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/ I E H íYVun C¿T i. V. o c L o o k i n g for the Very B e s t in A n t i q u e S t o c k s & B o n d s ? R. M. Smythe and Company buys, sells and auctions more antique stocks, bonds and paper money than anyone else is the country. We specialize in all areas of financial history, and we will gladly make offers on anything from single items to entire estates. R.M. Smythe, established 1880, will furnish you with institutional or banking references. If you are thinking of selling, call, fax, write, or contact us via e-Mail today. WANTED BUYING Stocks, Bonds Confederate Paper Money Autographs Call or write for our FREE fully-illustrated ioo-page price list featuring over 1000 different stocks and bonds. 1+212-943-1880 £âil Free Fax 1+212-908-4047 :j j 11 3» 26 Broadway, Suite 271, New York, NY 10004-1701 THE ADVERTISING RATES YIH0I9IA Size 1-Time 1-Year NUMISMATIST '/* Page $ 9.00 $ 42.50 Vi Page $14.00 $ 65.00 Full Page $20.00 $ 95.00 VOLUME 35, NO. 1 Inside Front or Back Cover $25.00 $120.00 January, 1999 Outside Back Cover $30.00 $140.00 The VIRGINIA NUMISMATIST, (Mon-Contract Advertising ac cepted in the Order received, the official publication of the providing space is available. Virginia Numismatic Associat Please reserve space early.) ion, inc., is published six times All Advertising copy must be per year. Articles and items typed. for publication are welcomed Advertisers please note: Mo and solicited. All six issues are Ads will be accepted from mailed from Hampton, Va. at Minors without their parents the Third Class Rate and cannot consent. All ads must have be forwarded, so be sure to Numismatic significance. send us your change of address. Special or unusual copy re quirements will be billed ex All VNA mail should be sent to tra. If in doubt, please write for the Sec. - Treas. / Editor: details. Jim Ruehrmund 712 Westover Road The Virginia Numismatic Association has on file the Richmond, VA 23220-6327 names and addresses of all Advertisers. Any complaints IN THIS ISSUE or requests for information regarding advertisers should President’s Letter.............„:.2 be referred to The Virginia Letter To The Editor................3 Numismatic Association at Membership Applications........3 712 Westover Road, Rich Nat. Coin Week, ‘99.................4 mond, Virginia 23220. The right to edit copy, to require Origins of Bimetallic Coins......5 payment in advance, and to decline any advertisement is Curt Binns’ Footsteps.............7 specifically reserved. Of Good & Bad Bills................8 ADVERTISING COPY Club News...............................10 DEADLINES Show Calendar.......................12 The deadline for all copy is Money $tore................... 16 the first of the month prece ding month of issue (e.g., April 1st for May 10th issue). 1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe 1999 is already here. 1998 has been a very good year for the Virginia Numismatic Association. We continue to grow in size and we are constantly improving the association for you our members. To keep the VNA moving forward, we need the input each of you on what we are doing right and things you would like to see changed. Since it is a new year, I have some challenges for each of you. First, share your hobby with a friend or relative. Remember how much fun you get from numismatics and how there really is something for everyone. Second, get involved. Join a local coin club. If you belong to a club, volunteer for an elective office or give a talk at a meeting. Third, take the time to learn something new in numismatics. There are plenty of excellent books on a variety of subjects. Read one and open up a new horizon. Personally, numismatic books made up the bulk of my Christmas wish list to Santa, much to the relief of my wife and family! I had the opportunity in October to attend the Salem Coin Club’s Fall Show. As always, this was a first class event even though I didn’t win one of the door prizes. I guess I will have to buy more tickets next year. I enjoyed meeting a number of our VNA members at the two days I was at the show. If you haven’t attended one of the Salem Coin Club’s shows, put it on your calendar. You won’t be disappointed. I would like to congratulate Jerry Schmidt of Imperial Coins in Richmond. Jerry was recently elected as a member of the Professional Numismatists Guild which is a nonprofit dealer’s organization founded in 1955. Jerry is a longtime member of VNA and has authored several articles for our magazine. Just a reminder that since it is 1999, VNA annual dues should have been paid. At $8.00 a year for Regular Members, it is a bargain. If you want to make your best investment of 1999 early, join VNA as a Life Member for only $100.00. Remember you get six issues of the award winning “Virginia Numismatist” a year and a free ad up to 30 words per issue as part of your membership dues. As publishing and other costs increase, we will not be able to hold membership dues down forever. Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year. Mike Capen