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 Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Thanks for your service, David C. Kranz !
Posted by george
This Thursday is David C. Kranz’s last full day of employment here at Krause Publications. I wish him the very best, as I know where ever he goes in the future, he will give that employer the very best – in performance and attitude!
Many readers know him as the current editor of Bank Note Reporter.
Kranz joined the staff at the newspaper side of the Numismatic Division two-months after I did, so I felt a kindred spirit with him, both of us trying to learn the ropes and personalities of a large office routine, and with that turfdoms and egos.
Over the years, the changes David eased into the paper have been transparent to most readers. The subtle things which make the “look” – how the lines of text align with lines of photo captions, how poorly written stories (often mine) get a re-write into presentable English, or how poor photocopies from columnists manage to get a clean look in a finished paper. These things take effort behind the scenes, and David did them seamlessly. More often than not, it was done late into the night or on weekends to make them happen on time.
The company has changed a lot since he started. His titles changed infrequently, moving up the one rank from editorial staff to managing editor - after 8 years, and only finally being named editor after 13 years. It is a lot different than now when some staff members zoom right into an editorship after less than a year.
During his tenure, Bank Note Reporter was recognized by the NLG with several best issue awards, and Kranz received an ANA Presidential Award. Dave took the (infrequent, but deserved) recognitions in stride.
George
KP News | Paper Money Values | World Coin Stuff
6/11/2008 2:48:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Monday, June 09, 2008
New on Numismaster
Posted by george
If you have not visited Numismaster lately, you may have missed a new item, lower prices.
The one month rate is now 9.95, and the annual rate 79.99. Check it out! Well worth it. Prices are updated often, so you can certainly chart our entry of new listings, in addition to editorial and price changes for the 17th century book which is now in production.
As users you can direcly make suggestions for editorial and price changes.
George
KP News | World Coin Stuff
6/9/2008 4:17:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Court ruling to force currency size issue?
Posted by george
The country size choice for currency production in 20th Centruy paper money seems to have deen determined by ease of production rather than other factors.
In European countries, the size of note was slightly larger - in width or height, and sometimes both, as the denominations inclreased in value.
These countries produced one denomination on each sheet of paper.
In the United States, starting in the colonial era and continuing thru the early large size note prodction era of the 1880s, the format many US printers used were notes of the same size, so that one sheet of four notes (as they were often printed) could mix and match denominations for the same issuer. So a note sheet may include a format of 1-1-3-5, or 1-1-5-10, or 1-5-5-10, or other formats.
The uncut sheets of Colonial and Continental Currency which are extant also show that several denominations were included on the same sheet of paper.
Thus, for ease of production, namely cutting, that the choice is made for same size currency.
(Granted since the larger format presses have been used, I know of no modern production facility which still mixes currency denominations on one sheet of paper).
So the size issue, is one of historical production convience.
Thus the court rule, as reviewed in the NY Times article, now puts the response to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, who, I must say is really on a learing curve, starting with the redesign of the currency since the 1990s with the "big head portraits", and now with color.
Sadly, I think it is still the vending machine industry in the United States which will keep us from getting different size currency.
George
6/9/2008 9:10:22 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, June 06, 2008
Share your collection by exhibiting at a show
Posted by george
This week is the deadline for applications to exhibit at the ANA's World's Fair of Money, the National show, to be held this year July28-August 3rd in Baltimore at the Inner Harbor Convention Center.
Making an educational, competitive exhibit (Usually 4-7 all-state cases) on one theme is a bit of work, but it is eductational both for you the collector and the viewer.
Past ANA president, the late Stephen R. Taylor of the 1980s made it a point to travel and exhibit in all 50 states. He would say that "Half the fun of collecting was exhibitiing." Meeting other collectors, explaining what you had and what would be of interest that the collector had to share with others.
Background information and Numismatic Information are the two big point centers (65 out of a total of 100) in an competitive exhibit. So, one not only has to share the common knowledge stuff, but has to do a bit of leg work into background stuff.
