A Publication of the Indianapolis Coin Club

Issue # 453 Newsletter September 2004 Membership numbers: ANA C-131170, CSNS L-600, ISNA LM 243

The Meetings of the Indianapolis Coin Club are held the fourth Monday of each month at the Nora Library at 8625 Guilford Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Meetings consist

of a business session, an intermission, educational program, and a numismatic auction. Doors open at 6:00pm, meeting will begin at 7:00pm.

The next meeting will be Monday September 27, 2004 Last of 2004 Meetings: October 25th and November 29th. December 6th is our Banquet.

Indianapolis Coin Club looking for Leaders It is that time of the year again when the Indianapolis Coin Club is looking for people to step up and become Officers and Members of the Board. There will be a few openings on the board this year and we need new people to fill those voids. The board meets a minimum of four times per year with the meetings usually lasting an hour, sometimes longer. Many positions are open and nominations are welcome by any member of the club. Please, if you have any questions feel free to ask a current board member what the tasks and responsibilities are. You must be prepared to put some work and effort into the position that you are running for to continue with the success of the club. The officers positions that are up for election follows: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Sargeant-at-Arms, and Editor. Along with that are three Board Members positions. These positions must be filled for our club to keep its Non-profit status in the state of Indiana and to run as an organization. The responsibilities of each position is listed in the bylaws available either on the website at: www.indianapoliscoinclub.org or by contacting Vinton Dove for a copy. These copies are also available at the Club meetings. So, if you would like to take part in the running of the Club, please notify one of the members on the Nominating Committee (names listed in the Secretarys Report on Page 4). You must let one of the members know by November 1, 2004.

THE PLANCHET

The 2004 Indianapolis Coin Club Officers and Board Members

President Vinton Dove Vice-President Dave Reid Secretary Jim Goaziou Treasurer Tom Ferverda Editor Amy Eberhardt

(fubacoin@aol.com) ph. (317) 837-5682 Past President Jim Luckey Sgt-at-Arms Jim Warden Board Member 04-05 Lawrence Wistoff Board Member 04-05 Coz Raimondi Board Member 04-05 Charles Alber Board Member 03-04 Karl Kreck Board Member 03-04 Donald Black Board Member 03-04 Allen Dove

The Monthly Planchet is the official publication of the Indianapolis Coin Club. It is published monthly in Indianapolis, Indiana. All inquiries should be sent to ICC, P.O. Box 2897, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46206.

Table of Contents

Looking for Leaders - Cover

Advertisers - Page 2

Oak Island article - Page 3

Secretarys Report - Page 4

Treasurers Report - Page 4

Letter to the Editor - Page 5

Upcoming Shows - Page 5

The Monthly Planchet, September 2004 Page 2

Advertise in the Indianapolis Coin Club Newsletter! The cost is $35.00 for a business card size ad for 12 issues!

VINTON G. DOVE Certified Public Accountant

Collecting U.S. Coins Since 1952

443 Wellington Road (317) 257-1906 Indianapolis, IN 46260 Fax(317) 257-2220

$$$$ ALWAYS BUYING $$$$

PAYING TOP PRICES FOR ALL U.S. COINS

DONT SELL WITHOUT GETTING OUR OFFER!!!

LARRY HYLTON BROWNSBURG, IN ANA, ISNA-LM, CSNS-LM

(317) 852-8458

(317) 885-8065 885-8066

THE COIN INDEX Coins Stamps Bullion Currency Jewelry Supplies BUY SELL APPRAISALS

Hours: M, T, Th, F 10:30 - 6:00 - Wed. & Sat. 10:30 - 3:00 857 North Madison Avenue Greenwood, IN 46142 (Between Main St. and Fry Road)

Cos Raimondi, President Email: coinindex@sbcglobal.net

R.O.M.A. COIN Specializing in U.S. RARE COINS

ORVA (ORV) DETRICK Professional Numismatist PO Box 267 Donnelsville, Ohio 45319-0267 Phone: 937-882-6730 Cell #: 937-284-0412 E-mail: Romacoin@aol.com Buy/Sell Bullion: Gold & Silver

