Foreign Coin and Currency Project Report and Board Motion Request
Tom Blair, RC of Manninham
8 August 2015
About two months ago we started this fundraising activity that was originated by
Ron Brooks of the RC of Forrest Hills, and through the generous contributions of
members what an amazing result!
From around the world our members have travelled over time and you can see
this just by the dates and places of the coins and currency. I feel like I have just
travelled a bit with them too.
Not just new and very old money, but some unique and collectable items too:
 A 1980 Canadian Lake Meinnewanka commemorative silver coin – worth
perhaps $20
 A 1922 Australian Penny – worth perhaps $12
 A 1933 Australian Penny – worth perhaps $25
 Some half penny’s
 Someone visited the Statue of Liberty in 1980 as they flattened a US Penny
into a souvenir
 A City of Doncaster & Templestow commemorative coin 1967
proclamation of the cities formation
 1941 Ceylon 10 cent piece – worth perhaps $32
 1948 One Shilling… and others
Some of the unique coins and items
As an Assistant Governor I held a Monash Super Cluster meeting on August 7th
and distributed the collection containers (the Costco nut containers that Suzanne
cleaned and labelled for me) to 6 other clubs who are taking up this simple fund
raising project.
Meanwhile I let Ron Brooks, the founder of this program, know the status of
things and he sent me this email:
Dear Tom
In answer to your earlier email, no I don’t want to do a PhD. I finished mine in 1969
(Chemical Engineering) though if I were to start another I would pick something like “the
release of pleasure giving chemicals in the brain before and during a bike ride”.
Thank you so much for your efforts and the efforts of “your”clubs. I read your report
on your collection activities with great interest. I have just sent off a second batch of 60
kgs of coins and a large wad of notes to UNICEF. Your collection will get us going on
our next 60 kg batch. As for arranging the pick up. My wife and I head off overseas on
Wednesday, so how about growing that collection for two more months while we cycle
through Austria and Slovenia getting lost etc. Then when I return, I’ll fix up with you to
come over and pick them up or come along to a club meeting for a handover.
Best regards
Ron
Yours in Rotary,
Tom Blair