While the study of coins can be a lesson in history, the study of paper currency can present a lesson in economics that may be relevant today. With the state of California printing and distributing IOUs to meet its financial obligations, I am reminded of how the colonies used similar arrangements to finance the fighting of the Revolutionary War.

During the colonization of the New World, charters were granted to companies to set up businesses and trade the natural resources they found back to England and the rest of the known world. We may be more familiar with the East India Company from popular movies, the first settlement at Jamestown was colonized by the Virginia Company of London. These and other companies were originally chartered by King James I to set up trading centers on the shores of the new world to make it easy to goods back to Europe.

As the companies became successful, the English government became more interested in expanding its empire. The Royal Navy was sent to the new world to protect shipping lanes. As threats from other countries and Native Americans endangered the colonists, the King began to revoke charters to make the companies Crown colonies. Governors were install with Army garrisons at their ready to expand holdings against other nation’s settlers and to fend off Indian attacks.

Following the French and Indian War, the British government was in considerable debt. When they added the cost of keeping a regular army in the colonies, the extra expense was more than King George III wanted to endure. Beginning with the Stamp Act of 1765, Parliament tried many ways to have the colonies pay the debt and for their protection. With no representation in Parliament, the colonies began the road to independence proclaiming “No Taxation Without Representation!”

In order to maintain their control over the colonies, the King and Parliament only allowed minor, non-precious metal coins to be used for commerce in the New World. Colonist adopted by accepting silver coins from other countries as legal tender. The most common coins was the Spanish 8 Reales or Pillar Dollar. But the Pillar Dollar was not enough to fight against the powerful British Army, who was attempting to keep order.

The first currency issued in the New World was issued by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1690s. Later in the eighteenth century, other colonies began to issue currency, many times surreptitiously without the knowledge of the colonial governor, to raise money. When colonial assemblies issued currency, they were issued as indented bills of credit with a plan to repay the loans.

Colonial assemblies issued two types of currency. One type of issue were indented bills of credit which were not considered legal tender but could be used to pay fees or taxes. These notes contained one or more receipts or payment slips that were redeemed at specific intervals for hard currency. Legal tender currency were allowed to circulate for commerce. Both types of notes usually were printed with a denomination, value basis for the denomination, the interest rate of return, and when the note can be redeemed for hard currency. The value basis for the denomination was usually expressed as “Bill of Exchange in London for Gold and Silver” and a rate of exchange. However, that exchange rate was different from colony to colony which made inter-colony transaction difficult. Value was also based on the trustworthiness of the colony to repay these notes.

As the Revolutionary War continued, colonial assemblies found themselves without the ability to raise enough money to pay off their currency. One way around the problem was to issue enough currency to cover the last issue plus a little more to cover current expenses. Not only did this create a big debt for the colonies, but that debt made the paper worth less than is printed value which made it difficult for the colonies to purchase supplies.

After the war, both the Continental Congress and the new states were competing with each other generate revenues and to pay off their debts. This continued until the US Constitution was ratified in 1789 and the federal government took over the minting and issuing of money. Because this demonetized the currency from each state, a compromise was made to trade the currency at the rate of 100 state dollars for one dollar of the new United States currency—which at that time was being paid in Spanish Milled Dollars.

Even though the states lost the rights to print and distribute money, they continued to have the right to issue non-legal tender bills of credit in order to raise money. These bills of credit were issued in the form of bonds that were either redeemable on the date of maturity or had a periodic payment option. Bonds are usually issued to pay for capital improvement projects. They are associated with a source of revenue that would be used to reimburse the bond holders, such as a tax. This practice continues today with every states’ debt being backed by many bond issues. And with technology, most bond issues are not printed. Rather, they electronic records noting ownership of the bonds.

The paper issued by the colonies, the Continental Congress, and the United States under the Articles of Confederation are very collectible. Aside from being a lesson in history, it is a lesson in the state of the art of printing in the colonial times and a lesson in colonial economics. Finding colonial currency is not easy, a nice collection can be awe inspiring. One such collection is in the Colonial Currency Collection at the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Special Collections.

The State of California is in serious economic trouble. Their fiscal year began on July 1 without a budget and a significant deficit between the government’s income and their legal obligations to provide services to the citizens of California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal emergency and order the printing of IOUs to pay state debt obligations. Initially, 28,750 IOUs worth $53.3 million will be issued mainly for personal income tax refunds. The IOUs will carry a 3.75-percent interest rate redeemable by October 2 or earlier if a budget agreement is reached.

