Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web5204.mail.yahoo.com ([216.115.106.85]) by runyon.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id t8fllm.4si.37kbi7f for ; Mon, 12 Feb 2001 07:27:34 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <20010212122733.29095.qmail@web5204.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [152.163.206.196] by web5204.mail.yahoo.com; Mon, 12 Feb 2001 04:27:33 PST Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 04:27:33 -0800 (PST) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 252 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 252 Monday 12 February 2001 It Is in the Numbers by Fred Schwan Military payment certificates were printed with two types of control numbers on the face of every note. The serial number is the obvious one. The other, smaller number is the position number. It is the position of the note on the sheet. Therefore it obviously is not a plate number in spite of what some people say. Fractional notes were printed in sheets of 84 positions so the position numbers are from 1 through 84. One dollar certificates were printed in sheets of 70. The higher values were printed in sheets of 50, but there is one exception. Second printing 691 and 701 notes were not in sheets of 50. We will work on that another day. MPC was printed in groups of 8000 sheets. These groups have often been called "runs" in the hobby, but this is not a very useful term. For one thing it is not precise because it could mean group of 8000 sheets or it could mean an entire printing. "Unit" is the term most often used in Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) internal literature to describe the group of 8000 sheets. It is a good term and should be used. A unit was 8000 sheets. Virtually all final production figures are even multiples of even units. For fractional denominations, sheets consisted of 84 individual notes. A unit then consisted of 672,000 notes (8000 sheets x 84 notes per sheet). It is easy to see then that if 6,720,000 notes were printed, the entire printing was ten units. Here then is the composition of the respective units: Fractional denominations: 672,000 (84 x 8000) $1 certificates: 560,000 (70 x 8000) $5, 10 and $20 certificates 400,000 (50 x 8000) This information is basic to articles later in the week on calculating position numbers and sheet numbers. ==================================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------------- If you have not yet made your travel plans for the fest, I just hear an intereting radio advertisement. AirTran Airlines now services Toledo (Ohio, the closest commercial airport to the Fest). The advertisement was for $85 fares Toledo-Houston! AirTran must have heard about all of the Festers wanting to travel to this area and created the new FestFare. In any event, that sure sounds cheap! Take a look at AirTran and come to the Fest! =================================================== Mail Call --------------------------------------------------- Dear Editor, I am fairly new at collecting MPC ( started this past august) only attempting to collect the 661 series that I used overseas while I was in the service). As I started locating the 661 notes I started seeing the other series that have come out over the years. I am now trying to collect all of the basic set and to learn as much as I can about MPC. In short I have read the MPC gram for the past week or so and would like to attend the MPC Fest next month. In fact I have gotten my brother (Rod) interested in MPC also (we both are military brats and used some of the MPC while growing up). If you have room for two more at the MPC Fest let me know. Also what will you need from us to reserve spaces. Thanks. Wes H. PS: For the want list: I am looking for the 541 50c in UNC.Thanks. Dear Wes (and Rod), Everyone would be excited to have you at the fest. Simply send an email stating your intentions and send at least a deposit by Feb 15. See the info below under Departments. Editor Dear Editor, Thank you for your initial reply to my inquiry. I am espicially interested in Vietnam-era MPC and replacement notes. Also, what are some organizations that would benefit me in my further research of these notes, or books that could help me out? (I already have "History in Your Hands" and your MPC book.) A list of dealers would also be helpful. I was looking on eBay tonight and I saw Series 701 $1-5-10-20 for sale. Could tell me anything about the appearance of these notes onto the market? And do you have any information regarding the possible release of Series 691? Thank you again for your assistance. Sincerely, Robert F. Dear Editor, Hello, what happened to the mpc pricelist that was going to come out? Also, what would be a reasonable price to pay for a 541 5.00 in fine condition with small amount of graffiti? thanks, TomK Dear Tom, I assume you are talking about the promissed draft of the values from the catalog section of the new book. Wow, I am surprised that a careful reader like you missed that. Why, it was published just last, well, when was it published. Hm, let me see. Oh yes, it was my best intention to have it out about three months ago. But then I did not promise it until about three weeks ago so that probably means that I am ahead on that! Ok, watch for it this week. Or next week, or... Editor Dear Editor, The following is a letter to the editor I recently sent to Coin World. I made a major mistake by not mentioning the MPCGram as a place to publish articles. I was very pleased to see Al Doyle's rticle, "What's a fair price?, [in Coin World] That's not an easy question to answer with non-U.S. coin markets" in your December 4 issue. My conversion to "international" numismatics was one that required much arm-twisting because I was scared of the unknown. But when I jumped in and found the uncertainty to be a pleasurable experience, I never looked back. And I have also found non-U.S. numismatic markets and numbers of collectors can not only greatly vary from country to country in Southeast Asia, but also from city to city within each country! In my opinion, when one tackles an almost invisible market and undocumented area of numismatics, one should be prepared to shoulder the responsibility of documenting it for future numismatists. It will not necessarily require a hardbound book. A self-published softcover pamphlet is the only reference in some of my Southeast Asian countries, but I am working on many people there to produce better references. The numismatic commercial press like "Coin World" and others are also very eager to publish articles about "new" material. And please do not forget the journals of organizations like the International Bank Note Society and Numismatics International. I very much like Al finishing his article with Robert Mish's comments "The biggest dividends from collecting world coins have little to do with profit and loss statements" and "There is so much fulfillment one gets from collecting world coins. You learn about art, history and geography." I would like to end this letter with "Numismatics is also about fellowship and the people I have met around the world. The vast majority of numismatic editors, publishers, writers, collectors, dealers, etc., have greatly enriched my life and I cannot think of better avocation or vocation to spread around the world." =================================================== 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 2/2/01. 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 Sue and Keith Bauman Ed B. Doug Bell R. A. Medina Harold MPCKid Kroll Leo "Paymaster" May Mrs. R.C. Matherne 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 Sam Feeback$$ Al Glaser$$ Phil Goldstein Harold Kroll Jack Lippincott$$ Ian Marshall Larry Smulczenski Bill McNease$$ (PayPal works!) Leo May Kevin Maloy$$ Marv Mericle$ Bruce Potter$$ David Seelye$$ Nick Schrier$$ Fred Schwan?? Dan Swartz$$ Warner Talso (and Jane)$ Marcus Turner William E Yanchick (We are well past last year's participa __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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