ANA Convention – Chicago, Illinois – August 5-9, 2014
Information from ANA press release: The American Numismatic Association had 12,642 people attend its signature summer event, the 2014 Chicago World’s Fair of Money, held Aug. 5-9 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
The ANA announced the launch of its new website, www.money.org, at the show during a Money Talks presentation on Tuesday, Aug. 5. A silent auction held at the annual ANA Banquet raised more than $18,918 for the Robert Lecce Advanced Scholarship Program. A bourse of 575 table-holders is a new World’s Fair of Money record.
The high attendance numbers were driven by the U.S. Mint’s new product launch, the dual-dated Kennedy gold commemorative coin.
Report by John and Nancy Wilson, ANA National Volunteers, Ocala, Fla.
Thank you Chicago, 123rd ANA World’s Fair of Money Participants
The American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money (WFOM) 123rd Anniversary Convention was held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, in Chicago/Rosemont, Ill., August 5-9, 2014. The convention had close to 600 bourse tables, around a dozen world mints, many coin club tables, world-class exhibits and a superb ANA museum showcase display. Congratulations to Mack Martin for winning the coveted Howland Wood Memorial Award for Best-in-Show collector exhibit. Two major auction companies held separate sales during the convention. StacksBowers (www.stacksbowers.com) and Heritage Auction Company (www.ha.com) held phenomenal auctions and probably set a record for a total sales price as well as lots sold.
We compare this ANA Convention to the ANA 1991 100th Anniversary Convention held in this same building. The numismatic theatre presentations and Sundman Lecture Series were great. Many coin clubs had outstanding educational programs in conjunction with their meeting(s). The Scouts had a great clinic, and you could see them after their meeting on the bourse floor. Young Numismatists (YNs) had their own Kids Zone in the back of the bourse along with a treasure hunt. The Show Guide was excellent and covered everything. The convention medal by Jamie Franki was exceptional. Security by PPI was outstanding.
Big thanks to all the dealers for taking tables, the early birds for purchasing badges, along with the show sponsors and patrons for their generous donations in support of the convention. Starting at this event on the second day, the ANA allowed its members to enter the bourse a half-hour earlier than non-members. Maybe, as a special perk, the ANA should allow its Life Members to enter a half-hour earlier on the opening day of the show. The half-hour earlier for ANA members is a great reason to join the Association.
Attendance was probably close to the numbers of the 2013 show which was held in this same building. Lines for registering were very long on Monday to obtain credentials to enter the convention on Tuesday. This was due to the U.S. Mint releasing their 2014 Kennedy gold piece on the opening day of the show. On Tuesday morning we looked out our window at the Doubletree and the line was well over two blocks long. Probably 1,000 plus people trying to get one of the first 500 released on the opening day. The release of the Kennedy gold piece turned out to be a huge problem for the mint and the ANA. It was agreed upon by both that the last two days of this release be canceled. If the U.S. Mint has special releases like this at future conventions, we suggest that they make some available for special daily drawings at their booth. This would give visitors, dealers and collectors a chance to purchase one of the coins being offered.
Other than the U.S. Mint Kennedy release, the convention ran very smoothly and a large thank you goes to: Convention Director Rhonda Scurek and Executive Director Kimberly Kiick and all their staff; President Walter Ostromecki, Jr. and the Board of Governors; the host Chicago Coin Club (CCC), Host Chair William Burd, Honorary Chair William Cross and 75 plus coin club volunteers in their red convention shirts. Kudos to the CCC and all the volunteers wearing red shirts for doing an outstanding job. By far the most volunteers of any convention ever held by the ANA. This was the 14th ANA Convention hosted by the CCC. Thanks also to the ANA National Volunteers for their dedicated service to the Association. Thanks to the exhibitors, judges, educational speakers for their tireless work; along with the numismatic press, media, sponsors and patrons for their many contributions. The show featured a Tuesday evening Kickoff Event – Oktoberfest in August at MB Financial Park (behind the hotels on River Road – an easy walk). The Friday ANA banquet had Wendell Wolka as emcee, and it ran smoothly. The steak dinner was great. The ANA held its first donor silent auction at the banquet and it realized $18,918. These funds will be used for the Robert Lecce Advanced Scholarship Fund. We want to congratulate Neil Shafer on receiving the ANA’s highest award, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award. Congratulations to all the other award recipients.
Many other great events were also held in conjunction with the show. They included the Numismatic News Ambassador Award Breakfast (www.numismaticnews.net) It was announced that this great award program is ending after 40 years. Congratulations to Mitch Ernst, Dan and Kathy Freeland, Eugene Freeman, Dr. Jay Galst, Warren Jackson and Simcha Kuritzky for being the last recipients of this award.
