Chatter

Editor’s Notes

Here is a reminder that the members’ auction will be held during our November 8 meeting. We have a number of Chicago Coin Club items already consigned, one of which is unique.

I have received no trip reports for the ANA in Denver; maybe I will have some for the October issue.

Paul Hybert, editor

Minutes of the 1052nd Meeting

The 1052nd meeting of the Chicago Coin Club was called to order at 7 PM by President Robert Feiler. The meeting was held in the Dearborn Center, 131 S. Dearborn, 6th Floor Conference Room, Chicago with 17 members and 3 guests present. The guests were Sherri Zack, Tom Zack and Leroy Gayden.

The July Minutes as printed in the Chatter were approved as published. In the absence of the Treasurer, no report was given. Following the second reading of Richard Hall’s application for membership, a motion was made and passed to accept him into membership.

President Feiler introduced the evening’s speaker, Winston Zack. Winston was the recipient of a scholarship to the American Numismatic Association’s Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs, CO. His presentation focused on the class he attended “Detecting Counterfeit and Altered Coins.” Following a question and answer period, First Vice President Jeff Rosinia presented Winston with an ANA educational certificate and an engraved Club medal.

Exhibitors for the evening were: JOHN RILEY – Wheaton College token for 1¢ in trade, a WWII Australian internment camp token for 1-penny, Jewish ghetto token from 1943, and a North Carolina prison token good for fifty cents; ROBERT KULYS – 1981 Lincoln commemorative half-dollar, 1936 Elgin commemorative half-dollar, and a 2003 silver proof quarter set; ROBERT FEILER – a Belgium 20-france gold love token, mounted on a pin with an “LS” monogram; PAUL ROBERTZ – an 1860 seated liberty dime in proof without any hairlines; ROBERT LEONARD – 6 coins and tokens from Beirut, Lebanon struck between 54 A.D. and 1879, and issued by the Romans, Christians and Ottomans; RICH HALL – matchbook from the 1930s with Ben’s Stamp and Coin Company imprint; MARK WIECLAW – plastic Lincoln cent received in change, 7 Playboy paper notes from 50 cents to $50.00, 3 silver proof half dollars found in bag of scrap silver, and a 1964 half dollar altered into an image of Richard Nixon; DREW MICHYETA – a 1965 medal issued by the Philadelphia Mint to commemorate the American Museum of Immigration; DON DOOL – General Dix photo/autograph with discussion on the origin of the word “Dixie,” a write-up on his previous talk before the Club published in an Argentinean numismatic journal, a San Martin medal with errors, a San Martin medal believed to be a trial strike, coins from Spanish Pretender Carlos III issued in 1707 at the Zaragoza Mint and an unknown date from the 1700s at the Barcelona Mint; PHIL CARRIGAN – a bronze medal struck at the Heaton Mint commemorating Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Exhibition in 1887.

Under old business, Robert Leonard spoke of the Club’s souvenir education card for the 2007 Chicago International Coin Fair. Subjects under review include fur money, cigarette money and trade beads. Bob announced he was attending the upcoming ANA convention in Denver where he planned to attend the International Primitive Money Society meeting and offer for sale a supply of the Club’s past souvenir cards.

Jeff Rosinia reported that he and Lyle Daly believed the Club’s current meeting room was not in jeopardy. Should the need arise, Robert Kulys offered to look into meeting rooms at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park.

Paul Robertz reported a friend would probably convert most, if not all, of the Club’s 1994 video tapes at no cost. Rich Hall suggested the Club apply for a grant from the Bass Foundation to edit and publish the results.

It was announced that the November auction will include many Club medals and memorabilia from the collection of the late William Pettit, a Past-President of the Club. Bill Burd will begin to build up a list of the items for auction, and showed the metallic membership card from American Numismatic Association Branch No. 1. It was reported that the Board of Directors voted by e-mail to hold the December banquet at Marcello’s Restaurant, 645 W. North Ave., Chicago and authorized the Treasurer to place a deposit to secure the December 13th date.

