Jul 14, 2022 | ANA, News
The American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) highest accomplishment for a young collector is being named ANA Young Numismatist of the Year. The honor is given to those who show exceptional achievement in the hobby. Due to her outstanding contributions to the hobby, this year’s recipient is Kelly Barker. She was recognized for her accomplishments during a virtual event on Wednesday, July 13, by ANA President Dr. Ralph Ross with Barker’s friends and family.
When she was a tyke, Barker’s brother and father encouraged her to join them in searching for “Wheaties” in rolls of Lincoln cents. Her interest in collecting heightened when she attended local coin shows with her family, and she became an ANA member by the time she was in 5th grade. She enrolled in the “Coins for A’s” program and earned 32 pieces over the past eight years.
Now 18 years old, Barker has attended numerous conventions, often as a page or other volunteer, including the World’s Fair of Money® (WFM) and the National Money Show®. An eager participant in the ANA’s young numismatist activities (YN), the Delaware resident has completed The Dollar Project, regularly attends the annual online YN auctions, and achieved first place twice in her age group in National Coin Week challenges.
Skilled with the written word, Barker also earned the first place Bill Fivaz Young Numismatist Literary Award in 2016, and she is in the process of publishing her first novel, a mystery for young adults.
A soccer player and a runner, the athletic collector also has a talent for exhibiting, and her “Treasures of the Sea” display won second place at the 2018 WFM. The future is certainly bright for this positive and creative collector who is helping to grow the hobby by teaching her peers about her favorite numismatic topics. Barker heads to Virginia Tech in the fall to major in creative writing, sports and converting new friends to numismatics
Jul 13, 2022 | ANA, Announcements, Shows & Conventions
The public can view historic coins, banknotes and medals, and learn what their old money may be worth at this family-friendly event
More than $100 million of historic rare coins and currency including the first Midwest displays of recovered California Gold Rush sunken treasure, centuries-old George Washington medals, and a mis-made 1943 penny valued at $1 million will be displayed at the family-friendly Chicago World’s Fair of Money® (WorldsFairofMoney.com) in Rosemont, Illinois, August 16-20, 2022.
Visitors can also see museum-quality displays of documents signed by Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and others; a $3 million nickel; and a rare silver dollar insured for $4 million. Another highlight of the show will be an extraordinary exhibit of historic California Gold Rush artifacts recovered from the 1857 sinking of the fabled “Ship of Gold,” the S.S. Central America, including the remnants of a Wells Fargo treasure shipment box.
“More than 500 dealers will be buying and selling rare coins, vintage paper money, medals and tokens in all price ranges, as well as gold and silver. The U.S. Mint will be in attendance along with recently-appointed Mint Director, Ventris Gibson. Many of the experts will provide free, informal evaluations of the public’s old money,” said Kim Kiick, executive director of the nonprofit American Numismatic Association (money.org), organizer of the five-day event.
“The public can take photos with costumed Abraham Lincoln and Ben Franklin reenactors and participate in educational seminars, and children can enjoy a treasure trivia game,” she added.
“Money is history you can hold in your hands. Every coin, banknote, medal or token has a story to tell about people, places and events,” explained Dr. Ralph Ross, president of the 28,000-member organization. “The World’s Fair of Money is an educational event open to everyone. It is considered the biggest week of the year for coin collectors and anyone interested in the fascinating history of money.”
Attendees can book a hotel room at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare or the Hilton Rosemont hotels at a reduced convention rate. The special ANA rate is guaranteed until July 19 or until the ANA hotel blocks have been filled. Mention the World’s Fair of Money when booking to secure the promotional rate.
Hosted by the Chicago Coin Club, the Chicago World’s Fair of Money will be held in Hall F of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, in Rosemont.
Public hours are Tuesday, August 16, from 1 to 6 pm; Wednesday through Friday, August 17 to 19, from 10am to 6 pm; and Saturday, August 20, from 10 am to 4 pm. (Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.)
