============================================== Valkenburg Report ==============================================
ANA’S NATIONAL COIN WEEK HONORED BY PRESIDENT BUSH * * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* ============================================== Schiffer Military History Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ============================================== ==============================================
WESPMEX: 12 -14 April ===================================================
Dealers and resources for collectors: ===================================================
FOR SALE WANTED ===================================================
===================================================
MPC Gram
==============================================
Covering the entire World of Military Numismatics
----------------------------------------------
Series 003 - Number 592
Friday - 12 APRIL 2002
___________________
__322 days to Fest IV__
SHOW REPORT
by Harold Kroll, Marcus Turner
& David Seelye
Greetings from Valkenburg. Harold, David and
myself are crammed into the small office in the Parkhotel Rooding office sending
out this message tonight (it is probably 3:00 p.m. in the states.)
This afternoon marked the first issue of Fest Money issued in
Euros. MPC Fest Overseas Exchange Euros were issued to all Festers and
scholarship donors. The Euros are denominated in 1, 5 and 10 Euros. The
designs are quite simple but contain some exciting security
features. Trading for special serial numbers and replacements has been very
hot over the last few hours. We will wait for further reports from other
attendees on the issues rather than having me ruin it for everyone.
The
use of the (Official) EU Euros is now in effect. As collectors we have been
keeping a close eye on our change looking for Euros from different countries.
Since I flew into Frankfurt Germany I was able to pick up several German
coins and of course the Dutch. Little else has been seen thus far, other than a
single Belgian 1 Euro. Several Italian and Finish mint set have been on
the pre-bourse floor but little else.
The pre-bourse started yesterday
morning and saw its strongest attendance this afternoon. Many dealers and
friends were in attendance including:
Australian Dealers:
John Pettit, Tony James, Trevor
Wilkin,
British Dealers:
Pam
West and Ian Gradon, Phillip Phipps,
Croatian Dealer:
Stojan
Blostonovitch
US Dealers:
Mel
Steinberg, Dave Seelye, Tony Piscotti, and Joel and Neil Shafer
Italian
Dealer:
Walter
Nasi
and a several others from several other countries.
Finds on the
floor have been numerous. I found bought several Yugoslavian Partisans
issues among others.
David Seelye was fortunate enough to purchase a 1943A
AMC lire as well as a nice group of 500 and 1000 lire FALSO notes. We also
found several sheets of Generalgouvernment (Nazi Issued) rations for Ice Cream.
The beginning of the official show at the Geulhal starts tomorrow but is
limited to dealers Tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. The number of dealers
present should triple.
As usual dining has been great. There
is not a bad place to eat in Valkenburg. We will attempt to give more
updates as the show progresses.
FEATURED ARTICLE
by
Steve Bobbitt
E-mail pr@money.org
President George W. Bush has extended his best
wishes to the American Numismatic Association (ANA) for National Coin Week,
April 21-27, 2002. In a statement dated April 1, the President notes that during
National Coin Week, which the ANA has sponsored since 1924, Association members
work to help educate the public on the history that can be found in coins from
yesterday and today. He recognizes that coins, paper money, tokens and medals
are integral in people’s every day lives, and that they give insight into the
development of civilization.
The President
commends those who will be celebrating National Coin Week and this years theme
“Faces of Time,” which focuses on the people whose portraits have graced coins
through the ages. ANA Past President David L. Ganz asked President Bush
for the National Coin Week message. Ganz, who serves as mayor of Fairlawn, New
Jersey, provided a proclamation from that community in recognition of this
special week in numismatics. ANA President John W. Wilson says, “On behalf of
all the members of the ANA, I am pleased to receive the message from President
Bush, and I want to thank my predecessor, David Ganz, for his efforts in
obtaining this important recognition.”
“During
National Coin Week 2002, the ANA wants people to pay attention to their money
and the faces looking back at them,” says ANA Education Director Gail Baker.
“With the United States Mint issuing fresh 50 State quarter designs every 10
weeks, people everywhere are thinking about the images on our money. Holding a
coin from 50, 100 or even 1,000 years ago can start someone on an exciting
journey of discovery into the honor, recognition, politics and power behind the
face that appears on the small piece of round metal. ”The Association is
encouraging its members to join in the National Coin Week celebration by
offering two full scholarships—including airfare, tuition, meals and lodging—to
a future ANA Summer Seminar held in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Two one-week
seminars are conducted each summer with more than 30 classes and more than 10
mini-seminars on a wide variety of fascinating areas, including United States
coin grading; the numismatics of biblical, Roman, Byzantine and American
Revolutionary periods; Asian, English and Mexican coinage; U.S. and world paper
money; and counterfeit detection. Some activities collectors will do during
National Coin Week are:
• Hold an open house at a school or club to talk
about coins and their faces.