The Monthly Planchet, September 2004 Page 3

After 38 years of searching, an Oak Island treasure hunter believes hes solved the mystery of the famous Nova Scotia island. Dan Blankenship says he has uncovered evidence that proves the 32 Hectare Island is the repository for millions in silver and gold left behind by marauding Spaniard's in the mid-16th century. Ive never spoken publicly before because I didnt want to have to put in this much work and end up being wrong, he said. In the last six weeks Ive been able to confirm all my suspicions and I can say definitively who did it, how they did it, and where they did it, but, until I get down there I cant say exactly what is there. Blankenship was 42 when he gave up a Miami-based contracting business and brought his family to the provinces South Shore, confident he could solve the mystery that had eluded searchers for more than 165 years. For three decades, he has toiled in the mud, the snow, and the heat of summer drilling tunnels and trying to make connections between a series of unusually shaped rocks scattered about the rocky island. In 1971 he was almost killed when a steel-reinforced shaft in which he was working buckled, nearly trapping him more than 45 meters below the surface. He hasnt recovered a dimes worth of treasure, but the robust 80 year old said with the new information he has gathered, the riches could be brought to the surface within seven months. The early story of Oak Island is well known around the world. Three boys from the area were exploring the island in 1795 when they came across a depression in the ground near an oak tree. They dug in the dirt in hopes of finding treasure, but hit a wooden platform. They lifted it and continued to dig, only to find another platform a few meters deeper. Subsequent efforts by everyone from locals to John Wayne and Franklin Delano Roosevelt turned up tantalizing items such as bits of chain, parchment and coconut husks, but all were defeated by what seemed to be an intricate series of flood tunnels designed to protect whatever was at the bottom of the pit. When Blankenship began as director of field work for the treasure-hunting syndicate headed by Montreal businessman David Tobias, he started his search at the famed money pit site, but his interest in other parts of the island grew as the years passed. Blankenship now dismisses the money pit as an elaborate decoy and suggests the bulk of the treasure is located in a series of tunnels running deep beneath one end of the island. He has long suspected there were tunnels deep beneath the island, but had no proof until he came across evidence of three, meter-wide holes he claims once served as air shafts for the tunnels. He was prompted to look for the shafts after the previously unreported discovery of stone icons by a small Norwegian exploration team that worked on the island in June. He believes the European team was hoping to confirm the island was the repository for the Shakespearean works of Francis Bacon, but he believes his subsequent find points to Spanish treasure. He located the shafts based on measurements taken from the position of a series of oddly shaped multi-tone stones. First discovered by rival treasure hunter Fred Nolan of Bedford, NS., the rocks form the shape of a giant cross that Blankenship believed is a key to the mystery. The veteran treasure hunters problem is he doesn't have a Treasure Trove license giving him permission to pursue his effort. All exploration requires a license from the province and all licenses for searches in the area expired in July, said Rick Ratcliffe, the provinces registrar of mineral and petroleum titles. New requests have not been approved. Under the Treasure Trove Act, the province is entitled to one-10th of the find or the equivalent monetary value. Four people, including Blankenship have applied to the government for the five year permits.

Oak Island Mystery Solved Dan Blankenship says he has evidence the isle has

millions in gold and silver

MISSING LINKS - Dan Blankenship displays some chains from Oak Island.

Secretarys Report for the meeting on August 23rd, 2004 President Dove opened the meeting at 7:05pm. Secretary and Treasurers reports were presented by Jim

