburton, David Seelye, Jack Lippincot, Phil Goldstein, Warner Talso, Nick Schrier, Tom Koch, Mark Watson, Bill Yanchick, Doug Bell, Sam Feeback, Bruce Potter, Elmer Smith, Marv Mericle, Fred Schwan {running total 19}] W.W.II numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar, July 2002 Session I (Sunday, June 30 through Thursday, July 4, 2002) Session II (Sunday, July 7 through Thursday, July 11, 2002) --------------------------------------------------- Donations are now being accepted for scholarships to the 2002 "Military Money" course at the 2002 ANA Summer Seminar. Inquiries and donations should be sent to: Military Numismatists c/o Marcus Turner 8103 East US Highway 36 Suite 163 Avon, IN 46123 Donors to 2002 Scholarship Fund Steve Feller Harold Kroll R. A. Medina Guido Crapanzano David Seelye Leo May Warner Talso Marv Mericle Mark Watson Gail Baker ==================================================== 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 Following chits for sale (each comes with color copy of chit book cover): 1. VMR 153 COM Officer's Club, Air Base II, Tsingtao China, $1.00 booklet, Serial 197. .05, .10 chits (3/4" x 1 7/8"). - $20.00 for pair. Used 1946-49. indigenous printer. 2. U. S. Marine Corps North China, Officer Club Chit Book, Tsingtao China, 5.00 booklet, serial 13362 , .05, .10, .25, .50 chits.( 2" x 1"), $35.00 for all four. Used 1946-49. printer Hancock Bros. S.F. 3. Pacific Fleet Commissioned Officers Mess, Navy 3245, 2.00 booklet, serial 2514, .05, .25. (7/8" x 2") $20.00 for pair. Navy 3245 was Saipan Island. printer Hancock Bros. S.F.. 4. 1st Battalion - 5th Marines, Commissioned Officers Mess, Tangku China, 5.00 booklet, serial 448, .05, .10, .25 (2 1/2" x 7/8") $35.00 for all three.. Used 1946-49. printer A. J. Serobrennikoff Printers 5. U.S.F.E.T. (U. S. Forces European Theater), HQ Command Officers Club Coupon Book. serial 23449. 1/2M, 1M , (1" x 2"). $25.00 for pair. unknown German printer 6. Commissioned Officers' Mess Naval Air Base - Agana, Guam, 10.00 booklet serial C2753, .05, .10, .25 (2" x 15/16") 20.00 for three. Hancock Bros. S.F. 7. Commissioned Officers' Mess, Marine Corp Recruit Depot, San Diego. 5.00 Booklet serial B046427, .05, .10 (15/16" x 2"), 15.00 for pair. Globe Ticket Co. Los Angeles. 8. COM Marianas Commissioned Officers' Mess, 5.00 booklet, serial 14701, .05, .10,. .25 (15/16 x 2") 20.00 for three. Hancock Bros. S.F. 9. Peiping Officers' Club, Peiping China. 5.00 booklet, serial B528. .05, .10, .25 (9/16 x 2"), 40.00 for three. Hancock Bros. S.F. (Interesting paper - watermarked Protected Ticket Paper as anti-counterfeiting device) 10. Pacific Fleet Commissioned Officers' Mess, Navy no. 3923. 2.00 booklet serial 06223. N in Navy on cover is inverted (very unique error piece). .05, .10 (1' x 2"). 50.00 for pair. unknown local printer. Please email Tom Koch at kochfam@gte.net - Also willing to trade for WWII era Pacific Theater Navy chits. Particularly interested in chits with Navy number only (similar to item 3 and 10 above). WANTED 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 or sale in the above section. This is a trial, if you like it, send your list. =================================================== Staff: publisher and editor: Fred Schwan - MPCGram@Yahoo.com; assistant editor - Phil Goldstein IWANTMYMPC@aol.com distribution manager - Brad Peacock bp22@swbell.net Tuesday columnist Joe Boling – JoeBoling@aol.com Thurski columnist Larry “Ski” Smulczenski –skifla@prodigy.net critic: Harold Kroll - MPCKid@AOL.com; index manager: Ed Beaman webmaster & technical advisor: Doug Bell - (Wiz): doug@papermoneyworld.net; 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. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. http://personals.yahoo.com