souvenirs and memories of the pacific · pdf filesouvenirs and memories of the pacific...

Established in 1954

June 2009

IN THIS ISSUE

ARTICLES

Souvenirs and Memories of the Pacific Northwest

1942-S Mercury Dime Inverted Mintmark

US Mint Launches Guam Commemorative Quarter

REGULAR FEATURES

President’s Message

Meeting Minutes

Show Calendar

Club Notes

METALS INDEX

Spot Prices as of 5 June 2009

Platinum: $1263 (+116.00)

Gold: $954.60 (+$38.40)

Silver: $15.27 (-$1.28)

Souvenirs and Memories of the Pacific Northwest

By Dave Provost

Business recently took me to the Pacific Northwest – Portland, Oregon to be specific. I had never been to Portland before, so I took the opportunity to extend my trip for a few days to “see what there was to see.” One sight that I didn’t have to wait for was the natural beauty of the area. As I drove from Portland International Airport to my hotel in Lake Oswego, I was immediately taken in by the rolling tree-covered hills, the scenic Columbia River and the sight of snow-covered Mt. Hood in the distance. Wow!

When I first learned of the trip, I searched the internet for Portland attractions and soon was reminded that Ft. Vancouver was just a short drive from Portland. As a US commemorative coin collector, the opportunity to visit a site celebrated on one of the coins of the series was a “no brainer” for my itinerary. Other activities soon added to my trip’s plan included a visit to a few Oregon wineries (Oregon Pinot Noirs are often fantastic!), catching a Portland Beavers game at PGE Park (Portland is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres) and a sightseeing trip along the Columbia River Gorge.

It was a short 30-minute ride from my hotel to Ft. Vancouver and I arrived at the Visitor’s Center just before 11:00am. After picking up a guide to the fort, doing a bit of browsing through the available books, watching a short movie about the fort and a having brief conversation with one of the staffers at the center, I was off to the fort on an absolutely gorgeous spring day!

Fort Vancouver was built by the Hudson’s Bay Company (a British company) in 1824 (it opened for business in 1825) and was used as the company’s district headquarters. It served as an important trading post – beaver pelts being the mainstay – and was open to all local inhabitants, whether British, American or Native American. Dr. John McLoughlin was the fort’s first Chief Factor, and oversaw operations of the fort between 1824 and 1846.

Souvenirs and Memories continued on Page 4

RR aa ll ee ii gg hh

CC oo ii nn

CC ll uu bb

RR aa ll ee ii gg hh

CC oo ii nn

CC ll uu bb

Raleigh Coin Club Newsletter June 2009

Raleigh Coin Club

PO Box 25817 Raleigh NC 27611-5817

http//www.raleighcoinclub.org

Established 1954

Club Officers President

David Boitnott

Vice President Jim Jones

Secretary Richard Brown

Treasurer Steve Pladna

Sergeant-at-Arms Benji Harrell

Directors (Term Ending)

Roger Beckner (2009) Kent Woodson (2010) Paul Livingston (2011)

Newsletter Editor Dave Provost

[email protected]

Club Affiliations American Numismatic Association

Member #C079478

Blue Ridge Numismatic Association Member #C3383

Eastern States Numismatic Association Member #0026 (Life)

North Carolina Numismatic Association Member #C14 (Life)

Contents © Copyright Raleigh Coin Club 2009

The RCC grants permission to reprint for non-profit educational purposes only any articles not individually copyrighted by the

author provided the RCC Newsletter is cited as the source.

May Meeting Minutes

David B called the May meeting to order just after 7:30pm. 24 members were in attendance, including 3 YNs. One visitor, Bill R. was welcomed.

Steve P gave the Treasurer’s Report and reported that dealer payments for bourse tables at the club show continue to come in; the club’s overall finances remain positive.

Old Business

David B recognized and thanked Dave P, Gene F and Halbert C for their educational efforts at Wake County Libraries during National Coin Week. Dave P noted that he received an email from the Librarian at the Raleigh North Regional Branch thanking the club for the Abraham Lincoln program that was presented and the numismatic books that the club donated to the system.

