The envelope, please…
This evening I was loading my truck to make a delivery. At least once per week am running out the door after closing to deliver items when my cell phone rang. After lifting a large desk into the bed of my pickup truck, I was initially dreading the call. This customer has canceled before after I loaded the truck.
But this was different. The call was from American Numismatic Association Executive Director Kim Kiick. As chair of the Technology Committee, or I think we are now called the money.org committee, we discuss issues that arise making a call from Colorado Springs not surprising. After securing the desk, I did not listen to the message. I just called her back.
Today’s call was different. Kim was not calling me to discuss an issue but to give me the news that the ANA Board of Governors has selected me to be the 2019 recipient of the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award!
WOW!
I was and am still SHOCKED! And very honored!!!
First, from the ANA’s website: “The Glenn Smedley Memorial Award was created in memory of Glenn B. Smedley, a collector’s collector, to recognize individuals who have devoted their efforts to the betterment of the ANA.”
I became a member of the Technolgy Committee a few years ago after publishing many articles on this blog about how far behind the ANA was in the use of technology. It was a chance to put-up or shut-up.
When the chair of the committee resigned, I was asked to succeed him. That was not a problem. I continue to believe in the mission of the ANA, and I believe that the only way to bring in younger members is to find ways of making the ANA more technology aware. I was not doing this for awards–especially now that I am trying to run a business.
I am rarely overwhelmed. Then I went to the website to see the list of past recipients and I am in absolute awe of the decision.
The award will be presented at the World’s Fair of Money this August. I should probably make arrangements to be there!
THANK YOU TO THE ANA BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR THIS HONOR!
Off to the Queen City
Before I leave for the Queen City of the Carolinas, I wanted to first let my readers know that the US Mint announced that the American Silver Eagle Proof coins will go on sale at noon on March 27. This beautiful one-ounce silver coin, featuring the Walking Liberty design by Adolf A. Weinman, will be sold for $29.95.
Other than that, I am off to Charlotte. I will have a report when I return. Have a good weekend.
GW Dollar Smooth Edge FAQ
Susan Headley, the Coins Guide on About.com, wrote a great frequently asked questions (FAQ) article that is worth reading. It sets the records straight as to what is known about the smooth or plain edge error on the George Washington Dollars. Read about it here.
US Mint Recognizes Dollar Smooth Edge Error
A March 7, 2007 press release issued by the US Mint recognized “that an unspecified quantity of [George Washington Dollar] coins inadvertently left the United States Mint at Philadelphia without edge-lettering on them.” Calling it a quality control issue, the Mint said that they are “looking into the matter to determine a possible cause in the manufacturing process.”
Unfortunately, there are media abusers whose knee-jerk reaction was to call this a way to “remove God from our coins.” This could be the furthest from the truth and readers are advised to consider the source before trusting any information these smear merchants may pronounce.
When is a Variation Not a Variety
If you search the online auction sites, you will find less than honest sellers trying to sell variations in the positioning of edge lettering of the new George Washington Dollars errors or varieties. Letters that are pointed up, or the top of the letters towards the obverse, are considered “normal” by these sellers. Letters that are pointed downward, or the top of the letters closer to the reverse of the coin, have been called errors or varieties. They are neither.
An accepted definition of a variety “is any variation in the normal design of a given coin, usually caused by errors in the preparation or maintenance of the coin dies.” They are also errors caused in the striking process. But these definitions do not account for the differences in the orientation. The problem is that after the planchets are struck into coins by the high speed coining machines, they are mechanically collected and fed into a machine that will press the lettering into the edge of the coins.
The machine that adds the edge lettering uses a three part collar to impress the incuse lettering does this without regard to position. not only could the edge lettering face any direction, but the lettering can appear at any position along the edge. The US Mint confirms this by saying that because of “the minting process used on the circulating coins, the edge-incused inscription positions will vary with each coin.”
Since the Mint is saying that the process can vary, these variations are normal for the design. Since these are normal variations, they are not numismatic varieties or errors. Thus, the coins with variations of orientation edge lettering are not worth the premiums being sought online. They are worth their face value of $1.
There have been errors found with the edge lettering. The most infamous has been called the “Godless Dollars” for coins missing their edge lettering and the motto “In God We Trust.” Most of these coins were minted in Philadelphia and discovered in Florida. Others have found doubling of edge letters and what looks like breaks in the three-part collars where letters have moved out of place. These are legitimate errors and worth a premium above face value. Orientation variations of the edge lettering are not errors.
If you want to consider these varieties, please save your money and visit your local bank. You can purchase these coins for face value without shipping and handling fees. If you purchase a 25-coin roll, you can spend the coins you do not want since they are legal tender.
Numismatic Bliss
My collecting habits have been put on hold pending the big month of March where I will be attending the American Numismatic Association’s National Money Show in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Whitman Baltimore Coin and Currency Expo.
This will be the first ANA convention I will attend after missing the last time they visited Baltimore. With my parents living in Charlotte, I can take the opportunity to visit them and make it to the show. Of the many things to see at the show, I am looking forward to the collector exhibits. I have heard about the many different exhibits from others and have seen the exhibit pamphlet published by the ANA that makes it more intriguing. Also, Monnaie de Paris, Mint of Poland, and the Royal Canadian Mint will have tables at the show. It should be fun.
Baltimore seems to be a favorite place for dealers. In fact, the Baltimore shows are such a success it caused the ANA to move the National Money Show to Charlotte. Originally, the National Money Show (scheduled for Sacramento, California) and the Baltimore Show was on the same weekend. Because of booking conflicts with the Baltimore Convention Center, the Baltimore show could not be rescheduled. So if the ANA did not move the National Money Show, dealers would have to decide which show to attend.
Although it was not published, many dealers privately said that since business would be better in Baltimore and east coast dealers had to consider travel costs, they would rather attend the Baltimore show than the ANA show. It was strictly a business decision for many dealers. To prevent problems, the ANA moved the show to Charlotte and a week earlier.
Charlotte will be interesting for the interaction with the ANA. Baltimore will introduce Whitman Publishing as the new management of the show. Charlotte was organized in less than a year. Whitman takes over an established show that fills up three huge halls in the Baltimore Convention Center. This has to be the definition of numismatic bliss!
Support the Coin Collectors Blog
Buy me a coffee
Thank you for your support!
Let Me Know What You Think
Are you going to the World's Fair of Money
Total Voters: 17
Loading ...