I can’t even give it away
After the fiasco earlier this week when I tried to give away an 1859 Indian Head cent, someone else just rejected the coin.
It was a busy day, and there were a large number of cash transactions. Since I was not paying attention to the coins I was pulling out of the drawer, I scooped 2-cents to give to someone in change. As I dropped the coins into his hand, I noticed that one was the 1859 Indian Head Cent.
Rather than putting the coins in his pocket, he dropped the two coins into a tray I keep by the cash register.
Since this happened earlier in the afternoon, I left the coin there to see if anyone would notice. Following several more cash transactions, I took the coin out of the tray and dropped it back into the drawer.
It might not be the prettiest Indian Head cent I have seen, but it is still worth about $15-20. And I cannot give it away!
If I cannot give it away on Saturday, it is coming home with me. At least I appreciate its significance in numismatic history.
Encouraging Young Numismatists
Over the weekend I went south Florida for a family function. In Florida, I saw my teenage nephews. Last year, I gave my older nephew various coins and coin sets to commemorate his birthday and reaching 13. I did the same for my other nephew this year. These gifts include Mint sets from the year they were born, a package that included the last Susan B. Anthony Dollar and the first Sacagawea Dollar as being the first coin change in their life time, and other coins. For this year, I found a folder of coins with the pre-Euro coins that my nephew found interesting.
Giving coins as a gift has inspired my older nephew into building a collection. While both do collect 50 State Quarters in a map folder I had given them, my older nephew seems to have gravitated to American Silver Eagle Proof coins and colorized State Quarters. I do not understand why he likes the colored quarters, but that is his choice. He has a lot of questions that are not focused, so I will need to work with him to get him to better focus his understanding.
My older nephew is more intense than his younger sibling. He is more concerned with the worth and value of the coins than the history. I gave him a copy of Coinage magazine that I finished reading and the first section he looked at were the yellow price guide section! For this year’s birthday, he was given junior memberships to the ANA and FUN. My younger nephew was last seen staring at the Mint set and pre-Euro coins admiring their beauty. I will have to sit with each to figure out their numismatic interests in more detail.
It is fun talking with them, answering their many questions, and encouraging their interest in numismatics. While talking, I was told that they will be in New York in two weeks. So I offered to take them to the Philadelphia Branch Mint for the public tour if my work schedule permits. They would take the train to Philadelphia where I will pick them up at the station. They are hoping my work schedule will allow me to do this. They are also scheming to figure out how much money they can bring to buy souvenirs.
All it takes is a gift of coins to convert someone into a young numismatist. Give it a try and watch the hobby grow!
Congratulations to the New ANA Board
The American Numismatic Association announced the results of the 2007 election. After two years of controversy, voting members of the ANA elected a new Board that consists of no incumbents or anyone tied with the previous Board. Aside from the unopposed president and vice president, this election returns Ed Rochette, a past president, to the Board. Along with Rochette, the new Board includes Cliff Mishler and Chet Krause whose problems with the outgoing Board have been well documented. Also returning to the Board is Walt Ostromecki, the member who was dismissed by the outgoing Board during the Krause/Mishler issues.
The new Board of Governors will be installed at the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Milwaukee. The new Board is as follows:
| President: | Barry Stupler |
| Vice President: | Patricia Jagger-Finner |
| Governors: | Clifford Mishler Chester Krause Edward C. Rochette Joseph E. Boling Radford Sterns Walter A. Ostromecki Wendell A. Wolka |
I may not have voted for every member who was elected for the Board of Governors, but they are a Governor on the Board of my ANA and I hope they do a good job. Congratulations to all who will serve.
Waiting for ANA Election Results
American Numismatic Association Board of Governors election ballots were due to the accounting firm last week. Although I have no contact with the ANA or their accounting firm, I assume that the ballots are being verified and counted. As this is happening, some of us are speculating what the outcome will be.
Dave Harper, editor of Numismatic News, speculates that based on his version of “conventional wisdom” incumbents should make up at least half of the upcoming ANA Board of Governors. However, after attending the ANA candidate forum in Charlotte and reading the editorial comments in publications like Numismatic News, this may be a case where the ANA electorate is looking for a change.
The questioning at the candidate forum made it clear that the audience was ready for a change in the board. Those what distinguished themselves as someone who wanted to improve the ANA with change were embraced while incumbents and those with close ties to the current Board were not seen in a positive light.
Considering the forum and subsequent publication coverage of this election, my version of conventional wisdom says that the ANA electorate wants a change. This would indicate that other than the president and vice president, who are running unopposed, it would not be surprising to see one member of the current Board or someone with an associate with the current Board be elected. These candidates do not represent the change members seem to desire.
