| Volume 71 No. 6 | June, 2025 |
|---|
Dear remote attendees at our meetings. Before the meeting starts, enjoy talking with your fellow online attendees (and the few in-person attendees near the room’s microphone). But please, turn off your microphone (look for a “Mute” WebEx control) when no longer participating in a conversation.
And please mute yourself once the meeting starts. If you are not muted, we can hear you yell at the dog, curse when you spill something, ringing phones and doorbells, family arguments, and your (no-longer) private conversations.
Paul Hybert, editor
The 1276th meeting of the Chicago Coin Club was called to order by President Melissa Gumm at 6:45pm CDT, Wednesday May 14, 2025. This was an in-person and online meeting with 19 members at the CBA and 21 members plus two guests applying for membership, giving a total of 42.
Club Meeting Minutes
The April club meeting minutes (for sessions I & II) were approved as published in the Chatter, both in print and on the CCC website.
New Members
Secretary Scott McGowan completed the second membership application reading for Elizabeth (Liz) Benge, a collector of Greek Coins of Sicily and South Italy, Numismatic Books, and African Currency, and the second reading for Howard Hecox, a collector of Roman and US coins. Both were approved for membership.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer’s report for April was not available, so review was tabled until the June meeting.
Old Business
New Business
Featured Program
Joshua Benevento on Divine Kings and Bronze Eagles: A Numismatic Journey Through Ptolemaic Egypt. Following the presentation Deven presented Joshua with an ANA Educational certificate and indicated he would receive a CCC speaker’s medal at a later date.
Show and Tell
Second Vice President Ray Dagenais announced the 11 Show and Tell presentations for the evening.
Melissa Gumm reviewed the upcoming numismatic events, and also said anyone who has the opportunity to visit the Art Institute of Chicago should definitely see the “Myth & Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection.” The exhibit is well worth it, and is there through June 29, 2025.
President Melissa Gumm adjourned the meeting at 8:39pm CDT.
Respectfully Submitted,
Scott A. McGowan,
Secretary
by
Joshua Benevento
presented to our May 14, 2025 meeting
The coinage of the Ptolemaic dynasty of ancient Egypt has been a favorite of mine for decades. This presentation will explore the various types of coinage in Ptolemaic Egypt as an outcome of its time, place, and culture. The Ptolemaic dynasty was Hellenistic, which is Greek in origin, founded by Ptolemy I Soter, or “Savior,” occurring after the death of Alexander the Great. Over 300 years, the Ptolemies ruled Egypt, the longest Hellenistic kingdom. The Ptolemaic empire issued unique coins that tell a story of divine kingship, economic control, and is filled with rich symbolism.
I will try to keep things clear and engaging – perfect for both seasoned collectors and those new to ancient coins. By the end of the presentation, my hope is that you will understand how coins of the Ptolemies were used as currency, propaganda, and art, blending Greek and Egyptian elements into a distinctive monetary system.
After Alexander the Great’s death in 323 BC, his empire was divided among his generals (the Diadochi). Ptolemy I took Egypt, declaring himself Pharaoh in 305 BC and founding the dynasty. Centered in Alexandria, the Ptolemaic Kingdom quickly grew into a wealthy and powerful state. It was renowned for its cultural institutions, such as the Library of Alexandria, and its booming economy – especially grain exports and access to key Mediterranean trade routes.
From the very beginning, coinage played a significant role: Ptolemy I and his successors used coins not just for trade, but to legitimize their rule. Before the Ptolemies, coinage in Egypt had been limited, with most economic transactions relying on barter or foreign currency introduced during brief periods of Persian or Greek control. Ptolemy I changed that by closely following the early Greek coinage of Alexander. These early coins imitated Alexander’s currency (a lion-skinned head dress of Hercules on the obverse, and Zeus seated on the reverse) to facilitate trade and for paying troops locally and abroad.
Before long, however, the Ptolemies developed their own distinct approach to monetary policy. They established a closed currency system – unique within the Hellenistic world – in which Ptolemaic coinage circulated almost exclusively within Egypt’s borders.