• Have several coin club members prepare short
presentations highlighting the person who is portrayed and/or the
artist who created the image.
• Visit the United States
Mint Web site www.usmint.gov to see the faces that
appear and will appear on
circulating, commemorative and bullion coins.
• Mount a National Coin Week exhibit at a library, bank or school.
The ANA presented a special exhibit award for
the best National Coin Week display mounted at the Association’s National Money
Show™ in Jacksonville, Florida, in March. The other scholarship will be
presented this summer to the individual or club report of the best and most
innovative way in which they promoted National Coin Week and the theme “Faces of
Time.” For more information about National Coin Week 2002, contact the
ANA Education Department,
818 N. Cascade Avenue
Colorado
Springs, CO 80903-3279;
telephone: (719) 632- 2646;
fax:
(719)
634-4085;
E-mail: anaedu@money.org
Web Site:
www.money.org
Fatwa on Paper Money - Final Part
by Dave Klinger
Part III:
SOME COMMON FALSE OBJECTIONS TO GOLD &
SILVER AS A MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE
In any debate about gold and silver, certain objections are
repeatedly raised by opponents of monetary freedom, even though those objections
have been refuted many times before. Some of these objections are:
There is not enough gold;
Russia and South Africa, since they are
the principal producers, will benefit;
Gold is subject to undesirable
speculative influences;
Gold will produce instability in prices.
The first objection, that there is not enough gold, is based upon
a misunderstanding of the price of gold. It assumes that the present exchange
ratio between a weight of gold and notes is the exchange ratio that must prevail
when the gold is made a medium of exchange. Such obviously is not the case. To
put it simply, lower prices under gold currency will eliminate the necessity for
larger sums. One could buy a suit that costs 400 paper units with 20 gold
equivalents at a different exchange ratio.
The second
objection, concerning Russia and South Africa is equally groundless. It
could be considered an advantage, in the same way oil or a fertile soil could be
equal, in comparative terms. The amount of gold already taken out of the earth
in the last two thousand years is already superior to the known but unminted
reserves of Russia and South Africa. The unminted reserves of Russia are
estimated to be about 250 million ounces which is less than what the United
States already has in minted reserves. The demand for gold as a medium of
exchange will release the existing hoardings, a process which is already in
vogue in most central banks.
The third objection, that gold is
subject to speculative influence and therefore too unstable to be used as a
medium of exchange, is also false. During the 70's, gold became a major hedge
against inflation. The run-up in gold prices from $35 to $850 per ounce came as
a result of fears about the value of paper-money and developing international
crises. People who object to gold because it is speculative confuse cause and
effect. The real speculation is provoked by an irredeemable paper-money system
and people who logically want to protect themselves from it.
The
fourth objection, says that gold will produce instability in prices.
Comparing prices in gold in the U.S. in 1833 with 1933, just prior to the
abandoning of the domestic gold standard, the index of wholesale commodity
prices increased only 0.9 percent in one hundred years! Since then the index
increased 350% by 1971 when President Nixon, declaring international bankruptcy,
announced that no more gold would be given in exchange for dollars. In the last
twenty years the index has gone up around 400%.
BOOK
REVIEW
by Howard A. Daniel III
The Schiffer Publishing Ltd. company produces a periodical book catalog
that contains references from about the Civil War to the present. There are
many histories of U.S. and foreign military units, and a section on
related
materials. This section has medals, decorations, badges, counterfeits of
Holocaust materials, and patches. There was also a reference about WWII
sweetheart jewelry that reminded me of a love token
and bracelet Fred Schwan
bought at the FUN Show. I did not see "World War II Remembered" or "Military
Payment Certificates" books in the catalog, so I believe the BNR Press should
contact this firm and see that they are listed in their catalogs.
I
believe their book catalogs will be an excellent source of reference for many
Gramsters. The current catalog's title is "Spring 2002 Catalog" and it can
be acquired from their address at:
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
tel: (610) 593-1777
fax:
(610) 593-2002
email: Schifferbk@aol.com.
website: www.schifferbooks.com
==============================================
EDITORIAL
Another big gram today!