Public admission Tuesday through Friday is $10 daily. Children 12 and under are admitted free daily and admission is free for everyone on Saturday.
Corporate sponsors of the World’s Fair of Money include GreatCollections®, the ANA’s official auctioneer; and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC®), Paper Money Guaranty (PMG®) and Numismatic Conservation Services (NCS®), the ANA’s official grading and conservation service.
Additional information about the American Numismatic Association is available by visiting money.org or calling (719) 632-2646. To learn more about the World’s Fair of Money, visit WorldsFairofMoney.com, call (800) 482-9828 or email convention@money.org.
Jul 12, 2022 | ANA, News
NGC, NCS and PMG are thrilled to announce that the American Numismatic Association (ANA) has once again selected the companies to serve as the organization’s exclusive Official Grading and Conservation Services.
The close relationship between the ANA and NGC, NCS and PMG began in 1995, when NGC was chosen as the ANA’s exclusive Official Coin Grading Service. NCS was added as the ANA’s Official Coin Conservation Service in 2000, and PMG became the ANA’s Official Paper Money Grading Service in 2007. The renewed agreement will continue the beneficial partnership, which is founded in a shared commitment to the advancement of the hobby.
The ANA’s partnership with NGC, NCS and PMG includes an exclusive $15 discount for ANA members who join NGC, NCS and PMG for the first time. As a paid member of NGC, NCS and PMG, collectors get direct submission privileges in addition to many other great benefits that come with the companies’ expert grading and conservation services.
“We are very excited to be extending our partnership with NGC, NCS and PMG,” said Kim Kiick, Executive Director of the ANA. “For 27 years, we have worked closely together to support the best interests of collectors, and we continue to select NGC, NCS and PMG as our Official Grading and Conservation Services based on the value, safety and trust that their services provide.”
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Jun 22, 2022 | ANA, Announcements, News
Every year, the American Numismatic Association (ANA) recognizes members who go above and beyond with their service and dedication to numismatics. The following awards, which are presented at the World’s Fair of Money®, will be awarded during the Member & Awards Celebration, Thursday, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. in room 25/26 of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
The Adna G. Wilde Jr. Memorial Award for Exemplary Service recognizes collectors and hobbyists who are active at the regional and/or national level and work to advance numismatic knowledge among the general public. Recipients promote and strengthen the hobby by serving as club officers, newsletter editors, coin show volunteers, and the like. This year, three individuals will be recognized: Patrick McBride, David Schenkman, and Jeffrey Swindling.
Patrick McBride joined his first coin clubs in the mid ’80s, all in western Pennsylvania, and has consistently volunteered for those organizations since then. He holds several offices for the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists and was the host club chair for the ANA’s 2019 National Money Show®. He has contributed extensively to the ANA’s educational efforts, including loaning several of his rare issues of The Numismatist when the ANA digitized the entire run of the magazine in 2015. Additionally, he lobbied for both versions of the bills proposing the creation of 2021 Peace and Morgan dollar centennial commemoratives. His efforts contributed to the successful passage of the legislation.
The Numismatist “Tokens &anp Medals” columnist David Schenkman has cheerfully and selflessly contributed countless hours to both the ANA and any fellow hobbyist who has sought his expertise. He has taught ANA Summer Seminar classes and has given talks for local, regional, and national numismatic organizations. He regularly shares his knowledge through the many columns, books, and articles he has written over the past five decades. A former president of the Token and Medal Society (TAMS), he was editor of the TAMS Journal from 1982-2010 and currently serves on the board of directors. The recipient of dozens of literary and achievement awards – including numerous ANA Heath Literary Awards – he was inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jeffrey Swindling has recruited over 500 members to the ANA in addition to donating his time as a regular ANA convention volunteer and district representative. He is committed to sharing the hobby with the next generation and has served as a Coin Collecting Merit Badge counselor since 2002, helping thousands of scouts earn their badges. During his time as chair of the ANA’s YN and Scout Committee, he instituted several key initiatives, including the “Coins for A’s” and the ANA College Scholarship programs. Swindling has received several ANA Member Booster Awards and continuously shares his extensive knowledge with collectors and non-collectors alike.
