American Numismatic Association

George Francis Heath established the American Numismatic Association (ANA) in 1891. It was founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to develop numismatics (the study of coins) knowledge along educational, historical, and scientific lines, as well as to increase interest in the hobby. The ANA has almost 24,000 individual members who enjoy a variety of privileges such as discounts, internet features, and the monthly newspaper The Numismatist. The ANA's headquarters in Colorado Springs includes its administrative offices, library, and money museum. In 1912, the United States Congress granted the ANA a federal charter. The ANA is governed by a board of governors. A number of advisory groups contribute to its proper operation. The ANA maintains a Young Numismatists initiative to encourage young interest in numismatics. Since 1891, the ANA has sponsored annual conferences around the country in most years, with two occurring each year since 1978. The Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award is given to the members who have given their all. In addition, the ANA has a Numismatic Hall of Fame.

History

Dr. George F. Heath of Monroe, Michigan, learned about global history through analyzing his coin collection. The obscurity of his society hampered his ability to collect specific specimens and made meeting fellow numismatists difficult. In 1888, he created, published, and distributed NUMISMATIST, a four-page brochure in which he specified his coin requirements, marketed duplicates for sale, and addressed numismatic issues. Among other solitary collectors, the fledgling periodical made many friends. As Heath's subscription list grew, it became clear that a national organization of numismatists was required. The February 1891 issue of The Numismatist asked, "What is the problem with creating an American Numismatic Association?" "There is nothing like the alliance of like-minded interests to drive growth," said a follow-up statement. On October 7 and 8, 1891, five men—Heath, William G. Jerrems, David Harlowe, J.A. Heckerman, and John Brydon—held 26 proxies and met with 61 founder members in Chicago. As a result, the ANA was founded, and it has since grown to become the world's biggest non-profit numismatic organization. Heath then proposed a numismatic convention where members may meet in person with other numismatists. The first convention was held in 1891, followed by yearly conventions until 1895, and then in 1901 and 1904. Following the 1907 conference in Columbus, Ohio, it was determined that yearly meetings would be held in the future. Dr. Heath died unexpectedly on June 16, 1908. Farran Zerbe, then president, took over editing and publishing The Numismatist and The newspaper was quickly bought from Heath's heirs.  W.C.C. Wilson of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, bought The Numismatist from Zerbe in 1911 and handed it to the ANA. Since then, the ANA has owned and produced the magazine on a monthly basis. The ANA rose to national prominence on May 9, 1912, when it was awarded a Federal Charter signed by President William Howard Taft.  An amendment to make the Charter permanent and allow for a bigger Board was submitted and enacted by Congress in 1962, and John F. Kennedy signed it into law on April 10, 1962. Arkansas Congressman Wilbur Mills and Senator John L. McClellan introduced the amendment. On April 29, 1961, the ANA National Headquarters Building Fund was formed.

Membership

Nearly 24,000 people are individual members of the ANA. Memberships can be purchased for one year, three years, five years, or a lifetime. The latter varies in price based on a member's age and if The Numismatist, the ANA's magazine, is sent or viewed digitally. Membership tiers include silver, gold, or platinum, with a "life membership" option available for a one-time purchase and a youth option for children under the age of 18.

Events 

Since 1891, the ANA has hosted conferences almost every year, and in 1978, it expanded to two yearly events. The ANA hosted a third show in 2011 and 2012, but declared on May 4, 2012 that it would no longer do so in 2013. These conferences include exhibitions, instructional sessions, junior member events, auctions, and meetings of allied specialist groups, as well as a big bourse room. The National Money Show and the ANA World's Fair of Money are the names given to the ANA's annual money shows. The National Money Show takes place in the spring, while the World's Fair takes place in the summer.