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From: Ray Williams <njraywms@optonline.net>
Subject: Ray's last Ramblings of 2008
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Well,
It's New Year's Eve Day. I hope you all get released from work early t=
oday and have a safe and enjoyable New Years with friends and family. Many=
make resolutions on this occasion to change something in their lives for t=
he upcoming year. I've never quite understood that... If I see something =
in my life that needs changing, do it now, not when New Year's strolls arou=
nd. I doubt that more than a couple of you might be aware that when the ne=
w Millennium arrived, I was at my local coin shop with the dealer and Diane=
and a clock in the background. A few seconds before midnight that Decembe=
r 31st, Diane took a picture of Harry and me shaking hands - concluding the=
last transaction of the 20th Century. A few seconds later, Diane took ano=
ther picture of Harry and I shaking hands - concluding the first transactio=
n of the 21st Century. How corny was that? The only thing cornier <sp> wa=
s that the first transaction of the 21st Century was a purchase of a CT Cop=
per!!!=20=20
2008 has been a lot of fun in the hobby for me! You all have made it s=
o and I thank you. I've been more involved with friends in their projects.=
There were a number of key auctions this year. The Marker was placed at =
and dedicated the location of the Boston Mint where John Hull struck the MA=
Silver coinage. Syd Martin's book published by C4 had sales that allowed =
us to reach the "break even" point in less than a year on the market. We w=
ere fortunate this year to have Dave Bowers as our featured speaker at the =
2008 Convention. All aspects of the convention was a success. I worry abo=
ut these things - so much planning goes into a convention and those involve=
d want it to be perfect for all attending. I had fun at the EAC Convention=
in Texas, and also experienced a genuine Texas Barbecue at Craig's house! =
Attending the ANA Summer Convention was wonderful! I was responsible for =
the running of our C4 Meeting and attending a couple others, and the rest o=
f the time was my own!!! I enjoyed so many educational programs that I onl=
y made it across half of the bourse floor during my stay. We had a joint m=
eeting of EAC and C4 at the GSNA Convention here in NJ. To my knowledge, o=
ther than C4, EAC & ANA, the GSNA Convention in NJ and the Convention Buell=
is involved with on the West Coast are the only two shows that have region=
al meetings. I'm hoping that this will change in 2009 and that every regio=
n will have one convention within their boundaries where C4 guys can have a=
room and an hour to gather and have fun.
I could go on about personal experiences for quite a while. 2008 will =
be a memorable year! C4 is alive, well and not living in Paris. Wasn't th=
ere a play by a similar name? The C4 Treasury has been invested in CDs ove=
r the years, so we were not adversely affected by the economy of the outsid=
e world. The C4 membership has approved a radical rewrite of the C4 bylaws=
. The original bylaws were written about 15 years ago (or more) when there=
was not a convention, publications and functions that we have now. We now=
have bylaws we can guided by, and adequately address the needs of an organ=
ization of our size and purpose. I wonder if the founders of C4 could have=
imagined that we would grow to what we are today. I'm NOT saying that big=
ger is better! I'd rather have a membership of 200 collectors that have fu=
n, get along with each other and share their common interests than to have =
a membership of 5000 missing these qualities. To say there is no politics =
in C4 is being a bit na=EFve. But I can say that politics has been kept to=
a very minimum. Knowing the board members as well as I do, I can say for =
certain that each and every one makes decisions, votes and volunteers their=
time for the good of the order. There is no one that personally benefits =
from being a C4 Officer, except for the fringe benefits of meeting a lot of=
people, being involved in hobby events, having an opportunity to share and=
help.=20=20
I'd like to take a moment to thank all the C4 Officers (those listed in=
the front of every C4 Newsletter) past & present, for their hard work and =
for their friendship! The membership elects officers but not elected are t=
he Librarian and C4 Newsletter Editor, Convention Chairman and Publications=
Committee. If you don't know these guys, you should. These are the type =
of people I enjoy being around. They are selfless, upbeat, inspiring... I=
just feel good being around them. A note to novice and expert alike: whe=
n you have a question about colonial coins, contact the librarian. If he d=
oesn't know the answer, he'll either make one up or steer you to someone th=
at can help. <BG> I could go on about dozens of volunteers but I'll stop =
here.