The ANA’s Medal of Merit honors individuals at the regional and/or national level who have dedicated numerous years of service to the ANA and hobby. This year’s recipients are passionate volunteers who spread the joy of numismatics everywhere they go.
Sandra “Sandy” Hill worked as an employee in the ANA’s membership department for 21 years until she retired. She now serves as a national volunteer and recruits throngs of new members at ANA conventions every year. She became a member of the Century Club in 2016 and has received the John & Nancy Wilson Member Booster Award twice (2019 and 2020). Her cheerful, charismatic persona is magnetic and is glad to help anyone with any task. She has even jumped in as a substitute Summer Seminar instructor when the scheduled teacher experienced travel delays.
Since 2011 she’s served as a district representative for Washington. She founded the Kalama Coin Club in Washington in 2008 and currently serves as its president. She also plans to introduce an incentive program for youngsters using world coins as educational tools.
Hill’s work ethic demonstrates that one doesn’t need to be a scholar to be an instrumental member of the numismatic community. She was recognized with an ANA Presidential Award in 2011 and Glenn Smedley Memorial Award in 2013.
During his 45 years of service, Bob Hurst has volunteered and exhibited at many coin conventions. He has also judged displays and given educational talks at state shows hosted by the Florida United Numismatists (FUN), Central States Numismatic Society, Georgia Numismatic Association, and others. He was the bourse chair for the Blue Ridge Numismatic Association for six years. A respected leader, he currently serves as president of both FUN and the Tennessee State Numismatic Society, where he’s been instrumental in stabilizing the latter organization’s finances.
Hurst developed an interest in ancient coins in 1973 while he was serving overseas in the U.S. Air Force, and he founded a club for like-minded collectors in San Vito dei Normanni, Italy. He participated in several archaeological digs in the country, and he led a dig under the auspices of the National Museum in Napes that unearthed an assortment of Roman coins. As a dealer and enthusiastic student of ancient and world issues, he’s become an authority on these pieces, particularly crown-size coins and talers, and he’s given numerous educational talks on the topic. Hurst has been recognized with several hobby accolades, including two ANA Presidential Awards (2007 and 2021), the Numismatic Ambassador Award (2008), and the ANA Glenn Smedley Memorial Award (2009).
Gary Lewi
s served in the U.S. Air Force, which took him on a journey from Illinois to Thailand to Colorado to Florida, and his travels didn’t stop there. He’s attended 54 ANA conventions since his first in 1963 and has visited all 50 states, attending coin shows or club meetings in about half of them. Lewis became an ANA district representative for Colorado over 50 years ago, and since then, has served in many capacities for the Association, including chief exhibit judge, National Coin Week chair, regional representative, governor, vice president, and by 2003, he was elected president. He has served on more ANA committees than anyone else in Association history, and today, he mentors students enrolled in the ANA’s Numismatic Diploma Program. A creative problem-solver, Lewis offers forward-thinking ideas. Years before technology evolved to its current state, he was looking ahead to the digital world he knew was imminent.
Lewis has served as an officer in nine local and regional clubs, including six presidencies in a 47-year time span. While he was president of the Colorado Springs Coin Club from 1972-74, he started the annual coin show that is now integrated with Summer Seminar. His reach extends beyond the collecting community – he was a member of the U.S. Assay Commission in 1974 and chaired the Florida State Quarter Selection Committee from 2001-2003. Lewis has written articles for several numismatic publications on a variety of topics that have interested him in his 66 years of collecting. He was named the ANA’s Outstanding Adult Advisor in 1979 and received the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award in 2005.
The ANA has named John Brush the 2022 Harry J. Forman Dealer of the Year. Presented annually, the award honors a professional numismatist who shows uncommon dedication to strengthening the hobby and the ANA; exhibits high ethical standards and integrity; and treats all members of the numismatic community and the general public fairly and consistently.
