As old Janus indicates, this is the start of a new year. In the case of Mid-Island, the January meeting is also that of elections for the different executive positions. We've been fortunate thus far in having a good mix of older experience and new blood. But it means that every so often someone new has to step forward - and all of us were "new" at one time. Give some consideration to offering for a club post. The club seems to be reasonably well "tuned" at present but nothing remains static, circumstances change and a new direction may become necessary. Think about it.

The club ran into a problem this past year which your executive handled - for the time being, at least, satisfactorily. In May our printing costs for the Journal jumped nearly 50% in one leap, making a mockery of our small "cost cushion" that existed with dues at $12 per year, or a dollar-a-copy for each issue, postage included. Oddly, your editor's rather loud protests to the printer in this regard were met with the assurance that costs had not gone up and remained the same in May as previously! What had changed was the manner in which they computed that cost. To this point, 70 copies per issue had been printed since this was cheaper than 60; this makes sense when we see that 70 copies times 8 pages per copy (as they compute it) equalled 560 and over the magic 500-copies mark, the price was: 7¢ per page less 3¢ for every two pages since one sheet was being printed on both sides. Total: 11¢ per double-sheet times 4 per copy for a total of 44¢ plus postage per copy. Just under the dollar-per-copy threshold.

By the new method of computation, a copy of the Journal was 8 separate lots of 70 copies each. Thus 8¢ per sheet with no discount for both sides having been used. Total: 64¢ per copy plus postage.

Previously, it was cheaper for the store to do the photostating because of the "two-sheet kickback" but now the best deal is simply 7¢ per sheet as do-it-yourself. Still, that's 56¢ per copy. Plus postage. A few cents over the dollar-per-copy mark.

An executive meeting was held to deal with this problem and there were three options (from worst to least worst): raise dues, reduce the Journal from 16 to 12 (i.e., from 4 to 3 double-pages), or absorb the loss. Fortunately our revenue sources are not limited to dues alone and an examination of the books showed that we could adopt the third option and still be a few dollars to the good at year's end. We are, after all, a non-profit organization and properly we should be able to run our business without deficit and with a surplus only sufficient to cover the odd fiscal jolt. That would seem to be where we are now. Where we are a year or more from now will have to dealt with by the club and executive at that time.

Nevertheless, a couple of things had to be tightened up. First of all, we are now printing the Journal in just-enough quantities. There are no longer many spare copies left over for pass outs. The other concerns dues, keeping in mind that every copy sent out costs the club more than a dollar each.

In the past, we have tended to carry (perhaps overlong) members late with their dues. This one is snowbirding, weather has prevented that one from attending meetings and so forth. But we've been forced to go to new regulations: every member receives this January edition; every member will also receive the February number since a lot of dues are paid only in late January. But : anyone whose dues have not been received by the mailing-out date of the February issue will see an asterisk before their name on the envelope, indicating this fact. If you have paid, best check; perhaps it's just a communication blip between the treasurer and "shipping department". But if the dues remain unpaid, the February issue will be the last. There can be no exceptions . Every mailed-out copy costs the club more than a dollar each and for those few who do not renew, it is a dead loss.

Having said that, we fully expect that all of you will renew - and in the past six years, that expectation has been very largely met. If for some reason you cannot attend a meeting or drop off the dues at Jeff's store, a cheque made out to "Mid-Island Coin Club" and mailed to our address will suffice. Give yourself a treat. Don't deprive us of your company.

By the time you receive this Journal , Jeff will be in his new digs, operating under a new name since (unbelievably) a lot of non-B.C.ers didn't know where Nanaimo was. Henceforth the former "Nanaimo Stamp & Coin" will be known as "West Coast Stamp & Coin". See the map on the following page.

 

 

The new location of West Coast Stamp & Coin is located at 4061 Norwell Drive in the block just past the Chevron station (see location star above). Norwell Drive to the east becomes Jingle Pot Road to the west - on the latter is located the Ford dealership.

Wayne Jacobs is numismatic expert. He is the award winning author of numerous articles. He is the secretary and editor of the "Mid-Island Coin Club Numismatic Journal"of Nanaimo, Vancouver Island , British Columbia. The MICC journal are hosted here: MICC webpages Copyright 2006 Wayne Jacobs. This article may be reprinted freely for non commercial purpose only if the resource box is left intact, linking back to us.