This is the MCCC ARCHIVE – for the CURRENT Montgomery County Coin Club see https://montgomerycoinclub.org
MCCC image

Montgomery County Coin Club

January 1997 Bulletin

Feature Article - Feedback - MCCC Home Page

Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 21

The club will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 21, 1997 at the Schweinhaut Senior Citizens Center on Forest Glen Road in Silver Spring, Maryland. Dr. Charles Tumosa of the Smithsonian Institution will continue his discussion of nineteenth century Russian platinum coins and medals. 

December Meeting Roundup

The November Charity Auction raised over $340, plus cash donations of more than $200, and with matching funds from an anonymous donor the total comes close to $800, which will be donated to the Wheaton & Silver Spring Boys and Girls Clubs, in honor of the late Joe Clarke.

Librarian Kermit Smythe mentioned the new acquisition, Ancient History from Coins, by Christopher Howgego, and some donated books, and encouraged anyone who needs a list of the MCCC Library holdings to see him.

The Club voted in favor of nominating Scott A. Travers for ANA Vice President in 1997. MCCC Vice President Ed Russell called for nominations from the floor for club officers for 1997; since none were made, the vote was held on the slate as listed in the December MCCC Bulletin:

The new officers will be sworn in at the January meeting. 

December Main Attraction: Dr. Charles Tumosa

The three dozen MCCC members at the December meeting heard Dr. Charles Tumosa, a Ph.D. chemist from the Smithsonian Institution's Conservation and Analytic Laboratory. Dr. Tumosa discussed Russian platinum coins and medals of the 19th Century. Although technical difficulties with the slide projector prevented most of his illustrations from being shown, Dr. Tumosa improvised a fascinating presentation. The first Russian platinum coins were minted in 1828, and platinum's high melting point required the use of powder metallurgical techniques. Russian platinum has a high iridium content, making it hard to work; osmium impurities make it toxic to refine.

Russian mints struck just over 3 million platinum coins, in denominations of 3, 6, and 12 rubles. The Smithsonian collection contains about 45 of these pieces. A well-worn 3-ruble platinum coin can be bought for about $200, while a 3-rouble proof may sell for $700-$800, and a 12-rouble might cost as much as $12,000. Dr. Tumosa cautioned that there are many counterfeits, including large numbers of forgeries from the Beirut area made in the 1960's. He warned against buying non-certified coins, and said that almost all of the 12 ruble coins he had inspected were forgeries. Dr. Tumosa described the stylistic evolution of the coins, including changes in the eagles and other elements of the designs during 1828-1845.

Dr. Tumosa has written a book, not yet published, on Russian platinum coinage. Dr. Tumosa has agreed to return in January 1997, after MCCC promised to provide a better slide projector! 


Exhibits


Other Activities


MCCC Web Comments and Feedback
Please send bug reports and suggestions for improvement to Mark Zimmermann via z (at) his.com. The MCCC Bulletin is copyright (c) 1999 by the Directors of the Montgomery County Coin Club.