ANA Crowdfunds Its Technology Future
Earlier this month, the ANA emailed members to join the “Crowdfunding Drive to Improve Our Online Technology.” The email admitted the “pandemic taught us a lot about the importance of online learning and communication.” Thus, money is needed to “make much-needed website improvements to allow the ANA to take advantage of current technologies, resulting in a better online experience for ANA members and the collecting community.”
The email says that an anonymous donor will match all gifts.
I also thank the anonymous donor. I raise my coffee cup to you, and that’s a high honor from a coffee addict!
The ANA should not be in this situation. While there were failures before the pandemic put the ANA on the path to this failure, President Steve Ellsworth cemented the ANA’s fate because his bravado and ego got in the way of effectively running this organization.
Ellsworth dismissed the Technology Committee Chairperson in October 2019, and he did not replace the chair before the pandemic precautions caused the world to shut down. Ellsworth assigned Ron Oberth to work on ANA technology, who had no background in technology, and came up with unimaginative solutions and put the ANA behind other organizations who learned from the pandemic.
Although Ellsworth is out of office, he continues to be an ex-officio member of the Board of Governors. President Ron Ross has not demonstrated an understanding of the issue. Sources say that the loudest voice in the room is influencing Ross and that loudest voice belongs to Governor Ron Oberth. Oberth runs a successful numismatic company, but he does not know or understand technology, nor is he experienced in education that should guide the technology.
Ross and Oberth have not asked the ANA community to help. While they have listened to the ANA Headquarters staff, they have not listened to any other advisors with the experience necessary to lead the ANA into the future.
In other words, Ross and Oberth turned the Board of Governors into an insular club, and the rest of the membership was not welcome.
Both will deny their responsibility for the failures and ignore calls for their resignation. What you can do as a member is donate to the fund and add a note that the donation is conditional on the ANA assigning an independent committee to oversee the future of the technology policy. It was the model used by Presidents Walt Ostromecki, Jeff Garrett, and Gary Adkins to modernize the ANA technology infrastructure, and it should be the model in the future.
Weekly World Numismatic News for March 20, 2022
An example of a $100 Federal Reserve Note printed on a bleached $5 note (Image courtesy of Prescott Police Department via AOL.com)
Hollis Forteau, 38, of New Jersey, was convicted on two counts of counterfeiting in 2015 for bleaching low denomination notes, printing $100 on the blank paper, and passing them as real currency. Since most people continue to use iodine pens to detect counterfeit currency, the counterfeit notes will pass the test.
Professional counterfeiters know it is easy to pass bleached currency. Rather than understanding the embedded security features of real currency, stores continue to rely on technology that the criminals know how to defeat.
Although the counterfeiter is convicted, the damage will affect the businesses he scammed and their customers. The businesses do not get compensated for the lost revenue for each counterfeit note, and those businesses will have to recover the lost revenue by raising prices. Nowadays, with inflation increasing, the business can bury the rise in inflation concerns.
The consumers end up paying for these cases.
Businesses should be encouraged to train their employees to recognize the anticounterfeiting embedded into United States currency by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
And now the news…
March 14, 2022
→ Read more at centralbanking.com
March 15, 2022 → Read more at miamiherald.com
March 16, 2022 → Read more at foxbusiness.com
March 18, 2022 → Read more at theatlantic.com
March 19, 2022 → Read more at greaterkashmir.com
No Morgan and Peace Dollars in 2022
The U.S. Mint announced that they would not produce the 2022 Morgan and Peace Dollars calling it a “calculated pause.”
According to their press release, the pandemic impacts their suppliers’ availability to deliver silver blanks. Although many areas are returning to pre-COVID operating standards, suppliers require additional time to increase production to meet the higher demands.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine should not affect the worldwide supply of silver and gold since their mines are depleted. However, higher energy prices will impact the mining, refining, and transport of these metals.
The law requires the U.S. Mint to strike American Silver Eagle bullion coins. The law authorizing the 2021 Morgan and Peace dollars does not require the U.S. Mint to produce those coins in other years. If there is a supply problem, the U.S. Mint will strike the required American Silver Eagle Coins and suspend the Morgan and Peace Dollars.
Although popular designs, does it matter if the U.S. Mint strikes the coins again? Would it be better for the hobby if the coins were a one-year tribute and faded into numismatic history?
Weekly World Numismatic News for March 13, 2022
2022 Maya Angelou Quarter
After reading the story, the teacher explored other designs, including commemorative coins. When the teacher discovered the Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin Program, an Internet search brought the teacher to my blog post about the unveiling of the coin design at the Negro League Baseball Museum.
The teacher brought the information back to the class and started an in-class discussion with the student who brought in the article. Their conversation led to a discussion of why the Negro Leagues were necessary, and it opened a discussion about civil rights and how baseball played a part in civil rights.
