Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web5204.mail.yahoo.com ([216.115.106.85]) by strange.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id tduqg0.4e8.37kbi0u for ; Thu, 19 Apr 2001 18:43:11 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <20010419224310.15085.qmail@web5204.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [64.12.105.59] by web5204.mail.yahoo.com; Thu, 19 Apr 2001 15:43:10 PDT Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 15:43:10 -0700 (PDT) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 315 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 315 Thurski, April 19, 2001 Maastricht part II by Larry "Ski" Smulczenski At breakfast of our first day in Valkenburg, the Thursday before the show, I had several folks tell me that a prominent midwest dealer had a note that I should definitely see. Rumors were that it would fit right into my collecting interests. Breakfast at the hotel was interesting in that the hostess insisted that we had to sit at an assigned table, regardless of the many friends that we saw sitting individually by themselves at tables. "You will sit here" she would announce and you did. Breakfast was light, but quite satisfactory. As Harold, Marcus and I finished breakfast. we noticed quite a bit of activity in the closed-in sun-porch area of the dining room. Dealers were claiming tables and exhibiting their wares to each other and to anyone that had an interest. We were told that this had been going on since Tuesday afternoon and was increasing each day. The prominent midwest dealer saw me and indicated that he had something I might like. He handed me a nice 10 shilling BMA (British Military Authority) note. My eyes widened when I saw the large "X" in the serial number. This was only the second one of these notes that I had ever seen. One of them had been exhibited at the Fest a couple of weeks ago and now I held a second one in my hands. I asked how much and gulped when I heard the answer. It definitely wasn't cheap, but still I had to have it. World War II Remembered lists this note as "not confirmed" which means that a copy of this note does not reside in that prominent Northern Ohio reference collection. The letter "X" was known on some specimen notes and also had been seen on a few issued notes of other denominations. At one time, speculation was that it may have been a replacement designation. This bears credence in that the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing used replacement notes as specimens in many of their specimen books. More recently, Fred Schwan had written that the code letters appearing on these BMA notes except for a "Z" indicated the area of the world where they were released. A noted British author has told Fred that Fred was correct and that he has proof that the letters indicate where the notes were issued. Hopefully this information will be released in the near future. I concluded the deal, then was told that there may be a couple more of these notes available. I gulped again, but committed to purchase any others. I then began to peruse the stock of some dealers that I had never met before. The midwest dealer came back with two more of the 10 shilling BMA "X" notes, so suddenly I had three rare notes in my possession. The dealer mentioned that he had purchased these from Stojan Blazanovic of Croatia. So I went over to the table Stojan was sitting at, introduced myself and while looking at his stock, we talked about banknotes. He told me that indeed, he had purchased the 10 shilling "X" from a friend of his who lived in Zagreb. He told me that he knew of six of them. The three I had, plus one he had consigned to an auction and two that another dealer in Yugoslavia had. He also had a few 2/6 and 5 shilling BMA notes with the "X" but someone had just bought them all. Since I already had those two notes in my collection, that didn't bother me too much, however things were beginning to fall into place. This was not proof positive evidence that the letters indicated a location where BMA notes were issued, but it sure gave me a warm fuzzy that "X's" were issued in somewhere in the Balkans. Otherwise, why would this small hoard of "X" notes suddenly materialize in Zagreb. We know that the British had printed experimental notes for Greece and Bulgaria (By the way, that's the notes where the "Z" letter mentioned above was used.) British Troops were stationed in Austria which is just to the north of Zagreb. Could be that the British also had troops stationed somewhere near Zagreb and they were paid with these BMA's and used them in NAAFI Canteens or maybe on the open market. If you can add any pieces to this puzzle let us hear from you. I later found out who the person was that bought the 2/6 and 5 shilling "X" notes that I mentioned above. You'll notice that an ad has been running in the Gram offering to sell a set of them. They are great items for the military collector. I also want to thank those of you who have taken the time to respond to my articles. Mr Dorics offer to share his Boise Chits with Gram readers and Trevor Wilkin's response letting us know what Down Under TV is broadcasting are two that come to mind. I watch history channel a lot and have seen several episodes on the Berlin crises but never saw them stamping the Special Army currency notes. While at Rhein-Main we saw the Berlin Airlift Memorial with the C-47 and C-54 parked on either side of it. Its impressive. Thanks to both of you. Speaking of Down Under, I'll continue next week by telling you what goodies I found in the stock of a Down Under dealer. Do You Know This Source? By Howard A. Daniel III As some of you know, I collect postal financial instruments of Southeast Asia, as well as coins, paper money, tokens, etc. In the past year, I discovered a new source who, I believe, should be known to all Gramsters. It is rare when he has something for me, but he always has U.S. Savings Stamps and Booklets related to the military and/or a war. He also has U.S. and World International Reply Coupons (IRCs) that might have been issued during wartime and/or at military bases, and you could ask him to search his stock for them. If you are interested in this type of material, please contact Myron Hyman at P.O. Box 231123, Old Village Station, Great Neck, NY 11023. His telephone is 516-482-0666, fax is 516-482-0330, but he does not have email. Howard A. Daniel III ==================================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------------- The sick hard drive is in the computer hospital. We hope to have a prognosis soon. You can be sure that I will like you know as soon as I know something. Please keep your fingers crossed or perform whatever good luck superstition that you know! =================================================== Mail Call To whom it concerns, I enjoy and appreciate all the work that goes into the daily editions of the MPCGram. Keep up the outstanding work!!! Thanks, Perry Nikolai "nickeleyes" Dear Phil: I looked at my Fest 2 notes and I guess you are referring to the Series 011 notes. On the first day of Fest...we received some 521 Series which we had a "changeover/conversion" to the 011 Series. Series #011 I possess: F000000023F PN-1 ($1.00) F000000058F PN-2 ($1.00) This matches your theory on the PN1 to PN2 listing. Perhaps PN3 was reserved for replacement notes.... F000000021F PN4 ($5.00) F000000064F PN5 ($5.00) Perhaps the $5.00 notes were printed on PN4 on notes #1 thru #49/50 and changed to PN5 on #50/51 thru #99/100. Again, maybe the next (PN6) was used for replacement notes. F00000007F PN2 Perhaps the $2.00 were printed PN2 on #1 thru #49/50 and PN3 on #50/51 thru #99/100...... Perhaps PN4 = repl. notes.... F00000001* PN3 $10.00 Perhaps the $10.00 were printed on PN1 for #1 thru #49/50 while PN2 was printed on #50/51 thru 99/100 and PN3 was used on the replacement notes... Finally....I noticed that the $1.00 and $5.00 notes possessed nine digit serial numbers while the $2.00 and the $10.00 possessed only eight digit serial numbers. "The Series 011 $20.00 note was totally different from the others denominations (PN# & Ser. No.). PK6 In response to PK6: Dave Seelye is currently assimilating all information regarding the fest money issues. His help is most welcome as I have my hands full with High SN's and Multiple Printings, looking for matching SN's to my collection, building Leo May's Banknote sales website, looking for goodies to buy, as well as my non-MPC interests now place a further demand on my limited time because racing season is about to start. Please forward all info to him at: coinman@rochester.rr.com =================================================== 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!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/