The Centralia, Washington police department is investigating a vehicle burglary that resulted in the theft of exhibit panels from the Short Snorter Project. The victim who had exhibited at the ANA Portland show was on his way home when the offense occurred. The suspects gained entry into the victim's trunk and removed five of the exhibits ten panels.

List of stolen items:

Panel #1 (20" x 32" plywood covered by olive green colored fabric) Inventory: (All notes mounted in currency sleeves)

1. Australia ten shillings signed by Gary Cooper, Una Merkel, and Phyllis Brooks.
2. US one dollar signed by Red Skelton, George Raft, et al.
3. US one dollar "Funny Back" signed by Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Vikki Montan, et al.
4. Suriname half gulden signed by Bob Hope, et al (heavy tape degredation).
5. India five rupees signed by ("WASP-Seattle"), Capt. Hank Greenberg, et al.
6. Italy five lire signed by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, et al.
7. U.S. one dollar HAWAII overprint signed by Randolph Scott, et al.
8. Barbados one dollar signed by Eddie Rickenbacker, Gene Tunney, et al
9. Long short snorter with U.S. one dollar HAWAII overprint signed by Ernie Pyle, et al. and five foreign banknotes taped together.
10. 3 original photos: Bob Hope, Lord Louis Mountbatten(2)

Panel #2 (20" x 32" plywood covered by olive green colored fabric) Inventory:

1. Long short snorter of Florice "Folly" Langley containing a US one dollar and ten foreign banknotes with many signatures taped together and mounted in currency sleeves. Fiji one penny is signed by Eleanor Roosevelt. India ten rupees is signed by USO troupe (Pat O'Brien, Betty Yeaton, Jinx Falkenburg, Ruth Carrell, Jimmie Dodd, Harry Brown) et al.
2. China-Burma-India Theatre of Operations shoulder patch
3. Invitation to dinner with Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt and table menu
4. Invitation to Florice Langley to attend dance with 436th Bomb Squadron
5. Four WW2 photographs of Florice Langley and one WW2 photograph of Jinx Falkenburg signing a short snorter on top of an accordion with a group of service men.

Panel #3 (20" x 32" plywood covered by gold colored fabric) Inventory:

1. Long short snorter of Marshall L. Windmiller containing a US one dollar and five foreign banknotes with many signatures taped together and mounted in currency sleeves.
2. China banknote (green) signed by Bob Raines AVG ("Flying Tigers"), et al.
3. China fifty yuan (brown) signed by members of 29th Fighter Squadron, et al.
4. China ten yuan (red) with notation "705 SNAFU SHIPMENT" and "CHINA BURMA INDIA 1944" with many signatures.
5. India ten rupees with inscription "LEDO ROAD" signed by Major-General Daniel Sultan (US), Major-General Godfrey Wildman-Lushington (UK), Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten (UK), Lt. Col. A. A. C. Walker (UK), Brigadier-General Lewis Pick (US), Brigadier-General Thomas Farrell (US), Paulette Goddard (USO).
6. China ten yuan (red) with notation "BURMA ROADSTERS" signed by General Frank D. Merrill and General Raymond A. Wheeler, et al. Many stars on borders. "V548728J" notation.
7. China ten yuan (red) with notation "BURMA ROAD HUMP FLYERS" with many signatures.
8. India five rupees signed by USO troupe (Pat O'Brien, Betty Yeaton, Jinx Falkenburg, Ruth Carrell, Jimmie Dodd, Harry Brown).

Panel #4 (20" x 32" plywood covered by gold colored fabric) Inventory:

1. Long short snorter of Allen B. Larkin, U.S. Naval Air Transport Service, containing two US one dollar and eight foreign banknotes with many signatures taped together and mounted in currency sleeves. Notation on last two foreign banknotes pertain to "FIRST FLIGHT USS MARS/NATS LONGEST FLIGHT OVER WATER WITH MOST CARGO PAUTUXENT TO NATAL". Mounted next to reproduction press photo of same event.
2. Six single foreign banknotes mounted individually in currency sleeves. Four shillings (pink & green) signed by Commodore Merrill Comstock, et al (mostly US Naval Officers - One may be John F. Kennedy - unauthenticated)

Panel #5 (20" x 32" plywood covered by grey colored fabric) Inventory:

1. Long short snorter of Lee Moyne Mark, U.S. Navy Photographers Mate, containing one US one dollar and seven foreign banknotes with many signatures taped together and mounted in currency sleeves. Display has 11 reproduction photographs. 1. US one dollar signed by Admiral C. W. Nimitz, et al.
2. Canada one dollar with many signatures.
3. Philippines one peso with signatures.
4. Japanese Government ten pesos (JIM) signed by Admiral Richard E. Byrd, et al.
5. Sveriges Riksbank five kronor signed by Harry James, et al.
6. Japan one yen signed by Gene Kelly, Jackie Robinson, et al.
7. Japan ten yen military currency with many signatures Central Bank of China 5 Custom Gold Units banknote signed by James Forrestal, General James H. Doolittle, General Ira C. Eaker, Gene Krupa, et al.

Anyone with information should contact:

Doug Davis 817-723-7231 or doug@numismaticcrimes.org

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
SHORT SNORTERS TO PROMOTE PORTLAND ANA SHOW (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n09a17.html)