ANA’s 2019 Election Cycle
Members of the American Numismatic Association who opted into online voting should have received the election announcement via email. If you think you did request the electronic voting option and did not receive your notice, check your spam folder.
Those who are not signed up for electronic voting should receive a paper ballot in the mail shortly. Deadline to vote using either method is July 1, 2019.
2019 ANA Election Notice
Three of the current member of the Board of Governors are running for higher office, meaning that there will be at least three new Board members.
Maybe there should be at least four new board members.
It has been a long tradition in United States populist society to “throw the bastards out” dating back to the antebellum South where the southern Democrats ran dirty campaigns and even fixed ballots to weaken the Whig Party that was anti-slavery. Newspapers at the time suggested that if the pols do not protect the southern traditions then vote them out.
Just remember, dirty politics pre-dates the founding of the United States as an independent country. In the 1820s, the movement found a rallying cry.
The ANA has had its “throw the bastards out” situation a few years ago after former ANA Executive Director Larry Shepherd file a lawsuit against the ANA and fired Jeff Shevlin as executive director. It was clear that there were problems, which attracted a large field fo candidates for the seven seats on the Board of Governors. I was one of the candidates.
There was quite a change in made in that election. Unfortunately, a few of the members that were voted in during that election remain. As someone who likes to see change and believes in term limit, anyone elected in 2013 should be retired from the Board of Governors. It has nothing to do with their qualifications, but there is a time for new ideas to replace the old.
Numismatics is not a dying hobby. For as long as physical currency is in use, there will be someone to collect those items and the billions of coins already in collections around the world. But there is some trouble in the hobby.
The ANA has to figure out its long-term direction in the context of today’s society. Kids are no longer checking mom and dad’s pocket change looking for coins. They are not encouraged to do so, but there are no incentives for them to begin. There is no long term encouragement.
We have to adapt to a new way of thinking. Unfortunately, very few of the candidates’ statements show that they are seriously thinking about the future.
Change begins with change. It is time for those who have served to retire from the Board and let others step forward. Let’s thank them for their service and allow them to move on.
It may not be a revolution, but evolution is necessary.
In a few weeks, I will post my endorsements.
Until then, I welcome your thoughts.
ANA Board Fires Cipoletti
On Monday, October 15, 2007, the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors fired Executive Director and Legal Counsel Christopher Cipoletti. News reports said that the unanimous decision by the Board to “terminate with cause” came in closed session following an undisclosed one-hour presentation by Cipoletti. An arbitrator will help settle the termination of Cipoletti’s contract, which runs through December 2008.
Cipoletti was placed on administrative leave by the new Board of Governors during their first meeting at the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last August. His leadership has been questioned as well as his handling of the ANA budget, which ran with deficits the last five years that caused the association to tap into its endowment funds. Cipoletti was a lightning rod for criticism and his work became a campaign issue in the last ANA elections in which all incumbents were voted off the Board.
Now that the ANA is looking for a new executive director, the Board should consider a competent individual who is experience with running a non-profit, membership supported organization would be best for the ANA. It would be wonderful if the new executive director was also a collector, that should not be a priority.
Should the ANA be looking for suggestions, the Board may want to consider interviewing the previous director of the US Mint Henrietta Holsman Fore (now a senior official at the State Department) and the current director Edmund Moy. Fore is from Nevada, which may be a welcome relief from Washington at the end of the administration and Moy is a collector. Both have proven management skills, know the numismatic community, and will be out of a job soon.
It’s just a thought.
ANA Cancels SF Museum Plans
Following the cancellation of the plans for a numismatic museum in Washington, DC, the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors voted on Monday to withdraw their support for Gold Rush Museum that will be built in the old San Francisco Mint building known as the Granite Lady. Just as with the Washington project, the ANA cited the association’s inability to financially support the project.
As part of this vote, the ANA and Steven L. Contursi, President of Rare Coin Wholesalers of Dana Point, California withdrew the pledge of $1 million Contursi made for the museum projects. Contursi, who was awarded an ANA Exemplary Service Award for his previous assistance to the Association, said that he looks forward to working with the ANA on future projects.
The Board of Governors will continue the study the feasibility of expanding the Edward C. Rochette Money Museum at the ANA headquarters in Colorado Springs.
