Coins, Currency Fill Brockton's Libraries

By Lisa E. Crowley
BrocktonPost
BROCKTON—Wearing an authentic 17th Century beaver felt hat and blazer sporting numerous pins from other National Coin Week exhibits, Brockton resident Richard Hand places replicas of $1, $5, $20, $500 or even $1,000 Confederate currency into one of several glass cases filled with copies of vintage bills that will be on display at Brockton’s public libraries for this year’s annual homage to what makes the world go ‘round: Money.
As Hand designs the West Branch exhibit, his traveling medicine-man style garb and infectious history chatter about each bill causes a stir among children and adolescents who peek into the glass case and ask many questions--most popular: “Are they real?”
Hand gives them a mischievous look that makes him resemble a smiling and lovable Alice Cooper and tells them to bring their parents and come to Brockton Public Library’s Main Branch Saturday April 16 at 1 p.m. for the show.
“All the real stuff will be there on the 16th,” Hand said, handing out flyers for the exhibit.
This year’s exhibition and coin celebration will take place April 16 at 1 p.m. at the Main Branch library, 304 Main St.
The theme of this year’s National Coin Week held from April 17 to 23 is “Blue, Gray & Greenbacks: Money of the Civil War.”
All across the U.S., schools, libraries and coin collecting clubs and individuals are pairing up to bring youngsters and adults alike a glimpse of their extensive collections of Union and Confederate currency, coins, tokens, medals and other memorabalia that tell the tales of the dark and difficult days of the American Civil War.
Today, April 12, is the 150th anniversary, or sesquicentenial, of the firing on Union held Fort Sumter, South Carolina, by the Confederacy and marked the opening battle of the Civil War in 1861.
The event at Brockton Public Library is free and includes a Hand-led basics of currency and coin collecting workshop, talks by local collectors and experts about their pieces, and a slideshow and presentation by Richard Balbaton, a well-known collector and dealer from Rhode Island.
Hand said each participant may bring one coin to have appraised by experts and for help and advice in joining clubs or learning the hobby.
There will be raffles of a newly minted and uncirculated 2011 Gettysburg Quarter that comes with a case specially made by Anacs to commemorate Brockton’s 2011 National Coin Week Celebration.
Every participant will receive raffle tickets for other prizes such as three donated Silver Eagles worth about $50 each, special coin collecting folders and Silver Kennedy half-dollars—a valuable commodity in the rising silver, gold and copper market.
Every participant who registers for the event or while supplies last will receive an envelope full of numerous giveaways including commemorative pens, pencils, book marks, a President Andrew Johnson 2011 Presidential dollar, and three 1 cent pieces.
“Everybody who comes will at least be up $1.03,” Hand joked.
Hand, 50, a former Marine, has been hosting National Coin Week exhibits at the Brockton’s libraries for six years.
It began in the basement of the West Branch library where last week he delighted youngsters and adults alike with his beaver felt hat and obvious love of currency, coins, the intricate designs and stories of their history.
The first year about 20 people attended the exhibit, Hand said. Last year, more than 80 people attended and because of its growth, library officials have offered the spacious Children’s Room for this year’s event.
Richard Balbaton, who will host a slideshow presentation of 72 different Civil War era currency notes from 50-cent paper pieces to the elusive Confederate $1,000 bill, said “graying” collectors like himself hope younger generations who may eventually move to plastic currency keep his beloved hobby alive if only to appreciate the craftsmanship in a quarter or $1 bill.
Balbaton chuckled that if the value of the extraordinary art work on present and past bills and coins is lost or replaced by plastic cards, likely all of the value of American currency will be lost because without the gold or silver standard supporting American money there is no value in it—except for collectors.
“Our currency today is 110 percent based on a lot of hot air in Washington,” Balbaton joked.
Hand, a veteran’s affairs legislative aide for Rockland American Legion Post #147, said he always loved coins and currency since childhood, but it wasn’t until 1998 did he really get back into the hobby and since has tried to strike a minted passion for coin and currency collecting in a new generation.
“Just to see the kids and how much they love it--It's indescribable,” Hand said.