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MPC Gram

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Covering the entire World of Military Numismatics

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Series 003-Number 562, Friday, February 22, 2002

Finally the Answer

By David Klinger

I was looking at the back design of the $20 note of series 692 - a very unusual looking dam. I went to the MPC Bible to identify the dam - no luck.

Then, I checked www.papermoneyworld.net which listed the dam vignette as being Hoover Dam. Well I've been to Hoover dam, and this is no Hoover dam!

So, I thought I'd spend a few hours and find out just what dam it is. A web search for dams yielded many thousands of sites - so I set to work. After several hours

of searching these dam web pages I soon realized that this needle-in-the-haystack method was not going to work. So, I searched for dam organizations, and quickly

came across a web site for the United States Society on Dams ( www.ussdams.org ). I sent an e-mail to Larry Stephens, the Executive Director, along with a scan of the dam vignette and asked for his help in identifying the dam.

I sent the e-mail last Saturday morning, and in a few hours I had a reply. I thought to myself: "wow this dam guy is fast!" And, what is so critical about his dam job that he works on Saturdays?

His reply was right to the point. He said that the dam was the Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River near Globe, AZ. He also said that it was built by the Bureau of Reclamation and was completed in 1911. Bingo! I was ready to send this info

off to the Gram based on what this dam expert told me. But, then I remembered how critical our Editor-in-Chief can be, so I decided to continue to find independent verification of these dam facts.

A specific web search for Theodore Roosevelt Dam yielded 270 web sites, many with pictures and many interesting facts about the dam. I'll share a few with you. First, because of the unusual design of the dam it was not a problem to verify from many pictures that I had the right dam. I downloaded some of these pictures and would be glad to send them on to any of you who might want to see them.

The web page which captures the most on one page is: www.usbr.gov/cdams/dams/theodoreroosevelt.html

Be sure to click on "Post Card..." to see the view of the dam which most closely resembles the dam vignette, except for the model T Ford on the dam road.

Anyway, it was President Teddy Roosevelt who signed the National Reclamation act in 1902. That started the largest dam building project in US history - to include Roosevelt Dam.

The dam was started in 1903 and was the first major project under this act. It was a masonry dam, or as the engineers call it a "rubble-masonry, arch-gravity dam". This just means that it was made of dolomite blocks, rather then poured concrete.

It's unique cyclopean-masonry, thick arch designed earned it a listing on the National Registry of Historic Places.

The original name of the dam was simply Salt River Dam #1. When it was dedicated in 1911 Teddy Roosevelt was there and gave the keynote speech. I have several pictures of that.

The name wasn't changed to Theodore Roosevelt Dam until 1959. By the way it is only about 75 miles N-E of Phoenix, So, I plan to visit there on a dam trip, next month.

The movement toward hydroelectric power was underway, and by 1940, 40% of the nation's power (75% in the West) was hydroelectric. Of course now we have the environmental extremists who are trying to rip down the dams in order to

save the freckled-faced-fagot-fish, or whatever.

Back to the dam. In 1911 this was the largest masonry dam

in the world. In the 1980s the dam was renovated under the Safety of Dams program. The original masonry dam was encased in poured concrete and raised in height by 70'. That change wasn't completed until 1996. So the renovation took much longer than the original construction and cost much more! So what's new?

Well, now you have the whole dam story. Next, who engraved the dam vignette?

BNR Special MPC Issue on the Street

Gramsters have struck a blow for their beloved. The March Bank Note Reporter is being delivered. It is full of MPC material. This special MPC issue is the result of a direct assault by MPC fans. The next special BNR MPC special issue will be February 2003. Do not mention this to any BNR staff, but do make plans to submit appropriate editorial or advertising material.

Here is a summary of the MPC comments.

page 12 FEST notice

page 20 4th ed article news release

page 27 full page ad 4th ed from BNR Press

page 44 multipage article on multiprint replacements photos by Schwan

page 60-1 2 page ad from David Seelye

page 82 multipage article about MPC in Knight sale with Korea 1 50 cent, Thai 3 $5.00 illustrated

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Editorial

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Great job! The matter of identification of this damn dam was discussed at length in the Gram, but possibly before you subscribed. As these things will go, I sure would like to have included this in the new book, but it is now the first fact for MPC5!

Now that I think of it, David Klinger should be coming to the Fest. What do you say David?

