Club News

60 Years Is Too Long To Be Without a Logo

The Saint John Coin Club of New Brunswick, Canada, formally celebrated the 60th anniversary of its 1959 founding at a special reception hosted on the eve of its annual coin show, which was held on May 26. Coincident with celebrating its 60th anniversary, the club had held a design contest to develop an official logo, according to the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association’s May 2019 issue of its RCNA NumisNotes monthly electronic newsletter.

Having gone without a logo for 60 years, it was determined that the logo’s centerpiece should be a representation of the 19th century sailing ship Marco Polo, built in Saint John, which, for a time, laid claim to being “the fastest ship in the world.” In commemoration of their anniversary, the club came up with a wooden nickel issue that represents the Marco Polo logo on the obverse and the anniversary information on the reverse. There were 225 examples of the issue created with blue print, along with a limited edition of just 25 examples in red. Info: easternpassage@hotmail.com

ALASKA: The Fairbanks Coin Club’s monthly Minutes newsletter for April 2019 provided the latest report on the progress of its initiative, driven by member Dick Hanscom, to gain circulation release of the 2020 Native American $1-coin honoring Elizabeth Petratorovich on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act.

Alaska’s legislature has enacted a bill calling on the mint to provide two-million examples of the issue for distribution through the state’s banking system. Alaska officially observes Feb.14 as Elizabeth Petratorovich Day.

A group of youngsters from a local 4-H Club recently visited legislators in Juneau as part of its Youth in Governance Program to promote the initiative, their travels to the state capital being led by Jan Hanscom, with a planned trip ahead to Washington, D.C., to visit the state’s delegates at the federal level as well. Info:fairbankscoinclub@gmail.com

CALIFORNIA: A five-point outline of recommendations – The Backbone of Organized Numismatics – for enhancing the appeal of local coin clubs was presented in the January 2019 issue of NCNA Heads and Tales, the quarterly newsletter of the Northern California Numismatic Association newsletter, by editor Michael S. Turrini.

First, start the meeting on time; Second, finish before 9:00 p.m.; Third, provide healthy refreshments; Fourth, emphasize membership sharing with programs and show-n-tells; Fifth, good and welfare, sharing updates on the health, well-being and news of fellow members. “The objective,” Turrini notes, “is to enhance local club meeting’s enjoyment and education, onto and for all members and also visitors.” Info:emperori@juno.com

ILLINOIS: In honor of its centennial, the Chicago Coin Club has inaugurated the CCC Hall of Fame under the leadership of Robert Leonard, to recognize “some of the prominent numismatists among its ranks over the past century.” In the January 2019 monthly Chatter newsletter, it was announced that J. Henri Ripstra, creator of many of the club’s early medal issues, is the first inductee. One member will be announced each month during 2019, forming the “Inaugural Class,” after which “the club’s board will develop the criteria for future membership, along with all of the other tasks in support of this endeavor.”

The anniversary planning committee has announced intentions to strike limited edition medals, one for the anniversary banquet in August, and an official 100th anniversary issue, along with a special commemorative for the 1,200th meeting in January, and a souvenir sheet for the club’s Saturday ANA convention meeting in August. Info:www.ChicagoCoinClub.org

NEW MEXICO: The Albuquerque Coin Club’s spring show was a record breaker according to a report carried in the May 2019 issue of their monthly Pocket Change newsletter. The show was held on April 5-7 at a new venue, the Marriott Pyramid Hotel, with all tables sold and occupied by dealers drawn from six states. Attendance was recorded as 700 paid admissions, including 64 weekend passes, and 105 kids.

The success was attributed in no small part to “the sweat of 34 volunteers” ranging from show chair Rod Frechette to Steve Acre who shouldered set up and tear down crew responsibilities. Their fall show is scheduled for the same venue on November 15-17. Info:philvitale@msn.com

OKLAHOMA: The Oklahoma Numismatic Association announced in the January-March 2019 issue of its quarterly Mint Luster that its fall 2019 show, hosted in Tulsa by the Magic Empire Coin Club, is taking the leap of committing to larger, more expensive quarters. The show will be held at the Stoney Creek Hotel conference center on Sept. 6-8; for more than 20 years it has been hosted at the Elks Lodge.

