Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web12705.mail.yahoo.com ([216.136.173.242]) by runyon.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id tueqvu.dke.37kbi7f for ; Mon, 5 Nov 2001 23:50:06 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <20011106045005.75681.qmail@web12705.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [205.188.199.52] by web12705.mail.yahoo.com via HTTP; Mon, 05 Nov 2001 20:50:05 PST Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 20:50:05 -0800 (PST) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 479/3 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 479 Tuesday, November 6, 2001 Symposium Report and an Interesting Idea by Joe Boling I guess I won't get back to the Bradbury notes for a couple of weeks; this weekend I was at the Pacific Coast Numismatic Society/California State Numismatic Society educational symposium in San Francisco; next weekend I will be at the IBNS Bank Note Convention and Exhibition in Melbourne. There will be a report after each. There were four speakers in San Francisco. I gave the talk on collecting world counterfeit notes that I have given at the ANA summer seminar and at the IBNS meeting at the ANA convention in 2000. William E. Metcalf, formerly chief curator at the ANS, spoke on "The Mint at Rome," showing how non-numismatic sources can yield information about numismatic subjects. The volume of coinage being turned out of the mint at Rome was phenomenal, as inferred from the sources that he has uncovered (apparently there are few or no mint records or documents specifically describing mint operations and volumes). David Lange talked about Philippine coinage. After bugging Ken Bressett for several years, the PI coinage under US government is now listed in the Red Book. He described and showed slides of the three series of PI coinage (two weight standards before Commonwealth status, then the Commonwealth series), as well as the few commemoratives that were struck before independence. Duane Feisel's topic was California saloon tokens; he is preparing a catalog of them and described some of the problems involved in attributing tokens. One aspect of his book that intrigues me is an estimate of the "certainty of attribution" that will go with each listing. On a scale of 0-4, 0 will represent unknown, or speculative attribution, with 1-4 representing 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% certainty. He did not elaborate on how many pieces of data would be required to reach each of those thresholds; one directory listing for a firm of the name on the token, or a listing for the name and another for the address, or finding a manufacturing order with an example of the token attached, or whatever. In my opinion, 1-4 is too many steps. I would use 0-2, with 0 being no information or wishful thinking/speculation; 1 meaning that some firm information has been found; 2 meaning that multiple corroborating pieces of information have been found, or one incontrovertible attribution (like the manufacturing record I mentioned). There are no end of pieces in SB that such a scale could apply to. Obscure tokens and chits are obvious, but even well-documented series could have such a descriptor for specific aspects of their cataloging, such as whether they were used in specific areas (for example, series xxx MPC used in yyy country). What do you think? 0-2, 0-4, ignore this aspect of cataloging? ============================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------- I immediately liked the concept introduced by Joe above. After thinking about it a little, I ralized that we have used that system (to a limited degree) in the new MPC book (publication pending). Specifially, we are indicating doubtful or speculative information by putting it (the information) in italics. In this case, the doubtful informaiton is primarily values, but the concept is correct. There is some other information reported this way too. Then I thought that possibly we had used the same system in World War II Remembered, but I reviewed the forematter and could not find any reference to this use of italics. Admitedly, the system discussed by Joe is more elaborate, but the italic system is a start. Furthermore, a symbolic system (such as italics), might make such a system even more powerful becuase of the compact, integrated aspect of it. ============================================== Mail Call ---------------------------------------------- Dear Gram, I did not write that article - just found it "floating" around the Internet - from an anonymous writer. Sorry, I should have said that when I sent it to you. But thanks anyway for including it in the Gram - it is a good piece. David Klinger Great article by David Klinger. I have forwarded it to many of my non-veteran friends to back up my feelings about the media coverage. Wars are not pretty (and are not fought fairly) and are not meant to be in a family's living room. What happened to having a clearance and a need to know? Please renew my subscription to the Gram. Moe Letlow Dear Gram, As a fall out of the Summer Seminar, I decided to do research on the Series 681 $1 note as I'm with the Air Force. Back in July, I had sent an email to the Air University library at Maxwell AFB. Here's their response: Dear Mr. Watson Thank you for your request. We do not have any information on Military Payment Certificates, but there is allot of information available on the Internet on these notes, as they are collected by many coin and banknote collectors. They were issued for the use of US military personnel at overseas locations and there were several series that covered the 1960s. The first is Series 591 (25 May 61-1 Jun 64), followed by Series 611 (1 Jun 64-28 Apr 69), Series 641 (31 Aug 65-21 Oct 68), Series 661 (21 Oct 68-11 Aug 69), and Series 651 (24 Apr 69-19 Nov 73). You can locate additional information at the website: hometown.aol.com/IWANTMYMPC/page1.html. A free e-mail newsletter on MPCs is available from MPCgram@yahoo.com. There are many sellers of MPCs, including www.thempcman.net. I hope this information is of some value to you. Even with the incorrect information on when MPC started, I was glad to see that the MPCgram was noted in their response, along with Phil Goldstein's and David Seelye's sites. Unfortunately, it didn't help with my project. Back to the drawing boards. Dear Gram, How many comments about the lack of numbering order of Grams? What is the current best guess on the availability of the new MPC book? Also starting 2 NOV 2001 my area code will change to 585. David Dear Editor, Thanks for the Grams and best regards. Aubrey H., New Bern, NC ================================================ 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, Richard Freyser, Tom Koch, Mark Watson, Bill Yanchick, Doug Bell, Sam Feeback, Bruce Potter, Elmer Smith, Marv Mericle, Wes and Rod Hardy, Fred Schwan {running total 22}] 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) general events will return soon --------------------------------------------------- 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 Spectacular Nazi anti English-American handbill featuring a color illustration of a 5 franc AMC note (face and back). This is SB 161 as illustrated on page 280 of WWII Remembered. In addition to other amazing and wonderful things, somehow the Nazis knew about the Forbes mark on the notes and removed it from the version on this leaflet! AU if there is such a thing as a grade for leaflets like this: $295. Confirm with fredschwan@yahoo.com. All types of payment accepted, paypal preferred using the above email address. Germany 1 pfennig to 2 Marks Army issues page 479 SB 142-147 EF-UNC $85.00 postpaid insured for domestic delivery. coinman@rochester.rr.com 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!? Find a job, post your resume. http://careers.yahoo.com