The Pecuniary Investment Club may sound like a powerhouse collection of industry titans, making big deals and celebrating victories with brandy and cigars. But as reported in a self-authored story in BetterInvesting — the current branding for the National Association of Investment Clubs (NAIC) — it’s much humbler than that.

The Pecuniary Investment Club takes its name from the Latin term for money.

At its 1992 founding, meetings were held in office conference rooms in Philadelphia. Eventually, however, the members gathered in Upper Merion, first in a household kitchen, then at the Upper Merion library.

Over the years, tech advances have made deals in which members participate more convenient and faster. The once paper-based Stock Selection Guide they rely on is online now, with more detail. It also automates once-manual calculations of peer-stock comparisons and compilation of benchmarking data.

The organization’s internal record keeping has also stepped up, transitioning away from its former three-ring binder.

But those advances aside, the investment basics of yesterday remain valid for the group today:

• Do the research
• Avoid reactionary buying/selling
• Maintain a long-term view
• Leverage the power of multiple viewpoints

That latter tenet is a hallmark of the Pecuniary Investment Club, relying on the collective wisdom of its members for mutual benefit.

Comprehensive information on BetterInvesting is available on its website.

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Forming an investment club isn’t as daunting as it may sound.