The financial term for the IOUs are “registered warrants.” For the citizens receiving these IOUs, most of California’s in-state and nationally-owned banks said that they will accept the IOUs as deposits for a limited time.

California last issued IOUs in 1992 during a similar budget crisis.

Records of the how many of the IOUs were redeemed do not seem to be publicly available and I did not find an auction record for the paper issued in 1992. However, it stands to reason that the paper IOUs will be highly collectible. Opportunists have been using online classified websites to offer to purchase these warrants as souvenirs (see an ad).

Although registered warrants are not legal tender, people may elect to trade and barter these IOUs for goods, services, and even legal tender money. We can only wonder if the paper will become more valuable as a collectibles as the Zimbabwe notes after their government devalued Zimbabwean Dollar because of hyperinflation. That ball is in the court of the California legislature. But they will make interesting collectibles.

Labels: currency, economy, policy, scripophily

It was a hot day in Philadelphia when the First Continental Congress met on July 4, 1776 to finalize a resolution that would permanently separate the American colonies from the British Crown. According to the leaders of the day, it was the only way to rid themselves of the unfairness of British rule. In order to ensure that everyone was heard, the Congress adjourned and met as a Committee of the Whole to debate and adopt the resolution.

After each state cast one vote in favor of the Declaration before the Committee of the Whole, the committee was adjourned. The measure was brought before the full First Continental Congress who voted in favor of the Declaration. Although independence was declared from England it would not be fully realized until 1783 when the Treaty of Paris was signed.

Thirty-three years ago, the United States celebrated its Bicentennial with a big celebration. As part of the celebration, the US Mint issued special circulating commemoratives honoring the occasion. For those of us who were born at the end of the Baby Boom generation, this was the first change in coinage we experienced. It was a great experience, especially when I shook hands with President Gerald Ford during a public appearance in Charlotte in 1975.

In honor of the United States Independence Day Celebration, here is my collection of Bicentennial Silver Proof Coins autographed by the artists whose designs were used.


Have a Happy and Safe Independence Day and please thank any active duty military service person or veteran today!

Credit: Image of President Ford speaking at the Charlotte, N.C., bicentennial celebration on May 20, 1975, courtesy of Andy Burriss Photography.

Labels: bicentennial, celebration, coins

The American Numismatic Association has announced [pdf] that Cliff Mishler, the retired president and CEO of Krause Publications, has been elected the 56th President of the ANA. Mishler defeated current ANA Vice President Patti Finner with 61-percent of the votes cast.

Tom Hallenbeck ran unopposed for Vice President and will join the new Board.

Elected to the Board of Governors are incumbents Chet Krause, Joe Boling, Walt Ostromecki, and Wendell Wolka. Joining them will be newly elected Governors Scott Rottinghaus, J.P. Martin, and Jeff Garrett.

This election was less contentious than the last when every incumbent was defeated. We can credit this relative calm to the good work of the outgoing Board of Governors lead by the current ANA President Barry Stuppler. Credit also has to be extended to Executive Director Larry Shepherd who appears to have helped get the ANA closer to a more solid economic footing.

Congratulations to the 2009-2011 ANA Board of Governors. As an ANA member, I hope you continue with the success and recovery of the organization.

Labels: ANA

Fans of the Chinese Panda can look forward to a special edition bullion coin to commemorate 30 years of producing bullion coins. Although the Panda began its production in 1982, The People’s Bank of China has been producing bullion coins since 1979.

The basic design of the coin will be the same as the regular 2009 issue. The obverse of the coin features the Hall of Praying for Good Harvest of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the title for the Peoples’ Republic of China in Chinese, and the year. Added to the lower half of the edge will be “30th Anniversary of the Issuance of the Chinese Modern Precious Metal Commemorative Coins” in Chinese.

The reverse will feature the panda design for 2009 with a border that will include “30th Anniversary of the Issuance of the Chinese Modern Precious Metal Commemorative Coins” in English. The weight and fineness of the metal will be placed at the bottom of the design just above the border.

This commemorative series will consist of a one-quarter ounce gold coin and a one-ounce silver coin. The gold coin will be made of one-quarter troy ounces of .999 gold, 22 millimeters in diameter, and have a face value of 100 Yuan. The silver coin will be made of one troy ounce of .999 fine silver, 40 millimeters in diameter, and have a face value of 10 Yuan. Mintage is limited to 10,000 gold and 300,000 silver coins.

