Return-Path: Received: from web5203.mail.yahoo.com ([216.115.106.97]) by farley.mail.mindspring.net (Mindspring Mail Service) with SMTP id t6rije.5lgr.37kbi1c for ; Tue, 23 Jan 2001 13:16:14 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <20010123181612.8498.qmail@web5203.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [152.163.206.192] by web5203.mail.yahoo.com; Tue, 23 Jan 2001 10:16:12 PST Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001 10:16:12 -0800 (PST) From: MPCgram Subject: MPC Gram 233 (corrected) To: mpcgram@yahoo.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii ==================================================== MPC Gram ==================================================== Covering the Entire World of Military Numismatics ---------------------------------------------------- Series 002-Number 233 Tuesday 23 January 2001 Get them when you can by Joe Boling A photo in Neil Shafer's column in the February BNR (received today) ties in with another story that Fred and I had talked about as a potential column. In 1976 I made a circuitous cross-country trek (you have already heard about part of it, as I stopped in San Antonio and picked up that Fort Sam Bank national for my biographical collection). Also on that trip I visited Ruth Hill. I don't remember how I met a fellow named Whitesitt (I don't remember his first name now, and I'm not going to go search for the check I wrote him). He had a collection of hansatsu for sale in St. Louis, so I assume that Ruth put us in touch. I met him in the parking lot of a large mall and we looked through what he had to offer. It was a collection of about 275 pieces (if I am remembering correctly), for which he wanted $600. Since I was accustomed to paying $5 each for unattributed hansatsu, this sounded like a deal. Even better, his were all attributed (except that the attributions were in handwritten Japanese). However, I most liked the fact that it was a collection, not a hoard containing many pieces of a few types, so I bought it. Months later in Heidelberg, MSG Aikawa (remember him from the bond column?) and I went through all those handwritten slips that were with the notes and he read them for me; each one gave the province and issuer of the piece it was associated with. That was the start of my getting almost all of my hansatsu identified. After Whitesitt and I agreed on the hansatsu sale, I looked at some other notes he had. Only two are still in my collection attributed to him (if I bought others, they have been traded away). One is a color changeling of Japan P89a with a blue-green or blue-gray underprint. The other is the subject of this column. In 1895, after thrashing China in the first Sino-Japanese war, Japan was summarily evicted from the Asian mainland by the Triple Intervention--France, Russia, and Germany demanded that Japan give up the territory she had captured on the Liaotung and Shantung peninsulas, including Wei-hai- wei, Port Arthur, and Dairen. Japan was steamed, but could do nothing about it at that time (the deal was sweetened by the triple powers telling China to increase the cash indemnity that she was to pay Japan as penance for being the loser--that indemnity allowed Japan to go on the gold standard and to buy armaments that were used in 1904-5 against--guess who-- Russia). Japan was still fuming about Germany's role in this humiliation when World War I came along. Japan joined the allies against Germany and began vacuuming up German territories in the Far East, including Kiau Chau, an enclave on the Shantung peninsula that included the port of Tsingtao. She held this area from 1914 to 1922, and issued military scrip similar to the notes that had been issued in Korea and China during the Russo-Japanese war. In fact, the earliest issues for Tsingtao were R-J War issues overprinted for the new use. After the interim issues, the regular notes were dated Taisho 3 (1914), and are the scarcest of the collectible Japanese military notes (after the essays of JIM for the occupation of the Soviet Union and the scrip for the first Sino-Japanese war). The Tsingtao pieces are Japan M7-M12 in the Pick catalog. In 1976 I had never seen one of these notes, and Whitesitt offered me a 50 sen piece for $5. I tried to be casual about it, but I knew what it was and didn't miss a beat in adding it to the pile. It is a decrepit rag, with thins on the back from being removed from a scrapbook, and paper tape repairs, but to this day it is the only Tsingtao 50 sen piece I recall being offered. In his article about the Smythe sale for CPMX, Neil illustrates a one yen Tsingtao note--a denomination I do not yet have--and he says not a word about it! I guess the note speaks for itself. It sure speaks to me! ==================================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------------- This should be the last issue for me from New York, but I should have more to say about the stay here. Today we are going to visit possible venues for future MPC Fests--it should be interesting! One line it Joe's story above really caught my attention and made me laugh. I wonder if you paid any attention to it at all. He mentions that he will not bother digging out a cancelled check from 1976 to retrieve the name of the fellow. 