Festers, we still need some information for the company roster. Please, immediately check the company roster for spelling of your name and home town. Also check the number of Fests, I was embarrassed to discover that I had a mistake on an original Fester in that area!

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Mail Call

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Long Beach, Report.

A truly great day.....80 degrees, in Southern Cal. But, not only was the weather nice.

I was able to see the, Leo May Collection. Lynn Knight Currency Auctions, was there...I didn't see Mr. Knight, or Mr. Shafer.......OOOHHH The Notes !! I viewed most of the 138 lots...."WOW"

I considered it a privilege to view, up close these superior beauts...let alone to bid & win one or two or three.

It made my day !! I came home with 28 asst.. MPC, two of which I scanned....Kinda interesting....the things I look for !! These two notes, together cost less than it did to park. The two hour drive home, down the California

coast, as the sun was setting in the pacific....near Camp Pendleton. "WoW"

Did I Mention.... I was able to see the, Leo May Collection !!! "WOW" What a truly great day !!

Ed Beaman

http://home.sprynet.com/~ebeaman/LBNotes.JPG

Dear Ed,

Sounds like a really great trip. Thanks for posting the illustrations. That is a wonderful error note. The 472 fractionals are prone to the error that you have found, but they are far from common. One similar example exists on a replacement!

Ed, too bad, you could have looked at the Leo May collection while at Long Beach!

Editor

Dear Editor:

As for Johnston Island, I work for a government contractor. The population is approximately around 900 now. Soon to be smaller as we are preparing for closure in the next couple or three years. Right now another contractor is finishing up on their job of destroying chemical weapons. As it looks now the timing will be perfect to coincide with my retirement. That may or may not make a lot of people happy.

Sorry there is no military banking facility here. Right now there are 5 flights that come to or through the island but the prices have increased dramatically making it tough for some of the lower salaried personnel to get off the island in between their regular vacation. I won't be able to make it to the Fest this year but I will try and make plans for it next year. Will it be the same time frame and have you decided where it will be??

(Barnacle) Bill Lovell

Dear Barnacle Bill,

Wonderful, we look forward to having you for Fest IV! It will be at about the same time next year. Basically, it will be the weekend after CPMX. We will enter you on the advance reservations for next year.

Editor

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Departments

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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.

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Special "MPC" events

March 2002 8-10 - MPCFest III –

Fest II Company Roster

Name Fests MPC events hometown

Bell, Doug 3 3 Duncan, Oklahoma

Bows, Ray 1 1

Chambliss, Carlson 1 1 Kutztown, PA

Cummings, Mike 1 1

Feeback, Sam 2 3 Lawton, OK

Frey, Ed 1 1

Freyser, Richard 2 2

Glaser, Al$$$ 2 2 San Diego, CA

Goldstein, Phil 3 3

Hardy, Wes 2 2

Hardy, Rod 2 2

Hicks, Gary 2 2

Koch, Tom 1 1

Kroll, Harold 3 4 Owatonna, MN

Lippincott, Jack 3 3 Fargo, ND

Maloy, Kevin 3 4

Marshall, Ian 2 2

McNease, Bill 2 2

Mericle, Marv 3 3

Potter, Bruce 2 2 Bartlesville, OK

Ryan, Gene 1 1 Monett, MO

Schrier, Nick 3 3

Schwan, Fred 3 4 Port Clinton, OH

Seelye, David 2 2

Smith, Elmer 2 2 Berne, IN

Smulczenski, Larry 3 3

Talso, Warner 2 3 Albuquerque, NM

Turner, Marcus 3 3

Walsh, Russ$$ 1 1 Dallas, Texas

Watson, Mark$$ 1 2

Yanchick, Bill$$ 2 3

[Fest reservations for Fest IV: Guido Crapanzano, Tom Warburton, (Barnacle) Bill Lovell, Harold Kroll, Fred Schwan]

Fest registration is $149 including lodging, meals, activities, and assorted goodies. Single occupancy is available for an additional $50. Payments may be sent via snail mail to MPCFest/Fred Schwan, 132 E. Second St., Port Clinton, OH 43452 or (preferred except for credit card payment) via paypal using email address fredschwan@yahoo.com. Thank you very much.

