Coin club is encouraged to stay active
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on June 14, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BRANDON DAVIS
Wayne County Coin Club president Kristie Howery, center, and members Jared Wise, right, and Mark Humphreys view a picture of a 1970 quarter struck on a 1941 Canadian quarter worth 35,000.
The Wayne County Coin Club might have lost some members recently, but those who remain are determined to keep the club alive.
Thirteen members met at Adamsville Baptist Church last Thursday evening to discuss old coins, but also the reception of new members and the resignation of their current president, Kristie Howery.
"Stay together," Mrs. Howery said, who is to move to Atlanta with her husband on Wednesday. "I want to see them stay together, but when you start losing a lot of club members, people start getting discouraged, and I don't want anyone to be discouraged because a couple of us are going away."
Mrs. Howery's father, Barry Houck, began the club 15 years ago at Wayne Community College, but the once 60-member club has dwindled down to 23 numismatists (collector of coins).
"Barry Houck was the president when he passed away recently, so we're kind of having a little trouble reestablishing ourselves, but we're slowly recovering," said third-year member Mark Humphreys, who covered an entire table with his German and Canadian coins. "His daughter (Kristie Howery) became president. Now she's supposed to leave."
Though Mrs. Howery will leave her sixth-month post as president, she led the group for the last time by igniting them with their favorite topic -- coins.
The members quickly brought up the cost of silver, but the conversation turned when member Jared Wise pulled up a picture of a coin worth $35,000 on snopes.com, a website that checks the credibility of rare coins.
Wise showed each member the picture from his cell phone of a 1970 quarter struck on a 1941 Canadian quarter. Wise said the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation has certified the unique coin.
The group ended the meeting with talks of gaining new members if the club wants to buy a table at the Wayne County Fair in September and October.
But the main desire of the coin club is to continue no matter what.
The members will wait until December, when they will be allowed by the club to vote for a new president, said Frank Aanenson, the club's vice president.
"I would love to see people come in and grow interest, young and old," he said.
"I would love to see the fact that we could grow again. People could learn what it's about."
The club meets on the second Thursday of each month.