Other events held were: The Tokens and Medals Dinner (TAMS – www.tokenandmedal.org); the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America Dinner (CONECA – www.conecaonline.org). Two great coin clubs held a joint dinner meeting at the show – The Chicago Coin Club (www.chicagocoinclub.org) and the New York Numismatic Club (NYNclub). The Numismatic Literary Guild Bash (NLG – www.nlgonline.org) was also held and many awards were presented.
Thanks again to everyone (and anyone we missed) for their donations, work, effort and contributions who helped to make this an outstanding convention. We hope to see you at the next two ANA Conventions in 2015.
ANA National Money Show – Portland, Oregon – March 5-7, 2015
See ANA Conventions and Shows in Portland, Oregon – 1998 to 2015.
ANA Convention – Chicago, Illinois – August 11-15, 2015
Report by John and Nancy Wilson, ANA National Volunteers, Ocala, Fla.
Thank you Chicago, 124th ANA World’s Fair of Money Participants
The ANA World’s Fair of Money 124th anniversary convention was held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, in Rosemont, Ill., Aug. 11-15.
Congratulations to the Chicago Coin Club for hosting their 16th ANA convention, along with Host Chair Jeffrey Rosinia, Honorary Host Chair Harlan Berk and the CCC committee for doing outstanding and dedicated work for this important event. Thanks also to the ANA national volunteers for their continual assistance at all ANA conventions. Convention Director Rhonda Scurek and her team worked hard and kept this large show running smoothly. ANA Executive Director Kim Kiick also is to be commended for all the great work done by the ANA Staff. President Walter Ostromecki and the Board also contributed to the success of this convention.
A big thanks to all the dealers for taking tables, the early birds for purchasing badges, along with the show sponsors and patrons for their generous donations in support of the convention. This was the largest bourse the ANA has ever had at any convention. The show was so large that the ANA placed the exhibits in another separate hall. It had an entrance from the front and in the main bourse through an overhead door. You know a convention is large when the “Show Guide” is 120 pages long. Nine government agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury and their “Million Dollar Exhibit,” were also there. Dozens of coin clubs and societies also participated with tables and educational meetings. The convention had two successful auctions by Stacks-Bowers and Heritage.
A sincere thanks and gratitude to all numismatists and institutions who shared their knowledge and/or collections in the ANA Museum Showcase (we especially liked the “Coins of the Bible” display), collector exhibits, the exhibit judges, Money Talks, Coin Television, Sundman Lecture Series, numismatic theater presenters, the numismatic press (Numismatic News, Coin World and other publications and media). Thanks to Jamie Franki who designed the official convention medal. The Scouts had an excellent clinic and many of them came to the bourse, along with other YNs and enjoyed the Kids Zone and treasure hunt. PPI once again kept the show very safe, and we didn’t hear of any problems.
ANA Convention – Anaheim, California – August 9-13, 2016
ANA 125th Anniversary Convention (1891-2016)
Report by John and Nancy Wilson, ANA National Volunteers, Ocala, Fla.
Thank you, 2016 ANA World’s Fair of Money Participants
The American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money (WFOM) Convention was held at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 9-13, 2016. With 10% of ANA coin clubs and members residing in California it is an important state for the Association to have a coin show. Like all WFOM ANA Conventions, this show had something for everyone. Well over 400 bourse dealers and many early birds, two major auction firms – Stacks/Bowers (www.stacksbowers.com) and Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com), exceptional educational exhibits, an ANA museum showcase, a kids zone and treasure hunt, an informative printed program, nine world mints or agencies – including the United States Treasury and Post Office plus FEDEX participation, the numismatic press including F + W Media – Krause Publications and Coin World, all the major grading services, dozens of numismatic educational programs, generous patrons who helped to underwrite the convention, and a scout merit badge clinic.
There was also a fantastic 125th Anniversary reception (free high quality photos taken of everyone), one of the best ANA banquets ever – with The Numismatist editor Barbara Gregory as emcee, a successful donor auction at the banquet, 20 ANA member coin club tables and their educational programs, special nightly coin club banquets, an NLG Bash, top-notch security by PPI, well-done ANA medals for this show, the elongated collector souvenirs, many nearby hotels, restaurants, and Disneyland nearby. Thanks to all for making this a well-run convention with few problems.
We especially want to thank the following for tireless and dedicated service for this convention: ANA Convention Manager Rhonda Scurek and her crew, Executive Director Kim Kiick and her staff, President Jeff Garrett and the Board; and especially General Chairman Walter A. Ostromecki, Jr., his committee along with the volunteers, the host coin clubs and especially the ANA National Volunteers along with the exhibit judges and exhibitors. Congratulations to everyone who won awards at the convention.
Photo (below): Meeting of past ANA Convention General Chairmen (Goodfellows) along with Convention Director Rhonda Scurek and Executive Director Kim Kiick seated on left.
Thanks again to everyone and anyone we missed, for their work to make this a successful convention.