UNC Coin Collecting Conference To Focus On Historical Value Of Hobby

By Brian Bedsworth
UNC News Services

Hidden deep in the recesses of your sofa there may be valuable artifacts from another time. Or just some lint-covered nickels. But on May 4, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, you'll have the opportunity to find out if that mysterious coin from under the cushion is an old doubloon or a state fair token. The North Carolina Collection Gallery will host "Collecting History: How to Explore the Past Through Paper Money, Coins, Tokens, and other Spendables," in Wilson Library from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The free public conference will feature discussions on the history of currency and tips on collecting, including a speech by Beth Deisher, editor of Coin World magazine. "People are drawn to money because everyone relates to it," said Neil Fulghum, keeper of the NC Collection Gallery and host of the currency conference. "Currency has widespread and constant human connections. That colonial currency in your hand could have passed through the fingers of George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. It has that kind of direct link to the past that people find fascinating." And those who aren't fascinated by coin collecting may be interested to find out from the experts at the conference if their old coins or notes are worth anything, Fulghum said. "When people do spring cleaning they can find all kinds of coins or paper currencies. This is a great opportunity for them to get both historical and monetary evaluations," he said.

This is the third year the NC Collection Gallery has hosted the currency conference. The idea for the tradition was born when Fulghum began reorganizing the NC Collection's numismatic holdings several years ago. About half of the Gallery's 17,000 museum artifacts is in currency. Fulghum at that time began holding regular meetings with currency organizations and private collectors, enlisting their support for his efforts to preserve, exhibit, and promote North Carolina's own monetary past. The first such joint conference at UNC was held in 1999. This year's event is another combined effort. While hosted by the NC Collection, it is sponsored by four organizations: The Blue Ridge Numismatic Association, the North Carolina Numismatic Association, the Raleigh Coin Club, and the Society of Paper Money Collectors. Broadly defined, "numismatics" is the study of the history of money, which includes the collection of coins, tokens, bank notes, and other money-related items.

The schedule for Saturday, May 4, in Wilson Library is as follows:

10 - 10:10 a.m. Welcome and Introductions by Neil Fulghum, Keeper, NC Collection Gallery and Judith Murphy from the Blue Ridge Numismatic Association.

10:10-10:30 a.m. "History in the Palm of Your Hand: The Lure and Value of Collecting" by Beth Deisher, editor of Coin World magazine.

10:30 - 11:15 a.m. "Civil War Currency: North Carolina State Issues" by Neil Fulghum, who will review the design and production of paper moneys issued by North Carolina's state government between 1861 and 1865.

11:15 - 11:30 a.m. Break

11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. "Caring For Collections" by Dave Provost, president of the Raleigh Coin Club. Provost will review the basic needs for properly caring for a variety of collections, along with some "tricks of the trade" on detecting counterfeits and determining the composition and other characteristics of various specimens. Topics such as proper storage and handling will be addressed as well.

12:15 - 12:45 p.m. Free verbal appraisals. Local experts will be on hand to evaluate specimens that participants may bring to the conference.

12:45 - 1:30 p.m. Break for lunch on your own.

1:30 - 2:15 p.m. "Starting a Collection" with Harry Corrigan and Kent Woodson, local private collectors and members of the Raleigh Coin Club. These speakers will provide a step-by-step "how-to guide" in establishing and building a numismatic collection in paper money and coinage. Common collectors' terminology will be discussed.

2:15 - 2:30 p.m. Break

2:30 - 3:15 p.m. "Where Can I Go to Get More Help with My Collection?" A three-person panel discussion about state, local, and national organizations available to the collector for support and advice. Panel participants will be Beth Deisher of Coin World; Bob Schreiner, president of the North Carolina Numismatic Association; and Dave Provost, president of the Raleigh Coin Club.

3:15 - 4:00 p.m. North Carolina Collection Gallery Tours presented by Neil Fulghum and Laura Baxley, Assistant Keeper of the North Carolina Collection Gallery. These tours will feature exhibitions in the Gallery, including historic rooms; the North Carolina gold rush; Chang and Eng, the "original" Siamese twins, and North Carolina children's literature. In addition, special exhibition cases featuring a selection of numismatic items from the NCC's extensive holdings will be on display.

4:00-4:30 Browsing and informal question-and-answer sessions among participants.

For more information, contact Neil Fulghum at 962-1172.