We've got a Show
Report, Two nice articles including the article on ANA's National Coin Week and
the final installment on Dave Klinger's Fatwa on Paper Money , and Book Review.
It does sounds like Maastricht is off to a good start! Don't forget to bring
back something for your asistant editor- bribes ARE accepted for expediting
articles. :o) Seriously, I'm looking forward to hearing
more about it - I only wish I had been able to go. Enjoy!
Something I
missed and forgot to mention yestereday: Gram 591 - another Gram / MPC Series
match! Can you believe we are up to 591? Next stop: Gram 611. I'll be here. Will
you?
On to something of a little importantance: I need a little feedback
from you Gram recipients: I would like to know how favorable you all would be
to:
1) Publishing the letters and articles below in alternating colors, to
distinguish them from one another, or:
2) Having one in bold, one normal,
one in bold, one normal, or:
3) A divider between letters such as:
* *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* *
I personally like the
divider, as it won't make you all burn through your color ink cartridges
unneccessarily, as the same with the bold type and black ink cartridges. I
thought I'd ask your opinions and get a little interaction.
Ass't Ed.
MAIL
CALL
Good morning Mr. Asst. Editor Sir:
I must have gone
blind and dumb at the same time (well, some suggest I was born dumb). I cannot
for the life of me find the reference to Series 100 'B' "pre-MPC" items anywhere
in the Third or Fourth Editions of the MPC Reference books. As far as I
can tell, only the 'A' Series 100 is presented. To confirm that 'B'
exists, I went to WWII Remembered and found the Series 100 material
presented on pp. 290-292 \ Allies; with the 'B' material charted on p.292 just
as is the 'A' material elsewhere. What am I missing here-- besides my mind
that is--(I should know better than to give this group and opening like
that)--better yet, where am I missing the reference? Thanks for any assistance.
I probably should look for teeth marks as it is probably right there in front of
me.
Rusty Crawford
Hi Rusty!
"B" type Yen
were never listed in any of the MPC Catalogs... As they were not MPC. They are
AMC. "A" Type Yen are listed in MPC Catalogs because they were used shortly as
an experiment for MPC, then Series 461 was issued.
If you need info on "B"
type Yen, you already know they are listed in WW2 Remembered. Help this solves
your dilemma!
Your Humble Assistant Editor
My thanks
to Larry Smulczenski for alerting me to the existence of the Society of Ration
Token Collectors. Could we have a bit more info on it please, i.e.: does it
cover world or only US ration tokens, how can I join (and do they have overseas
members), what is the cost of the catalog?? In line with Ski's last sentence in
yesterday's Gram, I'm expressing an interest.
Gramme A
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Stamp, Coin and Paper
Money Expo
175 tables
Westchester County Center, Bronx River Pkwy, White
Plains, NY
ANA Seminar: 29 June to 5 July
W.W. II
numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar, July 2002
Session I
Session II (Sunday, 7 July
through Thursday, 11 July, 2002)
general events will return
2003
CPMX 9: 20-23 February,
MPC
Fest IV: 28 Feb - 2 March, Port Clinton, OH
Fest
Registrants: Leo May$$, Tom Warburton, Guido Crapanzano, Harold Kroll, Larry
Smulczenski, Kevin Maloy, Doug Bell, Marcus Turner, Philip M. Goldstein, Jack
Lippincot, Nick Shrier, David Seelye, Joe Boling, Gary Hicks, Fred Schwan, Dick
Freyser.
Running total: 16
$$ = Paid
ANA:
19-22 March, Charlotte, NC
2004
CPMX 10:
26-29 Feb,
MPC Fest V: 5-7 March, Port Clinton, OH
2005
CPMX 11: 24-27 Feb,
MPC Fest VI: 4-6
March, Port Clinton, OH
SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS
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
or contact
Marcus at:
maturner@indy.rr.com
Donors
to 2002 Scholarship Fund:
Dave Amey
Gail
Baker
Keith
and Sue Bauman Ort Cowles
Guido
Crapanzano
Howard
A. Daniel, III
Steve
Feller
Gary
Hicks
Ed Hoffman
Harold
Kroll
Tim
Kyzivat
R.
A. Medina
Leo May
Marv
Mericle
Mr.
691
David
Seelye
Joel Shafer
Neil Shafer
Warner
Talso
Mark
Watson
John & Nancy Wilson
Bill
Yanchick
===================================================
HOT CONTACT LIST
They
deserve your support and patronage!
