Memphis International Paper Money Show Speakers Series 2015

Benny Bolin - Spencer Clark, the untold true story of the first BEP Director

With permission, Clark put his portrait on the 5c third issue fractional note and has been maligned since.  Much information about Clark is false.  This presentation will set the record straight and trace his life from birth to death.

Joseph Boling - The Cheshire Faker

One eBay seller in the English Midlands showered buyers with hundreds of fraudulent and fantasy notes over a three and a half year period, all involving some kind of overprint or rubber stamp on otherwise perfectly good notes. See examples of most and learn how to spot them.

Steve Carr - Chaos and Pandemonium, every national bank note has a story

Three not‑so‑typical bank stories from Kansas will be profiled.  Learn the origin of the word "drib."

Carlson Chambliss - Series 1900 Gold Certificates and other ultra high large size notes

A fire in 1935 made Series 1900 $10,000 gold certificates available.  Usually catalogued as currency, they are cancelled government checks.   See and understand how other $5K and $10K issues were used including 1861 Three‑Year Civil War notes, non‑circulating 1872 Currency Certificates of Deposit, Series 1878 USNs, Series 1882 gold notes that were used as money transfer instruments and backing for FRNs, and Series 1888 gold certificates.

Ray & Steve Feller, Davi Frank - Camp Hay Australia currency, great new discoveries

A relative of a survivor of Camp Hay, Australia, sheds considerable new insight on the issues of this important Allied camp.  The well designed notes were designed by inmates and printed by the local newspaper.  Enigmatic scrip was issued as well.  New discoveries abound and will be featured.

Neil Shafer - Food stamps and coupons, 1939-1943, 1961-2009

Foods stamps and coupons represent an important niche in American numismatics and they are fast becoming a hot market item now that eBay allows them to be listed.  This talk will provide a comprehensive survey this fascinating collectible that is coming on strong.

Henry Simmons Jr. - Collecting Confederate States of America bonds

Historically significant, multifaceted CSA bonds are currently undervalued and under promoted as CSA fiscal collectibles.  They are intimately related to the better known CSA currency, relatively inexpensive and chock full of discovery potential.

Three display cases

Stane Straus - polymer bank notes, the future of currency

Countries are converting to polymer bank notes due to their durability, security, cost‑effectiveness and cleanliness. The history and development of polymer bank note technology will be examined along with how different countries, including the US, are experimenting with polymer currency.

Roger Urce & Howard Daniel - China's Post War Military Currency for Indochina featuring Chinese Custom Gold Unit notes

China overprinted two of its WWII era circulating notes with "For Circulation in Viet Nam" in Chinese characters for use in post-war French Indochina.  They were never used, but a few specimens and unissued pieces exist.  Instead the Chinese used their Custom Gold Unit notes.  The overprinted notes were likely not printed in sufficient quantities whereas the CGU notes were available in quantity.

Jamie Yakes - Series of 1914 Federal Reserve face plate types

Collectors of 1914 FRNs are aware of the different face plate styles so relearn your ABCs and 123s so you can be on top of these issues. The different types evolved over time to facilitate sorting the notes when they came in for redemption.  See why.  Of course the varieties are spread across the different signature combinations and districts, some fitfully and several rare that are easily overlooked.

Jamie Yakes - Serial 100,000,000 Federal currency

All 100,000,000 serials, large or small, were hand-set because serial numbering heads contained only eight numbering wheels.  They were a pain in the neck so generally were not printed.  Neither the policies that led to their periodic use and discontinuance nor a comprehensive catalog of the classes, series and denominations where they were used has been forthcoming in the numismatic literature.  This talk strives to rectify this situation.

Peter Huntoon - Col. Green, America's most extravagant collector

Col Green, 1868-1936, inheritor of a vast fortune, spent lavishly on stamps, coins and paper money.  Famous for his sheet of 24-cent inverted airmail stamps and five 1913 liberty head nickels, few know him as the source for most of the number 1 Series of 1929 national bank notes that grace our collections.  His story is beyond fiction.  Discover the origin of his wealth, his impressive accomplishments and the story of the 1929 number one notes.

Tentative Schedule: