Letters to the Editor (Jan. 23, 2018)

Blaming show-goers won’t solve hotel problem

The Viewpoint on where attendees choose to stay at various conventions misses the point that many attendees, i.e., the customers, are choosing other hotels because they consider the rooms selected by the show organizers as over-priced for what is offered or have amenities that are not needed and therefore do not wish to pay for.

Mr. Foley mentions that the few extra dollars will hardly be missed, but it is obvious that these attendees do not agree with him.

In this Viewpoint, it appears that Mr. Foley is blaming the customers for their purchasing decision instead of looking at what he and other show organizers are doing. As a retired businessman, I never thought it was a good idea to blame the customer.

In my opinion they would do better to find blocks of rooms that people feel are worth the price as compared to the Viewpoint comments.

Timothy V. Welo
Address withheld

Foley’s comments, CSNS bourse fee turn attendee off

Dave, I just can’t forego commenting on Kevin Foley’s Viewpoint in the Dec. 19 issue of NN, regarding lodging options at conventions, and especially the CSNS convention of which he is the chairman.

Mr. Foley’s effort to exhort overnight attendees to spend more money to stay at the host hotel was not especially surprising, as it was just a slightly warmed-over version of previous admonitions to members in the CSNS quarterly publication.

The tone of his comments was also perhaps predictable, and came across, at least to me, as an attempt to “guilt” attendees into choosing to stay at the host hotel even if staying elsewhere would “save the few dollars that you’ll hardly miss.”

Remember, this plea is coming from the folks who will also be imposing a general admission charge for the privilege to come spend money on coins at CSNS conventions beginning in 2018; and this ill-advised policy doesn’t even exempt CSNS members from paying to get in (as the ANA does).

So, until the CSNS Board reverses the foolish and short-sighted admission policy, this now-former CSNS member is inclined to stay at the hotel of my choice and use those “few dollars” I save to pay the admission fee; that is, if I even attend at all.

Craig A. Rolfe
Address withheld

Date error on first NN issue of new year

I guess 2017 was a very good year since it appears that I now have in my hand the current issue dated January 2, 2017.

I believe we are heading into 2018 come January.

Joe Kanta
Address withheld

Year, offer expiration errors in Jan. 2 issue of NN

The first Numismatic News issue for 2018 came yesterday and it was dated January 2, 2017, not 2018.

Also since my issue came on 12/28/17, after looking at back cover an ad from UninversalCoin.com the offer expired 12/22/17. I am not blaming you, David, but someone from your advertising department should have run this ad earlier in December or checked with the advertiser about the expiration date.

I enjoy reading the publication for its useful information, but I also feel I should point out any inconsistencies.

Ralph A. Fuller
Strongsville, Ohio

Editor’s note: Thanks for writing to point out these errors. It must be time for me to get new glasses. – Dave Harper

Coins, currency have relevance in society today

For years it seems so many “experts” and readers of Numismatic News say we ought to do this or that with our U.S. currency and coins. What their motivations might be is often anybody’s guess, except most seem to just want to get rid of coins and the $1 denomination.

I do some travel, and this has been my experience: China uses currency in following denominations: 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 yuan; coins of 1 fen, 5 and 1 jiao. The euro comes in these denominations: bills of 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros. Coins of half, 1 and 2 euro, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.

Over half the world uses both coins and bills similar to ourselves to pay bills with cash to the penny. And I have never heard anybody squawking as much as some of our own people who need to get a life. We have our own system, as do other countries, and we ought to be grateful for what we have. We use quarters, nickels and dimes in vending machines and parking meters, half dollars and $1 coins to donate to those in need or drop into the Salvation Army pots. We pay our bills to the penny with currency in denominations of $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, $2 and $1 bills and coins. That is what I want currency and coin to be: what it has always been in the U.S. I, like many others, have no desire to round off what we owe or to use credit cards or cell phones rather than currency, methods that are fraught with fraud and hacking.

Patrick Clark
Carmel, Calif.

Bank purchase yields interesting nickel finds

I buy $10 worth of nickels and pennies each week from my bank. Always find a little something!

Earl Bell
Address withheld

Editor’s note: Thanks, Earl. The photo would not reproduce for the paper, but in it there seems to be three nickels, 1938, 1941 and 1942. The 1942 is dark, so it might be a wartime nickel, but then the 1938 is dark as well. The five cents are 2017-P. No reverses are shown.

More Collecting Resources

• Check out the newly-updated Standard Catalog of World Coins, 2001-Date that provides accurate identification, listing and pricing information for the latest coin releases.

• Are you a U.S. coin collector? Check out the 2018 U.S. Coin Digest for the most recent coin prices.