Coins will be struck at the Shenzhen Guobao Mint and officially distributed by China Gold Coin, Inc., a corporation of the People’s Bank of China.

It looks like I will have to add the silver coin to my want list in order to keep up with the series.

Image courtesy of China Gold Coin, Inc.

Labels: bullion, coins, foreign, gold, silver

Earlier this week I read Top 10 “Coin Dealer Ethics” by Susan Headley of About.com. The article is a compilation of the ten most incredible stories she has collected about the less-than-ethical behavior of some coin dealers.

The same day, noted numismatic researcher and author Roger Burdette posted a note on the Collectors’ Society forums that read:

Coin-business people are often the newcomer’s earliest contact with the hobby. That is the best, and often only, chance to create a positive impression of coin collecting. When coin-businesses project an attitude of integrity, honesty, veracity and patience the “newby” is more likely to find the hobby appealing.

With millions of people casually collecting state quarters and other circulating novelties, the typical coin show bourse is still the same-old-same-old. So many dealers exhibit callous, impatient and careless attitudes that I can’t blame new potential collectors when they switch to beanie babies or ceramic insulators.

[I spent about ½ hour at the recent Baltimore show. As I was leaving I saw the perfect turn-off to coin collecting. A teen approached a dealer’s table with a folder of state quarters, and asked what they were worth. The dealer glanced at the cover and said “Junk, Nothin’“ and turned away. The teen walked out, his hopes clearly deflated. Is this how “first contact” is handled in our hobby? ]

As with every story, there are two sides.

Those of us who enjoy this hobby wants to encourage others to join us and have as wonderful experiences as we have. We talk about these wonderful shows with rows of tables with dealers selling almost every type of coin known in the collecting world. When these new collectors find their way to Baltimore for their first show, its size can be intimidating.

On the other hand, the dealer is a business person. Dealers on the bourse floor are trying to earn a living—which may not be easy in these economic times. They earn that living by selling what they think their buyers want. When walking the bourse floor, if all the dealers seem to be selling similar merchandise, it is because the dealers are showing what they think will sell. If you are not interested in what they are selling, someone is and they would rather talk with those who are willing to buy the merchandise. Even though we think of it as a hobby, it is the dealer’s livelihood.

This does not mean that the dealer should take advantage of a novice or non-collector. It also does not mean that a dealer should be rude to the teenager with a 50 State Quarters album. After all, that young person could be a future client or decide to avoid your offering in the future.

We may not be able to send every dealer to charm school, but we can help those new, novice, and non-collectors survive the bourse floor. A thought I had was that local clubs could sponsor “Numismatic Ambassadors.” The Numismatic Ambassador would be available at the shows to answer the questions of the new or novice collector. Ambassadors would be at a table just outside or near the entry as well as walking the floor wearing something to identify them to those looking for help. At American Numismatic Association shows, the host clubs can work with the ANA to supply Numismatic Ambassadors supplemented by other members.

If you are in a club and there is a show in your area, suggest that the club work with the show organizers to provide Numismatic Ambassadors for the show. Convince the show organizers to advertise that the Numismatic Ambassadors will be available to help the inexperienced collector and who is sponsoring the program. This will help the show organizer attract more people. It will also allow the club to meet new people and possibly sign up new members.

What do you think?

Labels: commentary, shows

While attending the Whitman Baltimore Coin and Currency Show, I was privileged to have a conversation with American Numismatic Association Vice President and Presidential candidate Patti Finner. Finner was in her usual location, the Kids Korner at the show. While talking about various aspects of numismatics, I asked about keeping people interested during that period after being a Young Numismatist and rediscovering the hobby later on.

I understood the problem when I returned to the hobby in my 40s after aspects of my life settled. I was collecting state quarters out of change and placing them in a colorful folder before diving back in. When I returned to numismatics, I continued the traditional collecting as I did when I was younger. I found old folders and albums, updated them to new materials, and started to buy coins from local dealers, online, and coin shows. I was filling albums, buying lots, and selling off the excess so that the proceeds could be used to support my new habit.

Over the last few years I have filled up many albums, purchased some key coins, and created a nice collection of series by date and mint mark. While there was something satisfying about this, I wanted more.

More came in the form of registry sets, bullion silver with different designs, as well as medals and tokens that have meaning to me. I then discovered that collecting this exonumia was not only fun but it was not expensive. But I was having a difficult time figuring out how to make this interesting to an average collector. Then I spoke with Ms. Finner.