Before we get into the coins themselves, it helps to understand the Ptolemaic family tree – one of the most tangled and fascinating in history. Ptolemy I Soter, the dynasty’s founder, was a trusted general of Alexander the Great. After securing Egypt, he declared himself king and passed the throne to his son, Ptolemy II – who soon married his full sister, Arsinoe II. That set a precedent for over 200 years: sibling marriage became the royal norm. This wasn’t just about keeping power within the family – it deliberately echoed ancient Egyptian traditions, where gods like Isis and Osiris were both siblings and spouses, and pharaohs typically married within the family to assert divine status. The Ptolemies embraced this practice to legitimize their rule as both Macedonian kings and Egyptian pharaohs. Cleopatra VII, the dynasty’s last ruler, followed suit by marrying both of her younger brothers. Unsurprisingly, this led to dynastic chaos: bitter sibling rivalries, palace intrigue, assassinations, and heirs whose lineage was both fully royal and uncomfortably close.
All the male rulers of the dynasty were named Ptolemy, but were usually distinguished by Greek epithets or second names – like Ptolemy III Euergetes (“the Benefactor”) or Ptolemy IV Philopator (“Father-loving”). While the name remained the same, the personalities and politics certainly did not.
Throughout the ancient world, various regions used different weight standards for their currency – reflecting local economies, trade practices, and political control. One of the most distinctive examples is found in Ptolemaic Egypt, where Ptolemy I introduced a closed currency system to tightly manage the economy. Initially, he issued silver coins on Alexander’s Attic weight standard (around 17.28grams per tetradrachm). But after 306 BC, he began reducing the weight – first to about 15.7grams, and later to approximately 14.2grams – effectively shifting to a “reduced Phoenician” standard.
Alongside this reform, Ptolemy banned all foreign coinage from circulating in Egypt, making Ptolemaic coins the only legal tender. This created a captive monetary zone. Foreign merchants – especially those coming to buy Egypt’s essential grain – were forced to exchange their silver for local coinage. The state profited from this mandatory exchange while keeping precious metals within Egypt’s borders. As ancient historian and professor François de Callataÿ notes, Egypt’s economic leverage – particularly its grain exports – meant traders had little choice but to comply.
Though Ptolemaic coins were not accepted outside Egypt, the policy was a financial masterstroke. It preserved a consistent silver standard (around 14.2grams per tetradrachm), stabilized internal commerce, and enriched the royal treasury. This closed system remained in place for the entire Ptolemaic dynasty, helping to insulate Egypt’s economy and consolidate wealth and power at home.
What coins did the Ptolemies strike? They issued gold, silver, and bronze in a deliberately structured system. Gold coins were issued occasionally. For example, Ptolemy II’s era saw gold octodrachms (also called mnaieia) portraying Queen Arsinoe II. These were massive gold coins (nearly an ounce) used for large payments or gifts; certainly nothing one spent at the market! Silver tetradrachms were the backbone of the economy – roughly analogous to a “dollar coin” of the realm. Interestingly, over time the silver was debased: by Cleopatra’s reign, a “silver” tetradrachm was actually mostly bronze with only ~33% silver.
Meanwhile, everyday transactions relied on bronze coinage. The Ptolemies issued an array of bronze denominations (often labeled in Greek as obols or chalkoi). These bronze coins are famously thick and large. For instance, Ptolemy II introduced giant bronzes (some greater than 40mm across!) to replace small silver in circulation. The closed system let the kings declare the value of this bronze money by fiat, enhancing the role of bronze in the economy. So, if you were buying bread in Alexandria, you’d likely use chunky bronze coins, whereas a royal treasury payment might involve silver or gold.
Beyond the core denominations, Ptolemaic coinage also produced a handful of exceptionally rare and oversized pieces that showcase the extremes of ancient minting – both in terms of physical scale and political intent. The so-called Pentakaidekadrachm – a colossal silver coin issued under Ptolemy III – is one of the most intriguing denominations in ancient numismatics. Traditionally described as a dodekadrachm (12 Attic drachms), more recent studies recognize its true weight standard as 15 Ptolemaic drachms, aligning it with the long-abandoned Ptolemaic standard rather than the Attic system. This return to the earlier standard may reflect the experimental nature of the issue, which appears to include coins struck to both weight systems.