We discussed using coins in the classroom and what can be learned from the coin designs, whether teaching about the presidents of the United States or what makes each state special based on its quarter.
The U.S. Mint has a Coin Classroom section on its website. But the section covers current coins and their production. Missing is a lesson on tying the Morgan Dollar to westward expansion, why the 2- and 3-cent coins were an idea based on the economics of the time, and the history represented by the designs of the classic commemorative coins.
Here is another area where the ANA could live up to its education mission by creating course guidelines for teachers.
And now the news…
March 7, 2022 → Read more at fortuneindia.com
March 7, 2022 → Read more at egypttoday.com
March 7, 2022 → Read more at imcgrupo.com
National Money Show opens in (yawn) Colorado Springs
ANA President Dr. Ralph Ross opening the 2022 National Money Show (video screen capture)
Colorado Springs is the home of the ANA’s headquarters, and it is about 75 miles south of Denver. Colorado Springs is also the home of the United States Air Force Academy. It is a nice place, and planning a visit should be on anyone’s destination list.
While it is nice that the National Money Show is in Colorado Springs, other cities could hold the show. The ANA refuses to consider holding any show in Washington, DC.
Regulations by the city’s government and the city council’s unresponsiveness to address the issues prevented the ANA from considering Washington for one of their shows.
Times have changed.
Since Larry Shepherd stuck the ANA with keeping the World’s Fair of Money in the Chicago area, Washington has new facilities to host the ANA shows.
Even though Washington is the home of the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the Smithsonian National History Museum, where the National Numismatic Collection is located, the ANA cannot get past the memories of past problems to explore new opportunities.
The problem was driven home by Larry Shepherd, who said on an episode of the Coin World Podcast that Washington cannot hold an ANA show. Shepherd, who probably has not been to Washington since being dismissed as the ANA’s executive director, has no clue how his pronouncement is wrong.
The ANA can hold either show at the National Harbor, a development outside the Beltway in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Aside from being the location of an MGM Grand Hotel, the 2,000 room Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center can comfortably host the ANA.
But people like Larry Shepherd do not keep up with the present and do not know about National Harbor. Instead, they isolate themselves in their prejudices and ignorantly dismiss the ideas.
The Washington region can be a destination for collectors and their families. After all, Washington is the nation’s capital. Come for the show, stay for the history. Bring the kids. We can go to the Smithsonian American Art Museum to see the art of the artists who designed U.S. coins. Tour the city to see the statues by some of those same artists.
What if the ANA worked with the Smithsonian Institute to create exhibits around the coins and the history they represent. How fascinating will it be to take the Native American Dollar program and create a program to expand on their message at the National Museum of the American Indian?
Even though the Bureau of Engraving and Printing has brought interesting items to other shows, they can host special tours in their Washington printing center for ANA members.
When it is time to visit the bourse, it will be in the expansive convention center at the Gaylord Hotel. After the bourse closes, convention-goers can stay in National Harbor to have a good time, including a ride on the Capital Wheel overlooking the Potomac River.
Since National Harbor is in Maryland, the sales tax laws favor bringing all of the shows to the area.
Maybe Larry Shepherd is right. All Washington could do is add new educational opportunities and create family fun to increase the show’s attendance. It is not the direction it appears the ANA wants to go.
OMG! Congress Did Something!
I have to admit that I stopped watching what they are doing on Capitol Hill. As long as the government is functioning, my neighbors continue to work as federal workers or government contractors, my days of watching Congress has passed. Although my program continues to download the status of bills in Congress daily, the overall frustration with Congress does not have me running to the computer to check the status.
While reading other news sources, I discovered that the Senate did something. Of course, the House has to be passed to have any impact, but the fact that the Senate actually did work is astounding!
S. 697: Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act
On February 17, 2022, the Senate passed the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act (S. 697) by voice vote. There was no debate or commentary. Just a procedural voice vote to clean up non-controversial bills that are just hanging around.
If the House passes the bill, the U.S. Mint will issue gold, silver, and clad coins celebrating the legacy of Harriet Tubman. The sale proceeds will go to National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and The Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, New York.
H.R. 6663: Fleet Reserve Association 100th Anniversary Act
In other numismatic-related Congressional news, two bills were introduced in the House of Representatives. The Fleet Reserve Association 100th Anniversary Act (H.R. 6663) may not be more than a vanity bill introduction.
H.R. 6681: 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial Commemorative Coin Act
The other bill is the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 6681) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on May 30, 1922. If the bill passes, the U.S. Mint can issue 500,000 silver dollars in 2023. The proceeds will be paid to the Trust of the National Mall and to restore and preserve the Lincoln Memorial.
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