Monday, September 21, 2009

Michael D. Parrott submitted the following article to Coin World magazine:

CARSON CITY COIN COLLECTORS of AMERICA (C4OA) REGIONAL MEETING 2009

I had the pleasure of attending this year's C4OA regional meeting held at the Nevada State Museum, which is the site of the old Carson Mint, on Friday, August 21, 2009. The meeting was held in conjunction with the annual Carson Mint coin show. The Nevada State Museum kindly provided an upstairs auditorium for the event.

Among the nearly thirty C4OA members in attendance, fifteen provided "show-and-tell" type presentations of their "CC" coins or any other historically significant items related to Comstock/Carson City lore. Each presenter was able to talk about and display his collectibles, then pass them around the room for all to see and enjoy.

The value on items that were presented ranged from two-hundred dollars to well over two-hundred thousand dollars. Value didn't seem to matter as each item was just as historically important as any other. Examples of the presentations included a circulated set of "CC" Morgan dollars housed in a Capital Plastics display in the shape of the state of Nevada; Comstock tokens and publicity buttons; Redfield silver dollars; a "potty" "CC" Seated quarter; a high-end 1874-CC Seated dime; a "semi-cancelled die" variety 1878-CC quarter, and much more.

C4OA club president Rusty Goe displayed an 1870-CC silver dollar that was a gift from Carson City Mint superintendent Henry F. Rice to Virginia City postmaster C. C. Warner, and two 1870-CC silver dollar planchets inscribed as gifts to two prominent Carson City businessmen from Abe Curry. I was one of the presenters and I displayed some of my favorite gold and silver "CC" coins.

We were also graced with two surprise special guests. Nevada native Bob Lindstrom spoke about and displayed his family's 1870-CC silver dollar, with engraving, that was a gift from Abe Curry to Carson City businessman Matt Rinckel.

The second special guest was none other than the Mayor of Carson City, Bob Crowell. He gave a nice speech and lauded the C4OA and its efforts.

The nearly three-hour, room-packed meeting was filled with high-spirited camaraderie, cheer and humor—the fun feelings that made me want to collect coins in the first place! The applause seemed to mount higher for each successive presenter until everyone in the whole museum building (including coin show vendors and attendees on the floor below) were in wonder. Such was the contagious "CC" fever that spread that day.

For more information about the Carson City Coin Collectors of America, please visit: www.carsoncitycoinclub.com.