The Virginia Beach, Virginia, resident is well-known for his role as president of David Lawrence Rare Coins (DLRC), a position he’s held since late 2015. Brush joined the company as a staff numismatist in 2006 after working as a wholesale trader at Spectrum Numismatics (now Stack’s Bowers Galleries). As president, Brush oversees the direction of DLRC and serves as the chief buyer, traveling to all major shows on an annual basis. He is respected for his inviolable ethical standards and oversees what many consider the leading website in the industry. Brush also assists with curating the D.L. Hansen Collection for his business partner Dell Loy Hansen, a Utah real estate and business mogul.
Brush serves as chairman of the National Coin and Bullion Association and is the treasurer for the Professional Numismatists Guild. The former Summer Seminar attendee and later instructor has been a hobbyist since age five. He joined the ANA in 1987 at the urging of his father, and he has inspired countless others to do the same.
Jun 13, 2022 | ANA, Announcements
The American Numismatic Association (ANA) will recognize Q. David Bowers and the Stack family at the Chicago World’s Fair of Money® (August 16-20) for their trailblazing successes in the numismatic community with its Philanthropy Award. This award publicly honors and recognizes substantial contributions donated to the Association in support of its strategic mission that helps to further expand, enhance, and sustain the hobby.
Q. David Bowers is widely recognized as one of the most scholarly and prolific numismatic writers of the past half century. His maternal grandfather sparked his interest in coins when he gave him an 1893 Columbian half dollar. A local tax collector later showed a young Bowers a 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent, which was worth $10, a large sum at the time.
During the 1950s – when he was a teenager – Bowers became a dealer and placed advertisements in a local paper. His business grew, and he continued to work as a dealer while attending Pennsylvania State University, graduating with honors in 1960.
Since then, he has taken an active role as a cataloger and professional numismatist, cofounding the auction house Bowers & Ruddy (later, Bowers & Merena). The author of hundreds of auction catalogs and articles, he has written more than 40 books on a wide variety of topics, receiving more “Book of the Year Awards” and “Best Columnist” honors from the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) than any other writer. In 1989 he received the NLG’s highest honor, the Clemy Award.
Bowers has been a loyal supporter of the ANA for many years. His most valuable work on behalf of the ANA is the definitive, 1,744-page American Numismatic Association Centennial History, which involved hundreds of hours of research. Bowers has assisted the Association financially, professionally, and culturally. Through the years, he has shared his invaluable experience as a Summer Seminar instructor, spoken at ANA conventions, participated in educational forums, and written a monthly column and many feature articles for The Numismatist.
Elected to the ANA’s Board of Governors in 1979, Bowers served for six years, including a term as president from 1983 to 1985. He also served as president of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG).
Bowers has received many accolades for the countless contributions he has made to the hobby during his nearly 70 years in numismatics. His efforts to promote a greater understanding of our nation’s coinage and its place in American history, society, and culture have earned him many ANA awards. He became a Century Club member in 1980 and a Medal of Merit winner in 1987. In 1991 he was presented with the Association’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service (now named the Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award). Three years later, he was inducted into the Numismatic Hall of Fame.
Bowers became the first recipient of the Numismatist of the Year award in 1995, and was honored with a Presidential Award in 1997, an Exemplary Service Award in 2003, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. He has also lectured at Harvard University and appeared on The Today Show and other network and cable-television programs. He has cataloged many of the finest collections ever assembled, including the Eliasberg Collection, the Norweb Collection, the Garrett Collection, and the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection.
In his final “Coins & Collectors” column published in the December 2021 issue of The Numismatist, Bowers writes that it has given him “great joy to be at the heart of the hobby, to have served many clubs and professional organizations, and to have written countless books and columns that spread the love for this great pursuit.”
At 83 years old, Bowers is enjoying a more relaxed schedule with fewer deadlines. But the lifelong collector says he “will never be finished with numismatics.”
