Owner Comments:
ANA MEDAL APPEARANCE/CONDITION:
Brilliant Uncirculated
NGC “American Numismatic Association” Special Label — “ANA Membership Medallion” Designation
*Gorgeous example with deep mirrored fields and sharp, blast white, frosty details. Deeply mirrored fields reflect light brilliantly and contrast the strong devices, giving this silver proof exceptional eye-appeal. — Medal is clearly a “proof” strike. Uncertain as to why NGC graded these “Brilliant Uncirculated” which is a designation for MS coins/medals. Potentially an error when they were submitted in bulk, as this grade refers to a bulk submission.*
ANA MEDAL BACKGROUND:
Struck in 2017 as a membership medallion for the ANA when individuals either became new members, renewed their membership or sponsored a new member. The silver, limited-edition ANA medallions were limited to one per person, as well as sent pre-encapsulated and specially labeled by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC).
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Although a national organization, the American Numismatic Association is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The ANA has more than 24,000 individual members who receive many benefits, such as discounts, access to website features, and the monthly journal The Numismatist. The ANA's Colorado Springs national headquarters houses its administrative offices, library, and money museum. Hence the inclusion of this medal in my Colorado-specific collection.
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The obverse of the medallion features the 1891 Seated Liberty Quarter design, which represents the year that the ANA was founded. The reverse depicts the ANA lamp of knowledge. Each quarter-ounce medallion is pure .999 silver and is encapsulated and specially labeled by NGC. Produced by SilverTowne Mint for the ANA, only 2,000 of the medallions were struck and made available.
OBVERSE DESIGNER: Christian Gobrecht
ISSUED: American Numismatic Association of Colorado Springs, CO
RARITY: 2,000 (Total Struck)
NGC Census not available.
ANA MEDAL DESCRIPTION:
(ANA Issue, Struck by SilverTowne Mint, Proof Strike, .999 Silver, 1/4 Troy oz. [7.77 Grams], 27mm, Round, Reeded Edge)
OBVERSE: (Seated Liberty Quarter design; surrounded by 13 stars) / 1891
REVERSE: American Numismatic Association - Organized 1891 / (Depiction of ANA Lamp of Knowledge and Rays) / De Profundis / 1/4 Ounce .999 Fine Silver
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
(American Numismatic Association Colorado Springs, CO National Headquarters):
“An ANA national headquarters building fund was established on April 29, 1961. A site in Colorado Springs, Colorado was selected as the headquarter's location and a ground breaking ceremony was held on September 6, 1966. On December 20, the $250,000 building fund goal was reached and the new headquarters was dedicated and officially opened on June 10, 1967.”
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The ANA's administration operates from its Colorado Springs headquarters. The ANA's monthly journal, The Numismatist, is produced here; its editor-in-chief is Caleb Noel. Many articles are contributed by ANA members. The facility houses the largest circulating numismatic library in the world. Books, educational slide programs and instructional videotapes are loaned to members without charge other than costs to cover postage and insurance. The ANA has many affiliate club members throughout the United States, such as the Beverly Hills Coin Club and the Chicago Coin Club.
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ANA headquarters contains the ANA Money Museum, which includes over 250,000 objects encompassing the history of numismatics from the earliest invention of money to modern day.
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The Harry W. Bass Collection, a feature of the museum from 2000-2022, featured American gold coins, experimental pattern coins and paper money. The collection includes a complete set of three dollar gold coins, including the unique 1870-S specimen, a complete type set of U.S. gold coin designs from 1834 to 1933, and a collection of pattern coins from the United States Mint. In April 2022, the museum announced that the foundation was auctioning off the collection, with the proceeds going to various Dallas-area charities.”
Credited Sources: American Numismatic Association (money.org) | O'Donnell, Joe. "What is the American Numismatic Association?". coinworld.com. |