Finner’s idea is to create a personal album of coins. Regardless of how you organize the collection, her idea is to document where you received the coin, how much it is worth or you paid for it, when it was acquired, and any other facts about the coin that is important to you. She told me how some were creating databases or writing it on paper and placing it between pages, and a few other ideas.

When I returned home after the show, I opened a three-ring notebook containing paper currency and saw the two 1912 Russian notes that belonged to my late grandfather when his family arrived in the United States from Lithuania. The notes were given to me after my grandfather passed away. While thinking about what Ms. Finner had said, I typed information regarding their provenance: who they belonged to, how I obtained them, and other information about the notes including estimates of their value. The page I created was inserted into the binder behind the note.

I thought this was a great idea that I started to create pages for the notes and other items in that binder. For example, I have ticket stubs from the 1986 National League Championship Series and World Series. I created pages for those items including box scores that I found online. Documenting a collection like this takes it from a series of coins to a personal collection. It adds history and provenance to the collection.

After telling this to a friend, he created his own album. My friend had taken the coin boards that the US Mint has been producing the first three years of the Presidential Dollars and created pages to hold the boards and a sheet of paper where he could document the history of the coins. He used a one-pocket mylar page creating a pocket using a food sealing machine. He created two binders for each of his children and is considering doing the same for the 50 State Quarters.

For those 20- and 30-somethings who are establishing themselves in their careers and with families, this is an opportunity to create a family collection and tell a story that documents the family history with the coins. For those with children, it is also something you can do together.

This can be done using coins, tokens, currency, medals, or anything collectible. Make it a project. Share the project. But the most important thing to remember is to make it fun!

Labels: coins, commentary, fun

In a sign of the times, the US Mint announced that they have sublet a part of their headquarters at 801 9th Street, NW, Washington, DC for retail space. The least is for ten years with two five-year options.

The southwest corner of the building is the corner of 9th Street and H Street, NW. It is the near Washington’s Chinatown section and two blocks from the Verizon Center, home of the Washington Wizards professional basketball team and Washington Capitals professional hockey club. The area around the Verizon Center is a popular, revitalized section of Washington.

This space is being leased to Cuba Libre, a Cuban restaurant and rum bar based in Philadelphia that has restaurants in Atlantic City and Orlando. Cuba Libre’s great reputation will only add to the overall neighborhood that includes restaurants representing the cuisines from many areas of the world. As a fan of Cuban food, I am looking forward to their opening.

Labels: other, US Mint

Now is the time for all good members to vote for their governors of the ANA. This turn of that infamous typing phrase was not updated to exercise my typing skills. It is to remind ANA members that the ballots you received last months need to be received by the accounting firm of BiggsKofford on or before June 26, 2009. My ballot was mailed last Friday on my way to Baltimore.

While this ANA election is not as contentious as the previous one, it is important that the ANA members be heard. Newly employed Executive Director Larry Shepherd has done very well in facilitating the ANA’s recovery. But there continues to be issues lingering from previous problems. These problems need resolution while further refining the mission of the organization to better serve its members. We all know that the economy is not doing well, but this means that it is a good time for the ANA to address issues that will carry forward to better times.

As I filled out my ballot, I first considered whether the incumbents should be re-elected. Considering how much better the organization is running, I think that most of the incumbents should be retained. They should be allowed at least one more term to allow them to see their work through. Of the incumbents I am endorsing are Joe Boling, Walt Ostromecki, and Wendell Wolka. With all due respect to Chet Krause and Alan Herbert, it might be time to allow for others with different ideas.

To fill out the slate, I am endorsing Mike Ellis, Tom Palmer, Scott Rottinghaus, and Michael Turrini for the Board of Governors. Amongst the list, the most interesting of the candidates is Rottinghaus, a former Young Numismatist award winner. He is the youngest candidate of the list and probably more representative of the future of the ANA than any of the other candidates. I think it is important for the Board to have a different perspective and from what I read, I believe that Rottinghaus will provide that perspective.

Tom Hallenbeck is unopposed as the candidate of the Vice President.

The most interesting race is for ANA President where Patti Finner and Cliff Mishler are trying for the top job. Both are very experienced and respected within the ANA and both would make a good president. But only one can serve in the office.

Since the election of the previous Board of Governors, aside from fixing the business issues of the ANA, a priority has been to have the ANA return to its core mission of education. To demonstrate the current Board’s commitment to education, the board created the Florence Schook School of Numismatics. Schook, a former ANA President who died in 2006, was well known for her commitment to numismatic education. The ANA has been using this as a way to expand their numismatic programs outside of ANA conventions and the Summer Seminar.

