INTERNATIONAL NUMISMATIC

SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO

CSNA 1268 - NASC 3026                                                                        ANA C-71399

Year LXIV                                                                                             No. 4

Fourth Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Allied Gardens Rec Center, 5155 Greenbrier Ave., San Diego

5:15 p.m., Doors Open at About 4:45 p.m.

Topic This Month:

NATURE AND THE NATURAL WORLD IN NUMISMATICS

Steve Russell  – Zoo-Mismatics: Animals From A to Z

Our theme this month is Nature and the Natural World in Numismatics.  Across centuries and continents, coins and paper money have drawn inspiration from the world around us—celebrating wildlife, plants, landscapes, and the environments that shape national identity. This broad theme invites members to explore how engravers and designers have used natural imagery to tell stories, honor heritage, and capture the beauty of the world in miniature.  As part of the program, we have a featured presentation on animals on coins and paper money, a perfect example of how nature has left its mark on numismatic art.  As always, please feel free to bring any material for our show-and-tell -- even if unrelated to our topic.   This promises to be an interesting and informative evening.  Bring a friend.

2026 INSSD Meeting Topics

April – Steve Russell – Nature and the Natural World on Numismatics

May – Joe Yager - Mexico

June – Mike Shaw - Independence and Nation-Building

July – World War II

August – Jeff DePry -- Roman Emperors – Part 2

APRIL 2026 QUIZ by Bob Fritsch

The weather continues to be not quite spring-like.  We had a snowstorm on 2 April but it was all melted by afternoon.  Had a nice visit by Steve and Lynn Fahrlender – it was great seeing old friends.

Nature and the Natural World is our theme this month.  Since the talk is on animals, this quiz will focus on plants, found by flipping through the 21st Century SCWC (2018).

1. In 2009, Belarus issued a 20 Rouble silver coin honoring Spasy.  What tree was featured?

2. The Benin 2010 100 CFA Franc copper-nickel coin featured what plant?  BONUS:  What were two unique characteristics of this coin?

3. What tree is featured on the 2013 Lithuanian 2 Litai Bimetallic coin?

4. The Sierra Leone 2005 Dollar features a forest battle scene.  What battle?

MARCH 2026 QUIZ by Bob Fritsch

Spring has sprung here in New England which includes my favorite ice cream stand opening.  Snow is almost all gone, but maybe Ma Nature has a whammy in store for us.

Topicals are the theme this month, which encompasses the whole of numismatics.  You can call just about any collection a topical and be right.  So instead of a quiz, here are some questions to ponder and talk about at the meeting.  My answers are below.

1.  How many “topicals” do you have?

2.  What is your favorite one?

3.  Do you have any you got and wish you hadn’t?

4.  What is your most historical piece?

MARCH ANSWERS

1.  My interests are many and varied so I estimate at least 25 different collections or topical.  

2.  My favorite is the works of Antoine Bovy, a Swiss-French medalist who was the first Chief Engraver of the Swiss Federal Mint.  His name is on the current Swiss coins.  

3.  I was really hot for the huge heavy Portuguese medals for a few years and got a lot of them.  But how do I get rid of them – who wants them?  

4.  I have an Athenian Tetradrachm that Alexander the Great could have paid Aristotle for his lessons.  

Ain’t fantasy wonderful?!