The coin’s reverse features a cornucopia between two laureate pileoi (the caps worn by the Dioskouroi / Gemini twins, Castor and Pollux), while the obverse shows a finely executed female portrait – long believed to depict Berenice II, the wife, co-regent, and half-cousin of Ptolemy III. However, some scholars argue the honored figure may be Berenice Syra, the king’s sister, whose murder in 246 BCE triggered the Third Syrian War. Ptolemy’s military campaign in the Near East – successful but short-lived – may have inspired this commemorative issue. The absence of divine attributes on the portrait, such as a ram’s horn or lotus scepter (which appear on coins of the deceased Arsinoe II), supports the identification of the figure as Berenice II, who ruled Egypt during her husband’s absence and was still alive at the time.
These coins are monumental in size, exceptionally rare, and were likely ceremonial – struck not for circulation, but to project royal power and dynastic continuity during a volatile period.
The bronze octobol – literally an “eight-obol” coin – is among the largest standard bronze denominations in the Ptolemaic series. Typically issued under Ptolemy III or IV, these massive coins often exceed 45mm in diameter and weigh more than 80 grams – my example is one of the heaviest at 108 grams. While they lack explicit denomination marks, their size and weight suggest they served as highvalue fiduciary coins, likely used in major internal transactions. Their impressive physical form alone communicated economic authority and logistical reach. Neither of these coins was struck for daily use. Instead, they embodied power, prestige, and fiscal might, and today they stand as prized rarities in both institutional collections and the upper tiers of the numismatic market.
The lifeblood of Ptolemaic coin production was Alexandria, the great capital city of Egypt. It was the empire’s central mint, issuing nearly all gold and silver coinage, and most of the standardized bronzes that circulated across Egypt. But the Ptolemies’ influence extended far beyond Egypt’s borders, and they established regional mints to supply their territories. Important mints operated in Cyprus – especially at Salamis, Kition, and Paphos – producing silver and bronze coinage. Along the Phoenician coast, Tyre and Akko-Ptolemais served as strategic minting centers to manage trade and military needs. Even inland cities like Damascus and coastal hubs like Gaza issued coins under Ptolemaic authority during periods of control. Consistency was crucial: no matter where the coins were minted, the designs stayed familiar – featuring the Ptolemaic king’s portrait and the eagle standing on a thunderbolt. This helped unify the dynasty’s branding across a very diverse population.
Within Egypt, the closed currency system ensured that only Ptolemaic coins circulated, helping the monarchy maintain economic control. Outside Egypt, silver tetradrachms occasionally moved through trade or military payments but were less common after the currency zone closed in the early reigns. In short: wherever you were – Cyprus, Phoenicia, or deep in the Nile Delta – if you were spending official money, you were spending coins stamped with imagery of the Ptolemies.
While the main royal mint at Alexandria rarely bothered with mint marks, the Ptolemies’ overseas mints like Cyprus and Phoenicia often used small letter marks like Π for Paphos or ΣA for Salamis. These subtle symbols allowed officials to track where coins were struck – helpful for taxation, military payment, and asserting local authority under royal control.
Let’s talk about coin iconography – the portraits and messages rulers chose to strike on their currency. On the obverse, Ptolemaic coins almost always show a portrait – either of the reigning monarch or a deified ancestor. In the earliest years, Ptolemy I actually featured Alexander the Great, to tie himself to the conqueror’s legacy. But soon, he and his successors began using their own likenesses.
When we see Ptolemy I himself, wearing the royal diadem and the aegis, the divine cloak of Zeus, this wasn’t just flattery – it was a declaration of divine kingship. He’s not just a ruler; he’s a ruler chosen and protected by the gods. Later rulers expanded this imagery. One of the most striking examples is Arsinoe II, Ptolemy II’s sister and wife. Her coinage shows her with a small ram’s horn behind her ear – linking her to the Egyptian ram god Ammon, a symbol of deification. Ptolemy II had her deified after her death, and her portrait served both religious and political aims. These idealized images helped frame the Ptolemies as godlike figures, fit to rule both Greek and Egyptian subjects.
