ALEXANDER ZAIKA (1919-2016)

Alexander Zaika, the founding president of the New Jersey Exonumia Society in 1980 and the editor of its journal, Jerseyana, for many years,died September 3, 2016, at the age of 97.

Al was well known as a collector of, and part time dealer in, a variety of tokens, medals and paper scrip, especially those of New Jersey about which he published numerous articles and developed catalog listings. In addition to his presidential and editorial posts with NJES, he served as its treasurer and filled several positions on a pro tempore basis when they became vacant and until a successor took over. NJES folded in 2011, victim of a declining and aging membership.

Tall and friendly, Al was a familiar figure at the annual shows of the Garden State Numismatic Association, of which NJES was a member club. At his table he displayed large, chock-full binders of tokens and medals organized by type, such as bank tokens, coal scrip and merchant good-fors. His wife Betty, who died in 1998, usually accompanied him to the shows and helped with setting them up. In later years Al suffered from progressive macular degeneration which weakened his vision, making show attendance difficult and requiring him to sell his collections of mostly New Jersey material. Close friends kept in touch with him, as did his family.

Al lived in Bellmawr, Camden County, New Jersey, and was retired from a career as a conductor and brakeman with the former Reading Railroad. In the 1930s he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps building public works projects in the state of Nevada.

During World War II, he served on active duty in the 623 rd Ordnance Ammunition Company of the U. S. Army in the Pacific theater, with the rank of Technical Sergeant. He earned a Good Conduct medal, a Philippines Liberation ribbon with one bronze star, an American Defense Service medal, an American Campaign medal and an Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal with three bronze stars.

Contributions in memory of Al may be made to Happy Someday, a charitable organization helping autistic children, at 14011 Park Drive, Suite 211, Tomball, TX. 77377.

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