Please note that these articles are from electronic backup files and may not be exactly as the final printed versions.
There are no cemeteries for dead coin clubs. There is no Memorial Day – Decoration Day – for dead coin clubs. There are no funeral services nor wakes nor sympathy cards for the dead coin club. There, sadly, are no mourners for dead coin clubs.
A dead coin club is just that: dead, cold, cruel dead. There is nothing left, save what may be preserved on yellowing pages of minutes or newsletters or in fading photographs of individuals no one knows, or cares, or what might be held in memories of a few.
What happen to the Napa Coin Club? Why would this local coin club – which once claimed an attendance of 150 per meeting, a preeminent local coin show, and members driving from around the Bay Area to be at its meetings – Just End? Where did all those successes go? What Happened?
The answers are legion. There were so many factors spread over a decade, and there were, cruelly, so many missed opportunities.
For myself, I was an honoured life member of the Napa Valley Coin Club, and the Club was the second local coin club that I joined, back in December 1975. Yet, I must publicly accept some of the fault for this Club’s demise. I admit that openly and candidly. But, my own guilt would not be enough for this Club to end. Then, what was the problem? What went wrong? Why was not something done?
In the months, since the final meeting on May 21, 1999, and in packing and protecting 38 years of history for preservation by the American Numismatic Association (ANA), I have come to hazard an answer, not the whole answer nor maybe a just answer.
This local coin club died when its members – some who once were so devoted – retreated and no longer gave: there were no replacements for those who had served; there was no willingness to try; there was no effort; there was no interest. It had become what one gets. In the end, the members – those with sterling records and those without ever giving – simply walked-out and went home.
Yes, the Napa Valley Coin Club was only a coin club. Yes, in all the tragic pains, there are far worst and terrible loses. Yes, nothing can be achieved in this agony with so fall from ecstasy. It is ended. Finis. Closed. Done. Dead.
What happened was so typical of so much of life. We simply seem to forget that ‘a living is what you get out of life; yet, a life is what you gave.’ There is a difference between the verbs ‘get’ and ‘gave’. One was the attitude of most Napa Valley Coin Club members, however, the other could have saved and sustained the Napa Valley Coin Club. They wanted to ‘get’, and they did not want to ‘give’. Ending, which is your verb?
Wasn’t it nice that the Royal Canadian Mint chose to commemorate 50 years of the C.N.A. with a 24 coin program. Well, kind of. You see, you can compare Geoff Bell’s “Flashback-Reminiscences” column, which outlines the history of the C.N.A. over the past fifty years with the 1999 coin program commemorating Canadian history. And of course, the 2000 program for the RCM which celebrates a vision for the 21st century for Canada can be compared to the C.N.A. efforts today to establish a vision for the future, Horizons 2000.
Geoff’s column in our January/February issue summarized the original mandate of the C.N.A. 1) To have a bulletin, 2) to establish a library, 3) to have a yearly national convention and 4) to initiate a registry of rare Canadian coins. They also discussed exhibiting, public relations and a National coin week.
It was refreshing to see that so many of these original objectives have been achieved. We do have a bulletin, but we could have a better one, the Journal is only as good as the contributions it receives. we need to establish exactly what information and messages this bulletin needs to bring you, our members, and provide it with the resources necessary to do so.
We do have a library, an excellent one, though we may need your assistance to help rebuild it from a recent flood. We also need to distribute more information to you about the library, so we can make it more available to you, our members.
We do have a great annual convention, with excellent educational forums, exhibits, an auction, a bourse and plenty of opportunity for interaction with your fellow members.
In my ten years as a member, I’ve never heard of the registry of rare Canadian coins. Did this mandate ever get going, or if it did, it might be interesting to know where it left off.
We do have a National Coin Week, though we certainly haven’t accomplished much lately in the public relations areas. All in all, remembering that the C.N.A. is primarily a volunteer organization, I think you would have to give the C.N.A. and those volunteers that set forth to achieve those original objectives, more than just a passing grade.
But, what about tomorrow, and the next fifty years? What’s important numismatically speaking to you? What should this organization do to justify your membership in the future? If you have strong ideas, please let us know.
Last issue we talked a little about the original mandate of the C.N.A. and the upcoming long range planning sessions. The first mandate of the association was to produce a bulletin, and so we have. The question is what should that bulletin be?
The Task Force 2000 report published in December 1994 dealt briefly with publishing of the Journal and summarized that the changes made that year (to the format we have today).would create some financial savings that would flow to the C.N.A. And it has, but several contributors to Task Force 2000 wondered if this was enough. Could the C.N.A. and other journal issuing numismatic organizations combine their publishing efforts into a single unified Canadian Numismatic Journal? A unified Journal that represents all facets of Canadian numismatics could be an excellent vehicle to broaden individual collector interests from a single field of study to many. They concluded that this would be a arduous task with the different needs and political bents of the varying participants. But, what then, should the C.N.A. Journal be?
