PERIODICAL: C4 NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2026

Table of Contents

• Collecting the Signers of the Declaration of Independence on Currency and Associated Forms of Circulating Paper — John Kraljevich
• John Trumbull and The Declaration of Independence — C4 Editors
• First Anniversary Celebration of the Declaration, 1777 — Gary Trudgen
• Two American Revolutionary War Buttons — Wayne Shelby
• 1776-Dated Domestic Coppers - Vlack 6-76A & 9-76B — Jack Howes, et al
• Patriotism in Print: Continental Currency Vignettes — Leo Shane
• Uncut Sheets of 1776-Dated Continental Currency — C4 Editors
• Coins in Commerce During the War for Independence — Thomas Kays
• C4 Club News and Announcements — Various
• The Puzzling Inimica Tyrannis — Jeffrey Pritchard
• Plates: Pattern Coppers Associated with New York Mints — Randy Clark
• Overstriking 1787 Vermont Coppers on Nova Constellatios — James Glickman

 

Welcome to a special issue of the C4 Newsletter. Our editorial team has assembled a one-time, oversized Summer, July 2026, newsletter in honor of the Declaration of Independence, with an outstanding collection of articles, research, and discoveries that remind us why C4 remains the premier organization for collectors and students of colonial numismatics. The quality of scholarship in this newsletter continues to impress me, and I am grateful to everyone who contributes their time and expertise to make it possible.

Before turning to convention news, I want to recognize an outstanding achievement by several members of our club. With the leadership and assistance of Dr. David Menchell, Carol Wolf, and a dedicated team of volunteers, C4 assembled an exceptional exhibit for the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money in New York City, commemorating the 250th Anniversary of America. The display showcased colonial coins and medals that tell the story of the people, events, and ideas that led to the founding of our great nation. It highlighted both the historical significance and artistic beauty of our nation's earliest numismatic treasures and served as a wonderful introduction to colonial numismatics for the broader collecting community.

On behalf of the entire club, I extend my sincere thanks to David, Carol, and everyone who contributed their time, expertise, and effort to make this exhibit a success. C4 can be proud of the role it played in helping commemorate this important milestone in American history.

 

One of your Board's responsibilities is ensuring that our annual convention remains the premier gathering for colonial collectors. To that end, the Board recently formed a committee to address the closure of the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, which has long served as our convention headquarters.

After evaluating our options, the committee determined that C4 will once again hold its annual convention in Baltimore, in conjunction with the Whitman Baltimore Winter Expo. This year's Whitman Expo will run from Thursday, November 12, through Saturday, November 14, 2026.

Because the Sheraton has closed, our convention activities will instead be headquartered at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor. The Hyatt is conveniently located adjacent to and connected to the Baltimore Convention Center, making it an excellent alternative venue for our members and guests.

We will reserve a small block of rooms for C4 attendees. If you plan to attend the convention, I strongly encourage you to reserve one of these rooms as soon as they become available. If our block fills or you prefer to make your own arrangements, I encourage you to book accommodations early. Baltimore convention hotels often fill quickly, and we want to ensure that all members who wish to attend can secure lodging near our activities.

The annual convention remains the highlight of the colonial numismatic year. Whether you are a longtime attendee or have never joined us before, I hope you will consider making plans now to attend. The educational programs, exhibits, auctions, dealer activity, and fellowship among collectors make this a truly special event.

 

Before closing, I have been reflecting on the nature of hobbies. A hobby is typically defined as an activity pursued for enjoyment during one's leisure time. A more accurate definition might be that a hobby is whatever you choose to do when there are countless other things you probably should be doing. For some people, that means restoring antique tractors, knitting sweaters, or collecting stamps. For us, it means spending hours studying die varieties, searching auction catalogs, debating attribution points, and occasionally explaining to bewildered family members why two coins that look identical are, in fact, completely different.

Of course, for some of our members-particularly our dealer friends-numismatics is more than a hobby; it is their profession. For the rest of us, however, it remains a labor of love. Many collectors move in and out of active participation over the years as careers, families, and life's obligations compete for our attention. Yet numismatics has a remarkable way of drawing us back. Like a well-worn Connecticut copper, it may disappear into a tray or cabinet for a while, but it always turns up again when we least expect it. Once bitten by the numismatic bug, most of us are permanently afflicted.

Perhaps that is because colonial numismatics lets us hold history in our hands. As our nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, we are reminded that the coins and medals we study are more than collectibles. They are tangible links to the people, events, and ideas that shaped the founding of the United States. Few hobbies offer such a direct connection to the past or such an opportunity to understand better the world that gave birth to our nation.

My own professional responsibilities have recently forced me to step back from some numismatic activities. Nevertheless, I find myself already looking forward to November, when I can spend several days thinking about little besides old coppers, colonial silver, fascinating conversations with fellow collectors, and the history that brings us together. I suspect many of you know exactly what I mean.

Please know that your club continues to thrive. Membership remains strong, scholarship continues to flourish, and the Board is committed to preserving and expanding C4's role as the leading organization devoted to colonial numismatics.

Until we meet again, may all your numismatic dreams come true.

Judge Christopher R. McDowell
Cincinnati, Ohio

For more information of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), see:
https://colonialcoins.org/

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web