Charmy's 2017 ANA SUMMER SEMINAR REPORT w/tons of Pics!

[The Penny Lady]

Let me first say that I LOVE the ANA Summer Seminar. This is my 4th time attending and I hope to return every year. Each time I go, I not only learn a lot, but I get to spend time with many wonderful numismatists, both new and experienced. For those of you interested in attending, several numismatic organizations offer scholarships to its members, including Women In Numismatics. Each organization has its own requirements, but they generally include being an active member, writing articles, giving presentations, etc. Here is a link on the ANA's website to the groups that offer scholarships: https://money.org/ANA-Summer-Seminar-Scholarships.

The ANA offers two sessions in June and I attended the second session. Most participants arrive on Saturday but I like to attend the Colorado Springs Coin Show so my trip began on Friday afternoon (fyi, I paid extra for an additional night in the Colorado College apartment). I arrived at the Orange County airport and, even carrying a double row box of coins that I brought to sell at the show, I sailed through security so I had just under 2 hours before my flight. My gate just happened to be right near the Vino Vola wine tasting bar, so of course, I decided to do some wine tasting before my flight. I tried 3 cabs that were all wonderful.

Then it was time to board my flight. This is me very happy to be going to the ANA Summer Seminar!

After a couple hours we were landing in Denver.

Rick was setting up at the Colorado Springs show so he and his son Kenny drove from Arizona to Colorado, and he graciously agreed to pick me up in Denver. I was very grateful I didn't have to endure the 20-minute flight from Denver to Colorado Springs on one of their prop puddle jumper planes because that short flight is awful.

We got back to Colorado Springs that night and made a quick run to Cole Trains for snacks in beverages before I checked into my apartment. Cole Trains has an excellent wine selection and I was like a kid in a candy store trying to figure out which wines I wanted to try.

I stayed in the Antero apartment building. The apartments are much more comfortable than the dorm rooms, and have a living room, kitchen, and bathroom.

The next morning I headed over to the cafeteria for breakfast and took a few photos of the campus.

This is the Worner building where the cafeteria is located and where most of the events are held, including our classroom.

Here are Rick and his son Kenny at the cafeteria, along with several other notable numismatists

Then we went to the coin show. These are two very friendly hard working gentlemen who happily greet each person coming to the show.

I took my double row box around to various dealers and sold quite a few coins. I even sold a coin to Leo Frese, who recently moved to Colorado and opened up his own coins store.

There was quite a bit of traffic at the show on Saturday but unfortunately I forgot to take photos around the show earlier so these photos make it look like the show was deserted since I took them early in the afternoon.

After the show, we went back to the campus for registration, dinner, then orientation. A few weeks before my session, I received the Student Handbook and other forms.

At registration, I received my ID, Program Guide and Family Activities brochure, and water bottle.

At dinner, there was a line of hungry folks waiting to get in.

In the cafeteria, I ran into more familiar faces.

Sam Ernst (notlogical on the Message Boards)

Ricardo De León Tallavas

This is one of the ANA photographers taking photos throughout the week.

After dinner, it was time for orientation where we hear about the upcoming events, introduced to the staff and instructors, as well as the usual "drink lots of water," who to call for specific "emergencies," etc.

Then it was time for my favorite part of Summer Seminar, hanging out at the "Lunar Lounge"! It's where many folks gather each evening where there are tables and chairs out on the quad between the dorm buildings. It's in an area that overlooks Pike's Peak and you get a beautiful view of the sun setting each night. People bring their own beverages to share with everyone, sometimes they bring a guitar and play music, and sometimes someone brings a deck of cards and poker chips (like me!). It's the best place to spend one on one time with fellow attendees and instructors, relax, share some coins, and just get to know each other.

Rick came especially prepared with his flip flop bottle opener!

Sunday morning was the first day of class. I was assisting Rick with his "Secrets of Flying Eagle and Indian Cents" class. There were 8 of us, and even though I've taken his class a couple of times, I still always learn something new! He gave each student a copy of his Attribution Guide, as well as the Whitman Guide Book that he wrote (and which I wrote a section on Flying Eagle and Indian cent exonumia). He also gave each student a couple issues of the Fly-In Club's newsletter, Longacre's Ledger.

This year Rick added information about Civil War Tokens and encased stamps used as money.

He also brought several counterfeit Civil War Tokens for us to examine.

Rick discussed the nuances of and showed us how to grade proof Flying Eagle and Indian cents.

This is one of Rick's earliest versions of his photoseal!

During the lunch break, I found a group of YN's already wheeling and dealing for some coins!

At dinner, I ran into Rick's "brother from another mother" Brian Fanton (they switched badges just to confuse us even more).

Later that evening it was once again time for Lunar Lounge!

Sunday night was the great book sale where the ANA puts on sale surplus books, periodicals and auction catalogs at discounted prices. Books are available on a variety of numismatic subjects including world and U.S. Coins, paper money tokens, medals, ephemera and more. The proceeds benefit the Dwight N. Manley Numismatic Library. Often there are rarities hidden between more common books. People are let in one by one a couple minutes apart so they have a chance to be alone and quickly search for books of interest to their collecting desires. So the ANA Library Manager, David Sklow, hands out numbered tickets at random, with the coveted Ticket No. 1 being raffled off. As usual, there is a long line of people waiting their turn to see what cool book they can find.

This is David with Ticket No. 1 which was raffled off during orientation.