The Stack family has not only managed the sale of some of the most magnificent numismatic pieces known, but they have also generously contributed to the ANA. Brothers Joseph B. and Morton Stack established Stack’s in New York City in 1933 and conducted its first public sale two years later. Their firm quickly grew to become one of the most important numismatic dealerships in America.
The Stacks specialized in everything numismatic – coins, tokens, medals, and paper money – and their services were in high demand. Many sought their expertise, including universities, royalty, government institutions, collectors, and other dealers. Josiah K. Lilly, the well-known pharmaceutical executive, commissioned Stack’s to build his collection. Now in the Smithsonian Institution, it is the National Numismatic Collection’s greatest donation to date.
Eventually, Joseph and Morton passed ownership of the company to their sons, Norman, Harvey, and Benjamin. Harvey became the company’s main spokesman and welcomed visitors to its New York City gallery and participated in hobby activities. He contributed many of his recollections to Stack’s website, and his musings (entitled “Harvey Stack Remembers”) contain a wealth of information about the company.
Harvey worked full-time for Stack’s for 62 years, retiring in 2009 as chief manager of business affairs. During that time, it is said that he conducted more auction sales than anyone in the numismatic industry. He
perhaps is best remembered for his testimony before Congress in 1995, in which he appeared before the U.S. House Banking Committee to talk about the loss of public interest in the U.S. Mint’s modern commemorative programs. At the meeting, he suggested the issuance of five quarter designs each year. His idea inspired the 50 State Quarters® program, which proved popular and revitalized the hobby for a new generation of collectors, in addition to bringing hundreds of millions of dollars of profit to the U.S. Treasury.
Harvey’s son Lawrence (“Larry”) joined the firm in 1973 and was responsible for bringing to the company many significant holdings, including the John J. Ford Collection. Larry became internationally known for his expertise and all-around knowledge.
The Stack family was instrumental in building some of the greatest assemblages of their time, and they cultivated relationships with esteemed collectors to grow the hobby nationwide. Harvey also fought for clearer import regulations on coins purchased overseas and worked with the ANA and other professionals to develop a standardized grading system for coins.
In 2011 Stack’s merged with Bowers & Merena to form Stack’s Bowers Galleries, one of the top numismatic auction firms in the country. The company continues the Stack family’s legacy of presenting important numismatic cabinets and realizing record-breaking prices.
Harvey Stack was a longtime ANA supporter, and his firm has served as the official auctioneer at numerous Association conventions. He remained involved in the business until his death on January 3, 2022, sharing the company’s history, mentoring staff members, and maintaining his relationships within the hobby.
The Stack family received the Medal of Merit in 1982 and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. Harvey was named the 1997 Numismatist of the Year. In 1990-91 he served as president of the PNG, which gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award.
May 26, 2022 | ANA, Announcements
Thomas Uram, a dedicated promoter of numismatics, is the recipient of the first-ever Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award, the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) highest honor.
The award will be presented at the Chicago World’s Fair of Money® (August 16-20). The ANA Board of Governors made the decision to rename the accolade – formerly known as the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service – at its April meeting to honor the memory and contributions of the renowned numismatic publisher and to name Uram as its first recipient.
Uram has been a stalwart supporter not only of the hobby, but of the ANA, which he joined as a Young Numismatist in 1974, and of the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN), of which he is currently the president. He has served on the ANA board, as chair of two ANA committees, and as the assistant host club chair for the Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money.
In 2012, the Pennsylvania resident was appointed to the United States Mint’s Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). According to former United States Mint Director David J. Ryder, Uram’s “enthusiasm for numismatics and his efforts to strengthen the interface between the Mint and the ANA have been unceasing” and resulted in an elevated relationship between the two organizations.
According to Ryder, Uram was instrumental in the passage of the 1921 Silver Dollar Coin Anniversary Act, which authorized the minting of 2021 Morgan and Peace dollars. “It was Tom who first brought this important coin program to my attention, and his leadership was the single most driving force in getting this legislation passed,” said Ryder. “I can think of no contribution more meaningful to numismatics today.”
