JAPANESE INVASION MONEY TALK AT MPCFEST 17

Gregory Hale is an Australian collector, author and researcher of military numismatics from World War II in the South West Pacific. He will be the keynote speaker at MPCFest 17. The theme for this year's Fest is the South West Pacific Area. Presentations at MPCFest are called staff briefings.

From an early age Greg was fascinated with military numismatics and is an avid collector of military notes, coins, stamps and ephemera. His main collecting focus is Japanese invasion money.

Greg enjoys uncovering the stories behind JIM notes; the counterfeiting; note design and use of imagery and propaganda. He is at-heart a collector and enjoys the challenge of building sets by collecting by prefix.

Through his quest for knowledge and after many years of research, he has written and published The Collector’s Guide to Japanese Invasion Money. The book has been sold worldwide and is held by the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, State and National Libraries in Australia, Oxford University in the UK, the American Numismatic Society, and is used by collectors around the world.

Greg studied art and design at university. He holds a Masters Degree in design and currently runs his own advertising agency in Brisbane, Australia. Greg also studied defence force psychology at university, including research on soldiers with PTSD. His research has taken him all over the world – from Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima, the key bookends to World War II in the Pacific. His research has been ably assisted by archivists, museum staff and Australian War Memorial researchers.

As part of his numismatic research, Greg has scoured declassified documents from the Australian Government’s archives and uncovered fascinating stories, including MacArthur’s counterfeiting operations in Brisbane.

His keynote presentation will be at 1pm on April 2 where he will discuss his favorite topic--Japanese Invasion Money--and share some of his adventures in collecting. After the presentation, he will authograph copies of his book. Only a few copies will be available at the presentation. Collectors are encouraged to bring their copies for autographing.

MPCFest is the most unusual numismatic event of the year is held right here in Ohio approximately at the other end of I75 from Cincinnati. MPCFest is an event held in Port Clinton for collectors of military payment certificates and the many related (loosely) areas of numismatics. The Fest is a closed event from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon requiring registration and payment of a registration fee. Registration then not only allows participation in all events, but requires it! For the curious or less committed a Fest bourse is free and open to the public is Friday from 10am to 4pm.

Even the bourse is unique. It is the only one-day bourse in the country that is held on Friday. You might find just about anything at the bourse, but you can expect to find military payment certificates, Allied military currency, war and defense bonds, HAWAII notes, Philippine notes of many types, Japanese Invasion Money and much, much more. The first MPCFest was held in 2000. Twelve collectors attended. This will be the 17th consecutive MPCFest. We would love to see you there!

MPCFest April 1-3. Holiday Inn Express, Port Clinton, OH. Friday bourse April 1 10am-4pm free to all. Friday evening through Sunday evening by pre registration only. Questions call Fred at 419 349 1872. Reservations Holiday Inn Express 50 NE Catawba Rd., Port Clinton, OH 43452 877-859-5095. Email: Fredschwan@yahoo.com .

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