ANA Summer Seminar 2009 Features More Choices, New Classes and Instructors

The 41st annual Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs will offer students a menu of two-day and five-day classes, introduce a number of new courses that reflect current trends in the hobby, and feature several new instructors, recognized as leaders in the hobby.

For the first time in Summer Seminar history, students can choose to take two two-day classes or one five-day class during either session, June 27 – July 3 or July 4 – 10. This year’s educational event features more than 20 new classes, 12 first-time Seminar instructors, a first-ever Course Bourse, the return of a working mini-mint, a public meeting of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, and time-honored classes and activities that have helped make Summer Seminar so successful.

"Last year I heard several suggestions for new classes and scheduling options," said ANA Executive Director Larry Shepherd, who is teaching a two-day class, Classic US Commemoratives: Bourse Secrets of a Pro. "Some asked if it was possible to create classes reflecting current trends in the hobby — and if that might attract new instructors on the cutting edge of those trends. The answer is 'yes' and 'yes.'"

Among the new offerings is a special two-evening mini-seminar on CAC verification, taught by John Albanese, founder of Certified Acceptance Corp. Coin World Editor Beth Deisher is teaming with investigative reporter Susan Headley to teach a two-day class on Facing the Chinese Counterfeiting Threat, and numismatic icon Ira Goldberg will join with ANA Museum Curator Doug Mudd to present the two-day class, Money of the World: Coins That Made History.

Popular courses including introductory, intermediate and advanced grading will again be offered, along with counterfeit detection, digital photography, paper money, ancients and Morgan silver dollar classes. ANA President Barry Stuppler will return to teach his popular and practical course, So You Want to Be a Coin Dealer? Eleven evening mini-seminars provide additional opportunities for students and instructors to expand their numismatic horizons.

“Whatever your numismatic interest or experience in the hobby, I’m confident you will find a class that will help you expand your knowledge and make you a better collector,” said Education Project Manager Susan McMillan.

This also marks the first year that Summer Seminar will be held under the newly established Florence Schook School of Numismatics. The ANA has placed all of its educational programs in the Florence Schook School to honor the former ANA president, board member and tireless advocate of numismatic education.

Schook’s image adorns the cover of the Summer Seminar course catalog, which is posted online at www.money.org and will be printed as a special supplement in the March issue of The Numismatist.

A fundraising campaign initiated by the Board of Governors already has attracted several donors to make significant contributions to further the ANA’s educational mission through the Florence Schook School of Numismatics and Summer Seminar. Those donations include $75,000 from Central States Numismatic Society, $40,000 from Florida United Numismatists (to endow the counterfeit detection course for four years), $25,000 from Lee Minshull, and $10,000 from Larry and Ira Goldberg. Those gifts have helped offset rising Summer Seminar costs and allow the ANA to keep tuition increases to approximately $100 ($200 for those who pay after April 30). Base tuition for a student enrolling in one session and staying on the Colorado College campus is $499. Room and board rates start at $474 per week for a double occupancy room in Loomis Hall, including three meals a day.

"Summer Seminar is simply the best educational value in numismatics," said Shepherd. "The list of instructors reads like a Who’s Who in Numismatics, and the classes cover important trends in the hobby and a full array of numismatic topics, from ancients to shipwreck coins to military payment certificates and valuing US coins. I’m confident you’ll find everything you need to stir your passions for our magnificent hobby — and to help you become a better collector, dealer or investor."

Among the popular activities returning for an encore this year is the annual YN Auction, held Wednesday night of each session, which raised $48,000 for YN scholarships last year. There will also be a special tour of the Denver Mint and a tour of Cripple Creek — including a 1,000-foot descent on a skip to view underground gold veins in the Molly Kathleen Mine. There also will be tours of non-numismatic Pikes Peak attractions including a Colorado Rockies–Washington Nationals baseball game at Denver’s Coors Field, and a trip up Pikes Peak on the Cog Railway. “I’m truly excited about this year’s Summer Seminar,” Shepherd said. “It’s a great lineup of classes and world-class instructors. I invite everyone to consider investing a week of their time to stoking their numismatic passions, and to improving their numismatic skills and knowledge.”

For more information on Summer Seminar or to register, call Susan McMillan at 719-482-9850 or visit www.money.org.

The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and encouraging people to study and collect money and related items. The ANA helps its 32,000 members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of programs including its education and outreach programs, museum, library, publications, conventions and seminars. For more information, call 719-632-2646 or visit www.money.org.

This is a guest article. The thoughts and opinions in this piece are those of their author and are not necessarily the thoughts of the Certified Collectibles Group.