But the ANA continues to have business-related issues that include lawsuits and a diminishing membership that must be addressed. Although the ANA is not drawing down its endowment like in the past, a steady hand is needed to rebuild its financial foundation.

When considering the two candidates, the education record of Patti Finner is something that really stands out in this environment. Finner works with many organizations to push numismatic education and is also a fixture at the Baltimore coin shows at the Kids Corner. Her passion for education can be infectious, too. You cannot visit with her and not walk away wanting to help with her education mission.

Mishler is a strong manager. A retired executive with Krause Publishing, Mishler has the background and the knowledge to help lead the ANA through the rest of its recovery. Readers of Numismatic News can read about his numismatic treks mostly through the midwest and how he works with many organizations to help in their success. It would be interesting to see how he could carry that out on a national level.

If Mishler was qualified to run two years ago, I think he would have been the the best person to be ANA president. However, the ANA seems to be turning around under the very capable leadership Larry Shepherd as the Executive Director. With that part of the organization improving, the ANA needs to do a better job with education and retaining members, specifically adults in their 20s and 30s who drop out of the hobby because of other obligation. I believe that education will build the organization, bring in new members, retain members, and start the training the numismatic leaders of the future. With that in mind, I am endorsing Patti Finner to be elected the next President of the ANA.

Whether you agree or disagree with me, please ensure that you mail your ballot so it is received by the accountants by June 26.

Labels: ANA, education

Sunday traffic to Baltimore was not bad. Even though the Orioles were playing the Atlanta Braves at Camden Yards (the O’s crushed the Braves 11-2), there was not a lot of traffic in downtown Baltimore. I was able to park in my usual overpriced location at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel and hobbled my way through the lobby, up the escalator, to the walkway between the hotel and the Baltimore Convention Center.

I know that some dealers wanted Whitman to bring back Sunday hours, but when I was there the floor was empty. It appeared that more than half of the dealers left before the Sunday session but the number of people there appeared less than I saw before closing on Friday. Maybe this is not a good indicator of the potential for Sunday attendance because of the nearby Orioles’ game. Rather than regular parking rates, nearby lots charge “event rates” which may keep people away. The next Whitman Baltimore show will be November 12-15. The Baltimore Ravens, who play in nearby M&T Bank Stadium, will play on Monday night that week. We will see how Sunday hours do in November without competing events in downtown Baltimore.

The great thing about going to these shows are the people you meet. There are some dealers that it is great to talk with. They are wonderful, hard working people who make this a great hobby. These are also the dealers that I continue to buy from because not only do they deserve my business, but they also sell at a fair price, which all that we collectors can ask for.

Every show always has an underlying theme, a type of coin that seems to be more prevalent with the dealers and looked after by the buyers. This time it was interesting because nearly every dealer, regardless of what they were selling, had rolls or singles of the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial cents. One dealer whose inventory contained a lot of silver coins as well as gold and silver bullion also had rolls and singles of the cents for sale. There were others with the D.C. & U.S. Territories quarters and Presidential Dollars, the 2009 cents were a dominant theme.

While talking with that bullion dealer I found very nice examples of the 2009 silver Maple Leaf and Panda. While the Maple Leaf was very full of luster and is a solid and consistent design, I continue to be amazed at the artistry and craftsmanship of Chinese Panda. Since they hired a new artist in 2001, the design of the Panda coins have been phenomenal. The artistry and the quality of the strike makes the Panda something really special to own.

As I looked over the shoulder of the buyers searching the cases, I noticed that 20th century United States silver coins were a popular choice. From early Washington quarters to Walking Liberty half dollars, I noticed quite a few people interested in silver. And not just silver coins, quality early issues of these popular series. Even some later series were receiving attention, like the Roosevelt Dime and Franklin Half Dollar. I think this is the first time since I have been attending this show that I observed the dominant coin was not the Morgan Dollar.

Even though the Sunday session was sparsely attended, I still had the opportunity to meet and talk with a lot of good people. I even found a Father’s Day present for my father that I know he will like. I also know he reads this blog so this purchase will remain a secret until he receives it next week!

In keeping with my tradition, I had to find that one “oh, neat” item. This time, it was given to me shortly after my arrival on Friday. Following the setup of my exhibit, I spoke with Patti Finner in the Kids Korner. While speaking with her, she gave me a card with a type 2 blank cent planchet and an uncirculated 2008-D Lincoln Cent. A type 2 planchet is one whose rims were upset, the last step before striking. The planchet and the cent are in US Mint-type blister packaging and attached to a card explaining the “Before and After” of the process. The card was produced by the US Mint in conjunction with the h.i.p. program (History In your Pocket) for teaching children about coins and collecting.

