What's Happening

From the desk of your Secretary

OCTOBER 31/04 - I want to thank two (so-far) un-named members for their recent cash contributions to ECI. However, after I made an unsuccessful attempt to deposit them into our account, a nice man from the Treasury Department as asked to have a meeting with me. Guess he wants to join up.

OCTOBER 24/04 -  ECI has kicked off it's auctions on eBay with a great start. Does anyone have any experience with auctions on Yahoo or Overstock.com? If so please let me know if they are worthwhile, its been years since I have even looked at a Yahoo auction.

- By now everyone should be aware that Charleston Mint has signed on as the underwriter for our website and that they are offering to make members a personalized encased ECI pocket mirror, hope everyone takes advantage of their generous offer. They have donated some of their trial State Souvenir encased cent key chains for us to auction on eBay.

-Member Frans Woons #102  has volunteered to list coins encased in Canada. If you assist him in compiling his list please send your info HERE.

OCTOBER 11/04 - As of the 10th, the majority of the State Check Lists have been updated. More is being added to the Ohio list and it will be updated again very shortly. Jerry is starting on the California and Pennsylvania lists but has a long way to go before making the first post. He sure could use some help. Our request for donations for our eBay auctions is going no where fast, disappointing for sure. Guess no one wants ECI to issue it's own encased coins.

- Cecil Dennison #116, the e-mail address we have on record for you is not working, please get in touch with me so I can make sure you are on the e-mail list. Cecil

   "A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." Anon.

OCTOBER 04/04 - Where did the summer go? A lot of outside projects I planned never got done, some not even started. No new porch roof or that wood working shop I've been promising myself. Well there's always next year! The nights are starting to cool down here in the mountains and the first frost is not too far away. The season is forcing us indoors and that usually means more time is available for our "indoor" hobbies and pastimes. I've even noticed that the listing of encased coins on eBay is picking up. There are some new sellers too, and some don't appear to be too knowledgeable (given a benefit of a doubt). I have noticed pieces being offered with replaced coins without disclaimers, so look everything over really carefully before bidding.

-ECI is in the midst of negotiations with a possible prime underwriter and when everything is agreed to, there will be a formal announcement. Plans are also underway to issue an encased pocket mirror celebrating our founding in 2004. It will a limited issue of 125 and members will be e-mailed when the piece is available; should be within the next 6 weeks. Plans are also being finalized for ECI to issue it's first actual encased coins. There will be three. A set of the 2004 five cent pieces featuring both reverse designs and a possible 2004 Canadian five cent piece. The Canadian piece will be a limited issue of 250 and as far as I know, it will the first of it's kind.

- Jerry Ferrell #93 has agreed to assume the responsibility of Auction Master for our efforts at online auctioning. He currently has one running on eBay offering a Souvenir of West Virginia encased pocket mirror that Hossien Pheifeir #68 is promoting. HP has kindly given ECI some free to help us raise funds for the club. StarFam International agreed to host our website free of charge for the first year and that ends the first of February 2005. Coupled with paying the bills, up front money is needed for dies if ECI is to continue issuing it's own encased coins. Once the pieces are in the market place, enough profit should be realized to pay back those who generously loaned us the start capital to kick everything off. Any member wishing to donate encased coins to be auctioned, please contact Jerry HERE.

-We would also like to welcome new members Elaine Rexdale #94, Mark Evans #112, Roger Carlson #113, George Breeding #114, John Smithwick #115 and Cecil Dennison #116 (now I'm not the only Cecil in the club) who have registered in the last couple of weeks.

SEPTEMBER 17/04 - The 2005 Jefferson 5-cent coins will depict a new, one-year type portrait on the obverse and two new reverse designs, the first to be issued depicting a grazing bison, and the second, the view the Lewis and Clark Expedition members saw when they reached the Pacific Ocean.

-"Hello Cecil, We are expecting to issue a 2nd edition to this Pippity-Poppity Popcorn which will be anodized orange, use the Indian Head and Buffalo nickel, have two dots placed on it (for the 2nd edition) and have a reeded edge (like on a dime or quarter). I'll keep you updated on this and expect this to happen shortly. Kindest regards, Elaine Rexdale #94"
 

SEPTEMBER 12/04 - You know I hate it as much as the next fellow when well meaning friends send me all those warnings by e-mail, but this one is very important, so be warned. If someone comes up to your front door saying that they are conducting a survey on deer ticks and asks you to take off all your clothes and dance around - DON'T DO IT, IT'S A SCAM - they only want to see you naked........I wished someone had told me this before yesterday.......I feel so stupid now......Cecil

AUGUST 22/04 - Kids are getting back to school - ANA is meeting in Pittsburgh - Hurricane Charley did it's darndest to wipe central Florida off the map - and the Missus has me building her a tool shed in the garden, guess summer is about over. We are having August nights dipping into the low fifties - days in the mid seventies and nice rain showers scattered here and there - never saw anything like it in my 59 years. I hope it is not fore-telling a bone chilling winter ahead. If anyone knows why my peaches are rotting on the tree, please let know - this makes the second year.

-Mike Macuga #23 and Greg Harvat #95 have posted photos from their collections. Greg's can be found on the 'Articles' page under the heading of "PA Encased Mirrors" and Mike's in the Show Case linked to "The Mike Macuga Collection". Mike has also posted a great old advertising, "The Kewaunee Line" also on the 'Articles' page. Derek McDonough #90 has also posted "Put-A-Penny & Neutron Irradiated Dime's". Their contributions are really appreciated , thanks gentlemen.

-We have grown to 112 members from 32 States in 4 Countries. Would really like to see us grow to at least 150 by our first anniversary in February 2005. We still have 18 States not represented among us, surely we can pick up at least one member for each by then.

-The offices here at ECI will be closed from August 25 thru August 31. Taking a few days to attend a coin show in Dalton, Georgia and later to visit with my youngest and her clan in Gainesville, Georgia....Cecil

AUGUST 08/04 - Mike Macuga #23 has found a great way to promote ECI on eBay on his "Me" page. Three hardy cheers and thumbs up Mike.....Cecil

Join The Club

 "A new club has been formed by many people that collect encased coins. The name of the club is ECI. (Encased Collectors International) dues are FREE. You can find out more about ECI. by E-mailing me at msmacuga@hotmail.com or by checking it out at our website, located at http://www.encasedcollectorsinternational.org. At this time we are trying to assemble listings of all known encased in the United States. This is a very ambitious project and we can use all the help we can get. So join the club and help us assemble the listing."

AUGUST 06/04 - Here we are kicking off the second half of ECI year number one with 109 members representing 32 States and 4 countries - Check Lists posted for 35 States as well as the District Of Columbia along with 20 Topics having been listed under the direction of Tom Cain, Jr. #28. Not a bad start if I do say so myself and I do. Bryan Ryker #51 has agreed to take on the responsibility as ECI's Publicist and Jim Lawniczak #17 has assumed the post of ECI's Internet Newsletter Editor. (Next issue due in October. Remember to submit your contributions to Jim HERE.)

- With the demise of the Associated Collectors of Encased there are dozens of former A.C.E. members who may not be aware of the formation of ECI. Should you know any former A.C.E. members, please let them know that they have not been forgotten and that there still is a place for them. It is true that there are several who do not have access to a computer and if anyone has a simple workable suggestion as to how they can be included, please let me know.