Mariana Stamp and Coin Club touts upcoming workshop at Rotary

An enthusiastic Steven R. Connor, president of the Mariana Stamp and Coin Club, shares with the Rotary Club of Saipan what the outcome of the event the club would be hosting in the future would look like in a smaller scale Tuesday, at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Mariana Stamp and Coin Club president Steven R. Connor promoted his club’s upcomming event during the weekly Rotary Club of Saipan meeting last Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Done in partnership with the American Red Cross NMI Chapter, Connor said his club will be hosting a free workshop at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library this coming Saturday, Sept. 3, from 10am to 11:30am.

Connor told Rotarians that the workshop’s goal is to teach geography to kids 5 years old and above with the use of monetary items, mainly coins, from all around the world.

He added that the club is hosting meetings every first Saturday of the month with the goal of getting children interested in the hobby of collecting coins. The meeting on Saturday would specifically teach children about foreign coins.

“This Saturday, I am sponsoring along with American Red Cross and Marianas Visitors Authority, a children’s workshop to be able to tie in some foreign coins that were donated into the Red Cross coin boxes, the boxes that you see in the Joeten grocery stores, and some other places,” he said.

Coins would be assigned to the youths while the youths attempt to pinpoint which part of the world the coin originated from.

“They put foreign coins in the boxes as well, so the banks don’t take them. What do we do with them? What we decided is we came together and we have a map of the world, and we would invite children and teenagers who want to learn more about geography and what we’re going to have is a bucket of coins and each person is going to get a coin and they’re going to have to look at a globe or go through the internet to try and determine which country this coin came from to glue it onto the map. This is a fun, free event that we’re trying to increase educational awareness,” said Connor.

Maps, education materials, and coins are provided by the club in partnership with the local chapter of the American Red Cross.

Connor also stated that there would be more events such as this in the future and that the map would be a coin collection that will be displayed at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library.

“This would be a permanent coin collection at the library. We’re going to have more events in the future to try and update this with new countries that are represented. Please tell your friends and kids that want to have a fun time on Saturday. All are welcome,” said an enthusiastic Connor.

For questions and more information about the Mariana Stamp and Coin Club, the workshop, and more, contact them by calling 235-7322 or the public library at 484-8971.