I will be talking more about my conversation with Patti Finner in another post, but I would like to publicly thank her for this neat card and our very educational conversation.

If you made it this far, I am sure you can guess that my exhibit did not win at the show or I would have mentioned it at the beginning. The exhibit that one was a person who collected half-cents that were clipped during the minting process in each of the positions of the clock. He presented 12 coins in the layout of a clock that showed each coin and their clip. It was a very interesting and fun exhibit. It was a very fun and educational experience. I learned a little about exhibiting and will be making adjustments in order to do better next time—and there will be a next time. At least I received an uncirculated 2009 Silver Eagle for participating.

I know that sometimes it seems that buying coins online either through auctions or dealers appears easy, but you should really try to visit a coin show. You should meet the people in the hobby. You should see the coins. There is nothing more fascinating than looking at a case full of shiny silver dollars or something you are not collecting. By being on the bourse floor, you can meet dealers and other collectors. You can ask questions. You can get a better appreciation for this hobby beyond just accumulating. It is a hobby of people bound by the this passion for numismatics and that makes for a fun day at a coin show.

Labels: Baltimore, coins, shows

There are few shows like the thrice yearly Whitman Baltimore Expo. There are other large shows that are very well attended and Whitman is trying to expand their show portfolio to places like Philadelphia, but Baltimore supports this show three times per year. It is an amazing sight that has to be experienced to really appreciate.

I left home a bit late this morning after doing some work. With my backpack and cane, I drove to Baltimore. The drive to Baltimore was uneventful except, meaning the traffic on the Capital Beltway was bad. As I turned off the highway onto I-395 toward downtown Baltimore I had a sinking feeling. At the first traffic light I looked in my bag and realized I left the backing to exhibits at home. After taking the time to cut the backing to size, the feeling of instant panic was almost consuming.

Rather than go to the Baltimore Convention Center, I veered to downtown to find a place to stop and think. I looked at the iPhone and started to look up locations of craft stores. After finding a store not too far away and calling to confirm they had sheets of felt, I brought up a map with directions and drove to the store.

After purchasing four large pieces of felt, I rushed to the Sheraton Inner Harbor, where I usually overpay for parking, and hobbled to the Convention Center. After claiming my Exhibitor badge, I entered the large exhibit hall and found the exhibit area next to the Kids Corner. I was the last to set up, but I made it to my cases.

My exhibit is titled “The Bicentennial In Numismatics.” It is about one-third of my collection of numismatic-related bicentennial memorabilia put on display for all to see. Aside being a great milestone for this country, the bicentennial coinage marked the first time those of us at the tail end of the Baby Boom era experienced a change in design in our coinage. Numismatically, it is a fun topic. There were so many medals and tokens produced, it was difficult to reduce the number of items to fit in four cases.

As I setup my cases I realized that I left a few medals and a two dollar bill at home. I had one two dollar bill that was stamped in Philadelphia on the first day of issue, but I wanted a second one to show the reverse that was an engraving of John Trumbull’s painting “The Declaration of Independence.” Oh well... next time I will be more organized.

After I completed my setup, I looked at the other cases in the exhibit area. There were some differences between their cases and mine. Each had a different theme, but had a strict order to them. I felt that mine was not so much an exhibit but a celebration. In fact, I had a few people view the exhibit just after I set it up and commented as to how they remembered the coins, medals, and the celebration. Even if I do not win, I know that at least one person enjoyed the exhibit!

If there is one thing I do not like about my iPhone is the quality of the built in camera. Even with the glare of the overhead lights, I think I was able to capture images of the cases to give my readers an idea of my exhibit. The following is a slideshow of the cases as stored in a Photobucket album:



I will have more to say about the show in another post. But I wanted to mention that amongst the people I met, I had a nice conversation with American Numismatic Association Vice President Patti Finner. I met Patti at the Kids Corner where she was ready to talk about anything numismatics. I invited her to speak at my coin club the next time the Whitman show will be in Baltimore. She was very gracious, full of energy, and looking to help as best she could in making her talk a success for our club. I really appreciate her taking the time to talk with me.

Exhibits competition results will be announced at 11:00 AM on Sunday morning. Stay tuned!

Labels: Baltimore, coins, shows