PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS 

Our Convention and Annual Meeting in the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester was a success. The Kittredge FoundationYoung Numismatist program led by the two Jacks (Haroian and Kiley) was well attended (60 or so kids and parents) and the ANA course on digital photography taught by Douglas Mudd, curator of the ANA’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum,was very beneficial for the nine participants, however, we will have lost money on the course because current ANA policy shifts most of the costs to the sponsoring organization and we only get a portion of the proceeds. Attendance at the talks was down from previous years, perhaps because the class overlapped the presentations and a number of our board members were students there. It was disappointing that the annual medal delivery was delayed but they have now been received and distribution will be completed as soon as possible. The exhibits, coordinated by George Bilodeau and Bill Harkins was another highlight of the conference. Congratulations to Richard Ziegler for his Best in Show award and Rich Lavimodiere for his People’s Choice Award. Our AnnualMeeting was particularly well attended (17 members) this year and included some lively discussion on the role and financial health of NENA. We’ve decided that we need to raise our dues to $15.00 starting January 1, 2010. Our expenses have been outstripping our income for several years now. We’ll also need to do some belt tightening when we prepare our budget for the coming year.

The widow of long-time NENA member Armand Dohanian donated his collection of NENA medals, including many in silver. Thesewill be made available to our members for purchase.

I have another “find” story to follow uplast issue’s article about State issued Tax Tokens that I started collectingwith junk box finds. I bought a box of 150 or so mixed foreign coins at a clubauction last month for $12 and sold three of the pieces for $6 to theunderbidder. I went through the lot when I got home and found a single transportationtoken in the bottom that I needed for my collection, listing in theAtwood-Coffee catalogue for $300!

Good Collecting!

Bob Hewey 

John Kittredge was well known as a generous and supportive member of the numismatic community, both in Worcester, MA and in New England. What is not as well known is the extent of his collection, and what I am doing, hopefully with your help, to carry on John’s Intent after his death.

John’s family was makers of many of the grave monuments in Hope Cemetery in Worcester MA and elsewhere. My family had worked with his family for many years, having met through the Worcester Rotary Club. After his stroke, some 15 years before his death in 2005, John retired from the business and lived with his sister, Margaret, who has survived him.

John was very private about the extent of his collection, but he was an avid collector. A few months before his death, John finally decided that he should do something with the collection to preserve it and to promote coin collecting in general in the Worcester area. As I concentrate my practice on estate planning, with a particular specialty in people who have collections, I was able to crystallize John’s intent into a workable solution. What I failed to realize at the time was just what a great resource John’s collection could be both in the New England area and for a much broader audience.