A collector of U.S. 2-cent pieces, medals and “curved” coins, Uram is the recipient of numerous numismatic awards recognizing his dedication to the hobby:
- ANA Presidential Award (2011)
- Radford Stearns Memorial Award for Achievement in Exhibiting (2014)
- Radford Stearns Memorial Award for People’s Choice exhibit (2015)
- Numismatic Ambassador (2017)
- ANA Glenn Smedley Memorial Award (2019)
- ANA Medal of Merit (2020)
A more detailed article about Tom Uram and his contributions to the hobby will appear in the August issue of The Numismatist, the official publication of the ANA.
May 11, 2022 | ANA, News
Walter Breen’s Documents Can Help Future Researchers
Prominent collector and benefactor Dwight N. Manley of Brea, California has donated to the American Numismatic Association (www.money.org) more than 60 books, auction catalogs, and photographs he recently acquired at auction from the Sydney F. Martin (1945-2021) Numismatic Library Collection. All the items were previously owned or annotated by noted numismatic researcher and author Walter Breen (1928-1993) and many have his handwritten notes.
Among the highlights of the donation are two annotated drafts of Breen’s massive 1987 masterpiece, Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, with thousands of handwritten notes made as he typically did in different color inks. The combined drafts total over 3,000 pages and were described by auction house Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers as “an exceptionally important part of the Breen archives.”
Another annotated book is Breen’s personal copy of the 1981 reference guide he co-authored with former ANA President Anthony Swiatek, The Encyclopedia of United States Silver & Gold Commemorative Coins, 1982-1954.
There are 29 auction catalogs each with Breen’s handwritten notes. The sales dates range from a Stack’s auction in 1951 to the Rarcoa offering of the Kaufman Collection in 1978.
The donation also includes several letters Breen wrote and 19 photographic plates depicting colonial-era state and other pre-federal coins with his handwritten notes on rarity. Among the plates are black and white prints depicting obverses and reverses of 1785 Connecticut coppers. These photos were produced by Al Hoch in the late 1960s and are the coins extensively cited in Breen’s famous 1975 Early American Coppers organization sale catalog of Connecticut coppers.
“Walter Breen had a troubled personal life, but he was one of the top numismatic researchers of his era. These important documents can help current and future researchers provide useful information for our hobby,” said Manley.
In 2003, the ANA Library at ANA headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado was named in honor of Manley when he gratefully donated $250,000 to the Association. That donation was a “thank you” for the $400 scholarship he received as a teenager in 1980 to attend an ANA Summer Seminar session.
In 2007, Manley donated an original edition of the world’s first illustrated numismatic book, Illustrium Imagines, published in 1517.
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Walter Breen annotated draft page
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1785 Connecticut copper varieties
The American Numismatic Association is a congressionally chartered, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging the study and collection of coins and related items. The ANA helps its members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of educational and outreach programs, including the Money Museum, located at 818 N. Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colo. For more information, call (719) 632-2646 or visit www.money.org.
Apr 25, 2022 | ANA, Announcements
The first-ever Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award will be presented at the American Numismatic Association’s 2022 World’s Fair of Money® in Chicago (August 16-20). The ANA Board of Governors made the decision to rename the accolade at its April 12 meeting to honor the memory and contributions of the renowned numismatic publisher.
The founder of Krause Publications, Chester L. Krause (1922-2016) grew from humble beginnings in rural Wisconsin to become one of the Association’s most philanthropic members. His namesake company’s first periodical, Numismatic News, released its first issue in October 1952. Krause funded this endeavor with $1,342 of his own money. He joined the ANA the following year.
