Leonard Buckley, designer of military payment certificates (MPC) and fine artist will make the key note presentation at MPCFest on March 16 in Port Clinton, Ohio.

He is best known among MPC collectors as the designer of MPC Series 692 which is also widely recognized as the most beautiful series of MPC. Because of the extraordinary designs Series 692 is also of interest to many collectors who are not MPC specialists.

Len's artistic career as a designer was focused on literally making money. Out of high school, he began a seven year apprenticeship in New York, training in the art of steel die and intaglio plate making used to print world-wide currencies, postage stamps and financial securities.

With a total of ten years experience, he moved on in 1967 to Washington DC at the U.S. Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing to begin his artistic career as a bank note designer. After six years, he went on to become the supervisor of the bank note design staff. In his 32 years with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, he was responsible for the designs of many postage stamps, currency, Military Payment Certificates and security documents for the federal government.

In his personal studio, he kept his artistic hand active, designing and illustrating for stamp and medallion collectibles. His renderings and paintings hang in private collections, some having been donated to the Smithsonian Institution's collection in Washington, D.C.

Since retirement from federal service, Len designed and rendered the Colorado State Quarter as part of the Artistic Infusion Program with the United States Mint. He stays active in the Baltimore Watercolor Society, the Washington Calligrapher's Guild, the Hanover Area Arts Guild and the Adams Count Arts Council, wonderful outlets for his watercolor and oil paintings and pencil renderings.

Buckley's presentation at MPCFest will be at 1:30 PM (Festers would like to call it 1330 hours) on March 16.

MPCFest is held at the Holiday Inn Express, 50 NE Catawba Rd Port Clinton, OH 43452, (419) 732-7322. The Fest is from Friday evening March 15 through Sunday afternoon March 17. Participation at the Fest is by preregistration, but this year there are opportunities for participation without full Fest registration.

A free bourse will be held from 1100 to 1600 on Friday March 15. Interested collectors can attend the Buckley presentation on Saturday. Ten seats have been reserved at $20 each. For reservations or information contact the Fest at fredschwan@yahoo.com