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ANA Seminar: 29 June to 5 July 2003 CPMX 9: 20 - 23 February, $$ = Paid ===================================================
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MPC Gram
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Covering the entire World of Military Numismatics
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Series 003 - Number 604
Wednesday - 24 APRIL 2002
___________________
__310 days to Fest IV__
FEATURED
ARTICLE
The Narssarssuaq Canteen Tokens
by Flemming Hansen
At the CPMX Lyn Knight auction, Lot
624 consisted of 4 Greenlandic tokens, whose history, I'll share with you here.
Even before the US actively entered
WWII, the Ministry of Defense (US) had considerations about the best way to
defend North America, and how supplies the easiest way could be sent to Europe.
Greenland was a big part of these considerations, as an enemy with a foothold in
Greenland, would be dangerously close the North-American mainland.
So with DK permission, "The South
Greenland Research-Expedition" started out from Boston on March 17, 1941. The
purpose was to find land for bases and airfields. After some search, it was
realized that the only suitable places, were on the plains of the big glaciers.
In Julianehåb (today: Qaqortoq) the expedition was advised to check the most
inner part of the Tunugdliarfik fjord, by Greenlanders called Narssarssuaq,
which means - The big plain - It was decided to use this place as the primary
airfield, and construction started in June 1941.
In the fall of 1942 the first planes
landed there and in April 1943 it was militarily operational. The official name
for the airfield was "U.S. Army Air Base Narssarssuak" ** a name that was never
used, instead was used the codename "Bluie-West One". This designation was
"invented" by the construction company that built the airfield (and other
military installations in Greenland, each having their code.) In the beginning
these codes were unofficial construction codes, later they became more or less
official.
** Spelling of Narssassuak later changed from k to q at the
end of the name. Spelling with q is the correct spelling today.
When ready for use in April 1943,
there was a landing strip of 5000 feet covered with metal mats, plus two smaller
landing strips, and a string of buildings with different purposes,
administration, hospital, storage, barracks, fire brigade etc. so it could
function as a little town. From April 1943 to the end of WWII, about 950 men
were stationed here, and it did play an important role in the war. But also
after the war as transit airfield for transports back to America. It was busy
with this till 1955.
It also played
a role in the Korean War, as wounded soldiers from Korea was hospitalized here
in a special building little away from the airfield with a capacity of 1000
beds. This hospital functioned for three years. Now demolished. American
involvement in Narssassuaq ended in 1958, mainly because most transatlantic
flights could now be done nonstop. And further military activity was handled
from Thule Air Base.
So from Danish
side it was considered, what to do now? After long thoughts, it was decided to
close the airfield, except for a metrological station, with a crew of 10. It was
the disaster of the cargo and passenger ship "Hans Hedtoft" in January 1959 at
Kap Farvel (Southern tip of Greenland), that caused the reopening of the
airfield. It was decided to start an ice warning service, and this included
planes that were stationed in Narssassuaq. The ice reconnaissance started on
November 30, 1959.
In another way
the airfield regained importance as transit for civilian passengers to Greenland
cities. This traffic boomed with the decline of ocean steamers and the rise of
air traffic. Specially after 1965 when Greenland Air started helicopter services
to the cities along the coast, a passenger congestion occurred at the airfield.
There were housing facilities for transit passengers run by the ministry of
Greenland through "Den Kongelige Grønlandske Handel" (The Royal Greenland
Trade). Eating took place in a different building some distance away. The
Canteen tokens were used here. Handed out at the housing facility and used at
the eating place, "kantinen", as mentioned on the token.
The Arctic Hotel company was founded
on May 8, 1967. Among the shareholders were SAS and Greenland Air. Part of the
hotel is the old American officers mess. Till 1974, the hotel was only open from
June to September and ONLY for tourists. In the fall of 1973 the hotel company
made an agreement with the ministry for Greenland, which meant that a string of
services like providing food and housing quarters for TRANSIT PASSENGERS,
providing food for the airfield staff etc., which till the had been done by the
ministry itself, through the Royal Greenland Trade, was transferred to the hotel
company. This meant the end of use of the tokens.
Another series of
similar tokens were in use in Søndre Strømfjord airfield further up the coast.
==============================================
EDITORIAL
A nice article if I may so so myself. I
remember when I first obtaned my set of Greenland Military tokens a couple of
years ago at the WESTPMEX show. I already wrote about them a while back, but
maybe I'll re-run my letter at a later date.
MAIL
CALL
Hi Gramsters & Joe!
In response to your comment about
the "lone #461 $10" "High Bright paper". That was the first thing I
checked. As a collector - dealer 40 years, I can tell the difference. The note
is a "gem CU" Serial #A20931511A" position #17. My comparison notes are from the
"pack" of 100 (pos.#33's) broken up! I own 4 pieces Choice CU/ centering is
slightly narrow on the bottem margin.
'All' of the $10 #461's show "RED SERIAL
NUMBERS" under the black light. This is a anti-counterfeiting device as used
intentionally. If I recall, in Fred's New Book, there are no known counterfeits
that exhibit the "red characteristic".
Also, the note "smells nice and musky"!!
The way all really new notes smell! Unless they were in a perfumed drawer. Then
they smell nice! No trace of chemicals or bleaching! Also you can hold a note in
the palm of your hand . The note will contract from the heat given off in you
hand. The note will curl up fast if it is "fresh".
So Yes , the note is original.
Also has minor die variations that I have been taking notes on also. There are
many slight die variations in many of the series like in #481 and others I am
studying! There are more to be broken down! Thanks for your comment
Joe!
Guy Araby
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2002
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
WESPMEX: 27 - 28 July
Westchester Paper Money
Exposition - 175 Dealers
Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY
WESPMEX: 11 - 13 October
Westchester Paper Money
Exposition - 100 Dealers
Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY
WESPMEX: 29 November - 1 December
Westchester
Paper Money Exposition - 160 Dealers
Westchester County Center, White
Plains, NY
MPC Fest
IV: 28 Feb - 2 March, Port Clinton, OH
Jack Lippincot, Kevin Maloy, Leo May$$, Fred
Schwan, David Seelye, Nick Shrier, Larry Smulczenski,
Warner Talso,
Marcus Turner, Tom Warburton
ANA: 19-22 March, Charlotte, NC
SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS
Donations are now being accepted for scholarships to
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donations should be sent to:
Military Numismatists
c/o Marcus Turner
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or contact
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Looking for a Series 641 MPC, any denomination
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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 201, Bottom Right - Very last sentence on this
page
Two serial numbers listed for the second printing of
Series 472 .50
cent notes. The first serial number listed is obviously in error as a nine
digit number: C040351392C
Correct Serial Number is:
C04035139C
D Freyser (date listed 10 April 2002)
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)
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