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| Introduction to the ANS | |
ANS INTRODUCTION
Foundation, Charter and Mission
The American Numismatic Society, organized in 1858 and incorporated in 1865 in New York State, operates as a research museum under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and is recognized as a publicly supported organization under section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) as confirmed on November 1, 1970. The original objectives of the ANS, "the collection and preservation of coins and medals, the investigation of matters connected therewith, and the popularization of the science of Numismatics," have evolved into the mission approved by the Society's governing Council in 1993:
"The mission of The American Numismatic Society is to be the preeminent national institution advancing the study and appreciation of coins, medals and related objects of all cultures as historical and artistic documents, by maintaining the foremost numismatic collection and library, by supporting scholarly research and publications, and by sponsoring educational and interpretive programs for diverse audiences."
On June 18, 2004, The American Numismatic Society officially opened its new headquarters at 96 Fulton Street (and the corner of William Street) in lower Manhattan.
The 35,000 square foot former bank building also encompasses the world's largest numismatic library. The library embraces two full floors. There are educational and research facilities now available to international scholars, students and the general public who are interested in studying coins, medals and other treasures in the Society's superb collection.
On June 18, 2004 phase one of this historic move was completed with the offices, library and a 2000- square-foot high-security vault. The second phase of the development - the opening of an exhibition hall - is planned for completion in 2007/8. The ground floor serves as a conference and educational center for lectures, symposia and other public events.
The ANS was formerly located in the landmark Audubon Terrace Cultural Complex, 155th Street and Broadway, New York City, NY. The neoclassical building was home to the Society and its collections since the building opened in 1908 until the move in June 2004.
The membership of the ANS comprises, in the main, academics, serious collectors and professional numismatists, concentrated in the United States but with a substantial international component. Applicants for membership are proposed for election by the Society's Board of Trustees at its regular meetings.
Membership classes and numbers as of October 2004 include (total - 1987):
Associates (open to all with a serious interest in numismatics) - 1875 individual, 112 institutional;
Fellows and Honorary Fellows (limited in number to 225 and empowered to vote on Society business) - 198 individual;
Corresponding Members (open to foreign scholars of distinction) - 54 individual.
The governing body of the ANS is its Board of Trustees, which currently numbers 26 Fellows or Associate Members, elected to three-year terms in classes of 3, and headed by a President, Donald G. Partrick, of Islandia, NY. Other officer positions include: First Vice-President; Second Vice-President; Treasurer; and Secretary, all elected annually.
The day-to-day operations of the Society are administered by its Executive Director, Dr. Ute Wartenberg Kagan; Mr. Francis D. Campbell, Jr., Librarian runs the Library. The Society's full-time staff includes professional and support positions, augmented by part-time staff and several regular volunteers.
The work of the Society is divided among seven departments: Curatorial (in turn comprised of five specialty cabinets, overseen by curators - Greek, Roman and Byzantine, Islamic and Far Eastern, Medieval and Medals, Modern); Library; Editorial; Education (entirely grant-funded); Photography; Development; and Administrative. The ANS decided in 2004 to establish a centralized archive when it was preparing to move to its location in Lower Manhattan. The mission of the Archives is to serve as a centralized resource for historical information about the Society
The numismatic collection, estimated at approximately 800,000 coins and related objects, is of international caliber, rivalled only by the largest state collections of Europe. Abounding in both large study collections and great rarities, the Society's cabinets are particularly strong in Ancient Greek, where the Hellenistic section is particularly notable; Roman Republican period issues; Islamic, of exceptional breadth and depth; Far Eastern, particularly the Chinese material; Latin American, developed over the past 40 years; and United States, both the Colonial series and Federal issues, as well as private coinages.
The library houses more than 100,000 items, comprising bound volumes, pamphlets, manuscripts, auction catalogues, and microforms. Access to the fully catalogued collections is facilitated by a specially designed subject guide and authority file.
Approximately 2,000 objects were exhibited in two public galleries at Audubon Terrace. The second phase of the development/move to 96 Fulton Street will be the opening of an Exhibition Hall - planned for completion in 2007/8. Until the Exhibition Hall opens The ANS has on view at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Drachmas Doubloons and Dollars: The History of Money which includes over 800 examples of the Society's noted collection including the Brasher doubloon, the 1804 dollar, the Confederate States half-dollar, and the world most valuable coin - the 1933 Double Eagle (on loan).
The ANS facilities are open to the public four days each week. The exhibitions have attracted an average of 20,000 visitors.
The Society's Graduate Seminar in Numismatics , conducted each summer since 1952, enjoys a reputation as the foremost training program in the discipline. In addition, the ANS administers a doctoral fellowship program; a museum internship, and other grants to support use of the collections; public lectures, conferences, including the Coinage of the Americas Conference with a focus on the Western Hemisphere, and jointly sponsored symposia such as those held in Washington DC, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco.
The ANS publishes in a variety of book series, prominent among which are the annual journal, American Journal of Numismatics , the semiannual bibliography of the profession, Numismatic Literature , two monographic series, which have accounted for a total of 191 titles to date, ongoing catalogue projects such as Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum , publishing the Society's Ancient Greek collection, and Ancient Coins in North American Collections , reporting notable private and public collections not generally accessible to the scholar, as well as special series such as exhibit catalogues and conference Proceedings volumes . In 2002 the ANS launched The American Numismatic Magazine which presents regular columns from the Society's various departments, including contributions from individual curators, feature length articles on numismatic or related topics, announcements about upcoming events, and highlights from conferences and functions. This full color publication is issued three times a year.
Affiliations
The ANS is a constituent member of the American Council of Learned Societies and is a supporting member of the American Academy in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.