Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web5203.mail.yahoo.com ([216.115.106.97]) by strange.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id tdi5d6.p9i.37kbi0u for ; Sat, 14 Apr 2001 23:29:33 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <20010415032928.150.qmail@web5203.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [205.188.197.161] by web5203.mail.yahoo.com; Sat, 14 Apr 2001 20:29:28 PDT Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 20:29:28 -0700 (PDT) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 310 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 310 Saturday, April 14, 2001 Thoughts on the Berlin Blockade By Trevor Wilkin Further to Ski's article on Maastricht and his posing as to why some of the West German Marks were stamped with the "B" for Berlin and why others were perforated. A series called the "Cold War" is currently being re-run on television here in Sydney, Australia and a recent episode concerned the Berlin Blockade and Airlift. The programme made the point that in the confrontation between East & West at the time "that political and economic power" were one and the same. This is perhaps borne out in that when the West ( British, French and USA) introduced its currency reform with the issue of the "B's," the East ( Russia ) responded with in days with one of their own. See WWII Remembered, P. 299. According to Schwan, the West conducted the currency reform from 20 June, 1948; according to the programme, the note issue in Berlin commenced on 23 June, 1948. Maybe the first date was the announcement with the issue to follow shortly. Were the West German Marks which were overprinted in circulation in West German at the time or is it that they were issued there on 20 June ( being the Currency Reform) and the Berlin variety followed a few days later??? The programme showed old film of West German 5 marks being overstamped by hand - simply with a rubber stamp and pad. ( Applying the stamp to the West German currency, I guess is a pretty clear political statement within itself so there is perhaps more to it than an aid to keep track of money flows.) Hand stamping would obviously be a long and arduous process. One is encouraged to speculate that maybe those notes which were already in the distribution chain were handstamped on site, so to speak; maybe those which had not left the printers were perforated - or some such scenario. Perforating at the printers would seem to be more economic. Regards, ==================================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------------- Thanks to the information provided by Ed Beaman, today’s Gram finishes the first year! It seems hard to believe that it has been a year. But then, it also seems hard to believe that it has only been a year. Finally, it is hard to believe that we only had 310 issues in the first year. Of course, that is not completely correct. There were a few bonus issues. There may have even been some numbers skipped or duplicated! I hope and believe that the second year will be as interesting, exciting, and fun as the first! =================================================== Mail Call Dear Gramsters, This is in response to Larry "Ski" Smulczenski's article. You guys are incurable. When I was in the USAF in Europe (1993) I had a AFFN bank account and just before I left for CONUS I closed the account and destroyed the hundreds of checks I had left and the ATM card. I remember a friend of mine taking a waste basket full of checks and burning them. You just do not get it, this stuff is not MPC, they are just plain old bank checks for a bank account used by military, their families, and DOD civilians. They are no longer issued in MPC, only in good old USA Green Backs.What's the big deal? As for the gas rationing and any other ration items, Please read carefully: YOU MUST BE AUTHORIZED TO POSSESS AND/OR USE THEM OR ELSE YOU WILL BE PROSECUTED AND GO TO JAIL AND IF YOU ARE IN THE MILITARY YOU FACE THE POSSIBILITY OF A GOOD OLD FASHIONED COURT MARTIAL AND DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE, END OF STORY. That's why the airman at Rhein-Main AB he asked were reluctant to provide him with any gas coupons. If he asked me when I was over there he would have been reported, by me to the Security Police immediately. Hint for the future do not try this again. If you asked for expired coupons maybe, but valid ones no way. Other than these aforementioned items, nice report there Larry. I've been to Maastricht, NL many times and its a nice town with friendly people. Just watch out for those "Space Cakes" in the Bars there they have Mary Jane Do You Wanna in them. But I do recommend trying Maastrich style rabbit , if you like to eat rabbits as opposed to just petting them. Sincerely, Gavin "NMI" Quinn NMI = No Middle Initial, my parents couldn't afford a middle name for me. Dear Gram, I agree with George [Gram 293] and the Olympics or maybe we could have our own Olympics I.E. to see how much MPC a person could hold :) or maybe how long a fester could balance a wooden create on there nose.:) do you think we could get this televised. and maybe have metals awarded :) Doug =================================================== 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 3/22/01. 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. Many donations were received at CPMX and MPCFest. Mr. Anonymous Donor, Mike Cummings, Sue and Keith Bauman, Ed B., Doug Bell, Tom Denly, Denly's, R. A. Medina, Harold “MPCKid” Kroll, Leo "Paymaster" May, Mrs. R.C. Matherne, Bill McNease, Mel and Jeremy Steinberg, Marcus Turner, Larry Ski, Guido, Fred, PK6, Joel Shafer, World Wide Ventures, Pam West, John and Nancy Wilson, Neil Shafer, W. E. Yanchick, Mark Watson, Al Glaser, Phil Goldstein, Rod Hardy, Wesley Hardy, Gary Hicks, Jack Lippincott, Ian Marshall, Kevin Maloy, David Seelye, Nick Schrier, Elmer Smith, Dan Swartz, Tom Warburton, Dick Freyser, Tim Kyzivat ==================================================== 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. FOR SALE For Sale: One Pound Australian Currency, Fanning Island Plantations, LTD (SB#1541 pg 216). This is the whole note! VF Condition. Satisfaction guaranteed. Scan available upon request. $450. Contact marcus@papermoneyworld.com. For Sale: British Military Authority X Notes, (BMA). Used for the invasion of Tripolitania and Sicily in 1943, and put in use 1944 in Greece at the request of the Greek government. S/B303b, 2/6 VF @ $150.00 and S/B304b 5/- VF @ $175.00. or the pair @ $300.00. Note that these are the rare code letter X notes. It is likely that this letter was used exclusively in Yugoslavia. Contact Mpckid@papermoneyworld.com WANTED Collectors may submit lists of items wanted for their collections for listing here. Dealers and collectors who have these items are then encouraged to list them for sale in the above section. This is a trial, if you like it, send your list. =================================================== Staff: publisher and editor: Fred Schwan - fred@papermoneyworld.com; assistant editor - Phil Goldstein IWANTMYMPC@aol.com 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!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/