Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web12705.mail.yahoo.com ([216.136.173.242]) by bissell.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id tuk2ng.e40.37kbi66 for ; Wed, 7 Nov 2001 23:32:47 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <20011108043246.37973.qmail@web12705.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [205.188.198.29] by web12705.mail.yahoo.com via HTTP; Wed, 07 Nov 2001 20:32:46 PST Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 20:32:46 -0800 (PST) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 480/3 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 480 Wednesday, November 7, 2001 London Purchases by Fred Schwan Well, after sharing my travel adventures (and misadventures), it is now time to share some of my finds at the London show! I described the 64th Engineers chit booklet from England. Next in my pile is a two shilling Government of Malta SB 4203 (page 239). Yawn, you say. As you probably know or can easily see, this note comes in two signature varieties and two paper varieties. I especially like the watermark, but this piece does not have the watermark. Amazingly, it does not have the signature either. That's right, this is an error without the signature. As errors go, this is both wonderful because the note is striking without the signature and it is sorta routine in that emergency notes might be expected to have such errors. Having said that I must say that I have seen some notes with the signatures doubled, but never before with the signature missing. I bought the note because of the error. Unfortunately, the seller had also noticed the error and charged appropriately for it. When I got home, the note got a little more interesting. The serial number is A/1 996833. This is substantially higher than the highest number reported for the Pace signature (A/1 445267) and much lower than the lowest reported for Cuschieri (A/2 049522). The Cuschieri numbers probably started at A/2, but it is not at all clear that the Pace numbers finished the A/1 block. This note without signature might be trying to tell us something. If you have any numbers that will help fill this range in, we sure would like to hear of them. Next time more treasures. ============================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------- Well, we thought that we had the new automail system working just right, but now I am not so sure. Many of you reported that the message that Doug Bell sent you came throught just fine. Others said that it was completely garbled. We will attempt to send this Gram via the "normal" means AND the new system. Keep your fingers crossed! ============================================== Mail Call ---------------------------------------------- Gentlemen, Just to add a little more confusion to the consideration of serial number colors, I have a 2s 6d wmk paper w/o security thread serial No. DD/8 088157 in what I would call a deep lilac (effectively the same color as the writing on the note) - thus neither red or black. My 5s notes, wmk paper w/o security thread, are serial No. CD/1 122123 in a very similar, but perhaps slightly darker, shade to the 2s 6d note described above; and CD/1 122499 in red. The red is a bit darker than the serial No. on my P-M20a specimen, but definitely a brighter red than on my P-M19a. As for slabbing notes, I guess its OK for a novelty item or a paper weight, but can one be sure slabbing doesn't damage the note? What about resale - would removal of the note from a slab cause damage? Could it continue to be regarded as Unc if so? Also, it has been known for notes to be cleaned with certain chemicals which are very efficient in removing dirt, but unfortunately weaken the note's fibres over time (perhaps largely destroying the note in the process). These chemicals can often impart a distinctive smell to the note, which would be very difficult to detect if slabbed. Count me in with the anti-slabbers. Gramme A. I have not been able to find any information on the emergency issued North Africa notes in WWII Remembered. I found the section on the Hawaii overprints, but no N.A. info. I am looking for the various block numbers and quantities delivered. Regards Al Dear Al, You can find the (US) North African issues on page 401 of Remembered. There is some information there that you will not find in other books. The difficulty that you had in finding these issues when you found the HAWAII issues points out the most significant difference between this catalog and the others. To other catalogers, these two issues are very similar--they were both emergency issues of the war. True enough, but since the whole darn (heavy) book is emergency issues of the war, we look at things differently. To us (Boling and Schwan) the North Africa issues were army issues, that is they were created to pay the troops in overseas areas. The HAWAII issues were created for different purposes although they too were ultimately used for troop pay. While our arrangement has been and continues to be a bit controversial and requires some effort on the part of the user, we continue to belive that it is the best arrangement for our particular work. As always, we welcome comments and criticism. Editor ================================================ 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 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