The Australian Numismatic Society

THE AUSTRALIAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY

INVITATION TO THE 2016 BIENNIAL COFFS HARBOUR CONFERENCE

& ATTENDEE INFORMATION


  The 2016 Conference Medal, made from 1913 shillings.
    Click on the image for a larger version

Conference Program


Members met for a drink at 6pm on the Friday Night.  Julie and Phil Benjamin, speaking with Rudi Talmacs on St George.


Mervin Meads, with Colin and Pat Thomas, checking their Conference kits.


Hugh Armstrong and Peter Atherden, finding a seat for dinner.  Vi Armstrong already had her seat.


Stephen Appleton, Bernie Begley and Peter Lane, getting ready for dinner.


After dinner we had an Auction.  Rod Sell and Pat Walsh, checking the different weight lots.


John Veltmeyer and Peter Atherden, checking some Canberra Stamp Show PNC Lots.


Hugh Armstrong and Gerry Doyle, in deep discussion.


Tony Hoare watching the sale of his Tinnies.


Stephen Appleton and Colin Thomas, checking some of the lots.


Tony Hoare checking some of the lots, ticked as being of interest.  Only the lots with a tick, were auctioned.


Rod Sell recording the winner of each lot and sale price.


Checking the correct price was recorded.

Saturday morning: 8.30 am registrations and issue of Conference name badges, Certificates of Attendance, voting slips and programmes. Set up displays.


Checking the Powerpoint file loaded correctly.


Pat Walsh taking  Pictures with, a noisy camera.


Sharing a joke before the serious talks started.


Another joke is told.


John Pearn checking his Talks loaded OK.


John Armstrong wondering what to expect.


Rudi Talmacs checking his messages.


Checking another Tinnie.


Checking the Video camera can record OK.

Morning Session was conducted by John Veltmeyer


President John Veltmeyer, welcoming the Members to our 2016 Conference.


A minutes silence, in memory of  ANS Members no longer with us.

7 Members had passed on since our last Conference 2 years ago.

Jack Hepler
Bill Mira
George Cassim
Fred Scarffe
Jon Saxton
Trevor White
Alistair Robb
As each name was mentioned, members told a little of their story.


Welcome address: A.N.S. Patron/A.N.S. President

Members then introduced themselves and advise what they collect.


John Pearn The  Numismatic Heritage of Medicine.

John was presented with a recent RAM Medal set, featuring 3 Australian Doctors.


Gerry Doyle  Fractional Farthings

10.30 to 11am  Morning Tea


Some members preferred to look for treasures.


Vi Armstrong gave the Tea a miss, because of the many steps.


Members getting ready for the next session.


David  Mee   The Coins of the Angevins
Judith Mee   The Chaucer connection.


Colin Pitchfork   Some Interesting Coin in my Collection.


12.45 to 14.00 pm LUNCH 

Afternoon Session was conducted by Gerry Doyle


Bernard Begley  The Fineness of 19th & 20th Century Silver Coinage.


Barry Scott  Chinese Money Trees



Michael Tichy  Counting Jetons.


15.30 to 16.00 pm  Afternoon Tea 


Phil Benjamin  St George.


John Pearn  Secreto in Numismatica  - Hidden Messages in coins and medals.

Saturday Night: 6.30-7.30 pm gather for drinks

Sandy Pitchfork chatting with Bernie Begley


Michael Tichy and John Veltmeyer.  Who took the photo?


Stephen Appleton, Rod Sell & Barry Scott


The group around the bar

Judith & David Mee, with Phil Benjamin


Bernie Begley, Rod Sell and Hugh Armstrong


Colin Thomas, Rudi Talmacs and Pat Thomas


How big was that fish?


John Kennedy, Julie Benjamin and Heather Meads


Michal Tichy having a break from taking photos.

7.30pm Conference Dinner in the Tree-house Restaurant
 
John Pearn making sure the glasses were filled.


Members in conversation.


Cheers.


Waiting for the food.


Plenty to talk about.


Stephen Appleton won the Quiz John Pearn set. Questions based on the days Talks.