Anne Graham, a columnist on association publishing in Folio magazine, a trade journal for magazine publishers suggests the following. That staff and the boards of each association constantly examine its publication - what is it, what contributes to its value, and what its potential might be. She suggests that we must raise the following questions: What kind of information is most vital to the readers? How seriously do we want to be taken? How are we perceived by potential advertisers, and how do we stack up against both association and commercial competitors? How deep are our resources. What kinds of commitments are we willing to make? What’s holding us back?
I know after five years of producing the C.N.A. Journal we could do a better job, but what would that be. The input we receive is minimal, so is the Journal creating any kind of impact. I wonder that sometimes. What would you, the reader like to see in the Journal? What’s important to you?
It’s time we develop a mission statement for the Journal and be sure that it accurately reflects the purpose and the goals of the association. Why, to meet both the objectives of the board and reflect what you, our member would like to see in your publication Doing that, we need the commitment of the board to allocate sufficient resources to do the job. But, we still need you, our reader to tell us, what you would like to see. Now is your time to act.
Thanks.
The annual report for the Royal Canadian Mint landed on my desk this week, just in time for the May Journal. RCM sales in what they classify as Canadian Numismatic Coin Revenues were up substantially to 76.2 million dollars (1998 - 43.5 million, 1997 - 40 million), with the millennium issues represented over 36 million dollars in sales. Total Canadian numismatic coins sold were 25.1 million coins in 1999 compared to 4.1 million in 1998 and 4.3 million in 1997. It could be very interesting when some of these sales start finding their way to the secondary marketplace. Yes, the RCM had a great year, in fact by profits the second best year in the mint’s 98 year history with profits reaching $21.7 million compared to the $4.5 million earned in 1998.
Cumulative Canadian Circulating Coinage (000’s)
|
Dated |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
|
$2 |
25,130 |
5,309 |
16,942 |
375,483 |
|
|
$1 |
- |
- |
- |
17,101 |
41,813 |
|
50¢ |
496 |
308 |
387 |
458 |
626 |
|
25¢ |
258,190 |
- |
- |
28,106 |
89,210 |
|
10¢ |
222,470 |
203,514 |
43,126 |
51,814 |
123,875 |
|
5¢ |
104,206 |
156,873 |
27,354 |
36,686 |
78,780 |
|
1¢ |
949,400 |
999,267 |
549,868 |
445,746 |
624,983 |
Canadian Numismatic Coinage
|
Dated |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
|
Platinum Coin Set |
434 |
661 |
616 |
675 |
569 |
|
Proof Platinum 1/2 oz. |
- |
194 |
184 |
196 |
193 |
|
Proof Platinum 1/10 oz. |
392 |
664 |
740 |
910 |
523 |
|
.99999 Gold |
1,909 |
1,999 |
-- |
-- |
- |
|
$200 Gold |
6,402 |
7,149 |
11,610 |
8047 |
9,579 |
|
$100 Gold |
9,627 |
11,120 |
14,775 |
19,744 |
18,195 |
|
Silver Aviation #9/#7/#5/#3/#1 |
13,341 |
14,711 |
16,440 |
18,508 |
17,438 |
|
Silver Aviation #10/#8/#6/#4/#2 |
13,367 |
15,237 |
18,414 |
27,163 |
17,722 |
|
$1 Proof (925 Ag) |
120,896 |
130,795 |
184,965 |
133,779 |
166,259 |
|
$1 Brilliant Uncirculated |
63,881 |
81,376 |
155,252 |
58,834 |
61,819 |
|
Proof Set |
90,249 |
93,632 |
113,647 |
112,835 |
101,560 |
|
Specimen Set |
91,890 |
67,697 |
97,595 |
62,125 |
77,326 |
|
Uncirculated Set |
192,139 |
145,439 |
174,692 |
120,217 |
143,892 |
|
Baby Unc. Set |
63,377 |
61,927 |
55,199 |
56,618 |
36,443 |
|
Oh Canada! Unc Set |
77,985 |
84,410 |
84,124 |
31,083 |
50,927, |
|
Fifty Cent Proof (Disc Nature) |
79,835 |
133,310 |
184,536 |
206,552 |
172,377 |
|
Fifty Cent Proof (Sports) |
42,963 |
56,428 |
- |
- |
- |
|
90th Anniv. Silver Proof $ |
- |
18,376 |
- |
- |
- |
|
90th Anniv. Antiq. Proof $ |
- |
24,893 |
- |
- |
- |
|
1998 Bethune |
- |
65,381 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Silver Lunar Cameo |
72,453 |
68,888 |
- |
- |
- |
|
10 oz Silver Maple Leaf |
- |
13,5533 |
- |
- |
- |
|
1999 Millennium Souvenir Set |
1,445,150 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1999 Millennium Comm. Set |
58,246 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1999 Chinese Dragon Comm. Set |
6,694 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1999 Millennium Sterl. Silv. Pf. 25¢ |
113,645 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1999 Nunavut Gold $2 |
4,088 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1999 Nunavut Proof $2 |
39,638 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
So what about The CN Journal? In President Tom Kennedy’s remarks this month, Tom states the new mission statement of the association which was developed at the strategic planning session last month. The issue of communication came up several times during the session and we can see it in the mission statement, the strategies and the objectives of our association. So what about The CN Journal, the what, is that the association has no better method of communicating with its members, than our journal.
