While everybody else is getting into a holiday mood, I must do the opposite.

I have two trips coming up quickly. On Saturday, Clifford Mishler, Joel Edler and I head for Chicago. We are the program for the Chicago Coin Club at 1 o’clock at the Professional Currency Dealers Association Show in Rosemont.

Our topic is a salute to Chet Krause, the founder of “Numismatic News” who died June 25.

Clifford was Chet’s right hand man here at Krause Publications. He became CEO in his own right before he retired.

Joel was the longtime ad manager for the paper as well as our other coin and paper money products.

The three of us will provide a wealth of recollections.

It is a one-day jaunt. I expect to be back in Iola by my usual bedtime.

For my next trip, I must miss Thanksgiving Day dinner. I don’t give that up easily.

However, a year ago I had a kind invitation from the Michigan State Numismatic Society to be speaker at their 60th anniversary dinner.

How could I turn that down?

So once again I will join Clifford Mishler for an automobile trip in his new Audi.

I look forward to the experience even though I have gotten a couple of dirty looks from family members. Such is the price we coin collectors pay to follow our dreams.

Fortunately for me, this conflict doesn’t happen often. I think this is the third time for me in 39 Thanksgivings.

Clifford is a native son of Michigan and for years took on this journey as his personal as well as professional responsibility.

That meant “Numismatic News” had eyes and ears at the show while I could enjoy turkey, conversation and TV football.

I am looking forward to this trip to Michigan. I expect it will make me all the more grateful at next year’s Thanksgiving dinner.

Back when MSNS was founded in 1956, who could have known what an adventure in numismatics these past 60 years have been?

It has been a great ride.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper has twice won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."

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