World’s Fair of Money “Suspended,” Should ANA leadership be, too?
The ANA announced today that the 2020 World’s Fair of Money scheduled for August in Pittsburgh has been “Suspended.” The announcement recognized that the “Current State of Pennsylvania guidelines restrict indoor gatherings to a maximum of 250 people at any one time.”
Of course, I noted that almost three weeks ago, but who listens to me.
By suspension, this means that the ANA will scurry around and try to do something. Like the “something” that is planned for the virtual Summar Seminar, it is so much less than what it could be.
For years, I have been pushing for the broadcasting of the events from the show. I have been saying that the use of video can be a great recruiting tool. A few have even suggested doing a virtual bourse. Although I have not advocated one, I think I have an idea as to how to implement this.
All that is needed is the hardware and services to do this.
All that the ANA needed is for the current president to continue the efforts of the past. But that would require a president with an open mind who thought better of the ANA and its members.
The actions taken by the ANA president and Board of Governors show that they are not leaders. Leaders are proactive in the organization’s best interest. If you are reactive, then you are not a leader. Or as it was once said, you are leading from behind.
I wish the ANA was more proactive with the modern needs of a collecting public. As it is said, elections have their consequences. Rather than having the leadership the ANA needs (with all due respect to Joseph de Maistre), the association has the leadership it deserves.
Are We Selling Cars or Coins?
A few weeks ago I started to receive email advertisements from several coin companies offering to sell 2012 coins. One note was found in my Junk folder from the end of October. I began to wonder if we are selling coins are cars?
Those of us living in the United States cannot engage in any media without seeing one advertisement for next year’s newly redesigned, sleeker, faster, shiny, new four-wheeled wonder from Detroit, Japan, Korea, or Germany with better handling, more fuel efficient, and technology that will do everything but brew your coffee but will tell you where you can find a cup. Anyone old enough can remember when the next model year would come out in the fall of the previous year—and in those days, you could order a car to your specification for delivery in November or December.
Although it started a few years ago, it seems that many of the world’s mints are not only beginning to advertise their next year’s offerings, but are striking them, too. I have seen advertisements from the Royal Australian Mint, Perth Mint, Royal Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint, the People’s Bank of China, and Tuvalu. These 2012 coins, mostly commemorative issues, are gilded, enameled, and painted on designs with crystals, diamonds, and even rub-and-sniff coins—new, shiny, and better than last year’s versions.
“Order now! Operators are standing by!”
Has the numismatic market become too gimmicky that these mints and central banks are resorting to car selling techniques?
I have bought my share of gimmicky collectibles, but that was at a time when these were novel. Now, it seems that many of these world mints have come up with various gimmicks in order to sell more non-circulated legal tender coins. It seems as if the metal and design are not enough any more.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your view, this could not happen in the United States. The U.S. Mint is the most regulated of all the world mints. Every coin and medal manufactured by the U.S. Mint must be allowed by a law passed by congress. Unless congress authorizes the use of color, crystals, gilded, or other non-engraved design elements, they will not appear on a U.S. coin. Even though the U.S. Mint is allowed to strike coins early, the law prevents them from issuing the coins dated in the future.
I am not going to ask if the gimmicks are good for the hobby because these new issues have the potential to introduce coins to new collectors. But how far will it go? Does the hobby really need to create contrived collectibles to generate interest?
ANA Board of Governors Meet
The American Numismatic Association Board of Governors held a teleconference last night. During the telecom, updates were provided on the ANA Twitter account @ANACoins. Here are the highlights with some commentary:
This is an anticlimactic type of announcement. With so many World’s Fair of Money shows scheduled for Chicago, is there really anyone else who could be the host club? What many people do not know is that if a club is designated as a host club, they automatically earn Life Membership in the ANA. With the shows being concentrated in Chicago and the decision to rotate the spring National Money Show between three cities, the chance for others to not only be part of the experience but earn life membership has diminished.
I know where I will be in the spring of 2013! I love visiting New Orleans. There is no place like it in the world. Aside from the French Quarter, there are world class restaurants, the Audubon Zoo, the music, and more. Have you ever been to a Voodoo museum? I have, and it is an interesting sight. Have you ever ridden on a steamboat on the Mississippi? That is a lot of fun, too. Then there’s definition of heaven: sitting at Café Du Monde at the French Market while drinking café au lait and eating beignets, getting powdered sugar on your shirt, and watching the crowds. Try doing this at 2 AM while an event is in town.
Why did they stop early birds in the first place?
As I said in a previous post, the hobby has to do better at diversifying. While this announcement is a good start, I think there should be more. What about exhibit awards for minorities? How about something to help the “Lost Demographic” (as I previously discussed)? I realize that this was probably initiated by the anonymous donor, but what about working with those in the donor community to sponsor a program for minorities or the Lost Demographic?