Goaziou and Tom Ferverda respectively. Both were approved as read. Visitors Dennis Bruhl, Jeff Sutton and Kevin Sweeney were welcomed to the meeting. Amy Eberhardt has agreed to take over the responsibility and work of providing refreshments while Charles Alber recovers from illness. Allen Dove reported that the date for the Banquet will be Monday, December 6th. The program for the evening was provided by Vinton Dove, Dave Reid and Jim Goaziou who attended the ANA convention in Pittsburgh. Dave Reid told the club about the 1866 No Arrows Dollar, 2 - 1913 Liberty Nickels, a King of Siam Proof Set, and a large group of 1795 Dollars on display at the convention. He stated prices were very high, inflated, really no bargains. Also that attendance seemed good but the Saturday Noon crowd was small; average age seemed to be 50s and 60s and very few young persons and children were noticed. The Bureau of Printing and Engraving, U.S. Postal Service, World Mints and many clubs and organizations were represented. Vinton Dove reported on some of the outstanding exhibits including a complete set of Mint State Three Dollar Gold pieces. Jim Goaziou further discussed some of the exhibits, I.C.C. Programs upcoming and asked for members to consider running for office in the upcoming election. President Dove announced that the Nominating Committee will be himself, Dave Reid and Tom Ferverda for the November election. The meeting was adjourned at 8:35pm. Respectfully Submitted,

J.W. Goaziou, Secretary

The Monthly Planchet, September 2004 Page 4

Treasurers Report August 2004 Income:

Membership $24.00 50/50 $21.00 Newsletter Ad $35.00

$80.00

Expenses:

Liability Insurance $250.00 Newsletter Printing $ 22.74 Newsletter Postage $ 20.35 $293.09 Net Monthly Loss ($213.09) Checking Account Balance $4,590.33 I.C.C - CDs 235153 $5,076.50 241105 $5,063.01 248114 $5,061.03 (est due 9/6/04) $15,200.54 Respectfully Submitted,

Tom Ferverda, Treasurer

The educational Program

for September - State of the

Hobby presentation by Coz Raimondi!

The Monthly Planchet, September 2004 Page 5

Letter to the Editor ANA Meets in Pittsburgh The American Numismatic Association held its Worlds Fair of Money show at the David Lawrence Civic Center in Pittsburgh, PA August 18-22. As an attendee, I made several observations. If you like to look at nice coins, the ANA show has more to see than the Smithsonian Institute. First, you can see Mint State and Proof Coins from the 1850s to the present day, right there on the bourse floor. Most are slabbed or certified coins, so you know they are genuine. Also, the dealers will hand you the coins (in their holders), so you can get a really close look at them. This is very exciting, and it is educational. I never knew what a Matte Proof coin looked like until I bought one, (from a dealer I trusted), but then I went to the ANA show and saw more than a half-dozen of them. Of course, the ISNA show, right here in Indianapolis, will have many of the same coins, although the selection will not be as large. Superior Galleries brought a display of US Silver

Upcoming Shows

October 3rd - Logansport Coin & Collectibles Show Logansport IN Holiday Inn U.S. 24 East. Hours: 10am-4pm

10th - 71st Street Coin Show - Indianapolis IN K of C Hall 2100 East 71st St. off Key stone Ave. Hours: 9am-3:45pm

16th - Comfort Suites - South Bend IN off of SR 31/33 North Exit 77 Toll Road, North of Roseland. Hours: 10am-5pm

17th - Lafayette Coin Show - Lafayette IN Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, 1401 Teal Rd. Hours 9am-4pm

24th - Evansville Coin Club - Evansville IN C.K. Newsome Community Center 100 East Walnut St. Hours: 9am-4pm

Off to another Coin Show

Dont forget to bring your auction items and some money to the meeting! Going, Going, Gone....

ICC Auction

1234

5678

90 1234567890

Dollars, dating from 1794 to 1803, and had about 50 examples. The coins were all certified, most of them by PCGS, and virtually all of the coins were Extremely Fine or About Uncirculated condition. It was breathtaking! There is also an Exhibit area, and there was a complete set of US Three Dollar Gold pieces in one of the exhibits. The set was mostly Proof and Mint State, and all of the coins were certified. It was very impressive! Most of the coin certification and grading services had tables at the show, and I had one of my purchases graded by ANACS, for free. Of course, they did not encapsulate the coin, since that would have cost money, but I was very happy to have an expert grader give me his opinion of my coins condition. (For FREE!) I also met the owners of Capital Plastics, Inc., the maker of the 3-layer coin holders. It was a very impressive show, and I recommend to everyone that they attend one show, at least sometime during their life. Vinton Dove Indianapolis, IN