Among the most striking obverses in the Ptolemaic bronze series is the laureate head of Zeus, sometimes interpreted as Zeus-Ammon when depicted with a ram’s horn curling behind the ear. These bronzes were issued primarily during the reigns of Ptolemy III through V, and their scale and portraiture set them apart. The image of Zeus here isn’t just decorative – it projects majesty, divine authority, and stability. The calm, commanding gaze, thick curls, and dignified beard reflect Greek artistic ideals of supreme power and wisdom. When the horn of Ammon is added, it infuses the image with local Egyptian divinity, transforming Zeus into a figure that both Greek and Egyptian subjects could recognize as a universal god – and by extension, a divine source of the king’s authority.
These coins were struck in bronze, often on oversized flans, and circulated widely across Egypt. While the reverse typically carries the eagle and thunderbolt, it’s the obverse portrait of Zeus that grabs the eye – and tells us everything about the Ptolemies’ goals: to visually anchor their rule in divine legitimacy and cultural fusion.
Now let’s turn to the reverse side of Ptolemaic coins, which often carried a powerful and instantly recognizable image: the eagle standing on a thunderbolt. This was a direct symbol of divine authority. The eagle was sacred to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, and the thunderbolt was his weapon of power. So by placing this image on every coin, the Ptolemies visually declared: we rule by divine right.
What’s fascinating is how consistently this image appears – across silver and bronze issues, early and late reigns. It became a dynastic badge. Some coins even featured two eagles – like a massive bronze from Ptolemy II’s reign, which likely symbolized the king and Zeus appearing together, reinforcing the king’s semi-divine status.
Inscriptions usually read ΠTOΛEMAIOY BASIΛEΩΣ, meaning “of King Ptolemy,” tying the ruler’s name to this divine imagery. Even as different Ptolemies took the throne, the iconography remained steady – because it worked. It was clear, religiously resonant, and visually striking. Like the brand of computer I am using, an apple, the eagle and thunderbolt were the visual signature of Ptolemaic power.
Later coins after Ptolemy IV, like those of Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II and Ptolemy XII, continue this imagery in a more stylized way – chunkier birds, bolder lines. Even as the artistry evolved and the political climate grew unstable, the eagle endured. It was a continual reassurance that no matter the crisis, the king ruled with heaven’s blessing.
Interestingly, even after Egypt became a Roman province, the eagle didn’t disappear. Roman tetradrachms struck at Alexandria under Augustus and later emperors continued using the eagle motif – an acknowledgment of the imagery’s deep cultural resonance in Egypt.
One of the most interesting aspects of Ptolemaic coinage is how it blends Greek and Egyptian identities into a single visual language. While the coins themselves are Greek in style – inscriptions, portraiture, and design – the messages they convey resonate deeply with Egyptian and Greek religious traditions. Consider the gold coins of Ptolemy III (shown wearing the radiate crown of the sun-god Helios) and Arsinoe II – their portraits are unmistakably Greek: idealized facial features, a royal diadem, and even the elegant stephane crown. But as I highlighted earlier, Arsinoe bears a ram’s horn behind her ear, identifying her with Zeus-Ammon, fusing Greek Zeus and Egyptian Ammon. This small detail announces her divine status in both cultural contexts.
Arsinoe – and later queens like Cleopatra VII – were also associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. This wasn’t just poetic imagery; it was strategic. Aphrodite was a goddess of fertility and divine favor – all qualities the Ptolemaic queens wanted to embody. Temples to Aphrodite Euploia (Aphrodite of the fair voyage) were built in Alexandria, connecting the queen to prosperity and maritime strength. Cleopatra, in particular, emphasized her identification with Aphrodite to the Roman world, especially in the context of her political and romantic relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony – all while presenting herself as Isis within Egypt. This duality let her tailor her image to different audiences, something that is mirrored in her coinage.
Although Isis herself is rarely depicted directly on Ptolemaic coins, the queens are associated with Isis as living embodiments of the goddess presented with diadems, veils, and idealized features. Subtle elements like hairstyles and regalia echo traditional representations of Isis. To Egyptian subjects, these visual cues would have immediately signaled the queen’s sacred status, even without overt Egyptian symbols.