In recent years many dealers have been turned away due to space limitations at the Elks Lodge. President Russell Doughty observed; “the decision to move was made purely from a desire to increase the number of tables and provide a more spacious atmosphere for the dealers and attendees.” Info:brianmiller3732@at.net

REGIONAL: The historical background, myth and Numismatic Brotherhood of St. Eligius, the Patron Saint of Numismatists, is featured in the Winter 2018-19 issue of The Centinel, the Central States Numismatic Society’s quarterly journal, a presentation authored by Scott E. Douglas.

Included are illustrations and documentation for an associated selection of celebratory medals issued by knights of the Saint Eligius Numismatic Brotherhood (established late 1980s). Individuals so honored are deemed to have contributed beneficially good works embracing the field of numismatics. Born in France (588-660 AD), Eligius became a skilled moneyer, a member of the royal court, and master of the mint at Marseille under emperor Clotaire II (584-629 AD). Info:scott.douglas@sumpatico.ca

A recent U. S. Mint outreach initiative was addressed in the Numismatic Association of Northern California’s May 2019 quarterly NCNA Heads and Tails publication, in editor Michael S. Turrini’s “Mintmaster’s Quill” message. A survey request exploring how the “improved the products and services” offered by the U.S. Mint generated his response. After noting his initiative to respond had been rejected as “not qualified for this survey” because no purchases had been made in the past 12 months, he observed; “Your survey rejects and refuses to acknowledge those who have quite candid and negative opinions and observations . . . you need to talk to, converse with, and listen to the ‘grass roots’, ‘the trenches’, of our hobby . . . that have shut the door to anything, or most anything, the world’s largest coin dealer, the U. S. Mint might offer.” Info:emperori@Juno.com

SPECIALIZED: On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, editor Maria Fanning has assembled a monumental 96-page Summer 2019 commemorative issue of The Asylum, the organization’s quarterly journal. More than 24 authors provide insightful perspectives on the origins, impact and history of the organization from its founding during a dinner meeting gathering in St. Louis during that year’s ANA convention. Incorporated are chronicles of the first 100 NBS members compiled and annotated by Pete Smith, and another detailing NBS award recognition recipients authored and referenced by Joel Orosz. Info:asylum@coinbooks.org

A jam packed “jumbo” April 2019 issue of the John Reich Journal “totaling 52 pages instead or our usual 40,” editor Bradley Karoleff informs, because he was “fortunate to have a group of wonderful articles submitted that were all longer than the average.” Among the articles are a couple census offerings, one embracing Capped Bust Half Dimes, the other Flowing Hair and Draped Bust Half Dimes. There’s also a detailed analysis of U.S. coins (1798-1834) recovered from the Steam Packet Pulaski. The loss of the Pulaski on June 14, 1838, sailing from Charleston to Baltimore and later branded “the Titanic of its time,” is a wreck that was discovered in January, 2018. The coins recovered were dominated by half dollars dated from 1805 to 1831. Info:bkaroleff@yahooo.com

Featured in the March 2019 issue of Talkin’ Tokens, the monthly journal of the National Token Collectors Association is an article featuring “Some Oddball Tokens” by Dan Anderson. An enthusiast of Iowa trade tokens, he’s also a fan of oddball offerings, which “some might not even consider . . . to be trade tokens.” Among the presumptive “Good For” token examples described and illustrated are a Rich Cross blacksmithed issue, an Apple Orchard Inn handmade piece cursively written on a cut slice of an apple tree branch,, a Cedar Rapids Jiffy Lube punch out promo piece, a square rubber/plastic Harry’s Place refrigerator magnet, along with round ones from The Lounge in Dubuque, and a Inda-Clar “One Buck Wampum” holed commemorative, with rawhide straps inserted and a safety pin attached on the back for pinning to a shirt or suit lapel. Info:superjs420@aol.com