Three airports are reasonably available for the Fest. In order of proximity they are:

Toledo

Cleveland

Detroit (Metro)

All three are reasonable. If you can arrive early enough AND coordinate it well ahead, every attempt will be made to pick you up at the airport to save on rental cars. Festers are encouraged to coordinate among themselves for rides. We will also run notices in the Gram and, finally, we will try to coordinate for Festers to run pickups from Fest central.

June 29 to July 5

W.W.II numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar, July 2002

Session I (June 29 through July 5, 2002)

Session II (Sunday, July 7 through Thursday, July 11, 2002)

general events will return

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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 maturner@indy.rr.com

or

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

Joel Shafer

Ed Hoffman

Howard A. Daniel, III

Keith and Sue Bauman

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Hot Contact List

Below is the BNR Press Hot Contact List. This list serves several functions. Obviously it is an outreach by the dealers listed for your business. Most of them buy and sell MPC. Others organize shows or publish periodicals. They have supported the new Comprehensive Catalog of Military Payment Certificates with their advertising. They deserve your support and patronage.

Secondly, this is a draft from the book that participating dealers should check for correctness. Finally, dealers who are not on it and want to can still get their ads in if they act promptly. Respond to this email or call (419) 732-6683.

We are sorry if the format is a little messed up here in the Gram, we are not sure of how to fix it!

Hot Contact List

Dealers and resources for collectors

Name/phone/fax/email

Allens (614) 882-3937 (614) 882-0662 info@allens.com

American Coins & Collectibles (800) 865-3562

American Numismatic Association (800) 367-9723 ana@money.org

Bob Baker (713) 864-3122

Ken Barr (408) 272-3247 ken@kenbarr.com

Fred Bart (810) 979-3400

Dick Balbaton (508) 699-2266 (508) 643-1154 RJBalbaton@AOL.com

Keith and Suzanne Bauman (248) 262-1514 tnaksbauman@earthlink.net

Joe Bissell (602) 440-0442 (602) 494-9103

BNR Press (419) 732-6683 (419) 732-6683 fredschwan@yahoo.com

Remy Bourne (800) 789-7070 (763) 789-4747

Ed Carne (614) 882-3937 (614) 882-0662 info@allens.com

Champion Stamp (212) 489-8130 (212) 581-8130

Cookie Jar Collectibles (301) 604-9225 cjc-pi@home.com

Guido Crapanzano [39] 2-8056228 [39] 2-4459856

Currency Dealer Newsletter (310) 515-7369

David F. Cieniewicz (205) 852-7015

Currency Grading & Certification (602) 493-4758 (602) 494-9103 sales@gradedcurrency.com

Cygnet Charters (419) 734-2422

Ray Czahor (301) 604-9225 cjcpi@comcast.net

Doric Coins & Currency (508) 699-2266 (508) 643-1154

FUN (407) 321-8747

Phil Goldstein (845) 254-MPC1 (6721) IWANTMYMPC@AOL.COM

Great Lakes Bank Note Company (800) 793-0683

David Cieniewicz (256) 852-7015

Mike Cummings (863) 603-9899 (863) 603-9880 mpccoin@hotmail.com

Great Lakes Bank Note Company (419) 732-6683

International Bank Note Society joeboling@aol.com

Essie kashani (909) 627-3996 (909) 627-2776 kashani10@aol.com

Great Lakes Bank Note Company (419) 732-6683

Lowel Horwdel (765) 583-2748 765 583-4584 horwdel@inshightbb.com

Lyn Knight (800) 243-5211

Krause Publications (715) 445-2214 (715) 445-4087 bnr@krause.com

Harold Kroll (251) 649-5134 HARBONS@AOL.com

Leo May (305) 271-8391 LeoMayent@aol.com

Ian Marshall (416) 445-0286 (416) 445-0286 iam@total.net

Memphis Coin Club (901) 757-2515

MPCGram (419) 732-6683 MPCGram@Yahoo.com

Bob Reed (504) 361-5684

Fred Schwan (419) 732-6683

David Seelye (585) 594-1987 (585) 594-2311

R. M. Smythe (800) 622-1880 (212) 908-4047

Military Trader (800) 334-7165

Fred Schwan (419) 732-6683 (419) 732-6683 FredSchwan@Yahoo.com

Richie Self (318) 868-9077

Mel Steinberg & Son (415) 453-9750 (415) 457-4432 melsteinberg@mindspring.com

Scott Winslow Associates (603) 472-7040 (603) 472-8773 scott@scottwinslow.com

George Warner (307) 672-3700

Pam West [44] 0208 641 3224 [44] 0208 641 3224 pamwestbritnotes@compuserve.com

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

Your advertisement of material for sale (related to military money collecting) will be accepted for this section at no charge as a public service.

