How the Summer Seminar Launched My Obsession with Military Numismatics
The late David Seelye and Fred examining notes at the Seminar mess hall
I have had an interest in numismatics since childhood and collected US coins and paper money. In 2013 I became interested in AAFES POGs while in Iraq. I had received a scholarship to the ANA Summer Seminar for 2005 and planned to take the basic grading course but a friend who I met through collecting POGs convinced me to take the Basic Military Numismatics course instead.
I did not know a lot about Military Numismatics, but the course introduced me to a fascinating and exciting area of collecting that became my focus. I gained a lot of knowledge during the course but had acquired an insatiable desire to learn more. Fred and Joe are great teachers and inspired me to keep pursuing the hobby. I have taken the Advanced Military Numismatics course twice as well as the Paper Money Counterfeit Detection course. I have always added to my knowledge at each course.
The ANA Summer Seminar is not just an academic course; it is an immersion into numismatics. The school is filled with like-minded people. Numismatic conversations are everywhere and friendships are made that extend beyond Colorado Springs. Many of the authorities in numismatics are there and willing to share their knowledge with the students. The ANA staff work hard to make the Summer Seminar a great experience and the facilities are inviting and comfortable.
No matter what course you take at the ANA Summer Seminar you will leave contented and happy and a better numismatist and will want to return next year.
I happen to be partial to military numismatics and remain actively collecting, researching and writing about it since 2005.
Scholarships Available for ANA's Summer Seminar 2026 WWII Military Numismatics Class
Interested in attending the WWII Military Numismatics class taught by Fred Schwan and Joseph Boling? Held the 2nd week of ANA's famed Summer Seminar, from June 27- July 2, 2026, this class will be educational and fun! Below is a summary of the class.
Allied military franc notes were secretly printed in the United States for the D-Day invasion of France, shipped to England, and paid to the troops mere hours before the assault. To hold one is to touch another time--history in your hands! Vast numbers of military and emergency issues were produced during World War II, and their study is fascinating. The issues are remarkably diverse in purpose, use, design, and production. Most were paper, but coins were also created. United States military payment certificates, Allied military currency, and Japanese invasion money are covered in-depth. Axis issues in Europe are included. Most of these series pose many questions and mysteries, making for studies that range from introductory discussions to cutting edge research.
Costs covered: The award of a scholarship carries a maximum value of $1360 (USD.) Early registration (ends 28 March) is strongly encouraged; after that the cost goes up $50 (not covered by the scholarship). This scholarship pays for tuition for the class, a room in Loomis Dormitory (single occupancy) for five nights (Saturday to Wednesday), all of your meals, and free airport shuttles picking up and returning Seminar students to the Colorado Springs airport. The scholarship does not cover transportation to and from Colorado Springs or airport shuttles from/to Denver. Anyone awarded a scholarship will be required to join the ANA at individual expense if not already a member. A one-year basic membership is $35 with an online magazine ($55 to receive the magazine by mail).
Also available: the same scholarship offer can be used to attend Boling's course in detecting worldwide counterfeit paper money in week 1 (June 20-25).
Submitting an application: To apply for a scholarship please submit the following information to Military Numismatists Scholarship, c/o Kathy Freeland, PO Box 195, Mayville MI 48744 USA, or ksfdaf@sbcglobal.net
Name, address, phone number, email address
Numismatic clubs in which you participate (include leadership positions held). Significant numismatic exhibits you have placed (and awards). Significant numismatic writing you have published (and awards). What is your interest in military numismatics?
What do you hope to gain from attending this seminar?
Describe contributions you can make to the success of the class.
Editorial
The Summer Seminar is a great event. It has been an important part of the military numismatic recruiting program since 2001. It was the brain child of Gail Baker who was the ANA's leader of the seminar at the time. When she suggested that we offer the military class we jumped at the opportunity then we created our own scholarship program to encourage students to apply--and attend. Both of these have been great successes.
I have an important inside tip for you. The early deadline for application is 28 March, but you can and SHOULD apply now. Scholarships are not awarded on a competitive basis. Instead they are awarded on a fully qualified basis where the most important qualification is INTEREST! The committee can award scholarships to qualified applicants at any time and early award of scholarship applications helps you plan your summer and helps Fest and ANA HQs plan as well.
I am confident that we will have another great seminar. I look forward to meeting you or getting to know you better if I know you.
Mail Call
The MPCGram welcomes letters from readers. Letters should be relevant to military numismatics. Letters may be edited. Senders must be known to the Gram and names (actual or "Internet") will be used.
Free Movie Ticket and the Chicago Commission on National Defense
Dear Editor,
Did you read the article that was attached to the National Defense ticket? I attempt to justify the military numismatics component. I think it will make more sense this way.
I recently found a ticket in a junk box that stated, "Guest Ticket for Service Men" and was stamped with the date JAN 19 1943. Needless to say, I rapidly placed it on the buy pile. Now I had some homework to do to figure out what it was.
The top of the ticket states "AMUSEMENT and RECREATION DIVISION CHICAGO COMMISSION ON NATIONAL DEFENSE." The Chicago Commission on National Defense was created in 1941 by Mayor Edward J Kelly to coordinate war effort (civil defense and war work) and support welfare of military personnel. War work included the Amertorp Torpedo factory and Naval training exercises on Lake Michigan. The Amusement and Recreation Division provided tickets for free access for entertainment, recreation and musical events for military personnel stationed or passing through Chicago. There were Chicago Service Men's Centers in the city that provided food (several million meals), dances and support to military personnel.
