Cupertino Coin Club

Monday, December 30, 2019
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Calvary Catholic Cemetary
2650 Madden Ave.
San Jose, CA 95116

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/san-jose-ca/gary-acquistapace-8968109

As is so often in the years as we aged, another email reported sadly the passing of Gary A., of San Jose, California. A towering presence in San Francisco South Bay organized numismatics, Gary was committed to our hobby for nearly five decades.

His passions were currency and casino chips, as well as other interests. In fact, when he was not at two recent coin club meetings, the feeling was Gary had taken another ocean cruise seeking and searching casino chips. Regretfully, his longtime friend and fellow sojourner in organized numismatics, Al Lo was to learn of his sudden passing.

My last time conversing with Gary was during the October 2019 Annual Awards Banquet of the Cupertino (California) Coin Club. He came walking very slowly with pain in his legs and back; yet, he came to enjoy the Banquet plus had everything ready for attendees. As usual, those of present received our special ‘Banquet Chip’. He smiled and sat among his friends. He and I exchanged chuckles with our perennial commentary of dislikes and likes in our hobby. Little did I anticipate a tragic passing.

Over the decades, Gary was a consummate numismatic exhibitor, earning many awards. He, in addition, had a lengthy record of service and devotion, having joined in April 1971, to the Cupertino Coin Club, particularly dedicated many years as its Treasurer. Among his other services was his support to ‘youth numismatics’.

His smile, his ‘I told you so’, his always among the first at a monthly Cupertino Coin Club meeting, plus also always holding the same parking space at the Club’s meeting venue shall be missed. However, we, and our hobby, have been enriched and enlightened while Gary was here. We are forged to continue as Gary would hope.

Words and thoughts are always difficult at the passing of someone that you have known or anyone for that matter. But, I close with these words from a source undocumented and which shall speak from our hearts: “Those We Love Do Not Go Away; They Walk Beside Us Every Day: Unseen, Unheard, But Always Near, Still Loved. Still Missed, and Very Dear.”

RIP, Gary

Michael S. Turrini
Vallejo, California

Club Banquet October 20, 2019 with Suzy T.

Club Banquet October 21, 2018 with Emile M., Al L., Michael Turrini

Other Hobbies Night showing toy planes June 8, 2018

Club Show February 18, 2018 with Harold W.

Club Banquet October 2017 with Emile M.

Youth Night October 13, 2017 with club’s youth

Show & Tell showing currency March 10, 2017

Club Banquet October 25, 2016 with Greg J.

Friday, December 13th, Cupertino Coin Club lost one of its life members. 😭 Gary was a vital member of our club and board who joined the club in August 1971, a year after the club formed. He was our curator, youth advisor, medals chairman, annual banquet chairman, and performed numerous roles for our annual February shows. In addition, he had been treasurer for many years until this past March. His smile will be sorely missed. Rest in peace Gary. ❤️

Gary at October 20, 2019 Club Banquet

Dec 13, Fri – December General Meeting – St Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:00 pm, Parish Hall. Holiday party/potluck, auction, show & tell, youth raffle, and general drawing. Please bring a dish to share (salad, side dish, chips, fruit, dessert, etc.) that will go with sandwiches. Thank you!

Dec 18, Wed – CCC Board Meeting – All members welcome! St. Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:30 pm, room 7

Nov 8, Fri – November General Meeting – St Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:30 pm, Parish Hall. Auction, show & tell, youth raffle, and general drawing. Guest speaker: Brian Daniels, Topic: U.S. Gold Coins

Nov 20, Wed – CCC Board Meeting – All members welcome! St. Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:30 pm, room 7

Oct. 11, Fri. – Youth Night General Meeting – St. Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:30 pm, Parish Hall. Youth of all ages are encouraged to join us as Junior President, Griffin, runs the meeting for us again. The guest speaker for the evening will be youth member, Andrew, who will be talking about Australian coins and currency.

Note: This meeting is your last chance to turn in your reservation and payment to Banquet Chair, Gary, for the annual club banquet held Oct 20.

Oct. 16, Wed. – CCC Board Meeting – All members welcome! St. Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:30 pm, room 7.

Oct. 20, Sun. – Annual Club Member Banquet – Blue Pheasant Restaurant, 5:00 – 9:00 pm. Deadline to turn in your reservation and payment to Banquet Chair, Gary, is Fri., Oct 11, at the general meeting.

Sixty-six Scouts registered and attended our BSA Coin Collecting Merit Badge Workshop last weekend at CoinExpo Santa Clara! Wow! This far-exceeded our expected attendance! Scouts arrived early, looked around the show, sat in on the hour-long workshop, then met with one of our nine wonderful Merit Badge Counselors. Most Scouts were well-prepared! Many Scouts completed the Merit Badge today. Some have a few requirements yet to complete. Some will be meeting with one of our Merit Badge Counselors in the near future to go over their requirements. All were invited to attend next month’s Cupertino Coin Club meeting on October 11 which will be Youth Night, run by our Junior President and Life Scout, Griffin. The Guest Speaker for that night is a Youth Member and Life Scout, Andrew, who will talk about Australian Currency and Coins.

Our nine wonderful Coin Collecting Merit Badge Counselors: Kyle, Suzy, Todd, Don, Brian, Gran, Granville, Alex, and Emile.

Cupertino Coin Club has a busy September ahead of us!

Sept. 13-15 – CoinExpo at the Santa Clara Convention Center – Our Club will help support Scott Griffin, the show producer, at the show with set-up, front desk registration, supplies table, and tear-down. We thank Scott for his club support offering us a table out in front of the ballroom for our drawing tickets and prizes. There will be 15 prizes up for grabs, three of which contain gold! The other 12 are silver American Eagles!

Sept. 14 – BSA Coin Collecting Merit Badge Workshop – CCC Officers, Emile Mestressat and Suzy Trigonis will again be running this fun elective merit badge workshop to all Scouts, boys and girls, registered to a Scouts BSA Troop. We will be assisted by several other CCC members who are Merit Badge Counselors. This will be held at CoinExpo at the Santa Clara Convention Center from 1:00-5:00 pm. We hope to have another great turn-out! We thank Scott Griffin for offering us the space on the floor to make this available to youth in Scouting.

Sept. 14 – CSNA/NCNA 6th Annual Northern California Numismatic Forum – CCC Young Adult Member, Matthew Malvini will be one of the four presenters speaking on San Francisco Transit Tokens in 1906. This will be held at the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum in Vallejo, doors open at 8:30 am.

Sept. 18 – CCC Board Meeting – All members welcome! St. Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:30 pm, room 7.

Sept. 20 – SeptemberFest General Meeting – St. Joseph of Cupertino Church, 7:00 pm, Parish Hall. Please bring a side dish (salad (green, pasta, fruit), fruit (grapes, Cuties, etc.), side dish, chips, or dessert) to share to complement the sandwiches. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Reminder for those who RSVPd for the joint coin club picnic that Saturday is the picnic from noon-3:00pm. The BBQ will be closed at 1:00, so be sure to come at early.

Join us Friday, August 9 at 7:30. Bring your prettiest and ugliest coins to enter in our Beauty & the Beast contest.

Guest Speaker, Don P. will tell you how to fill some holes in your collection with reasonable replicas.