David B also recognized and thanked Kent W for his efforts in updating and cleaning the club’s show mailing list. David B noted that 1,396 post cards were mailed for this year’s event.

New Business

The annual club show, scheduled for June 21-22 in the Kerr Scott Building at the NC State Fairgrounds, was the focus of the “new business” discussions.

David B asked for volunteers for the Friday night set up, as well as for the “Greeter’s Table” on Saturday and Sunday. Sign-up sheets were available and members were encouraged to volunteer for one or more time slots.

Paul Li will coordinate the Friday night meal for the dealers. Based on the positive feedback received, the same caterer as last year will be used.

Dave P discussed the show’s educational exhibits and encouraged members to prepare an exhibit for display. He requested that anyone planning on exhibiting at the show let him know the title of the exhibit and how many show cases will be

Meeting Minutes continued on page 7

http://www.raleighcoinclub.org


President’s Message

Ah, it’s June 4th as I write this and I have just returned from my mailbox where I found a full-color postcard proudly announcing the RCC Coin Show June 20–21. Also in the mailbox was the latest issue of Coin W orld. I quickly paged to the back where the show listings are found and there listed first under “North Carolina” was the RCC Coin Show June 20–21. Oh no! It must be official! We are having a coin show in two weeks!

The postcard looks great. It arrived a little earlier than I think we would have preferred, but it does beat the alternative. I had one sent to me to test when it was mailed, when it arrived and in the future if our mailing list gets sold. The policy of the mailing company we used is that they do not sell lists such as ours, but if my cat starts getting unsolicited mail offers we’ll know differently. By the way, my cat appreciated the card and is excited about the show. I’ll bring the card to the meeting for all to see what we sent out.

I have also received word from our bourse chair, Paul La that we have a complete sell out. In fact we have over sold the show. Paul’s words were “The tables are absolutely and completely sold out. For that matter, I have more checks than I have tables and so I need to return some.” This is indeed great news!

Needless to say, the business portion of our June meeting will be dominated by final show preparations. High among these is volunteers to staff the Greeter’s Table. I’ll bring the signup sheet started last month for your signing pleasure. We also need to get an idea of the number of exhibits planned and their case counts so we can make sure we have enough display cases on hand. A final list of who will be bringing what, doing what, etc. in advance of the show will be generated. Make sure you have done your stretching to limber up those shoulder muscles so that when we ask for

June Meeting Notice DATE

Thursday, 11 June 2009

TIME

7:30pm

WHERE

Pullen Community Center

PROGRAM

“US Quarters: Local Circulation Patterns”

Halbert Carmichael

volunteers you will have no problems raising your hand. Think what you can do to assist with the show and come prepared. If we all work together I know we will have another successful show.

Also, the June meeting will not be an exercise in peeling and sticking address labels and stamps to postcards as it has been in years past. I know this comes as a disappointment to some, but thanks to our efforts at outsourcing this activity we will be enjoying a normal meeting with show-n-tell, refreshments and a presentation. Well it will be as normal as possible with our show only eight days away!

Clear your calendars for the weekend of June 19-21. Did I mention our show is just days away!

Promote the hobby and the club – recruit a new member – there’s points in it.

See ya Thursday at the meeting – until then take care.

David W. Boitnott


Continued from Page 1

While McLoughlin was there to manage the company’s interests and the fort was there to support British control over the area, McLoughlin was very supportive of the locals and increasing number of American settlers; his supportive, benevolent ways would ultimately earn him recognition as “the Father of Oregon.”

In 1846, the US and UK signed the Oregon Treaty which established the US-Canadian border at the 49th parallel, well north of Ft. Vancouver. HBC was allowed to continue operating the fort after the signing of the treaty, and did so until 1860. By that time, however, the dwindling fur trade and increasing conflicts of interest with the US Army that had located barracks adjacent to the fort in 1849 lead to HBC abandoning it. Unfortunately, the original fort and buildings burned down just a few short years later.