2009... What will 2009 bring? With the state of the stock market, our=
investments, the economy, job stability... how will our collections fare?=
What will coins sell for in 2009? Not being the Amazing Karnac, I don't =
know. For the most part, I have not collected colonials for the purpose of=
an investment. I consider this a hobby. But when your collection gradual=
ly grows and you realize that it is no longer forth a few hundred or a few =
thousand, then the collection's value is something to keep aware of. Will =
scared money run from stocks and be placed in coins? Will collectors sell =
to obtain hard cash, making a glut in the market and lowering prices? Will=
we go on as we have unaffected? No one knows, including me. But my attit=
ude is to just collect what I can afford (what I can purchase without Diane=
calling a lawyer) and have fun owning. I don't have a big concern about v=
alue - I'll let Diane worry about that in my estate decades (hopefully) fro=
m now. This is a hobby, have fun, don't buy what makes you nervous. Educa=
te yourself, read, borrow books and catalogs from the library, talk with th=
ose with like interests. Then you can add coins and have fun doing it. As=
with any area of numismatics, beware of hype. Someone that has a lot of i=
nventory will promote what they have, and enthusiastically - this is human =
nature and a good business sense. Bill Anton told me 17 1/2 years ago that=
"knowledge is power". Although there may be some truth to that, I would r=
ather think that "knowledge is FUN". If I'm going to overpay for a coin, I=
want to do so knowingly, not after the fact. And if I should get a bargai=
n, I'd also like to know at the time of purchase. But it is a pleasant sur=
prise when I find out after the fact. Learn and with your knowledge have f=
un.
I encourage you all to do one thing this year to get involved in the ho=
bby. Write a paragraph about an observation for the C4 Newsletter, write a=
letter to the editor. Encourage a child to collect coins. Set aside vaca=
tion time to attend a Convention that has a strong C4 presence (C4, EAC, Su=
mmer ANA). Find a few colonial collectors within driving distance and get =
together for lunch at a diner. When you read an article or book you like, =
write the author and let them know. If someone has made the hobby enjoyabl=
e for you, let them know too. If you don't know how to reach them, contact=
me and I'll find out for you.
Have a Healthy, Happy & FUN 2009!
Ray
--Boundary_(ID_RqqeGJzajEZKN52C8AMjAw)
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Well,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It's New Year's Ev=
e=20
Day. I hope you all get released from work early today and have a saf=
e and=20
enjoyable New Years with friends and family. Many make resolutions on=
this=20
occasion to change something in their lives for the upcoming year. I'=
ve=20
never quite understood that... If I see something in my life that nee=
ds=20
changing, do it now, not when New Year's strolls around. I doubt that=
more=20
than a couple of you might be aware that when the new Millennium arrived, I=
was=20
at my local coin shop with the dealer and Diane and a clock in the=20
background. A few seconds before midnight that December 31st, Diane t=
ook a=20
picture of Harry and me shaking hands - concluding the last transaction of =
the=20
20th Century. A few seconds later, Diane took another picture of Harr=
y and=20
I shaking hands - concluding the first transaction of the 21st Century.&nbs=
p;=20
How corny was that? The only thing cornier <sp> was that the fi=
rst=20
transaction of the 21st Century was a purchase of a CT Copper!!! =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2008 has been a lo=
t of fun=20
in the hobby for me! You all have made it so and I thank you. I=
've=20
been more involved with friends in their projects. There were a numbe=
r of=20
key auctions this year. The Marker was placed at and dedicated the=20
location of the Boston Mint where John Hull struck the MA Silver coinage.&n=
bsp;=20
Syd Martin's book published by C4 had sales that allowed us to reach the "b=
reak=20
even" point in less than a year on the market. We were fortunate this=
year=20
to have Dave Bowers as our featured speaker at the 2008 Convention. A=
ll=20
aspects of the convention was a success. I worry about these things -=
so=20
much planning goes into a convention and those involved want it to be perfe=
ct=20
for all attending. I had fun at the EAC Convention in Texas, and also=
=20
experienced a genuine Texas Barbecue at Craig's house! Attending the =
ANA=20
Summer Convention was wonderful! I was responsible for the running of=
our=20
C4 Meeting and attending a couple others, and the rest of the time was my=20
own!!! I enjoyed so many educational programs that I only made it acr=
oss=20
half of the bourse floor during my stay. We had a joint meeting of EA=
C and=20
C4 at the GSNA Convention here in NJ. To my knowledge, other than C4,=
EAC=20
& ANA, the GSNA Convention in NJ and the Convention Buell is involved w=
ith=20
on the West Coast are the only two shows that have regional meetings. =
I'm=20
hoping that this will change in 2009 and that every region will have one=20
convention within their boundaries where C4 guys can have a room and an hou=
r to=20
gather and have fun.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I could go on abou=