So, whether it’s Zeus-Ammon, Isis, or Aphrodite, the Ptolemies were in effect speaking to two audiences. To Greeks, they presented themselves as successor kings in the style of Alexander. To Egyptians, they signaled their role as divine pharaohs (often through subtle iconography). This fusion helped legitimize their rule over a such diverse population. Is it propaganda? Yes – but done in a way that both Greek residents of Alexandria and priests of Egyptian temples could see their ruler as “one of ours.” Coins essentially became mini-billboards proclaiming the Ptolemies’ dual identity: Macedonian Greek monarchs and sons of Egyptian gods.
No journey through Ptolemaic coinage is complete without Cleopatra VII, the dynasty’s last ruler and one of the most recognizable figures of the ancient world. From 51 to 30 BCE, she navigated Egypt through the rising tide of Roman power – and like her predecessors, used coinage as a tool of politics and propaganda.
In Egypt, Cleopatra maintained the traditional Ptolemaic types, often retaining the portrait of Ptolemy I and the eagle reverse, preserving dynastic continuity. But outside Egypt, particularly in southern Phoenicia and Syria, she struck coins featuring her own image, asserting her personal authority. One of the most remarkable examples is a rare portrait tetradrachm struck at Askalon. It shows Cleopatra with a bold, individualized profile – distinct from earlier idealized depictions – offering a striking and realistic likeness that breaks with Ptolemaic tradition. Only three other tetradrachms issued by Cleopatra at Askalon are currently known to exist. Their extreme rarity suggests they were issued only occasionally and in very small numbers, perhaps tied to her military and diplomatic activities in the Levant during her alliances with Julius Caesar and later Mark Antony.
She also issued dual portrait coins with Antony, underscoring their political and romantic alliance – coins that functioned as both propaganda and money. Meanwhile, Egypt’s economy was under severe strain. Her silver was highly debased (some coins as low as 30% silver), and she introduced unusual high-value bronzes like the 80-drachm issue, likely to stretch the metal supply and fund military efforts.
After Cleopatra’s defeat and suicide in 30 BCE, Egypt became a Roman province – but interestingly, Roman emperors continued to issue Alexandrian-style tetradrachms for centuries. The coinage system she inherited, adapted, and weaponized for diplomacy left a lasting imprint – even after her kingdom fell.
As we’ve seen, Ptolemaic coinage was more than just currency – it was a deliberate expression of power, identity, and divinity. From the earliest silver tetradrachms of Ptolemy I to the bronze octobols and extraordinary ceremonial issues under Ptolemy III, and finally to the iconic portrait coins of Cleopatra VII, this dynasty used coinage to broadcast its authority across cultures and centuries.
The Ptolemies innovated with a closed currency system, striking massive bronze coins and sustaining one of the most distinctive monetary systems of the ancient world. Their coins blended Greek artistic ideals with Egyptian religious symbolism, and in doing so, they created a visual language that appealed to both Greek settlers and native Egyptians.
Even after Egypt became a Roman province, the influence of Ptolemaic coinage endured. Roman emperors continued to strike Alexandrian-style tetradrachms with Greek inscriptions, a sign of how deeply embedded this coinage was in the life and identity of Egypt.
Whether held in a museum case or in the palm of your hand, a Ptolemaic coin is more than metal – it’s a conversation with the past, struck in the language of kings, queens, and gods. I hope you are inspired to further explore this remarkable series – and maybe even collect a few of your own.
presented by
Mark Wieclaw
to our April 26, 2025 meeting
In this presentation, Mark told of the connection between Princess Diana and Benedetto Pistrucci’s iconic design of “Saint George and the Dragon.”
