I spent nearly three months disconnected, so to speak, from my typical numismatic engagements after returning from attendance at the Red River Valley Coin Club’s annual winter show in Fargo, N.D., the last weekend of January, until closing out April with attendance at the annual spring shows of the Green Bay and Wausau, Wis., clubs. Not that I was under the weather – I was just otherwise engaged.
On Jan. 31, I had driven down to Madison, Wis., to testify in support of Senate Bill 33, a measure to exempt sales of precious metal bullion coins from sales and use tax in Wisconsin, in an appearance before the Universities and Revenue Committee. This is an issue that I’d been pushing for on and off for at least 25 years or so. While I was not centrally involved this time, on this occasion the stars were aligned. Governor Tony Evers signed the companion measure – Assembly Bill 29 – into law effective immediately upon its signing on March 21, 2024.
In February, I had missed out on attendance at the
