The Michigan State Numismatic Society

Tom Klunzinger - The Royal Maundy     Macomb Room  Friday, April 13.  11:00AM - 12:00 PM

Maundy Thursday is three days before Easter and for centuries the King or Queen of England showed humility before the poor on this day. Originally the ceremony took the form of the sovereign washing the feet of poor people, but this evolved to simply giving out coins. This talk will cover the long history of Maundy Money and provide fascinating details of the Royal Maundy Ceremony.

Tom Klunzinger is an MSNS Board member who has been an ANA exhibit judge since 1973. He has written articles for The Mich-Matist, The Centinel and The Numismatist and was appointed to the U.S. Assay Commission by President Nixon. He is the only person to have won an MSNS Best of Show Award in each of six different decades.

Brett Irick - A Beginner Type Set of Mexican Coins   Macomb Room  Friday, April 13.  1:00 - 2:00 PM

Coins have been made in Mexico since 1536, not long after the Spanish Empire invasion and conquest of this Aztec native American region.  The Mexico City mint, opened in 1537, was the first in the New World. Coin production continued there until 1983 when production was transferred to San Luis Potosi.  The original purpose of this mint was to convert the abundant locally mined silver and gold ore into coins and ingots that were easily inventoried for export and readily to use immediately after they were transported to the Old World.  In addition, bronze coins were made to support the local economy.  

The talk will give an overview of the thirty or so coins that make a good basic type set of affordable Mexican coins produced over the last five centuries.  Also discussed are the reference texts that a collector of this material may want to acquire.  A PowerPoint presentation will be complimented by an opportunity to review the coins.  Literally, “history in your hands”.

Brett Irick, a retired Ford Motor Company Engineering Manager, is the current President of the Michigan State Numismatic Society, Governor and Vice President elect of Central States Numismatic Society and a Director of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association.  An inventor, he is also named on two United States patents developed for Ford Motor Company.

Larry Sekulich - Cuisine, Couture and …Coins? Or, how numismatics can take you to Italy!  

Macomb Room  Friday, April 13.  2:00 - 3:00 PM       

This is a visual "numismatic tour" of several of the great periods of Italian history, from the Greeks in Sicily and Southern Italy to Napoleons' conquest of the entire peninsula.

I am a retired public school art teacher who continues to draw and paint. I have been fortunate enough to have had my work selected for display in numerous gallery shows. My interest in art includes collecting numismatic objects based on their artistic merit. Likewise, as a teacher, I enjoy exhibiting my coins and giving educational talks related to numismatics.

Mark Benvenuto   “Examining Coin Prices and Grades:  Just What Are We Actually Buying? “  

Macomb Room  Saturday, April 14.  1:00 - 2:00 PM   

This talk will look at the prices associated with the various grades of commonly collected coins.  Half dollars, silver dollars, and gold coins are all eagerly collected, and yet the prices of a single coin in various grades does not always follow a pattern – with what might be called low or affordable prices suddenly jumping up at some specific grade.  If you are seeking to expand your hobby interests into the various grades of coins, especially mint state coins, and would like to see how to do so affordably, please come and attend this seminar.

The presenter:

Mark Benvenuto is a long-time collector of U.S. half dollars and silver dollars.  A life member of ANA, a member of ANS and the Royal Numismatic Society, as well as a member of MSNS and several other regional numismatic organizations, he is a prolific author, having written almost 900 articles for numerous journals.  He is also an avid exhibitor at MSNS shows.  Benvenuto also recently published his first novel, a science fiction titled: Mars Greening, and a volume of short stories of military humor, Twisted Tales from VMI

Ernie Nagy - Lincoln Medals      Macomb Room  Saturday, April 14.  2:00 - 3:00 PM

Ernie collects, writes about and exhibits 19th Century numismatics, including Middle Date Large Cents, Hard Times Tokens and Presidential Campaign Medals.  His talk will cover  Lincoln medals engraved with slavery related expressions during Lincoln’s 1860 campaign; and the events which led to the transformation of Lincoln’s slavery position, as evidenced by significantly different mottoes and legends struck on the medals for the 1864 re-election. 

Bill Brandimore - Continental  Currency                  Macomb Room  Saturday, April 14.  3:00 - 4:00 PM

Bill Brandimore is a nationally recognized currency authority who writes a monthly column for the Banknote Reporter.  He is also serving as president of the Paper Money Collectors Society, a club and publication with national circulation.  Bill's interest and knowledge of currency spills over to his dedication and enthusiasm for the currency collecting hobby as will be evident in this current seminar.