WBCC Newsmail 21, Vol. 2, January 4, 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is the first Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club (WBCC) Newsmail of 1997 of your Focal Point. I get already exited to make all those Newsmails this year with all the nice articles you make. Again we have a new member (Nr. 29, unfortunally without an Internet connection) and there are some candidate members who maybe will join the Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club, I think. 1. Hot Bi-metallic news....By Frans Dubois, Netherlands Taiwan has made a 50 Dollar (Yuan) Bi-metallic in 1996. Now they have also struck a 100 Dollar (Yuan) with the year 1995. More details unknown. 2. Profile of a (new) member.......By WBCC Focal Point Name: Michael Ayrapeton, USA Age: 44 Hobbies: Collecting Bi-metallics, all variaties Micheal collects Bi-metallic for 7 years now. he has more then 300 pieces, Coins, Eucus, Exonimia and Unusual Coins, like Encased Coins. Unfortunally Michael has no Internet connection. 3. Royal Numismatic Soc. of New Zealand...By Martin Peeters On request: The following is the contact for Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand. Martin Prudy has your e-mail address and will add information in their newsletter about the WBCC. Please list their information in your Newsmail if possible. Martin Purdy Home: P.O.Box 1819, Wellington 6015, New Zealand Fax:+64-4-384-8554 Internet: purdy_m@iconz.co.nz / purdy_m@central.co.nz Hon.Secretary, Royal Numismatic Society of NZ P.O.Box 2023, Wellington 6015, New Zealand 4. Nice Websides Joel Anderson: http://www.coin-universe.com/janderson/ Canadian Coin News: http://vaxxine.com/coin/default.ehtml 5. Coin World article (1).......By Joel Anderson, USA Here is the text version of the Coin World article published december 31, 1996. Cape Verde issues 1994 10-sided,.ringed Bi-metallic 100-escudo coins Coinage appears to be first multi-sided ringed Bi-metallic coins Two 10-sided ringed Bi-metallic Cape Verde 100-escudo coins recently finding their way into collector markets may be a first for coins of this type. Both coin types are dated 1994. They were acquired by coin dealer Joel Anderson of Merced, Calif.,,who seeks ringed Bi metallic coins for collectors specializing in this topical theme According to Anderson: "I have heard there is also a 100 escudos of 1994 showing a bird. These are the first multi-sided Bi-metal coins that I know of. "Each of the two 100-escudo coins has a nickel-composition center with a copper ring. Each has a diameter of 27 millimeters and a reeded edge. The reverse of each coin depicts national symbols at center within an open wreath with stars' the denomination ad the date. The obverse of one coin depicts a two-masted sailing ship left with MADALAN between 9 and 12 o'clock at the rim. The obverse of the other coin depicts a plant at center with script legend AEONIUM GORGONEUM J.A. SCHMIDT above and SAIAO below. . Anderson said he is aware of a 1-escudo coin depictng a turtle; 5, 10 and 20 escudos depicting plants; 5, 10, 20 and 50 escudos depicting birds; and the same four denomination, depicting ships. All are part of what Anderson called an "endless number of Cape Verde 1994 coins." All of the 1994 coins of Cape Verde recently announced to collectors through coin dealers are Uncirculated and presumably struck for circulation. The 1997 edition of Standard Catalog ofworld Coins identifies a brass-plated steel 1994 1 escudo depicting a turtle on the reverse, a copper- plated steel 5 escudos depicting a guincho bird, a nickel-plated steel 10 escudos with passarinha bird and a nickel-plated steel 20 escudos with alcatraz bird, each struck for circulation. Coin Wold was unaware of any announcement. Joel Anderson can be contacted at P.O. Box 3016, Merced, CaliL 95344-1016. 6. Coin World article (2)....By Larry Friemel, WBCC Helpdesk This weeks issue of Coin World (december 31, 1996) has two nice Bi-metallic features. On the front page is a photo of an enlarged new British round 2 pound Bi-metallic and it has a nice article as well by Mr Richard Giedoroyc. Relative to the new British Bi-metallic a few of the article highlights are listed below: * The circulating coin will not be available until November 1997 * Special collector versions in gold and silver as well as in base metal ranging in price from about $8 to about $490 will be available directly from the Mint early in 1997 * It has a copper-nickel center and nickel-brass outer ring * The reverse art traces technology development by depicting concentric circles representing the Iron Age, Industrial Revolution, Electronic Age and the Internet (You need to be a little imaginative to see this) * The obverse has the standard portrait of Queen Elizabeth II * It also carries two very unique features. First the edge has an incuse legend STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS (from Sir Isaac Newton). Secondly, it has a latent image located on it (but next to nothing is said about it). 