As someone who has taken advantage of the self-submission benefit with NGC with much success, I feel this is a good decision.
Someday the ANA will have a better information management and communications policies so that this information is more accessible to the membership in ways other than relying on Twitter. While I appreciate the information appearing on Twitter, too many people cannot handle the level of noise generated on Twitter and how to separate real information from the noise. In fact, if I had not checked Twitter for realtime sports information, I would not have seen the ANA tweets about the Board meeting.
Stacking on a Dime
Today begins a relatively new tradition called “Cyber Monday.” Cyber Monday was first used by the National Retail Federation in 2005 to describe the Monday after Thanksgiving when people return to work and use their employer’s faster Internet connections to shop for bargains. Since I am not selling anything I had to find something that could substitute and be a little fun. I found a video.
According to the video’s main page, Tai Star stacks 3,118 coins on a dime. It claims to be a records, but that is not confirmed. However, it makes for an interesting video:
Happy Cyber Monday!
Whitman Expo Trip Notes
For the first time since the 2008 World’s Fair of Money, I went to a coin show. Attending the Whitman Baltimore Expo was timed so that I could be there before the Annual Meeting of the Maryland State Numismatic Association (MSNA), but so not to spend a lot of time on my bad leg. When I arrived after 1:30 PM, there was still nice activity on the bourse floor. Although some dealers had left the show, there was a significant presence. After carefully assessing the landscape, it appears that the folks at Whitman has moved dealers around so that the area near the entrance continues to have active dealers.
Seen on the way to the Whitman Baltimore Expo!
When I arrived I did a quick tour of the bourse floor toward Halls B and C. For this show, I found that the dealers in Hall C were the most active and had the some of the more interesting items. Before going into the Hall C area, I found a dealer in foreign coins to sell some Canadian silver dollars. With that money, I went to Hall C and purchased 2011 silver Panda and Britannia coins.
Time was short, so I went to the third floor to find the meeting room for the MSNA meeting. Since the floors above the bourse were reserved for educational seminars for the American Physical Society, meeting rooms for the Whitman show were reserved more than half-way to the Camden Yards end of the Baltimore Convention Center. If you have not visited the BCC, it is a very large structure and the walk is not easy for someone with a bad leg. But I made it and the MSNA Board accomplished some work.
2012 Maryland State Numismatic Association Officers
On my return to the bourse floor, I noticed more than half the dealers had packed and left the show. For me, this is not a problem since I was more interested in the interesting item from the dealers that were left, primarily at the far end of Hall B and the dealers in Hall C. For the first time, I stopped at the table of a dealer who was selling ancient coins. Although I am not a collector of ancients, I have supported Ancient Coin Collectors Guild (ACCG) and their efforts to prevent import/export restrictions on ancient coins. I spoke with the dealer for a few moments asking questions about the ancient coin market.
I also had the chance to speak with Bob Hall, a numismatic book dealer. Every time I see him at a show, I make sure I stop by his table. Hall has a wide selection of books from the current to the old. He is also a good conversationalist who really knows his stuff. Even though I did find a book I was interested in, it was a bit out of my price range. I will try again in March.
One thing I noticed is that there did not seem to be a currency area. Currency dealers were found in different places and not in one particular area.
At the end, I sat at the table of one dealer in Hall C and went through his “junk bag” of foreign currency. Flipping through those notes gave me an idea for a collection and potential exhibition. If I can find currency with the appropriate characteristics, I will have an exhibit ready for the Whitman Expo in March.
After the show closed for the evening, returned to my car happy to be off of my feet. After a stop for an appropriate beverage, I spent the next hour driving home.
That was a lot of fun, even for a few hours. I will have to look into going to a smaller show before the next Whitman Expo.
O Baltimore!
Today is the Annual Meeting of the Maryland State Numismatic Association (MSNA). The meeting is being held at the Baltimore Convention Center during the Whitman Baltimore Expo. I am looking forward to this meeting because I was nominated as Vice President of MSNA.
The MSNA was founded in 1972 that could function as a central organization for Maryland. From humble beginnings out of John Henry’s vision with nine charter clubs, MSNA now represents 20 Maryland clubs.
Another reason why I am excited is that I have not been to a coin show since the 2008 World’s Fair of Money that was held at the Baltimore Convention Center. A bad knee has prevented me from going to coin shows. Although my knee does not feel better, I am going to the convention center a few hours before the MSNA meeting and visit the bourse. I am going to try to limit my walking, but I look forward to doing this. (And this will allow my wife to stay home read in peace!)
Obviously, I will bring my new iPhone 4S with me which will allow me to tweet about my adventures. Follow @coinsblog on Twitter to read my tweets. Hopefully, I will be able to take pictures and pass them along in real time.
Stay tuned for my show report!
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