Fourth edition Comprehensive Catalog of Military Payment Certificates by Fred Schwan shipping about March 5. Order yours now.

Standard edition (400 pages!) $50

Collectors’s Edition (432 pages!) $95

Researchers’ Edition (432 page, 46 produced, limited to availability) $125

All orders plus $4 shipping per order (NOT per book). Send snail mail payment to BNR Press, 132 E. Second St., Port Clinton, OH 43452 or PayPay using email fredschwan@yahoo.com.

ALLIED MILITARY CURRENCY FOR JAPAN, SERIES 100, 'A' YEN

P-62 10 sen F $6, F/VF $8, VF $10, VF/XF ph $15, XF slight stain
$17.50, CU $37.50

P-64 50 sen VG $4, F $6, F/VF $8, VF $10, VF/XF $15, AU $25, 
AU/CU $35, CU $45

P-66 1 YEN  VG/F $5, F $7, F/VF $9, VF $12, VF/XF $15, XF $20, 
XF/AU $25, AU $30

P-68 5 YEN  VG/F $20, F $30, VF $40,

P-70 10 YEN F $40, F/VF $50, VF $75, minor paper clip stain on 
Face XF $150

P-72 20 YEN VG $100, minor stains VF $150, VF $200

Shipping is $2.50 per order. If insurance coverage is desired, the fee 
Is extra.

Please confirm availability: hoffman@rabbitbrush.com

MPC for sale:

Series 481 5 Cents 1st printing F 2.00

Series 481 5 Cents 1st printing VF 4.00

Series 481 5 Cents 1st printing EF 9.00

Series 481 5 Cents 1st printing EF-A.UNC 15.00

Series 481 5 Cents 1st printing CH.UNC 30.00

Series 481 5 Cents 2nd Printing F 2.50

Series 481 5 Cents 2nd printing VF 4.00

Series 481 5 Cents 2nd Printing EF 10.00

Series 481 5 Cents 2nd printing A.UNC 22.50

Series 481 5 Cents 2nd printing CH. UNC 30.00

Series 481 5 Cents 3rd printing F-VF 3.25

Series 481 5 Cents 3rd printing VF 4.00

Series 481 5 Cents 3rd Printing EF 10.00

Series 481 5 Cents 3rd printing EF-A.UNC 20.00

Series 481 5 Cents 3rd printing CH.UNC 35.00

Series 481 5 Cents 4th printing VF 6.00

Series 481 5 Cents 4th printing EF 10.50

Series 481 5 Cents 4th printing A.UNC 22.50

Series 481 10 Cents 1st printing F 2.50

Series 481 10 Cents 1st printing VF 4.50

Series 481 10 Cents 1st printing EF 15.00

Series 481 10 Cents 1st printing EF-A.UNC 24.50

Series 481 10 Cents 1st printing CH.UNC 38.00

Series 481 10 Cents 2nd printing F 2.50

Series 481 10 Cents 2nd printing VF 4.50

Series 481 10 Cents 2nd printing EF 20.00

Series 481 10 Cents 3rd printing F-VF 4.00

Series 481 10 Cents 3rd printing VF+ 15.00

Series 481 10 Cents 3rd printing EF 21.00

Series 481 10 Cents 3rd printing CH. UNC 45.00

Series 481 10 Cents 4th printing gr VF 30.00

Series 481 10 Cents 4th printing VF 40.00

Series 481 10 Cents 4th printing AU-UNC 90.00

Please confirm at 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.

Collector wants 481 .25 center, VF position # 1, if you have one for sale, advertise it in the Gram

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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 – ski@prodigy.net

critic: Harold Kroll – HARBONS@aol.com

scholarship coordinator – Marcus Turner maturner@indy.rr.com

fact checker: Warner Talso

index manager: Ed Beaman

webmaster & technical advisor -- Doug Bell - (Wiz): doug@papermoneyworld.net

The Boss: Judy Schwan