Speakers highlight MPC Fest

A note designer and an administrator responsible for military money substitutes were special guests at the 14th annual weekend MPC Fest organized by Fred Schwan for the collectors of Military Payment Certificates and other wartime issues.

The annual event was held March 15-17, 2013, and saw 40 participants and several spouses venture to the Holiday Inn at Port Clinton – Catawba Island, Ohio (renamed Camp Leo May for the weekend).

The first guest was Len Buckley, who worked for both American Bank Note Company and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

While at the BEP, Buckley designed $1, $5, $10 and $20 denominations for MPC Series 692, which many consider the most artistic of the series. Featured on them are an elk, bison and eagle as well as two native Americans.

Click here for the only annual guide that provides complete coverage of U.S. Currency with today’s market prices and presented in full color.

The second guest was Grant Morris, who worked for AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service), and was responsible for the POG design sets 2-10, familiar to most collectors of modern U.S. military items. He spoke about the theme and design process of each of the sets.

A Friday bourse of full-time and vest-pocket dealers was followed by an informal dinner, introductions and a first round of World War II finance “March Madness” where participants formed brackets to answer multiple choice questions posed by past winner Jim Downey. After three sessions, Bill Myers was declared champion (for the third time).

Over 20 participants made presentations from the informal show-and-tell to formal PowerPoints. Topics covered spanned new acquisitions to genealogy research for military items that come named.

There was also a re-enactment of a favorite soldier pastime – that of a poker tournament. The weekend closed with an auction.

Those interested in the numismatic aspects of World War II, other wars, war bonds, and related material, and would like to receive a weekly email can contact MPC Gram editor Roger Urce at mpcgram@yahoo.com. The 2014 MPC Fest date has not yet been set.