When I placed my first ANA convention exhibit as a junior numismatist in 1976, I quickly was given pointers by several friendly judges, and with other opportunites of new exhibits and at that time 5 annual shows in the NYC area, with about 5 more in the Boston-Baltimore corridor, I was able to hone the skills and eventually was recognized with four first place awards (each in a differnet category) at the ANA National shows from 1979-1984.
I took a break and began to exhibit non-competitively for a few years, and sadly, I've been out of it for the past 20 years, just getting back into it last year with a non-competitive exhibit.
So try it. Learn about the stuff you have and share it with others.
George
6/6/2008 9:41:52 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, June 05, 2008
George's travel log - A beginning and an end.
Posted by george
A Circle
of Life
The road trip which I’ve been highlighting during the last four postings have all been prelude to the excuse for the trip – the wedding mass and reception of one of my cousins son. My mom’s brother’s eldest daughter’s son.
On Saturday, the priest who married the bride’s parents, and baptized their daughter, said the mass for her marriage. The happy couple is now Ginger and Adam DiVincenzo. Their reception was held at Pittsburgh’s Oakmount Country club, site of the 1927 U.S. Open and proudly displays photos of that event (Bobby Jones) and many other top notch classics since. My mom and I had a great time catching up with my cousins and friends.
However, I am sure that in the back of all our minds were thoughts of the man missing from the event, my uncle, the grandfather of the groom, Stanley Petrow.
Sadly the past few have been rough on his wife Alice. She has been taking care of him in his slow decline with health issues and recently advancing Alzheimer’s. It has been only in past few months that he had been in a full care facility and not at home being taken care of by his wife of 64 years.
Most everyone made Sunday a travel day home, and on Monday morning the family got the word that Stanley had died. Yesterday and today family and friends gathered in Astoria, and at our home Church of the Most Precious Blood for another mass, and then a long drive out to Calverton National Cemetery for his burial.
Alice and Stan Petrow were about family. Both were products of large families, and they have five wonderful children. Alice and Stan were great dancers, and truly enjoyed family time.
George
6/5/2008 2:21:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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George's road trip part four - Dickens, Lind, Grant & Cuhaj
Posted by george
At one of the 2000+ foot peaks of the Allegheny Mountains along Route 22, is the town of Gallitzin, Penn.
The town is named for a Prince-Priest who was the first Catholic Priest fully trained in the United States under the guidance of Baltimore's Bishop (later Archbishop) John Carroll. Gallitzin traveled the Allegheny area as a Catholic missionary in the 1790s thru 1830s and a staue of him is in the vestibule of the Altoona Cathedral.
It is also the site of the Gallitzin tunnel, built in 1854 and expanded in 1904, which is on the PRR's main line and part of the same enginering acheivement as the Horseshoe Curve mentioned earlier in the travel log. It was so stratigic a point for railroad travel that there was a German atempt during WWII (which was foiled) to blow the tunnel up.
However, the most developed museum in the town is the National Park Services' Allegheny Portage Railroad. The 32 miles of this operation took canal boats riding on low rail cars over the mountains via a system of inclines.
The featured display at the site of incline number 6 is a re-creation on the excavation site of the steam power house. It also includes a segment of lift track, track mounted onto stone ties (called sleepers), a hillside of the old limestone quarry where the sleepers were cut from, and the two story tavern called the Lemon House.
In addition at the bottom of the incline is the "Skew Bridge" where the canal boats riding on railes passed under an existing turnpike road. The operation was in use from the 1830 thru the PRR opening in 1854. Many of the limestone sleepers are still in place and often are enountered during road excavations. They form many a roadside wall.
Charles Dickens wrote about it, Jenny Lind and U.S. Grant visited, and Cuhaj has returned to the site.
I last visited the site in the early 1980s. Since that visit (which I have photos of) the National Park Service has greatly expanded the exhibits at the visitor center, developed a great movie about the site and should you be traveling along Hwy 22, it is well worth the detour off-the-beaten path to get to it.
George
6/5/2008 12:06:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, June 04, 2008
George's road trip, part three - Railroader's Memorial Museum
Posted by george
 My third opportunity in Altoona was a visit to the Railroader's Memorial Museum.
