California collectors get educated

More than 65 people attended the 2013 California State Numismatic Association (CSNA) Northern California Educational Symposium on Sept. 28.

They learned from five presenters gathered again in the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum in downtown Vallejo, Calif. This year’s Symposium was again hosted by the local Vallejo (Calif.) Coin Club.

The presentations began with Michael S. Turrini, current CSNA president, who stepped to the plate literally at the last minute when the scheduled speaker failed to attend, with his program “Travel Back In Time: With Coins.” He was followed with returning presenter, Lawrence K. Casagrande, from Clayton, Calif., with “Seated Liberty Coinage.” The next presenter was 13-year-old Taylor A. Webb, from Fremont, Calif., with his own prepared “Gobrecht and His Works.”

The afternoon presenters were returnee Robert E. Luna, of Benicia, Calif., with “The Many Horns and Legs of the Buffalo Nickel” and first-time and new coin hobbyist James M. O’Dea, from San Francisco, with “Saint-Gaudens and His Coins and Art.”

Written evaluations submitted at the end of the Symposium complimented all five presenters and the programs.

Each presenter, using PowerPoint, shared interesting and sometimes little known facts about the particular coinage or coin designer. Both Webb and O’Dea added the coin designer’s other artistic creations, and Casagrande emphasized points in assembling a Seated Liberty coinage set, while Turrini took a historical trek and travel in time back to 1913.

“I was impressed with all five speakers, yet the highlight for me was listening and learning from the youngster, Taylor. The kid is only 13 years old, but he held his own with the much older and much more experienced coin authorities,” remarked James H. Laird, current president for the neighboring Diablo (Concord, Calif.) Numismatic Society, who was also the Patron Coordinator for the CSNA Symposiums and 2014 northern semiannual convention.

“I have to echo James’ comments, and I was equally enthralled with the five programs,” added Edwin T. Hoffmark, Jr., current president of the host Vallejo Coin Club.

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“CSNA has had a long commitment and involvement toward numismatic education, whether at its annual two symposiums, one in southern California and the northern California event, or at its semiannual conventions. We are always welcomed to new presenters and programs,” added Michael S. Turrini, who doubled as the 2013 Northern California Symposium coordinator.

Adding to the date’s activities, the museum was open free to all attendees, free hobby literature was available, and a door prize drawing was held at the end.

During the event, CSNA President. Turrini took the opportunity to bestow President’s Medals onto Webb and Robert W. Belleau, Sr., who had just retired as the president of the local Fairfield (Calif.) Coin Club and is well-known for his dedicated to local coin clubs.
No date or venue has been scheduled for either the southern or northern 2014 Symposiums.

For information about the California State Numismatic Association (CSNA), check www.calcoin.org, and for the Vallejo Coin Club, visit www.solanocoinclub.com.