Vancouver Numismatic Society
5851 W. BLVD Vancouver, BC, Canada

Vancouver Numismatic Society September Newsletter Dear VNS members:... Peter Moogk has provided the following article: MOVIE MONEY Films and television shows often show wads of paper money being handled in criminal transactions or as a payoff with high value notes. Using real currency is too risky, so something believable has to be substituted. Today, on the internet, you can order combinations of simulated banknotes that imitate American currency. They will have a disclaimer, such as "motion picture use only" or "copy money," printed on one side or on both sides. Even with this warning, some of these bogus banknotes have been used by dishonest buyers. Filmed at a distance, they do not have to be too convincing. In the 1950s and 1960s, movie makers resorted to an alternative: devalued Latin American banknotes. These bills were often printed on security paper by American firms and their designs followed the fashions of U.S. currency. They looked and sounded believable. In an episode of "Have Gun, Will Travel" from 1959, a close up shows a banknote with the Spanish word "cinco" [five] covered up with "one hundred dollars" and "States of America" pasted on to the bill's top [figure 1]. In figure 2, we see a double portrait on the banknote, which is indistinct. This is probably a Mexican state issue, like the 1914 Chihuahua note in figure 3. The last illustration is from a 1962 "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" program. The woman is examining an American $1000 note which she had been hidden in her refrigerator. It is a plausible imitation of a 1934 series reserve note, but an unquestionable phoney. No one would soak or freeze real $1000 notes. Most of these pictures were taken from the television screen and are fuzzy. That too could have been intentional because copying a genuine banknote precisely, in detail and to scale, was equated with counterfeiting. Now you know what a bored numismatist does with his time. Thanks to my PVR, I am able to stop the action in order to examine the coin or paper money that is being handled. The use of devalued Latin American banknotes came as a complete surprise.

Vancouver Numismatic Society June Newsletter Dear members:... Although we aren’t able yet to meet in person, we wanted to let you know about the passing of long time VNS member, Les Copan. Peter Moogk has provided the following obituary for Les: Leslie D. Copan (1926-2020), a long time VNS member, passed away this month. Les was the son of a Ukrainian father and a Scottish mother. He served in the Canadian navy and, in 1953, he joined the International Longshore and Warehouse Union [ILWU] as a stevedore in Vancouver's port. Les eventually served as president of the ILWU's Local 501. In 1966 he and other local presidents defied a return-to-work injunction on a holiday and, when they refused to pay a fine for their defiance, they all went to jail. Les retired in 1988 and became an enthusiastic mobile home owner, often wintering in Mexico. Les served the VNS in a variety of functions: two terms as club president in 1960-61 and in 1981-84, as a coin show volunteer, and - for many years - as the newsletter editor. For his many contributions to the club, he was made an honorary life member. I knew Les for over 45 years. Although he was stubborn, argumentative, and often abrasive, Les could be relied upon to carry out any duty he accepted. That is how I would like remember him: as a reliable and hard-working member of our club.

Vancouver Numismatic Society March Newsletter Next Meeting Thursday, March 5th at 7:30 pm... February Meeting Report Our Program Coordinator, Jan Verster, presented a program on Canadian 50 cent coins. March Program Our meeting will begin with an opportunity for Show and Tell. Bring in an item of interest or the latest addition to your collection. Our guest speaker, Mike Souza, will be presenting another one of his challenging Guess the Country quizzes. Floor Auction After our break, the meeting will continue with the Club’s floor auction. Please bring in your submissions.

Vancouver Numismatic Society February Newsletter Next Meeting Thursday, February 6th at 7:30 pm... January Meeting Report Our Program Coordinator, Jan Verster, presented a program on Howie Wing, which was based on a token that he recently added to his collection. February Program Our meeting will begin with an opportunity for Show and Tell. Bring in an item of interest or the latest addition to your collection. Our Program Coordinator, Jan Verster, will be presenting a program on Canadian 50 cent coins. Floor Auction After our break, the meeting will continue with the Club’s floor auction. Please bring in your submissions. Article Duff Malkin has provided the attached photos of a Royal Canadian Mint item he recently acquired, after he purchased some Canada Post Chinese New Year’s philatelic material at the (sort of) Main Post Office on Georgia Street. Duff has described it as a hand struck design on a copper planchet showing Vancouver / 2020 over a rat, on one side and Royal Canadian / Mint over an upside down Monnaie Royale/ Canadienne (or this could be reversed). While the designs seem to be medal struck in this instance, such may not be the case with others.

Vancouver Numismatic Society January Newsletter Next Meeting Thursday, January 2nd at 7:30 pm... December Meeting Report Members enjoyed a dinner of pizza and desserts contributed for our Christmas celebration. January Program Our meeting will begin with an opportunity for Show and Tell. Bring in an item of interest or the latest addition to your collection. Our Program Coordinator, Jan Verster, will be presenting a program on Howie Wing, which is based on a token that he recently added to his collection. Floor Auction After our break, the meeting will continue with the Club’s floor auction. Please bring in your submissions. Article Attached is a copy of an article submitted by Peter Moogk.