Spurred on by the meeting, I conducted a quick and dirty survey, (Ah! the joys of the internet) by e-mailing every C.N.A. member, I could remember receiving any correspondence from, or whose e-mail address I swiped from a group mailing I had received in the past few months. I’d like to thank everyone who participated, which was about 22 or 23 out of about 35 on the list. In a quick summary, here’s what they said.
When asked about association business and news: On club news, we needed much more content and what was published was perceived as poor, we need more committee reports and more convention news.
When asked about Member News, we need to publish more information on Library services, more Letters to the Editor, more news from other groups and associations. My survey fell short, a brain cramp, as I did not ask, whether we needed more articles on our members and the people side of collecting.
When asked about articles on collecting areas, it was overwhelming, that we need more articles on Canadian decimal coinage, colonial tokens, and paper money; though it was agreed that the quality of what was published was good to excellent.
50% felt the status quo of 10 issues did the trick, however 25% thought 12 issues was the number and 25% felt that six issues would be the right number. Interesting...
The comments attached to the responses provided me with some great insight. I wish I could list them all. Many were short, some lenghty, all appreciated. Some were to point, such as Content, not form is the problem. There needs to be a great effort made to get more numismatic content into it. Others dealt with specific things the Journal could publish, some dealt with advertising, others with errors, value of the Journal, clubs, planning, that the Journal needs some new blood, be more newsy, more of magazine, more colour, a new updated cover, more and more as a rule.
Where do we go from here? I think its time for a new plan, one that helps the C.N.A. meet its new objectives.. If you have any comments or ideas about what you’d like to see in the Journal, please let me know. Thanks.
Hey, for everybody collecting the1999 millennium quarters here’s some news for those that missed it in CCN. Here’s the official issue quantities for each quarter and the sets.
|
Month |
Circulating |
Proof |
|
January |
12,181,282 |
9,190 |
|
February |
14,469,250 |
8,691 |
|
March |
15,033,476 |
8,765 |
|
April |
15,445,946 |
9,040 |
|
May |
15,566,192 |
9,315 |
|
June |
20,432,751 |
11,004 |
|
July |
17,321,025 |
8,899 |
|
August |
18,153,732 |
8,570 |
|
September |
31,539,355 |
9,169 |
|
October |
32,136,649 |
8,243 |
|
November |
27,162,828 |
8,813 |
|
December |
43,339,221 |
11,715 |
|
Total |
262,781,707 |
111,414 |
|
Specimen Sets |
45,104 |
|
|
Uncirculated Sets |
74,821 |
|
Wow, that’s 264,332,221 quarters in all with a face value of $66,083,055.25 and more to come for the year 2000. In fact, only 268 million quarters were issued from 1993 to 1998. Noticed more quarters in your change these days. I wonder why??
Hat’s off to Earl Salterio and Stan Clute and all the hard work they’ve put into getting the new book, The Canadian Numismatic Association - a Half Century of Advancement in Numismatics written and published in time for the 50th convention. The 148 page book traces the history of the association from 1950 to today. It was a major effort and they both deserve a big applause for tackling such an immense project. Copies of the book are available for $15 at the convention or $18 from the Executive Secretary including taxes shipping and handling.
See you in Ottawa at the convention.....
Ex LIBRIS
New Brunswick now has its 911 system province-wide and as a result many addresses have changed, particularly in rural areas. The C.N.A. Library was one of those. Our new address is C.N.A. Library, P.O. Box 5228, Shediac, N.B., E4P 8T9.