The ticket was issued by A Gallas at the Chicago Service Men's Center to Clark on 19 January 1943. The ticket is to be presented to the ticket taker for admission to motion pictures theaters or exchanged at the box office for reserved seats at legitimate theaters. The ticket was not transferrable and "Good ONLY if Bearer is in Uniform" and was "TAX FREE" (there was a federal excise tax of 10 cents on movie tickets to support the war effort). The ticket is number 63038 and printed by the Columbia Printing Company in Chicago.
It appears this ticket was never used and probably found in the belongings of a WWII veteran and sold with other items at the coin shop where it was felt to not be significant and put into the junk box. I was happy to rescue this historic item.
I need to justify its military numismatic connection. The ticket has the value of the cost of a movie ticket (25-30 cents). The ticket can be considered to be a "good for" token or chit.
— Myers
Dear Bill,
First and foremost, good job obtaining this interesting ticket and for sending it to the Gram. The matter of suitability of the insertion in the Gram remains. I frequently lecture that the Gram is a numismatic--not history--publication. The rub is, of course, that numismatics is in my view applied history. We frequently say that numismatics is history in your hands.
As a columnist, you have wide leeway to include marginal/related items (which you are very good at thank you). Still, is the ticket a numismatic item? I wish that I could say that the matter is controversial. I lecture frequently on the matter here in the Gram, at the Fest and Summer Seminar. In part I lecture on this point in the hope of generating discussion.
I particularly remember a discussion on the subject that I had with the late, great numismatist Steve Feller. The question was if a train ticket qualified as a numismatic item and by extension was the train ticket during WWII a numismatic item? His final argument was exactly the one that you make. He then offered the counterargument to his own argument.
Tickets are similar to tokens or chits in that they are exchangeable for a good or service. That is at least an interesting argument. The counter to that is that chits usually are for one-time use. Still, items like club chits and POW chits are certainly numismatic as scrip substitutes for money.
On top of everything else your ticket is an interesting artifact of the war. I would love to read thoughts and comments from Gramsters.
— Editor
Dear Editor,
Here is an interesting item that I found..
— Myers
Dear Bill,
I like it, but I studied it and could not find a numismatic connection.
— Editor
Training Schedule (calendar)
2026
In this section, the MPGram lists events that are likely to be of special interest to collectors who are interested in MPC and other type of military numismatic items. We do not list "routine" coin shows where a collector might find a few items by chance. However, if we know that some Festers or Gramsters will be there we will list that same show in the hope of promoting fellowship. Send us your reports.
ANA National Money Show® 26-28 Feb, Savannah, GA MSNS – 17-19 Apr, Oakland Expo Center, Waterford MI
MPCFest 2026 10-12 April 2026
Traditionally, spring is the time when armies begin thinking about campaigning. As we look past winter into spring, the annual "campaign" of MPC Fest approaches. Fest is the premier event of the year for those who collect Military Payment Certificates or any other form of military currency. For those who have not attended, Fest is a combination of educational presentations, a hard-fought military numismatic trivia contest, the annual Dining-In, and above all, fellowship with other military collectors, and of course – poker. What would a military event be without poker? And to build your collection, it begins with an open-to-the public bourse on Friday and ends with an auction on Sunday. It is an event not to be missed for anyone with any interest in military currency. Dates for Fest 2026 are Friday, 10 April 2026 through Sunday, 12 April 2026. Location is Camp Leo May, aka the Holiday Inn Express, 50 NE Catawba Rd, Port Clinton, OH, 43452. Register by calling 419-732-7322. Don't miss this unique event. Oorah!
Call to Convention
Ray Feller
Hello everyone! It is time to ready your staff briefings for this year's Fest! It will be very hard to have a Fest without my dad, but he was extremely proud of how much the Fest focuses on education, and I intend to continue ensuring that the programs continue to be strong.
If you are interested in participating but have any questions at all, feel free to reach out to me at ray.feller@gmail.com.
Please fill out this interest form to help us organize accordingly.
Georgia Numismatic Assn Show 17-19 Apr, Dalton – Festers attending Central States - 22-25 April Netherlands world paper money show 1-3 May ANA Summer Seminar (Boling counterfeit paper course): 20-25 Jun ANA Summer Seminar (WWII course): 27 Jun-2 July ANA World's Fair of Money® - 25-29 Aug, Pittsburgh
Please help us fill in the dates for events listed and give us any additional events that might conflict. Thank you very much.
MPCFest sponsors
Joe and Louise Boling, Mike Buckley, Steve Fahrlander, Ray Feller family, Dave Frank, Loretta Freyser, Al Glaser, Jennifer and Eric Kibbey (dba Camelot Coins), Harold Kroll, Bill Myers and Warner Talso.
MPCFest is possible because of the generous support of its sponsors.
Gram Exchange
Do you have something for sale (or trade)? Are you looking for something for your collection? You can offer items here in the Gram or list specific items that you need.
FOR SALE
Send your text and images (!) to the editor for inclusion in the Gram Exchange. Please send the images in jpeg format with each image in a separate file.
List your items for sale here for FREE
Fifth edition of the standard MPC reference book the Comprehensive Catalog of Military Payment Certificates by Schwan and Smulczenski. Now full color and packed with great information. $75 postpaid. No waiting--the fastest service possible. Send your snail mail address via email and we will send your book with an invoice. The digital version of Comprehensive Catalog of Military Payment Certificates after some delay is now shipping at $40. Send to fredschwan@yahoo.com.
WANTED
Wanted to Buy [WTB] / In Search of [ISO] $10 Series 1934A North Africa silver certificate with the altered blue seal discussed in October 2022 MPCGram by Larry Smulczenski (Saturski #13) and covered in May/June 2008 SPMC article written by Peter Huntoon and Jim Downey. Please contact Andy Conroy (andyqconroy@gmail.com)