Carl Wolf reported on the educational program for the Illinois Numismatic Association on September 9th: Jack Huggins “How to Build a Convention Exhibit,” Frank Zapushek “Multi-Struck Coins and Detecting Counterfeits,” William Brandimore “U.S. Colonial Currency,” Eugene Freeman “Standing Liberty Quarters,” Michael Doran “Bi-Metallic Coins,” and Jack Huggins “Illinois Numismatic Association Orientation.” Carl also reported in the past month three numismatic organizations made inquiries of him for custom printed table banners to use at coin shows. With the Chicago Coin Club manning an information table at least three times a year, it was suggested the Club consider buying a custom table throw. A brochure was passed around for members to see.

The meeting was adjourned at 9 PM.

Sincerely Submitted,
Carl Wolf, Secretary

Speaker’s Wor[l]d
2006 ANA Summer Seminar

Winston Zack
Presented to our September 13, 2006 meeting.

Many months ago I was contacted by Bob Feiler who had been told by Carl Wolf about the ANA giving out YN (Young Numismatist) scholarships for the ANA’s annual Summer Seminar. Bob contacted me immediately following the call from Carl and told me about what I needed to do to sign up for it, and, “YOU ONLY HAVE TWO DAYS TO COMPLETE IT.” I had signed up for the scholarship the previous year in hopes of attending, but that didn’t work out. After the call from Bob, I jumped onto the ANA’s website and immediately began filling out the application (which expanded from last year’s). Even during my crazy school and track schedule I managed to get all of the forms filled out right before the deadline was due. I finished the application and got it to the post office only minutes before it closed and I even ran to Bob’s house to have him fax stuff over to the ANA. Those two days were crazy, but it was over and all that was left to do was WAIT.

I waited and waited and waited. Three months later I received a letter from the ANA. This time it was a large envelope and not the small letter that came in last year’s mail. I WAS ACCEPTED. I was so excited and pumped. I wanted it to be the next day, but alas I had to wait some more; another two months. Those two months eventually came and before I knew it I was on a plane heading towards Colorado Springs. I was still in some form of shock and disbelief. When I got there I was met by some other YNs at the airport and we went to the campus. When I got to the campus, all I saw were bikers, hundreds upon hundreds of bikers all over the place. I signed in and was quickly given a tour of the campus by two other YNs. Everyone there was real friendly and wanted to know everything about you. Shortly after I arrived I went to the opening ceremonies which basically introduced your instructors and went over some basic rules for the students.

My Counterfeit Detection and Altered Coins class consisted of some 25-30 people and five were YNs. My instructors were J.P. Martin (Founder of ICG) and Bob Campbell (Past ANA President). These top notch instructors took us through seven- to eight-hour classes for five days. I learned about everything there was to talk about on this subject and how coins were minted. We thoroughly studied mintmarks and die flow, weight, and metal composition. We spent our last day looking at counterfeit coins and testing ourselves on what we knew. The class was nothing but spectacular and extremely informative.

The ANA Money Museum and Library were some of the most amazing sights my eyes have ever seen... as far as numismatics is concerned. The library had EVERY book you could imagine on numismatics and even an extensive collection of auction catalogues and magazines. The museum exhibited coins from around the world and represented coins from over 140 countries. Whereas the Harry Bass collection of early American gold coins was just fantastic. Every coin of every denomination in either Mint State or Proof condition. It even included some different varieties of the coins, and his collection was so massive that Bass had duplicates of some. Also included in the museum were about 30-40 pattern coins which had superb toning and color.

The Colorado Springs coin show was also quite a neat experience. I was able to converse with dealers from the area who don’t travel to the MidAmerica Coin Expo. The coin show was always crowded even up through Sunday.

The ANA’s annual book sale changed from the previous years as they either gave away tickets for students to wait in line; they even auctioned off tickets #1 ($350) and #2 ($300). When I was able to enter the book sale (the next day), most of the books were gone and all that was left was junk (to me).

Also, during my experience at Summer Seminar, there was the annual YN auction which realized over $15,000. I think that everyone who attended the “show” had a good time and would recommend it to others.

Those were the main aspects of my trip to Summer Seminar. I strongly encourage everyone to attend one course there because you learn more than you could fathom and meet people who are so into numismatics. I had a super awesome time there and know that you will too.

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Show and Tell

Items shown at our September 13, 2006 meeting.