Sunday Morning Session was conducted by John Pearn

Patron John Pearn, getting ready to Chair the session.

 
John welcoming members for the Sunday Morning session.


Judith Mee and John Kennedy, waiting for the Talks


Peter Lane  A collection of 19th & 20th Century Seals.



John Pearn introducing Hugh Armstrong



Hugh Armstrong  Medals of the Horticultutal Society of NSW 1868.

Colin Thomas  The Six Georges


10.30 to 11.00 am  Morning Tea

Welcome back from Morning Tea.


Mervin Meads  Australian Bank Notes

Close ups on the star and radar notes.



Colin Pitchfork   Some More Interesting Coin in my Collection.

Time to review the displays and vote for the Best Display
 
LUNCH  Chicken Schnitzel or Spaghetti Bolognaise, and assorted fruit juices, tea & coffee


John Veltmeyer announcing the Winner of the Best Display.

The Medal was struck on a 1913 florin.


Presentation of the Best Display Medal to David Mee


After lunch we had a Group Photo taken.

Rudi Talmacs exercising for the Group Photo.


Hugh Armstrong helping Vi to the Group Photo.


John Pearn arranging the photo.


The young girl from the resort, who took  a dozen or more of the Group Photo.


We all said CHEESE.

Sunday Afternoon Session conducted by Rudi Talmacs


John Pearn  Family Medals - Enduring Kindred Heritage

John Veltmeyer - 47 Prefectures of Japan



Rudi Talmacs  Pistrucci's  "St George slaying the Dragon"  a study of it's conception.



Rudi getting enthused.

15.30 to 16.00  Afternoon Tea


Ross Pratley  Some Bits and Pieces from a Puzzel Down Under.
Ross gave a very good talk on Postal Notes, mainly from Queensland.

17.00 Conference was closed by A.N.S. President John Veltmeyer.


List of Those Attending and their Talks.
Frank Adamik
Lynette Adamik - Dinner only
Steven Appleton
Hugh Armstrong - "Medals of the Horticultural Society of New South Wales 1868."
Vi Armstrong
John Armstrong
Peter Atherden

Bernard Begley " The Fineness of 19th & 20th Century Silver Coinage"
There were many challenges in the years immediately after the arrival of the First Fleet, and as numismatists we take a great interest in the details of Gov. King’s 1800 Proclamation which set the values to be given to the hotchpotch of coins then found in the colony of NSW. Setting these values in excess of what they were accepted for elsewhere, creating fiat currency, was designed to keep coinage in the new colony and similar tactics were tried elsewhere in the world. The Holey Dollar and Dump’s stated value of 6/3 was well above their silver value of approximately 5/-, did the same thing.

Philip Benjamin " St George"
Julie Benjamin
Gerry Doyle "Fractional Farthings"
Tony Hoare
John Kennedy
Peter Lane - "A Collection of 19th and 20th Century Seals"
Mervyn Meads  "Australian Banknotes"
Heather Meads

David Mee - "The coins of the Angevins"
The name Angevin means someone from the former French county of Anjou, specifically the count, his family and descendants. Anjou is a small region on the northern bank of the Loire river in France with capital Angers. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the counts owed allegiance to the Kings of France, but ruled fairly independently. In the middle ages there were 3 separate instances of the house of Anjou which firstly became powerful, only to be eventually absorbed into the domain of the French crown. They then became separated again, as the county, a few generations later was given to a younger royal brother. This happened twice until finally Anjou was incorporated into the French kingdom till the revolution. This talk is about their successes, territorial expansion, failures and the coins they produced for their various domains.

Judith Mee - "The Chaucer connection"
Most people have heard the name Geoffrey Chaucer, and almost as many would be able to name his best-known work, The Canterbury Tales. Fewer people are aware that he is considered the ‘father of English poetry’, and even fewer still know that he was to 14th century English literature as great as Shakespeare was to the 16th century. So, what’s the ‘Connection’ to a numismatic conference? This talk will examine some of the coinage mentioned specifically by Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales, explore some little-known facts about Chaucer’s career, and look at some of the important coins he would have encountered in his extensive travels.

