From the Editor

How can it be that summer is over already? If you are like me, time flies during the summer months. Trying to squeeze activities into every weekend, taking that summer vacation, backyard burn-b- ques, trips to the lake, and trips into the lake, mosquito bites, s’mores, and sunburn. Hardly any time for the king of hobbies, but we manage to attend a couple shows, and read publications to fill our need for numismatics.

Speaking of numismatic publications, you are holding in your hands, an award winner! As recognized by the American Numismatic Association, NOW NEWS has received the third place Outstanding Club Publication Award in the Regional Category. What an honor! Please see the related story on page 6.

Our content in this issue of NOW NEWS serves as just another example of why we were honored. Once again, we have FIVE original articles written by our members. Mark Benvenuto continues his ‘Inflating Away’ series, this time it’s the German 5 mark. Then we have new authors to our pages; Walter Blada and Tom Snyder enlighten us about Early Banking in Montello, WI. Next Bruce Benoit returns after a several-year hiatus to help us understand engraving Hobo Nickels. Jerry Binsfeld continues his ‘Interview series’ with part 1 of a discussion with long time Wisconsin coin dealer Glenn Wright, and frequent contributor Tom Casper rounds out our feature articles with medicine from ‘Dr. Shoop’.

The regular departments are jam packed as well. Be sure to catch up with NOW News and Notes, Show Reports, Club News and Meetings, ANA news, US Mint news, BOOKS!, and the ever popular Show Calendar.

Finally, I had the great privilege to visit the ANA Convention in Anaheim, CA in August. It’s always nice to check out a huge show once in a while. This particular year coincided with my 12th wedding anniversary, so my wife and I made a fun trip of it; I spent my Saturday at the coin show, she went sightseeing – dare I say it was a perfect arrangement? When we met up for a lovely dinner later in the evening. I ‘surprised’ her with a gift from the heart. A caricature of me, her loving husband! JK Expressions, Caricature Artists were set up in the hall at the convention, just as I was leaving, the talented girl sketched my mug in 3 minutes – and the likeness is uncanny! My wife claims she loves it! Not only because I am depicted as the obverse of a coin, but also because somehow, itmakes me look considerably better than I do in real life!

HAPPY COINING! - Jeff