Heritage Auction Galleries is awarding a complimentary second year of membership with the American Numismatic Association to young collectors who become junior members at 2008 ANA conventions. The offer will be honored at the Phoenix National Money Show™, March 7-9, and at the Baltimore World’s Fair of Money®, July 30-August 3.

“Everyone agrees that reaching out to youth is vital to the future of numismatics,” said Robert Korver, Director Emeritus of Heritage Auctions. “This initiative is a way to get young people involved and excited about our great hobby. We’re proud to promote the ANA’s mission.”

The junior membership offer is part of a larger effort by Heritage to strengthen numismatics through support of the ANA. This April, Heritage will award one life membership, five fiveyear memberships and 20 one-year memberships to people who completed its 2008 Auction Survey. Additionally, 10 ANA members will win $100 gift certificates to MoneyMarket, the ANA’s gift shop and online catalog. Heritage provided similar support in 2007.

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Coin collectors are experienced in placing and arranging coins within albums, folders, holders and the like. Many collectors also enjoy showing their collection to family, friends and other collectors. However, the thought of taking collected coins, artistically arranging them into a portrait and sharing the results with the public is something, likely, most numismatists would never contemplate.

One father and son team did just that. Read the rest of this entry »

When you’re pulling out a few bills or loose change to pay for something, it just happens. There’s little if any consideration to how the US monetary system came to be or how it works. It just happens.

Numismatists will typically have a better grasp of information, but it’s easier to get caught into the history and dynamics of certain coins or banknotes and not take the time to study the origins of all US money, its centralized structure and why it was needed and created.

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