John Pearn -" Family Medals - Enduring Kindred Heritage"
Medals and medallions are the most enduring of all family heritage. As the generations pass, the artefacts of life are discarded or degraded; and often the sole physical referent of a forebear is a military or tribute medal, preciously conserved down the generations. Numismatists have a role in fostering such heritage, and in the preservation of history which such endeavours entail and promote. Two medals are documented which illustrate this theme. The James Benn-Doreen Carbutt Family Medal (2015) and the Pearn Kindred New Horizons Medal (2016) both commemorate a family’s emigration from England to the Antipodes and the foundation of new kindreds. Patronyms are thus preserved, and great personal family events documented in this most enduring of all archives.

John Pearn - " Secreto in Numismatica -Hidden messages on coins and medals"
Secret and encoded messages are a pragmatic necessity in commerce, diplomacy and in warfare. They also hold a fascination in peacetime and are common themes in art, literature and the symbols of communication. Steganography, or “spy writing”, has existed since the time of ancient Greece. Cryptic pictorial images, secret initials and codes are portrayed in many art mediums. But fine numismatic art on coins and medals also contains many examples of secret images. Such include hidden graffiti, codes, chronograms and enigmatic messages. There is a pleasurable frisson in hiding or burying treasure, as moneyers and medallic sculptors have enjoyed for more than a millennium. Equally, there is pleasure in deciphering secrets. This paper describes the enrichment of discovering a horde of hidden numismatic treasure.

John Pearn - " The Numismatic Heritage of Medicine"
The history and heritage of medicine is recorded in many forms. The most enduring archives are those to be found in the numismatic record. From the era of ancient coinage are preserved images of healthcare themes. Such range from medical herbs to deities. Every significant discovery in medicine has been commemorated in medallic form. Significant men and woman in the history of medicine also have their enduring memorials in medallic record; and occasionally on coins and bank notes as well. More than 15,000 medals comprise the international medical numismatic cabinet, of which more than 600 different Australian medals are but one part. The selected review of this numismatic collection gives a perspective of the evolution of healthcare which we enjoy today.

Colin Pitchfork - "Some Interesting Coins in My Collection"
Sandy Pitchfork - Dinner only
Ross Pratley - "Some bits & pieces from a puzzle down under"

Barry M Scott - " Chinese Money Trees"
 A fascinating story of how MONEY TREES began in China and their evolution. The method of casting coins in moulds began in the period before Christ was born.   Some real ancient and very rare exhibits will be presented as well as other MONEY TREE stories. Some most unusual designs of MONEY TREES will be shown and the stories of their background will be told. Chinese legend has it that the MONEY TREE  is a kind of holy tree, which can bring money and fortune to the people, and that it is a symbol of affluence, nobility and auspiciousness,   It can be traced back to primitive societies where the adoration of a holy tree was prevalent.  Whilst MONEY TREES may be derived from the Sun tree myth associated with Paradise, the coins link paradise with a material bounty in this world. Some modern MONEY TREES  have evolved and large examples are shown in Chinese shopping centres. This is an unusual and different numismatic story from ages past and will give an early perspective of how the present Chinese economy has grown.

Rod Sell

Rudi Talmacs  Pistrucci's "St. George Slaying the Dragon" a study of it's conception.
The main purpose of my talk (actually done in conjunction Michael Tichy) will be the art-historical analysis of the actual design of Pistrucci's iconic image. To show some aspects of the analytical implications and historical origins, I will try to bring out the ambiguity in Pistrucci's design, where his "St George" is not quite the same guy as on, say, the 1935 "Rockinghorse" crown, and others. I hope from this study to offer a judgement as to the best understanding of Pistrucci's artistic intent.

Michael Tichy- " Counting Jetons"
Jetons or counters were used as calculation instruments in Europe in the middle ages. According to medieval taste, they were always decorated. These decorations always had a purpose, sometimes religious, but usually related to the user or the principal. In the 16th century, jetons were mostly used to propagate political messages and to glorify the deeds of the ruler.

Colin Thomas - "The Six Georges"
Pat Thomas - Dinner only
John Veltmeyer  " The  47 Prefectures of Japan "
Pat Walsh