Milwaukee Numismatic Society

Tom Casper recently walked into one of his favorite stores looking for that elusive piece of exonumia to add to his collection. The proprietor handed him a 3-ring binder titled “Property of Milwaukee Numismatic Society.” As Tom thumbed thru the pages he was surprised to see ANA membership cards made out to MNS for 1935 thru 1938, along with undated letterhead showing names of the President, Treasurer, Secretary and Librarian.

The book included letterheads from other clubs, brochures, newspaper articles relating to numismatics, some of which mentioned the MNS and its members. Items dated from 1935 (one year after MNS was formed) to 1950. One newspaper article said that the MNS was born in the back room of Polzer’s Jewelry Store at 1132 W. Walnut St.

There was no MNS member’s name in the book, so Tom assumed it was assembled by officers during those years. He did recognize one person in a photo – Gale Highsmith, past president and long-time member of MNS and Numismatists of Wisconsin. Tom didn’t realize that MNS had any records going back that far and he was permitted to photocopy the book, which was placed in the club’s library at the October meeting.