I admit that I voted for change. I withheld my vote for president and vice president out of principle because they are members of the current Board of Governors. The balance of my ballot was used to vote for those who are not on the current ANA Board of Governors. When I cast my ballot, I voted for Joe Boling, Michael Doran, John Eshbach, Cliff Mishler, Walter Ostromecki, Radford Sterns, and Wendell Wolka.
I admit that Walter Ostromecki is an emotional choice. Although I did not vote for him during the last election, I do not believe that Ostromecki was treated well by the current Board during his dismissal shortly after his term began. I want to give him a chance to serve a full term.
Joe Boling and Cliff Mishler are experienced with the ANA with Boling being a judge for the ANA exhibits. Both have strong backgrounds with a passion that could not be resisted. Mishler comes off as a gruff person. But after having a conversation with him, it is easy to tell he as the passion and intelligence to help the ANA.
John Eshbach, Radford Sterns, and Wendell Wolka are three who impressed me at the candidate forum. Eshbach was plain spoken and passionately to the point. He is an “old timer” who can be a great contributor.
Sterns and Wolka were outspoken in their use of technology to improve the outreach and communications to the ANA membership. Wolka really seemed to understand my concerns that the ANA can leverage technology as a tool and involve membership who have the background to provide advice. I gave Wolka my business card noting my interest in helping the new Board with technology and planning. We will see if Wolka follows through if he is elected.
Michael Doran also impressed me in Charlotte. However, following that forum, Doran published statements in support of the current Board. Doran’s views were interesting and understandable from the perspective he gives. Since dissent is good for debate, I thought that Doran would help provide the fodder for the debate without including any current Board members.
There are other good candidates, but this is the slate I chose. Regardless of who is elected, I will borrow a phrase from John Wayne: I may not have voted for every member who is elected for the Board of Governors, but they are a Governor on the Board of my ANA and I hope they do a good job.
Can This Become a Modern Rarity?
The Royal Canadian Mint is embroiled in a controversy with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Canadian organization representing four Inuit regions. This week, the RCM issued a $20 commemorative coin to mark the 125th anniversary of the establishment of research stations around the Arctic to share scientific data. It is referred to as the first international polar year. English explorer Martin Frobisher is featured on the reverse along with a 16th century ship and kayaker representing the Inuit people.
According to history, Frobisher lured an Inuit kayaker to his ship in order to bring him back to England for display. The Inuit are people indigenous of the Arctic regions of Canada and must have looked very different to the 16th century anglo-saxons from England. The captured Inuit died of disease in England.
ITK is asking the RCM to consult its organization when issuing coins about its people saying ignorance caused this mistake. The RCM is saying that they consulted experts and added the kayak as an acknowledgment of the Inuit being in the region and that it is not a commentary on those events. ITK is preparing a letter to the RCM about this coin.
Although I cannot find records of the RCM withdrawing coins, it is possible that they could cease the sale of this coin. Canada does have laws governing the fair treatment of people which could dictate what the RCM does. This is not a judgement on Canadian law. I am anticipating that if the coin does get withdraw, it will be a modern issue with a low mintage and an interesting history.
Time to go to the RCM website to order a few coins.
Image from the Royal Canadian Mint
Wheaties For Lunch
Many people look at Mondays with disdain. It can be difficult to get back into the swing of the workweek after two pleasant days off. Nevertheless, I have a lot of work to do in order to wind down my participation on my current project so I can transfer to do something else. As the clock struck noon, my iPod finished playing the playlist I selected and decided it was time for lunch.
The company cafeteria is nothing special except that it is convenient. After being handed the takeout carton of my food, I went to pay for the purchase. When the cashier handed over my change, I noticed something strange… all the cents were wheat backs! I asked the cashier to look in the draw and see what else was there. We separated 38 wheat back cents from the draw. She then opened the next roll and we found more. The third roll did not have any wheat cents. When I was finished, I had found 88 wheat back cents.
I returned to my office and emptied my pocket onto my desk. While eating lunch I quickly checked to see what I found. When I separated coins by decade, I found 43 coins from the 1950s, 38 coins from the 1940s, and six cents from the 1930s. Twelve were shell casing cents (1944-45) and there was one Canadian cent from 1958. Most were minted in Philadelphia although there were more Denver minted coins amongst those with mint marks.
As a result, all I found were 87 common wheat back cents in Good to Fine condition. According to Coinflation.com, these coins are worth $2.15 in melt value, although it is illegal to melt cents. Hoarding is legal and these coins will be added to my tubes of cents from the various decades.
It was a little numismatic pleasure during lunch!
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