The Shediac area experienced a disaster of epic proportions in January caused by a strange turn of weather-related events. We had an eclipse of the moon, a huge snow storm, winds of hurricane strength, very low barometric pressure and extraordinary high tides. Your library was flooded and had it not been for the fast work of family and neighbours, we would of suffered a major loss. It was certainly serious enough though. We lost about 240 books, many journals (bound and unbound) and library sup-plies. Our claim has gone to our insurance company and we don't know of this date our settlement. Needless to say, hundreds of hours of work was required to bring things back to normalcy. Most library users would not have known as we had no interruption of service. That was our goal and we succeeded. In our losses were several rare books, Breton, Leroux and others. Fortunately, we believe over time we can replace them. We intend to publish the list of books lost with the hope members may be able to donate some of the loss to the library from their personal libraries.
Most clubs have received the VCR catalogue of programs. If your club or you have not, request them immediately. Speaking of clubs, they are using our VCR and slide programs extensively. The library and AV catalogues are still available at $5.00 for the pair. Finally, Bob Graham has produced an excellent presentation on the 1917 $1.00 issue of Princess Pat notes. This was the only issue designed during the First World War (1914-18) and as you might expect features patriotic and military symbols. The C.N.A. thanks Bob for this well-done presentation.
This spring the C.N.A. suffered a considerable loss due to a flood in its library. Please take the time to have a long look over the listing of these books. The rest of the list will be published in the next journal and it includes significant numismatic works by authors such as Leroux, Breton and others. The Association sincerely appreciates any copies you may be able to contribute.
I had the chance to travel to Philadelphia last month and at-tend the ANA meeting. Dan Gosling, Bret Evans and I brought a supply of CN Journals, some little Canadian flags and had the opportunity to represent the C.N.A. for a few days. It was a great chance to talk to some USA members of the C.N.A. and even sign a few new members up.
Phil Greenslet, who took the top award at the C.N.A. for his The German Order exhibit in the Non-Canadian Medal category took home the Class 5, George Buaer Memorial Award at the ANA for that exhibit. His Franklin and the Institute exhibit took First Place in the Class 19: Local Interest Numismatics category. Phil had exhibited this and received a second prize award at the C.N.A.
In the category - Class 13, Canadian Coins and Currency - John Jay Pittman Sr. Memorial Award - always of interest to us Canadian s the following exhibits were recognized:
First Place: Larry White for "Gold $200 Coins of Canada"
Second Place: David Provost for "The Nickel Dollars of Canada, 1968-1987.
Third Place: Dan Freeland for "1999 Millennium Quarters.
It was a big weekend for C.N.A. member Russell Rulau, who many of us know from his many works on U.S. tokens, his days at Krause and from the Pobjoy Mint. Russell was honoured by the ANA with its Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to organized numismatics. In addition Russell was also inducted into the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame. Congratulations Russell.
Schools as we know them just might have it all wrong. The learning that makes the greatest difference so often takes place not in a formal "classroom setting" nor in the context of a specific, externally-mandated "content area." Rather, growth and development in attitudes, ambitions, and lifelong interests, often occur in less or differently structured situations – the playing field (traditionally), the youth group, the spontaneous argument, the seemingly casual conversation. So often, too, the important moment turns out to have been a small group, even one on one.
As a mathematics teacher — for four decades and more — I've sensed how often my lasting influence has come through unorthodox math club settings, in end-of-lesson dialogue, by suggesting out-of-class investigations, by listening supportively to reports of such findings. You may forget – but can retrieve – say, quadratic solution by completion of the square. You do not so readily forget, however, how you feel about yourself, your subject, and the great adventures of discovery development, and application.
What of numismatics, reflected upon in such a context? The bare-bones catalogues (dates, mintages, conditions, prices), the good books, the journals, the lectures and displays, the bourses to browse, remain accessible — some of these, I'd say, as never before. Yet, where are the new collectors, both the young people and, fully as importantly, those choosing to join us at any subsequent stage of life? Where are they, and what will bring them – and keep them – in the numismatic fold?
I suspect that, if we researched it, many of us might be found to have come to our individual specialized numismatic interests under the benevolent influence of more experienced collectors – mentors and role models who, perhaps instinctively, took time and trouble to guide us as to the course that we might steer. A veteran researcher, sharing at a meeting the excitement of continuing numismatic investigation – for me. it was the last Fred Bowman. A particularly knowledgeable dealer, sensitive to long-term discovery and growth within the hobby movement – the late Jules Mero. Such efforts, I feel, build and support the kind of numismatic growth that — while others cash in their chips and move on — so admirably stands the test of time.
In the great and venerable school of Numismatics, too, I suggest, important learning may derive from less structured situations. We all can be mentors. We have much to share. We need to welcome and support the new numismatist — youth through retiree. We need to steer him or her past the first attractions of the hobby – whose lustre may fade – into those rich areas for growth and discovery that lie beyond.
Harold Don Allen, C.N.A., LM 12, is a Fellow, Canadian College of Teachers, and an emeritus member, Mathematical Association of America.