As his business grew to include reference books and additional magazines, so did his generosity for the hobby and the ANA. In 1974 he inaugurated the Numismatic Ambassador Award, which recognized individuals who have dedicated themselves to sharing the joys of numismatics with others. Ten recipients were named in the first year, and this time-honored award is bestowed on deserving hobbyists to this day. Along with Clifford Mishler and an anonymous party, Krause supported and funded the naming of the ANA’s Money Museum in honor of former Executive Director Edward C. Rochette. Krause’s likeness appears in the museum’s plaza as a member of the Numismatic Hall of Fame, an honor he received in 1990. The publishing powerhouse received the Burnett Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing, jointly bestowed by the ANA, the American Numismatic Society, and the Numismatic Literary Guild, in 2009. Krause was posthumously recognized with the ANA’s Philanthropy Award in 2019.
Krause has been honored with almost every ANA service award, receiving the Medal of Merit (1967), the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service (1977), the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award (1991), the Lifetime Achievement Award (1994), the Numismatist of the Year (1999), and the Exemplary Service Award (2005).
The Distinguished Service Award, established over 70 years ago by Louis S. Werner to memorialize former ANA President Farran Zerbe, was originally an engraved plaque presented “for Distinguished Service and for advancement of the Science of Numismatics rendered to the American Numismatic Association.” Over time, the award expanded to include a gold medal.
In 2021 the ANA Board of Governors voted to vacate the naming of the award to create an opportunity to name it after a contemporary figure in numismatics and to secure funding to produce the medal. When the decision was reported, historical allegations against Zerbe were also published, which some believed was the board’s indictment of Zerbe and the reason for the removal of his name. The Board of Governors clarified that this was not the case and affirms Farran Zerbe’s significance in the Association’s history. (Most notably, Zerbe, alongside George F. Heath, was inducted into the Numismatic Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in 1969.)
Funding for the naming rights for the Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award comes from a groundswell of support from numismatic colleagues and longtime friends and will sustain the award for years to come.
Apr 13, 2022 | ANA, Announcements
The American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation announced today that the Harry W. Bass, Jr. collection of U.S. gold coins and patterns on display at the Edward C. Rochette Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colo., will be returned to the Foundation and sold at auction. The Money Museum has been this collection’s temporary home since October 2000.
According to F. David Calhoun, executive director and a trustee of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation, the Foundation’s board of directors recently made the decision to deaccession the Harry Bass Core Collection (HBCC) – the celebrated coin collection that Harry W. Bass, Jr. assembled – in order to concentrate on funding Dallas-area nonprofit organizations, with specific emphasis on early childhood education and literacy programs.
“The decision was bittersweet,” Calhoun said. “I’ve been associated with Harry’s collection since the 1970s. But this move will allow us to more than double our annual philanthropy budget. For a lot of nonprofits we’ve had to say “no” to previously, we’ll now be able to say “yes”. Every cent that the core collection brings at auction will go to philanthropy.”
According to Calhoun, the Harry Bass Core Collection is valued at a minimum of $50 million.
A businessman, coin collector and philanthropist, Dallas resident Harry W. Bass, Jr. (1927-1998) created one of the most complete U.S. gold coin collections ever assembled, including many one-of-a-kind specimens. Of paramount importance is a set of virtually all known die varieties of early (1795-1834) U.S. gold coin denominations ($2.5, $5, and $10) in the finest condition. The exhibit also features the only complete collection of $3 gold pieces, including the unique 1870-S; a complete type set of U.S. gold coin designs from 1834 to 1933; and a spectacular grouping of rare U.S. pattern coins.
“We have had the privilege and honor of providing a numismatic home for the Harry Bass Core Collection for nearly 22 years,” said ANA Executive Director Kim Kiick. “We are beyond thankful to the Foundation for allowing the ANA and the Money Museum to showcase this outstanding assemblage in a magnificent gallery these many years.”
The Harry Bass Core Collection will remain on exhibit at the Money Museum through June 2022. According to Kiick, the Foundation has expressed interest in assisting the museum’s efforts to retrofit and redesign the current Bass Gallery for a new exhibit by way of a grant.