This facility is housed in one of the few remaining buildings from the Pennsylvania Railroad's Altoona Works Shop complex. Located in the heart of downtown, across the tracks from the Altoona station, and along the street which was the PRR's 1854 main line.
The focus of the museum is the railroad worker - the laborer - the people who did the track work, the engineer, conductor, trainman, pullman porter, shop mechanic, machinest, tower operator, and hundreds of other positions. Not to say that the executives are downplayed, but, there is only one small room for them. Even the railroad's decline after World War II has a place in the displays. The 1950s goverment support of the Interstate road system and the airlines with tax free airport construction but they continued to tax the railroads for land. It is all explained well.
The exhibits also highlight shops, track work, train operation, in addition to the social aspects of employment - the fraternal dance halls, band, chorus and athletic events.
They have an outdoor display area of equipment built at the Altoona Shops - Observation cars, dining cars, freight cars. They are in the process of restoring the K-4 locomotive 1361, which formerly was the display engine on Horseshoe curve; in addition to building a roundhouse to better preserve the large equipment.
Three stories of exhibits, some hands on stuff, and a well stocked gift shop. A nice afternoon visit for both kids and adults.
George
6/4/2008 10:26:07 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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George's road trip report, part two. Familiar names in distant places
Posted by george
I often find it exciting to find sightings of the names of friends in distant places.
For a long time I have been assisting former KP president and board chairman, Clifford Mishler in finding postcards of the Mishler Theater located in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Now I have been able to visit the real thing.
When the opportunity came last week to spend some time in Altoona, I was very pleased to realize that not only is the theater still standing, but it was recently restored, and open!
They have done a wonderful job of preserving and restoring the detailed molded plaster decorations of the 1906 interior, and the city is proud to have preserved this part of its heritage. Productions in the space continue!
I was in Altoona to do some research on a PRR Heroic Service medal in my collection. That award was made in June of 1930, and in looking thru ads in the Altoona Mirror noticed that Will Rogers was in town and playing at the Mishler Theater for a few nights during that month.
George
6/4/2008 9:58:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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George's road trip report, part one - Milepost 246
Posted by george
Sorry for not posting for a while, I've been on a road trip - 1600 miles roundtrip to Pittsburgh and Altoona, Penn. for a research project and a family wedding.
As one whose grandfather and several uncles worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad at Sunnyside yards in Long Island City, NY, or on the NY-Harrisburg-Washington DC corridor, I was quite familiar with PRR heritage.
So, I made it a point while spending three days in Altoona to save a few hours touring the Railroaders Memorial Museum in one of the old shop buildings of the Altoona Works, and then driving about six miles outside of town to spend about two hours at the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Site. The curve was opened in 1854, and has been a highlight to travelers of that section of rail ever since. I had traveled over it many times, including trips to or from the ANA conventions in Houston and St. Louis which I attended via train.
 It was a little bittersweet, as the locomotive at the apex of the curve is now a desiel, (until the mid-1980s it was a PRR K-4 steam locomotive), and the trains going around the curve were in Norfolk-Southern colors. However, it was wonderful to appreciate what the curve does - namely, allow the railroad to cross the Allegheny Mountains at a reasonable grade.
There is a 150th Anniversary token available at the Museum gift shop.
The Curve has also been featured on the reverse of at least one Pennsylvania G.A.R. Reunion Medal.
George
6/4/2008 9:50:43 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Sunday, May 25, 2008
Memorial Day 2008, an interesting tribute for K-9 corps member
Posted by george
It is Memorial Day Weekend, and next to any other holiday, more Americans probably spend some time talking about past military service of family and friends, or visit a cemetary this weekend.
The Wisconsin Veterans Adminstration operates a facility in King, which is about 14 miles form Iola. It stared as a G.A.R. facility, for veterans and their spouce (who require medical care) to live in an environment of indepence yet observation.
It has a large military cemetary on a hilside next to the grounds.