Name
phone
fax
email
Allens
(614)
882-3937 (614) 882-0662
info@allens.com
American Coins
& Collectibles (800)
865-3562
American Numismatic Ass'n
(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
cjcpi@comcast.net
Guido
Crapanzano
[39]
2-8056228 [39] 2-4459856
Currency Dealer
Newsletter
(310)
515-7369
David F. Cieniewicz
(205)
852-7015
CGC
(602)
493-4758 (602) 494-9103
sales@gradedcurrency.com
Mike
Cummings
(863)
603-9899 (863) 603-9880
mpccoin@hotmail.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
Larry Gibbs
(308)
635-7900
oth@prairieweb.com
Philip M.
Goldstein
(845)
254-MPC1 [6721]
iwantmympc@aol.com or MPC Website
Great Lakes Bank Note Company (419)
732-6683
IBNS
joeboling@aol.com
Essie Kashani
(909)
627-3996 (909) 627-2776
kashani10@aol.com
Lowel Horwdel
(765)
583-2748 (765) 583-4584
horwdel@inshightbb.com
Peter Huntoon
Smithsonian
Research
peter.huntoon@att.net
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
bobreed@rrcoins.net
Fred Schwan
(419)
732-6683 (419) 732-6683
FredSchwan@yahoo.com
David Seelye
(585)
594-1987 (585) 594-2311
coinman@rochester.rr.com
Richie Self
(318)
868-9077
R. M. Smythe
(800)
622-1880 (212) 908-4047
www.smytheonline.com
Mel Steinberg
& Son
(415)
453-9750 (415) 457-4432
melsteinberg@mindspring.com
Military Trader
(800)
334-7165
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)
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
Researcher's 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 Street
Port Clinton, OH 43452
or PayPay using email: fredschwan@yahoo.com
Collector wants All USAFFE and AUSA Free Samar notes All
125th Infantry Regiment and Markings Guerrilla notes. I am also interested in
any and all Guerilla Municipal issues.
WANTED TO BUY: Bulk quantities of
Afghanistan propaganda leaflets or related.
Looking for a Series 641
MPC, any denomination with the serial number J02283151J.
MPC CATALOG CORRECTIONS & ENHANCEMENTS
Page 18, Bottom - Users of Military Payment
Certificates
Check marks were omitted from production copies of books.
Please check off the following:
Australia:
641, 661, 681, 692
Canada:
461 through
and including 591
Korea:
641,
661, 681, 692
New Zealand: 641, 661, 681, 692
Thailand:
641, 661, 681, 692
United States: All
Page 207, #833/4 - Series 481 .25 4th
Printing (table listing serial number breakdowns) line 5
Start
Number is incorrect. It appears as:
(start) D14784001D (end)
D14784000D
Correct start number should be: D09408001D
PK6 (date listed: 03 APRIL 2002)
Page
214, #855/r2 - Series 541 $1 Replacements,
Ending serial number is
incorrect
Correct number is F1112000
(date listed: 02
APRIL 2002)
Page 220, #884/2r - Series 641 .50
Replacements
On page 284, it is broken down into 2 printings. That's
correct, BUT, on page 220 he lists only (1) printing reported. It should "list"
both first and second printings.
Guy Araby (date
listed 04 APRIL 2002)
Page 287, Series 661 Series Summary,
25 cent note: the "list" shows "#CU as 10(7) . It should read, 8(7). As only 8
are known in CU. Just recount P.289.
Guy Araby (date
listed 08 APRIL 2002)
Page 398, Series #541 $10 on
"UNC." price is $2500, on P.214 the UNC. price is $3500. Also the rest of
the prices don't match all the way to "VG" on this issue. They should be the
same price.
Guy Araby (date listed 08 APRIL 2002)
Staff:
Publisher and Editor:
Fred
Schwan -
MPCGram@yahoo.com
Assistant
Editor:
Philip
M. 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
Friday Columnist:
Philip
M. Goldstein
IWANTMYMPC@aol.com
Critic:
Harold
Kroll -
HARBONS@aol.com
Scholarship
Coordinator:
Marcus
Turner -
maturner@indy.rr.com
Fact Checker:
Warner
Talso -
Calendar Coordinator:
John
& Nancy Wilson -
Index Manager:
Ed
Beaman -
ebeaman@sprynet.com
Webmaster & Technical Advisors:
Doug Bell "Wiz" -
doug@papermoneyworld.net
Russ
Walsh -
russ.walsh@gte.net
The Boss:
Judy
Schwan -