In 1965, work began on reconstructing the palisade and interior buildings of Fort Vancouver. Each reconstructed building was raised on its original site (based on archaeological evidence) and built to its original design (based on historical records and contemporary drawings/ paintings). The work continues to the present as only a portion of the fort’s original buildings have been reconstructed.

Reverse of 1925 Ft. Vancouver Half-Dollar

Souvenirs and Memories (cont.)

I walked within the fort’s fenced borders and visited each building. Craftsmen were available to answer questions and demonstrate techniques in the carpenter’s workshop and the blacksmith’s building, signage and small exhibits were available in the other buildings – all-in-all, a nice way to spend a couple of hours and “re-live” history. There were no souvenir medals available at the fort, so I had to content myself with some personal photos and a couple of books.

The following day, I set out to tour the Columbia River Gorge and the many waterfalls that can be found on the Oregon side. As with my trip to Ft. Vancouver, it was just a short 30 to 40 minute drive to Troutdale, Oregon and the start of the Historic Columbia River Highway. The highway was built between 1913 and 1922. It was the vision of Samuel Hill, a successful lawyer and entrepreneur who strongly promoted “good roads” in the area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Design of the highway, and the many scenic viewing areas incorporated along the way, was the work of Oregonian Samuel C. Lancaster.

Though only a portion of the original highway still exists, it maintains its beauty and scenic impact – it was a wonderful drive! Along the way, there are many opportunities to stop and explore waterfalls, gaze out over the scenic Columbia River and hike through essentially undisturbed wild areas. Over the course of my five-hour trek, I took in as much as I could. I stopped at six different waterfalls, took in the Columbia River Gorge from several vantage points and hiked a few trails through the woods and natural areas. By the end of the day – I was tired!

My first few stops included several of the “non-tourist” waterfalls (i.e., smaller waterfalls w/ o Visitor’s Centers or gift shops!). As I walked away from the road and toward each waterfall, I couldn’t help but notice the impact each had on its surrounding area. I could feel the air getting cooler and “wetter” as I walked, and also noticed how the sound of the falling water effectively blocked out all man-made noises and allowed one to be fully immersed in the surrounding natural wonder. It was great!


built in 1925. It houses a nice restaurant, a snack bar, an information center staffed by the Forest Service and a gift shop. I enjoyed lunch in the dining room before making my way up the mountain to the overlook bridge.

Though “crowded” in comparison to the other falls I visited, it was not so crowded as to detract from my enjoyment of the view or the impact of falls’ power. I read a sign that described how the geological foundation of the falls continues to change and reshape the flow of the falls. Of note was a description of a rock the size of a school bus that fell about 10 years ago from the top of the falls to the pool near the overlook bridge – it drenched a wedding party that happened to be on site!

In the gift shop, I came across another Nevada City Mint medal, this one displaying (as expected) Multnomah Falls and its overlook bridge. Of course, it was soon added to my collection.

Obverse of Multnomah Falls Medal

After that, it was back in the car and time to head back to Lake Oswego so I could relax a bit, pack my bags and get ready for my 6:00am flight back home the next morning. If you’ve never been to Portland, I would encourage you to visit and enjoy all that it has to offer. There was so much that I didn’t have time for, that I’m already planning my next trip!

Until next month, Happy Collecting!

Continuing my drive, I soon came upon the

Vista House, an octagonal building built between 1916 and 1918 as a “memorial to Oregon pioneers and as a comfort station for those traveling on the Historic Columbia River Highway.” (Source: Friends of Vista House website.) The building sits atop Crown Point along the highway and offers unmatched views up and down the Columbia River; I took in the views from ground level as well as from the observation deck atop the building. After taking a few photos of the Gorge, I made my way to the lower level of the building to use the “comfort” facilities. While there, I came across a small gift shop that allowed me to purchase my first numismatic souvenir of my trip – an octagonal copper medal featuring the Vista House struck by the Nevada City Mint (of California).