Benedetto Pistrucci, born in Rome on May 29, 1783 and died on September 16, 1855, was the son of a Senior Judge of the High Criminal Court who had prosecuted Napoleon’s Bonapartist rebels and had a price put on his head. Pistrucci found his calling by working with his teacher’s brother, Giuseppe Mango, and started engraving gemstones with Stefano Tofanelli. His work was very good – so good that he was stabbed by a jealous student, Mango sold some of Pistrucci’s cameos as his own, and also his cameos were being sold as genuine antiquities. To distance himself from the counterfeiting business, he added a secret mark, the Greek letter Lambda (Λ), on the cameos. Mark showed pictures of a number of Pistrucci’s cameos, and they are gorgeous!
Pistrucci moved to London in late 1815, and quickly was held in high regard for his skill. While considering a design submission for the Great Recoinage of 1816, he received a commission for a cameo that provided the inspiration for a gold sovereign design: the motto of the British Order of the Garter (Honi soit qui mal y pense, which is Anglo-Norman for “shamed be whoever thinks ill of it”) surrounding a rendering of Saint George and the Dragon.
Little is known of Saint George aside from his birth in Cappadocia about 275 AD and that he was a Roman soldier. He was executed for his Christianity on April 23, 303, and is one of the military saints. He is the patron saint of many places, including Georgia, Catalonia, Venice, Genoa, Portugal, and England (but not all of Great Britain recognized him, causing friction). And he is the patron saint of Soldiers, Knights, and Scouts.
Legend has it that Saint George slayed a Dragon that terrorized the city of Silene, demanding regular sacrifices, including humans. The King’s daughter was next on the list when George stepped in to save the day. There are a number of symbolic interpretations attached to Saint George and the Dragon, including Christianity over Paganism, Good triumphing over Evil, and the defeat of France, thus ending the Napoleonic Wars at the battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815. In the latter, Saint George is England and the Dragon is France.
The first depiction of Saint George and the Dragon on art occurred in the 11th Century. Originally, George appeared on foot, hovering over the dragon. He is depicted wearing armor in most cases. Modern artwork now depicts Saint George on horseback.
The Saint George and Dragon design of Pistrucci’s 1816 cameo first appeared on the reverse of the British gold Sovereign coin in 1817, and remained there for only a few years. Saint George holds part of a broken lance in his hand, with a second part lying on the ground, and a third part in the dragon. The design reappeared on the Sovereign in 1871, but with the garter and legend removed, and with changes to the central motif – Saint George now holds a short sword, while part of a lance still lies on the ground. Some other small changes were made to the central motif in the late 20th century, but Mark has covered them in at least one club Show-and-Tell session.
The British £1 coin is typically referred to as a “Sovereign” because the obverse features a bust of the sovereign. In addition to the Sovereign, three other gold coins were produced with the Saint George and Dragon motif: £½, £2, and £5, as well as a silver Crown. Since 1816, the Sovereign’s fineness is 22 carats, and it contains 0.2354 ounces of gold.
After Mark showed a slide of the monarchs who issued a Sovereign since 1816, and the years during which each issued them, he showed a slide listing the mints that have issued Sovereigns. The mintmark is embedded low in the ground, below the dragon and above the date. There is no mintmark for the mint in London (and in Llantrisant since 1968); the six branch mints (and their mintmarks) which issued gold Sovereigns are:
| C | Canada | S | Sydney | |
| M | Melbourne | P | Perth | |
| I | Bombay | SA | South Africa |
Mark concluded his review of the gold Sovereign coin with some Fun Facts:
Then Mark returned to the title of this presentation, and the identity of the princess. How is this centuries-old coin design connected to the late Princess Diana? The answer is the great, great, great, great, great, grandmother connection: Lavinia Bingham Spencer, an ancestor of Diana Frances Spencer. When Pistrucci lived in Rome, his early clients included two of Rome’s major art dealers, as well as Napoleon’s three sisters, Elisa, Pauline, and Caroline. Pistrucci arrived in London with a favorable reputation, and it only improved.