This gentleman bid the highest and won Ticket No. 1, along with a rare signed first edition of the Red Book.

The crowd of folks waiting in line.

Before the book sale, I took some time to view the ANA's new WWI exhibit "Trenches to Treaties, WWI In Remembrance." This is Douglas Mudd, the museum curator.

I especially enjoyed the photographs of the propaganda posters

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It looked like a storm was moving in over the mountains and it rained a little.

We soon got a great poker game going under the overhang.

The next day, Monday, in class we learned more about grading Indian cents and variety attribution. We did a lot of grading exercises, and I was very pleased that my grading skills were pretty much in line with the grading services.

I ended up buying this 1863 S-22 variety for my personal collection since I didn't have this one and thought it was pretty neat. It has a "1" sticking out from the bust.

More cafeteria photos.

After dinner on Monday there was a guided tour of the Harry Bass collection of U.S. gold coins and patterns, two 1804 dollars and a 1913 Liberty Head nickel, plus numerous other rarities at the ANA Museum.

Later on Monday evening we had a huge hail storm. Being from Southern California where it hardly ever hails, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Our apartment building had a lounge room with a large table, sofa and chairs so due to the rain/hail, we ended up having another poker game in our lounge. We were having so much fun that security showed up at midnight and asked us to keep all the noise and music down!

On Tuesday, I gave a presentation in class about Flying Eagle and Indian cent exonumia, and brought several pieces from my collection to discuss.

Then Rick pulled out some of his counterfeit pieces so we could learn what to look for. The first group was pretty crude and more easily detectable. We also had a roving instructor attend our class, Ken Hallenbeck.

The usual lunch bunch group!

The college was giving a campus tour

On Tuesday evening, many of the instructors attended a private reception sponsored by Ken and Tom Hallenbeck at the prestigious El Paso Club.

There was a "secret room" hidden behind a bookshelf where women were not allowed, so of course, I had to investigate! They had a beautiful bar with a female bartender! There were also lots of paintings of partially nude women (which I respectfully did not photograph).

There was also a large rack of copper mugs that had individual names on them. Tom Hallenbeck told me they were specifically used for Moscow Mule drinks and he showed me his.

After the reception we went back to the College Campus for the big of the week, the YN Auction!

Some of the hardworking YNs who worked tirelessly to put together the auction

The first item auctioned off was this fancy sombrarro that Ricardo modeled

Two years ago when I last attended Summer Seminar, I bought Tiny's lightbulb hat, see photo below from 2 years ago. (I also had to wear Tiny's overalls since someone paid a bunch of money for me to wear them and the only way I could get out of it was to pay more NOT to wear them.) Since then, Tiny retired due to health issues with his wife, who just recently died. So I donated Tiny's hat back for the YN auction.

Then Joe Paonessa donated a hobo nickel hat band that he made. So they auctioned off the hat and hatband together which brought in about $450!

The highlight of the auction was the $3,500 they collected to get Bill Shamhart to wear makeup, wig, and a dress all day on Wednesday, including to the graduation banquet. It was the brainchild of these two, Bob and Jim, who paid a large portion of the $3,500!

It was hilarious and Bill looked fantastic! However, Bill preferred not to have photos of him in drag posted on social media so I promised I would abide by his wishes.

Wednesday in class we studied more deceptive counterfeits, including other denominations. Some of these were so very hard to determine how they were made and would pass inspection by many people. It is scary how well made counterfeits can be. In the afternoon we visited Bob Campbell's class on counterfeit detection and learned about how to detect artificial toning.

This is our class photo!

Women in Numismatics is once again selling raffle tickets to hep support our Summer Seminar scholarship, so throughout the week, I sold tickets in the cafeteria and in class (25/25/50 raffle, $1 ticket or 6 for $5). I was so pleasantly surprised by how supportive folks were and how many tickets I sold (yes, that's a $100 bill in that wad of money!).

After class on Wednesday, they held a reception in the Worner building before the graduation banquet.

Then we walked across the street to the banquet where they serve a great bbq dinner! Afterwards, several awards are given out to YN's, and certificates are handed out to the instructors.

The always give everyone a souvenir coin replica, and this one was pretty neat.

I'm somewhere in the middle of this first picture!

Susan McMillan has been in charge of the Summer Seminar for many years and this year will be her last as she is retiring.

After the banquet, we spent our last evening out at the Lunar Lounge, just hanging out, chatting, sharing beverages, and enjoying the company of our fellow numismatists one last time.

Soon it was time to pack and head to bed since we were heading to Denver at 6am!

Bye bye Colorado Springs and Denver, at least for a couple weeks since I will be returning to Colorado Springs for my nephew's wedding on July 11.

I love flying over Colorado!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the ANA Summer Seminar and look forward to returning next year! But even more, I love coming home to my hubby and my sweet fatty Penny!

[Coagman]

As always, thanks for the report and all of the great photos. 

[PocketArt]

Thanks Charmy for the report.  Not only do I get hungry, and thirsty after reading your detailed show experiences, I always learn something.  Very enjoyable!  

[mark]

What a great time you had and that I got to enjoy! I can't ever attend the Summer Seminar due to my job but after your post, I feel like I've just attended my first! Thanks so much.

Mark

[physics-fan3.14]

Every year I mean to go to the Summer Seminar, and every year something comes up and I can't. Maybe next year.