Obverse of Vista House Medal

Leaving Crown Point and continuing down (literally) the highway to the east, I stopped at a couple of other low-key (but beautiful!) waterfalls before arriving at Multnomah Falls, the area’s big time “tourist” waterfall. Multnomah Falls is the tallest of the area’s waterfalls, with a total drop (in two falls) of approximately 620 feet. The impressive falls can easily be seen from the roadside, but, to fully appreciate them, a hike up to the bridge that crosses the falls at the bottom of the first drop is a must (for those in good shape, a two-mile hike to the very top of the falls is also possible).

At the base of the Multnomah Falls is a lodge

Souvenirs and Memories (cont.)


1942 S Mercury Dime I nverted Mintmark

by Roger W Beckner

Treasure hunting circulated 90% silver dimes for

better dates or varieties has usually proven unproductive for me. However, persistence and a 10X loupe did deliver on Friday, April 24, 2009. A peculiar mintmark on a 1942 San Francisco minted Mercury dime caught my attention after searching nearly 50 rolls of circulated silver dimes. The open areas inside the upper and lower loops of the ‘S’ mintmark seemed oddly reversed. Reference photos on a 1942-S dime Inverted Mintmark dated Jan. 2009 from the CONECA web

site appeared to match my dime's mintmark position.

Expert attribution of this variety was the next step. An email report with attached photosof my 1942-S dime in 10X, 60X and 200X was sent to John Bordner, President of NCADD, who specializes in mintmark varieties. His reply confirmed my 1942-S dime was an IMM (Inverted Mintmark) already listed in the Wexler files as WIMM-001. Futhermore, my example was just the third reported and confirmed in a circulated condition.

A second email report with photos

was sent to Ken Potter, noted variety specialist. Previous articles in the “Varieties Notebook” column of Coin W orld

by Potter had showcased this same 1942-S Inverted Mintmark dime. Brian Allen and Al Raddi,both members of CONECA, were credited with finding the first examples of this unusual upside-down ‘S’ mintmark.

Two mintmark styles were employed on 1942 San Francisco dimes. The "Large S" style typically displays long sharp serifs at both ends. The normal "Trumpet Tail S" features a sharp upper serif with a rounded, trumpet-shaped lower serif. (Note: A “serif” is the short line or extension at the ends of a letter’s main strokes.) An elongated oval loop is located on the bottom of the ‘S’ which is complimented by a round upper loop.

Identification of the inverted ‘S’ position is the key to this variety. The IMM variety I found features the "Trumpet Tail S" with a trumpet-shaped upperserif. In addition, an elongated oval loop is situated on the top of this upside-down ‘S.’

Observation with a 10X loupe shows these two diagnostic features clearly. Knowledge of normal ‘S’ configurations which include serif and loop opening shapes make odd mintmark examples like this IMM more obvious.

Presently, the 1942-S Inverted Mintmark dime is recognized as an elusive rare variety. The discovery of an uncirculated example could provide

die markers such as die cracks which would fingerprint this variety precisely. A scheduled listing in the upcoming Fifth Edition of the Cherrypickers' Guide as FS-501 will motivate more collectors to hunt for this treasure!

Normal “Trumpet Tail S” Mintmark

Inverted “Trumpet Tail S” Mintmark

Pictures courtesy of Christine Brennecke.


May Meeting Minutes

(cont.)

Continued from Page 2.

needed. Dave also mentioned that he would have formal exhibit applications at the June show for those who will be participating.

Donations of inexpensive coins and paper money to give to YNs at the show

were sought. Gene F indicated that he had a good supply of world coins that he would contribute. Ken W volunteered to approach dealers at the show and “beg” for additional material. Members wishing to contribute were asked to bring the material to the June meeting and to see David B.

It was agreed to continue the hourly $10 gift certificate drawings at the show.

It was agreed that the club will purchase the gold coin for the Grand Prize drawing at the show, and will also purchase a fresh supply of Silver Eagles for the monthly door and speaker prizes.

Halbert C reported that the June Charlotte coin show had moved from the Merchandise Mart to the Metrolina Flea Market site.

The Short Program for June will be presented by Halbert C.