Mark concluded his presentation with a few slides on Pistrucci’s Waterloo Medal. Commissioned by the British Government in 1819, Pistrucci delivered the completed matrices in 1849, well after the deaths of the four rulers depicted on the obverse (the intended recipients). The matrices were large – 5.3 inches in diameter – and no medals were struck from them; a few electrotypes were made. Pistrucci was skilled as a designer and engraver, but the challenges in working with him resulted in the mint obtaining few acclaimed works from him: only one coin design and one medal design in over 30 years of employment. A reduced collector’s version was produced in 1990, in both silver and gold.
| Chicago Coin Company |
| Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. |
| Kedzie Koins Inc. |
| Classical Numismatic Group |
Items shown at our May 14, 2025 meeting,
reported by Ray Dagenais.
Reminders:
| Date: | June 11, 2025 |
| Time: | 6:45PM CDT (UTC-05:00) |
| Location: | Downtown Chicago
At the Chicago Bar Association, 321 S. Plymouth Court, 3rd or 4th floor meeting room. Please remember the security measures at our meeting building: everyone must be prepared to show their photo-ID and register at the guard’s desk. |
| Online: | For all the details on participating online in one of our club meetings, visit our Online Meeting webpage at www.chicagocoinclub.org/meetings/online_meeting.html. Participation in an online meeting requires some advance work by both our meeting coordinator and attendees, especially first-time participants. Please plan ahead; read the latest instructions on the day before the meeting! Although we try to offer a better experience, please be prepared for possible diifficulties. |
| Featured Program: | Lianna Spurrier —
Samurai Silver
This introductory presentation will cover the series of rectangular silver coins issued in pre-Meiji Japan from 1765 to 1868. These enigmatic issues are even more difficult to research than they are to collect, but this presentation will provide an overview of the history, identifying features, and pricing trends behind each issue, as well as multiple set compositions for different budgets. Key facets of Japanese history – such as the arrival of Matthew Perry and opening of Japan to western trade – were reflected in their coinage in fascinating ways, which will be explored. No prior knowledge of the series or Japanese history is required. Participation in an online meeting requires some advance work by both our meeting coordinator and attendees, especially first-time participants. Please plan ahead; reread the latest instructions on the day before the meeting! |
Unless stated otherwise, our regular monthly CCC Meeting is in downtown Chicago, and also online, on the second Wednesday of the month; the starting time is 6:45PM CT.
| June | 11 | CCC Meeting - Featured Speaker - Lianna Spurrier on Samurai Silver |
| July | 9 | CCC Meeting - Featured Speaker - Jeff Amelse on to be determined |
| August | 13 | CCC Meeting - Featured Speaker - to be determined |
| August | 19-23 | ANA in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. Admission is free for ANA members — for details, see http://www.worldsfairofmoney.com. |
| September | 4-6 | ILNA 2025 Annual Coin & Currency Show at the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park, Illinois 60477. Details, including hours and events, are available at http://www.ilnaclub.org/show.html |
| September | 10 | CCC Meeting - Featured Speaker - to be determined |
http://www.ChicagoCoinClub.org/
chatter_editor@yahoo.com
The print version of the Chatter is simply a printout of the Chatter webpage,
with a little cutting and pasting to fill out each print page.
The webpage is available before the Chatter is mailed.
If you would like to receive an email link to the latest issue instead of a mailed print copy,
send an email to chatter_editor@yahoo.com.
You can resume receiving a mailed print copy at any time, just by sending another email.
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
All correspondence pertaining to Club matters
should be addressed to the Secretary and mailed to:
CHICAGO COIN CLUB
P.O. Box 2301
CHICAGO, IL 60690
Or email the Secretary at
Secretary.ChicagoCoinClub@GMail.com
Payments to the Club, including membership dues,
can be addressed to the Treasurer at the above
street address.
Renewing Members Annual dues are $20 a year ($10 for Junior, under 18). Annual Membership expires December 31 of the year through which paid. Cash, check, or money order are acceptable (USD only please). We do not accept PayPal. Email your questions to Treasurer.ChicagoCoinClub@GMail.com Members can pay the Club electronically with Zelle™ using their Android or Apple smart phone. JP Morgan Chase customers can send payments to the Club via Quick Pay. To see if your Bank or Credit Union is part of the Zelle™ Payments Network, go to https://www.zellepay.com Please read all rules and requirements carefully.
|
Sharing this complete Chatter issue with a friend is simple. Just let them scan this code into their smartphone! |