1976! I could not dig out a check from six months ago and he causually mentions that he has his from 1976. This amazes me. Part is envy and part is ridicule! "Get a life" verses "boy that is neat, those checks are a collection of their own!" JOe, thanks for the great story and all of the others too! ==================================================== Mail Call ---------------------------------------------------- Dear Gram, I would like to make a reservation for the MPC Fest. My wife, Jane, will be accompanying me. We have never been to that part of the country, so she will do some sightseeing during the Fest. I hope the "First Sergeant" can see his way clear to assigning us to the same room :-) Please advise me what the registration cost is. For cost purposes, assume she will be eating with us. We will be arriving about 1700 on Friday evening. I am really looking forward to this event. Regards. Warner Talso Dear Warner, Wonderful. Everyone will be looking forward to meeting you. Hm, you have added interesting twists. Does this mean that you will not need the company of one of our "special hostesses"? The first sergeant is a hard person, but I have some influence with her so we will try to get you bunked with GI Jane! Seriously, we will have to figure out the "double rate" etc. You introduce all sorts of new problems besides bunk arrangements. Do we get to count Jane in the fest count? If we need her to go over 100, we sure will! Editor =================================================== Departments --------------------------------------------------- WWII numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar 2001 --------------------------------------------------- Not only does the scholarship fund have an official identity but also has a bank account! Any further donations should be paid to the order of "Military Numismatists Scholarship" and sent to: Military Numismatists c/o Marcus Turner 8103 East US Highway 36 Suite 163 Avon, IN 46123 THE UPDATED LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP BENEFACTORS 1/21/01. These folks have generously provided money or material to finance scholarships to the ANA WWII Numismatics seminar. Your contributions will help promote collecting WWII material and be greatly appreciated. Mr. Anonymous Donor Mike Cummings Ed B. Doug Bell R. A. Medina Harold MPCKid Kroll Leo "Paymaster" May Bill McNease Marcus Turner Larry Ski Fred PK6 Joel Shafer World Wide Ventures John & Nancy Wilson Neil Shafer ----------------------------------------------------- MPC Fest II ----------------------------------------------------- MPC Fest is the annual feast of MPC. After some difficulties of coordination we have not changed the dates and tentatively scheduled 9-11 March 2001 for MPC Fest II. Confirmed participants in MPC Fest II Doug Bell Bill McNease Al Glaser Phil Goldstein Harold Kroll Ian Marshall Larry Smulczenski Leo May Kevin Maloy Marv Mericle Bruce Potter David Seelye Nick Shrier Fred Schwan Dan Swartz Warner Talso (and Jane) Marcus Turner (We are well past last year's participation level. Can we double it, triple it, more?) If you have made a reservation and your name does not appear above, please contact the gram immediately (MPCgram@yahoo.com). Tentative schedule as of 15 January 2001 Friday March 8 1500-1900 Arrivals at Comfort Inn 1900-2030 no host dinner at Cisco and Charlies 2030-2300 bull session at Comfort Inn 2400 lights out Saturday breakfast at Comfort Inn 0730-0845 breakfast at Service Club 0900-1000 equipment issue (supply sergeant) 1000-1100 pay operations (pay master) 1100-1230 show and tell, session I 1230-1330 pizza party at Service Club (mess sergeant) 1330-1800 swap session (dealer surcharge, TBD) 1800-1930 spaghetti dinner at Service Club (mess sergeant) 1930-2030 secret operations 2000-2345 commemorative poker game at Comfort Inn 2200 MPC chat (simultaneous with poker game) 2400 lights out Sunday 0830-0900 breakfast at Service Club 0900-1000 research updates 1000-1230 show and tell 1230-1330 lunch at Service Club 1300-1500 field trip to WWII POW camp 1530 closing ceremonies Monday (optional, weather permitting) 0600-0630 breakfast at Service Club 0700-1400 Walleye fishing trip Remarks: registration is $139 per person. This includes two nights lodging (double occupancy, room assignments by first sergeant the only possible exception is married couples), Meals as indicated (Friday evening not included), equipment and amenities. The value of souvenirs and goodies distributed will likely exceed the cost of the entire Fest. Reservations accepted now at MPCGram@yahoo.com, deposits ($50 minimum) accepted at MPC Fest, 132 East Second Street, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452. Late registration surcharges: after February 15 $25, after March 1 $50. Confirmed reservations will be listed daily in the gram—make your reservations now! Additional information; the Comfort Inn is located at 1723 East Perry Street, Port Clinton, Oh 43452, you may use one of the online map services to get exact driving directions. DO NOT make your own reservations or inquiries. The best airports in order of distance are Toledo (45 mins), Cleveland (90 mins), Detroit (100 mins). We will try to coordinate ground transportation, but there are no guarantees here. Questions: send your questions to MPCgram@yahoo.com. In most cases the questions will be answered in the letters section of the gram. After all, if you have the question, someone else probably does too. ==================================================== Post/Base Exchange (PX/BX/NEX) Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for items for sale will be run here for free. Send your ads to the gram. This service is for everyone, most humble dealer or most advanced collector. The point is to make the gram more interesting. Send in a list of items for sale and we will list them here in the gram. In all cases confirm your order via email first. MPC Series 471 $5 vf-ef $1750. Ian Marshall, please e-mail for confirmation. iam@total.net. MPC series 591c gem unc $75 confirm at coinman@rochester.rr.com. MPC Series 611 5c gem CU $20. Confirm fred@papermoneyworld.com. =================================================== Staff: publisher and editor: Fred Schwan - fred@papermoneyworld.com; assistant editor - Phil Goldstein critic: Harold Kroll - MPCKid@papermoneyworld.com; index manager: Ed Beaman webmaster & technical advisor: Doug Bell - (Wiz): doug@papermoneyworld.com; The Boss: Judy Schwan ===== MPC Gram is published by BNR Press and papermoneyworld.com as a free service to the community of military money collectors. Your suggestions, criticisms, complaints, editorial contributions, letters, and even praise are very welcome. The entire contents including linked illustrations are copyright protected by the publishers. In the case of contributors, the copyright is protected on behalf of the creators. Please send all correspondence regarding the gram to MPCgram@yahoo.com. Thank you very much for your participation. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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