Benji H agreed to supply refreshments for June.

Show and Tell

Richard B discussed an 8 Reale coin minted in Mexico City that had circulated in the orient and subsequently returned to America. The coin had numerous chopmarks stamped into the coin by various merchants in China.

Bob I showed an 1846 Seated Dollar counterfeit he found on eBay.

David P exhibited a fine display of Lincoln material (coins, medals, BEP souvenir cards and stock certificates).

Bill L passed around a 2009-D Lincoln cent and a Puerto Rico quarter that he found in circulation – both were the first examples shown during this year’s show-and-tell sessions.

Roger B showed several planchet errors: a 1946 Lincoln cent, a 1999-D Jefferson nickel

The RCC Annual Show Is Just Over One Week Away!

Have You Volunteered to Help? Step Up and Be Counted!

and a 2001 Roosevelt dime. Each of the coins was an elliptical clip.

Don F showed a Lincoln medal from the US Mint’s Presidents Series along with a collection of 8 different Lincoln cent types.

Noah passed around a 1996 Isle of Mann 1 Crown with Queen Elizabeth on the obverse and a cat on the reverse.

Cliff S showed a very rare 2000-P SC quarter that he found at a local gas station near Kerr Lake – it was struck in medal alignment (180° rotated reverse).

Paul Li noted that the evening’s raffle prizes included a special item donated by Westover Coins – a gold-plated replica of the 1933 US Double Eagle. The prize was won by Dave P.

Short Program

Gene F discussed several countermarked coins in his collection and how he researched each of the names that appeared on them; he included photographic enlargements of each. He also displayed the latest edition of Brunk’s "Merchant and Privately Countermarked Coins."

Program

The evening’s program was presented by Dave P who did an encore performance of the Lincoln talk he presented at the Raleigh North Regional Library during National Coin Week. The talk presented a brief overview of Lincoln’s life, and then surveyed the use of Lincoln’s image on a variety of coins, token, medals and fiscal paper issued from the 1860s through to the present day.

After the presentation, the door and raffle prize winners were drawn and the meeting was adjourned at 9:25pm.


Upcoming RCC Programs

JULY

Money and Inflation Through the Ages John Kelton

AUGUST

Annual Ice Cream Social

SEPTEMBER

United States Platinum Eagle Coinage Dave Provost

US Mint Launches Guam Commemorative Quarter

US Mint Director Ed Moy joined Guam Governor Felix Camacho and first lady Joann Camacho on 3 June 2009 to celebrate the release of the Guam commemorative quarter-dollar coin in a ceremony at Skinner Plaza, in Hagatna, Guam.

The coin's reverse, by US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz, depicts the outline of the island, a flying proa (a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people), a latte stone (an architectural element used as the base of homes) and the inscriptions GUAM and Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro (Guam - Land of the Chamorro).

"Guam's quarter is a lasting tribute to the history and rich cultural heritage of the Chamorro people," Director Moy said.

Show Calendar Jun 20-21 Raleigh, NC

36th Annual Raleigh Coin & Stamp Show

Kerr Scott Building NC State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd

Hours: Sat 10:00am to 5:30pm Sun 10:00am to 4:00pm

Dealers: 80 (120 Tables). Free

Additional local show information can be found at: www.coinworld.com

Miscellaneous Club Notes

1.

With the annual club show just over a week away, it’s important that all members come to the June meeting ready to volunteer an hour or two of their time at the show to make it a success!

2. If you have an item or two to donate to the “YN Prize Basket” at the show, please bring them to the June Meeting.

3. We have received word from the Raleigh North Regional Library that our donated books have been processed within the library system and are now available to patrons.

4. At the June meeting, Halbert C. will be discussing the upcoming ANA elections and will look to finalize the club’s list of supported candidates for the club’s ballot.

5. Don’t forget to bring an item (or two!) for Show-and-Tell! Everyone will be glad you did!

http://www.coinworld.com

souvenirs and memories of the pacific · pdf filesouvenirs and memories of the pacific...

Documents