While walking thru the cemetary several years ago, I noticed a lone stone placed in a small trafic triangle, and it had a nice tree and even a bench. My first though was that is odd, to have just one service man in the middle of a traffic triangle, however, upon closer inspection, I got to read the stone and everything became clear.
The stone is named for "Brownie" a member of the U.S. Army K-9 corps serving from May 1943 thru October 1944. The dog obviously retuned to the Wisconsin Veterans Home, and was probably a very welcomed visitor to many of the veterans. He lived 1941-1949. The tribute: "A veterans best friend" is at the bottom of the stone.
His grave is visited often today, as there are usually a fresh bundle of bird feathers decorating the gravesite. The bench is also a welcome rest spot as the grounds are hilly.
George
5/25/2008 3:03:46 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Spring cleaning brings out coins
Posted by george
This past weekend in our small town of Iola, Wis. (population 1258 or so) the state coin organization - the Numismatists of Wisconsin held their annual show.
Our Iola Old Car Show Activitiy Center (affectionally known as the "Cow Palace") was the site. It was filled with dealers from all the surrounding states, and the two day event was a success. A full range of Ancient, US and World Coins, Medals, Tokens and Paper Money was available.
In several conversations with folks who had never attended a show before, but had been buying coins from newspaper or television ads, was "To whom could I sell these coins?"
Having grown up with shows, and the ability to meet dealers who constantly buy and sell, my answer seemed rather cold - "Sell them back to the people whom you bought them from"
Well, I've never been able to sell coins back to the mint, or TV sellers, and only one public newspaper advertiser I know of buys coins.
So, these folks get to go to their first coin show, and are laid bare thinking that the dealers fair and honest offer for the stuff (often polished low-grade common silver, low grade Indians, Buffalos, Lincolns) was so low that they were cheeting them, as their offers (quite fair in todays market) were sometimes pennies on the dollar based on the Club, TV or newspaper marketing purchase price.
It is a sad way to leave a hobby which could have been so much more productive as an investment tool and enjoyable.
George
5/21/2008 12:21:08 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Sunday, May 18, 2008
Armed Forces Day tribute to three of my scouting friends
Posted by george
There are at least three of my scouting friends, all Eagle Scouts, who are currently on active dury, or a called up reserve member. As today is Armed Forces Day I'd like to talk a bit about them.
They all have a connection to my scouting days in Queens Council, and the Order of the Arrow's Suanhacky Lodge #49.
 The most senior of the group is Col. Kenneth Fritzsche, who kept his vigil the same evening I did, in May, 1985. However at that time the Lodge had to get him away for the weekend from West Point, where he was cadet at the Military Academy. He had gone on to serve in Desert Storm, was an instructor at West Point for two years and is now involved with the Military's Computer and email service in the Washington D.C. area. At the 2005 National Scout Jamboree Ken was the Advisor to the West Point Eagle Scout group. That is where the photo was taken.
LCDR Gregory Stanclik is the Executive Officer (second in command) of the USCG Cutter Tahoma which is based out of the Portsmoth Naval Shipyard, Maine. He formerly was stationed in the port of Oakland, Calif., and aboard the USGCC Healy, which is the polar research vessel. I got to spend a day with Greg when he was stationed in California as I was in the Central Valley area speaking before two area coin clubs. Greg meet me at the hotel I was staying at and we went up to Sacramento to visit the State Railroad Museum.
 Sgt. Henry Joerz is the Supply Sargent of his Army Reserve Unit (320 MP BN), which is a Military Police outfit. In March he was called up to get ready for his second re-deployment to Iraq. In real life he is a science teacher at Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, NY. He recently spent a week in training at Camp McCoy in Tomah, Wis. I took the afternoon off for a drive down there to have dinner with him, (and have a new photo) as I'd not seen him in person for about 15 years! (Yes, he is that tall!).
And I also would like to recognize Ted Janacek, who has already retired after 20 years of service in the US Navy with much of that time spent in the submarine serivce. He now works on the civilian side at Electric Boat Co. in Groton, CT.
Thanks guys for wearing the uniform!
George
5/18/2008 7:26:03 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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