1. John Riley showed mostly tokens:
   • A Wheaton College token, good for one cent in trade. John lives near the college, and would like to know more about the token. It was purchased on eBay — you can find absolutely anything there. The token’s reverse style dates it to the 1050s or 1960s.
   • A one penny piece from an Australian Internment Camp; the piece is listed in World War Two Remembered.
   • A 1943 10 mark coin in aluminum from the Lodz ghetto. The piece now is in a rough looking condition.
   • A 50 cent prison token from the North Carolina Department of Prisons.
2. Robert Kulys showed some pieces from his early commemorative coin collection:
   • A 1918 Lincoln half dollar.
   • The Elgin half dollar with four figures on the reverse. The obverse bust looks Greek or Roman to him, but it really is of the frontiersman from the reverse. This led to some member remembrances about the statue and sculptor.
3. Bob Feiler showed a Belgian 20 franc gold coin used as a love token. The intials LS appear on one side, with a pinback soldered onto the reverse.
4. Paul Robertz described his one and a half year fascination with a particular 1860 U.S. dime. He started with the eBay seller’s picture, then showed some more recent pictures while telling us of its recent history. Paul did not think the coin to be at the dealer’s Proof 66 grade, but maybe it could be Proof 65. But NGC sent it back in a body bag, declaring it polished. SEGS graded it MS-63, old cleaning, retoned, fully struck. At a coin show, someone ventured that the coin had been treated in Texas; a laser was used to smoothen the coin. Maybe that explains the reddish obverse and bluish reverse.
5. Bob Leonard showed pieces from a city in the news — Beirut.
   • An 1879 1 piaster from a spinning mill, with the city spelled Beyrouth; from the Ottoman era
   • From the Crusader era, a piece featuring the Tower of David in Jerusalem. The piece now is attributed to 1184-1186 Beirut which then was a part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
   • A billon denier of John I.
   • A thirteenth century copper coin showing a tower gate on one side and a geometric pattern on the other side.
   • While a Roman colony, a coin of Claudius identifying the city as Berits.
   • Another coin from the Roman era; one of Hadrian showing two military standards.
6. Rich Hall is another member with an item from eBay. The cover from a match book from Ben’s Stamp & Coin Co.; the inside has a mail-in form where a collector can enter his or her collecting interests.
7. Mark Wieclaw showed a range of odd items:
   • A plastic Lincon cent received in change.
   • Paper notes from Playboy clubs in half dollar, $1, $5, $10, 20, and $50 denominations. The copyright notice includes the years 1971-1981.
   • Pieces found while sorting about 10,000 half dollars: proof half dollars from 1996, 2000, and 2003, and then a 1964 half with the bust of Kennedy worked into a bust of Richard Nixon with a long nose.
8. Drew Michyeta showed a 1965 medal honoring the American Museum of Immigration. There are four designs in a complete set, struck on both silver half dollar planchets as well as 3-inch bronze. Drew has only three designs in each metal of this product of the Philadelphia mint.
9. Don Dool continued some previous themes:
   • An engraving and signature of Civil War General Dix, offered as a sidenote to an earlier discussion on the use of Dixie to refer to the soouthern US.
   • The writeup in an Argentine coin club bulletin on his Kipper and Wipper talk.
   • A San Martin medal with an error. A line of letters was too low, so the engraver partially ground them off before entering them correctly.
   • A possible trial strike of a 1978 San Martin medal, but the design does not exactly match the design of the known pieces.
   • Two coins acquired from Spanish dealers on eBay: A coin from Zaragosa of the pretender Carlos III who was never king; the War of Spanish Succession ended with Phillip IV on the throne. A Barcelona coin produced with roller dies; one side shows parts of two coins, but the other side shows some markings from one coin along with markings not from a coin.
10. Phil Carrigan showed a beautiful, high-relief 1897 medal for the Royal Jubilee Exhibition. The 45 millimeter diameter medal was struck by the Heaton Mint.

Our 1053rd Meeting

Important Dates

Birthday and Year Joined

Chatter Matter

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CHICAGO COIN CLUB
P.O. Box 2301
CHICAGO, IL 60690

http://www.ChicagoCoinClub.org/

Club Officers

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