The Bass family, led by Harry Bass, Sr., created and developed numerous oil and gas interests spread across five states, and the proceeds from these investments have funded many philanthropic ventures. For a number of years prior to his death in April 1998, Harry W. Bass, Jr. administered two nonprofit foundations. The first, the Harry Bass Foundation, established in 1945, was created by his father to provide support to a number of Dallas charitable and religious institutions, as well as hospitals and museums. A second foundation, the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Research Foundation, was created in 1991 as an extension of the younger Mr. Bass’s great interest in numismatics and his desire to engage in significant philanthropic endeavors in different areas. Following the death of Harry W. Bass, Jr., the two independent foundations merged to form the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation to enrich the lives of citizens of Texas by providing support to qualified organizations in the areas of education, human services, civic and community, science and research, and arts and culture.
The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation has selected John Dannreuther to be the representative managing the deaccession of the collection. Dannreuther will handle review and selection of an auction house and third-party grading service, along with other ancillary issues.
Mar 28, 2022 | ANA, Announcements
“Dynamic Designs, Artistic Masterpieces” is the theme of National Coin Week, April 17-23, 2022
Look closely at the change in your pocket or purse. You might have coins worth more than face value and certainly will find miniature works of art on every piece of money, according to the American Numismatic Association (www.money.org) which celebrates National Coin Week, April 17-23, 2022.
Established in 1924, the theme of this year’s National Coin Week is “Dynamic Designs, Artistic Masterpieces.”
“Money is history you can hold in your hands. Every coin or piece of paper money in your pocket, wallet, or purse has a story to tell about people, places, and events,” said Dr. Ralph Ross, president of the Congressionally-chartered American Numismatic Association (ANA) based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
With recent economic hard times, some older and potentially valuable coins might turn up in circulation as people
cash in coins stored in piggy banks, coffee cans and sock drawers.
Every pre-1965 dated dime, quarter-dollar and half-dollar is composed of 90 percent silver, so if silver is $25 an ounce, those coins are worth about 18 times face value because of their precious metal content, according to the ANA. For example, when silver is at $25, a common dime dated 1964 or earlier, is worth about $1.80; 1964 or earlier quarters are worth about $4.50 each; and 1964 or earlier half dollars contain about $9 in silver. Scarce date and mintmark coins can be worth significantly more.
“While you may not find a fortune in your pocket change, we want people to realize the historical, cultural, artistic and economic importance of all money as well as the enjoyment of coin and paper money collecting,” said National Coin Week coordinator Andy Dickes. “Over the centuries, the designs, denominations and metallic content of coins can tell us a great deal about civilizations, past and present, such as famous and not-so-famous political and historical figures, important events, and landmarks.”
New dynamic designs and artistic masterpieces on coins continue today. All quarter-dollars issued for circulation in 2022 have a new image of President George Washington.
The “new” portrait of Washington on the obverse (“heads” side) was created 90 years ago by acclaimed sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser as a proposed design to commemorate Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932. It is now being used as part of the United States Mint’s four-year American Women Quarters Program that will honor 20 different women with special designs on the reverse (“tails” side) of quarters issued through 2025.
The ANA is providing complimentary online educational programs as well as hobby-related games and quizzes for the chance to win prizes during National Coin Week.
Between April 17 and 23, new members can join the Association at special discount rates of $13 for an online-only membership and $31 to receive the print edition of the Association’s award-winning monthly magazine, The Numismatist. Everyone joining or renewing their membership at the special discount rates that week will also receive a complimentary copy and informative book, Collecting Rare Coins for Pleasure and Profit.
For additional information, visit www.NationalCoinWeek.org.
When she was a tyke, Barker’s brother and father encouraged her to join them in searching for “Wheaties” in rolls of Lincoln cents. Her interest in collecting heightened when she attended local coin shows with her family, and she became an ANA member by the time she was in 5th grade. She enrolled in the “Coins for A’s” program and earned 32 pieces over the past eight years.