ANA Cancels DC Museum
Citing the inability to commit to raising the $20 million dollars that would be needed to support the project, the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors voted unanimously to cancel plans to open a museum in Washington, DC.
“At this point in time we can’t make the financial commitment to raise over $20 million that would be needed for the Washington project. When the association’s finances allow us to do so, we may revisit this proposal in the future,” explained Barry Stuppler, ANA President.
The ANA will take up the expansion of the Edward C. Rochette Money Museum at the headquarters in Colorado Springs and their participation in the development of the American Money and Gold Rush Museum at the old mint building in San Francisco during the scheduled board meeting on October 15-16.
Although there was no reason provided why the Board did not wait until their scheduled meeting two weeks later, there may have been a commitment issue that had to be resolved at the beginning new federal fiscal year (FY08) that started on October 1.
Commitments for these museums were lead by Executive Director Christopher Cipoletti. Soon after, it was questioned whether the ANA can afford these commitments. This was one of the issues that lead to the questions of the ANA’s fiscal responsibility during the recent ANA elections. This was probably one of many reasons that Cipoletti was placed on leave when the new Governors were installed—even though the “official” reason was to prepare for a trial.
As a resident of the Metropolitan DC area, I am a little disappointed that the ANA will not be working to open a museum in the area. Maybe they can consider working with the Smithsonian Institute to find a place to display The National Numismatic Collection, the world’s largest, that closed in December 2004.
Glittering Platinum and Gold
When I decided to take a week off, I did not think that there would be much news in the numismatic community. I knew that the US Mint would issue the 28-coin 2007 Mint Set with a satin finish. I figured that would be all of the news from the Mint until the release of the James Madison Dollar. But it seems that precious metals prices have had an effect on Mint products.
As the dollar weakens, investors are running to precious metals to protect their assets. This is driving up the prices for gold and platinum. The increased interested gold caused its spot price to reach $711.40 on September 12. Because the margin decreased, the Mint suspended sales of American Eagle gold coins on September 13.
Platinum has also been surging. As of the market close on Friday, October 5, platinum closed at $1365—up over $300 this year— as gold closed at $741.30. When the markets opened on Monday, the Mint suspended sales of the platinum American Eagles and American Buffalo gold proof coins. The next day, bulk sales to dealers were halted. Only the silver and platinum proof American Eagles are still available.
Dave Harper of Numismatic News speculates that the Mint acts when the threshold between the cost of the metals and the spot prices are within $100 of the Mint’s sales price. While he has no evidence of this, it is a plausible theory based on recent events as all bullion sales ceased when gold and platinum spot prices were within $100 of the Mint’s sales price.
Before the Mint can reprice these coins, they are required to publish the new prices in The Federal Register. Nothing has been announced. Market volatility may make this more difficult for the Mint than expected. It could take the Mint until the end of the month to set new prices to allow the market to settle.
Will You Collect Rare Coin Trading Cards?
Can you own a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel? What about a 1856 Flying Eagle Cent? Is there a 1907 High Relief Saint Gaudens Double Eagle in your future? Most of us commoners can only dream about owning one of these great rarities. But would it be interesting to have a unique collectible about these and other great coins?
A friend who is a baseball card collector and was searching the Internet looking for a a particular card. After doing a series of online searches he stumbled on a website that he thought I would be interested in seeing. Sure it was about trading cards, but not of baseball players. He said that these were trading cards of rare coins. I thought my friend was doing some early weekend celebrating, but it was such a different idea that I had to see for myself. His email had a link to www.eaglesofamerica.com. When the page loaded, I was surprised to see that this company had partnered with the Upper Deck Company to create rare coin trading cards.
What an interesting idea! I probably will never own most of these rare coins, so why not supplement my collection with trading cards about them? According to the site, “Series 1” will be sold in foil packages at coin and hobby shops. Each package will have eight out of 500 different cards, one of 100 Lucky Penny card that will have an uncirculated Lincoln cent from 1930-70, and one bonus card. The bonus card has an assortment of prized to be claimed from the publishers.
The cards will be available in November from hobby shows with a suggested retail price of $5-6 per pack. Sweepstakes and other prizes are described on the site that include a 1907 High Relief Saint Gaudens Gold Double Eagle, a Trade Dollar, a 1799 Bust Dollar, and a trip to Washington for a visit to the Smithsonian Museum. It will be interesting to see if these cards generate interest in the numismatic community.
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