t=20
personal experiences for quite a while. 2008 will be a memorable=20
year! C4 is alive, well and not living in Paris. Wasn't there a=
play=20
by a similar name? The C4 Treasury has been invested in CDs over the=
=20
years, so we were not adversely affected by the economy of the outside=20
world. The C4 membership has approved a radical rewrite of the C4=20
bylaws. The original bylaws were written about 15 years ago (or more)=
when=20
there was not a convention, publications and functions that we have now.&nb=
sp;=20
We now have bylaws we can guided by, and adequately address the needs of an=
=20
organization of our size and purpose. I wonder if the founders of C4 =
could=20
have imagined that we would grow to what we are today. I'm NOT saying=
that=20
bigger is better! I'd rather have a membership of 200 collectors that=
have=20
fun, get along with each other and share their common interests than to hav=
e a=20
membership of 5000 missing these qualities. To say there is no=20
politics in C4 is being a bit na=EFve. But I can say that politics ha=
s been=20
kept to a very minimum. Knowing the board members as well as I do, I =
can=20
say for certain that each and every one makes decisions, votes and voluntee=
rs=20
their time for the good of the order. There is no one that personally=
=20
benefits from being a C4 Officer, except for the fringe benefits of me=
eting=20
a lot of people, being involved in hobby events, having an opportunity to s=
hare=20
and help. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'd like to take a=
moment=20
to thank all the C4 Officers (those listed in the front of every C4 Newslet=
ter)=20
past & present, for their hard work and for their friendship! The=
=20
membership elects officers but not elected are the Librarian and C4 Newslet=
ter=20
Editor, Convention Chairman and Publications Committee. If you don't =
know=20
these guys, you should. These are the type of people I enjoy being=20
around. They are selfless, upbeat, inspiring... I just feel goo=
d=20
being around them. A note to novice and expert alike: when you =
have=20
a question about colonial coins, contact the librarian. If he doesn't=
know=20
the answer, he'll either make one up or steer you to someone that can=20
help. <BG> I could go on about dozens of volunteers but I=
'll=20
stop here.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2009... What=
will=20
2009 bring? With the state of the stock market, our investments, the=
=20
economy, job stability... how will our collections fare? What w=
ill=20
coins sell for in 2009? Not being the Amazing Karnac, I don't know.&n=
bsp;=20
For the most part, I have not collected colonials for the purpose of an=20
investment. I consider this a hobby. But when your collection=20
gradually grows and you realize that it is no longer forth a few hundred or=
a=20
few thousand, then the collection's value is something to keep aware of.&nb=
sp;=20
Will scared money run from stocks and be placed in coins? Will collec=
tors=20
sell to obtain hard cash, making a glut in the market and lowering prices?&=
nbsp;=20
Will we go on as we have unaffected? No one knows, including me. =
; But=20
my attitude is to just collect what I can afford (what I can purchase witho=
ut=20
Diane calling a lawyer) and have fun owning. I don't have a big conce=
rn=20
about value - I'll let Diane worry about that in my estate decades (hopeful=
ly)=20
from now. This is a hobby, have fun, don't buy what makes you=20
nervous. Educate yourself, read, borrow books and catalogs from the=20
library, talk with those with like interests. Then you can add coins =
and=20
have fun doing it. As with any area of numismatics, beware of hype.&n=
bsp;=20
Someone that has a lot of inventory will promote what they have, and=20
enthusiastically - this is human nature and a good business sense. Bi=
ll=20
Anton told me 17 1/2 years ago that "knowledge is power". Although th=
ere=20
may be some truth to that, I would rather think that "knowledge is FUN".&nb=
sp;=20
If I'm going to overpay for a coin, I want to do so knowingly, not after th=
e=20
fact. And if I should get a bargain, I'd also like to know at the tim=
e of=20
purchase. But it is a pleasant surprise when I find out after the=20
fact. Learn and with your knowledge have fun.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I encourage you al=
l to do=20
one thing this year to get involved in the hobby. Write a paragraph a=
bout=20
an observation for the C4 Newsletter, write a letter to the editor. =20
Encourage a child to collect coins. Set aside vacation time to attend=
a=20
Convention that has a strong C4 presence (C4, EAC, Summer ANA). Find =
a few=20
colonial collectors within driving distance and get together for lunch at a=
=20
diner. When you read an article or book you like, write the author an=
d let=20
them know. If someone has made the hobby enjoyable for you, let them =
know=20
too. If you don't know how to reach them, contact me and I'll find ou=
t for=20
you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Have a Healthy, Happy & FUN 2009!</FON=
T></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Ray</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
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--Boundary_(ID_RqqeGJzajEZKN52C8AMjAw)--
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