7. Encased Coins......By non WBCC member Bryan Ryker, USA Encased coins of Earl Fankhausr The Peney Man of fort Wayne, Indiana Hi ! My name is Bryan Ryker. I'm a researcher and collector of encased coins made for Earl Fankhauser, "The Penny Man," of Fort Wayne Indiana. You may ask, "What's an encased coin?" It's a coin, usually a cent, which has an aluminum ring clenched around it. On one side of the aluminum ring there is usually a good luck horseshoe with the words "KEEP ME AND NEVER GO BROKE" or "KEEP ME AND YOU WILL HAVE GOOD LUCK" coined into it. On the other there would be whatever inscription the customer wanted - usually a business advertisement or a souvenir message or personal information to be used as a calling card. Encased coins are not to be confused with the kind of thing you could find in bus and train stations, where you could dial up one letter at a time and make a single piece saying whatever you wanted. Encased coins were made in a coining press using engraved dies. So who was Earl Fankhauser? He is the most prolific creator of encased coins. From 1948 to 1965 he had over 650 different encased coins made, covering topics from car dealers (Ford, Plymouth, Rambler ...), to Presidential campaigns (I Like Ike, Lodge with Nixon, Kennedy ...), to the Boy Scouts, insurance, drug stores, gas stations, dairy ... just about anything you can imagine. One of my favorites is for a fish market. Their slogan was "If you can't make both ends meat, make one fish!" In about 1954 Fankhauser began "signing" the different pieces he sold. In tiny letters along the bottom rim, he put "EARL FANKHAUSER FORT WAYNE IN." Because of this and the large number of different pieces he sold, his name is well known among collectors. I'd enjoy hearing from other collectors or curious web browsers. Click on my name below to send me e-mail. Happy hunting! Bryan Ryker 1808 Grey Birch Road Fort Wayne, IN 46804 Homepage: http://www.cybercity.hko.net/boston/ryker/index.html 8. Medal design contest announced...By ENS, Canada The Edmunton Numismatic Society anounced a Menal design contest. Here are the conditions and rules: 1.This is a contest to design the reverse of the medal to be struck to commemorate the 1998 annual Convention of the Canadian Numismatic Association. The convention is being held in Edmonton, Alberta, from July 29 to August 2, 1998. 2.A prize will be awarded for the best reverse design submitted to the committee. Designs selected shall become the property of the Canadian Numismatic Association. 3.Drawings should be in black and white on stiff cardboard and 10mm (4") in diameter. 4.A description of the medal design should be written on the reverse of the card, with your name and address. All submissions become the property of the Edmonton Numismatic Society and the Canadian Numismatic Association. 5.Designs should reflect the location, theme and character of the convention, and shall contain the year "1998"; the name of the host club "The Edmonton Numismatic Society"; and the words "CNA Annual Convention";. 6.Closing date for entries will be April 1, 1997. The convention medal commmittee and the CNA will select the winning design, but is under no obligation to use any or all of the designs selected. 7.All entries must be mailed to the : Medal Contest Committee CNA 1998 Convention P.O. Box 75024, Ritchie P.O. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6E 6K1 9. Planning in 1997...By Eugene Canham, USA Singapure will release their 1997 5 Dollar Bi-metallic on Jan. 10, 1997 Canada will be releasing their 2 Dollar Bi-metallic Polarbear 1997 near the end of January. 10. The WBCC competition is still on.........By Martin Peeters The Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club (WBCC) is still on. To rememder, the question is: Who will get the FIRST 1997 Bi-metallic ? The winner will get the title "The most fanatic WBCC hunter". So, if you are the WBCC member who gets the first issued 1997 Bi-metallic, please E-mail me: martinp@concepts.nl