REPORT ON ACTIVITIES


This has been a particularly active year for the American Numismatic Society both in its attempts to reach out to a larger audience and to strengthen ties to its loyal constituency. A local publication with wide circulation, Museums, New York, mentions the Society regularly. An excellent article about the Society appeared in the Celator, and we have been fortunate enough to receive free pages in the catalogues of Spink America, Christie's, and The Coin Collector.

The Etruscan Foundation held its annual meeting at the ANS for the third time in February 1996. The day was very successful and will be repeated in 1997. There was a Forum on Arab-Byzantine Coins held at the ANS on November 18, 1995, under the joint sponsorship of the Oriental Numismatic Society and the ANS. Fifteen Arab-Byzantine aficionados will gather again on October 12 for the second in this annual series of informal meetings to discuss issues connected with the copper coinage of the eastern Mediterranean after the Arab conquest in the seventeenth century.

Visitors to the Olympic Games in Atlanta this past summer had the opportunity to enjoy an extraordinary cultural experience. Through August 18, the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University exhibited "Nike, Competition and Victory at the Ancient Greek Festival Games," which included many outstanding Greek coins from the Society's collection.

The ANS Speakers Bureau is an outreach effort instituted by the Society during the past year. Through the Bureau, organizations may request presentations by ANS staff members. All of our curators are available to speak in the area of their expertise. A catalogue of talks is available from the ANS on request and is mounted on the Society's Web Site, http://www.amnumsoc.org, for easy reference.

Our educational programs continue to draw attention. The ANS cosponsored an educational day in Chicago on March 27, 1996, in conjunction with the Chicago Coin Club. This symposium was a "first" for Chicago and was very well attended. In May there was a program on the coinage of ancient Asia Minor at the University of California, Berkeley.

The Society made its usual appearance at the New York International in December with a President's reception for our Fellows and Circle Members. The convention is always a good time to meet friends and make new ones, and the reception is always a popular gathering place. This past year, the reception was held in a suite at the Flatotel adding glamour to the conviviality of the evening. The ANS was also represented in June when the NY International was held for the first time at the World Trade Center.

The ANA Convention in Denver in August was very successful. ANS volunteers very graciously helped at the information booth. Everyone is looking forward to the ANA Convention in New York City in 1997.

For the first time, long term members received lapel pins to acknowledge their years of membership in the Society. Pins were mailed to 25, 30, 40, and 50 year members. This "new" tradition will be repeated every year, honoring loyal ANS members as they achieve these significant membership milestones.

On the Social calendar, the ANS had an excellent year. There was a Spring Cruise to "Kikuit" on May 11. Thirty-five of our members sailed up the Hudson River, enjoyed a catered lunch and then toured the Rockefeller family estate and gardens. One of the highlights of this day was to view the Picasso Tapestries. This is the only place where they can be seen. It was a perfect day and the weather obliged us.

The main social event, which followed the close of our reporting year, was the party honoring Eric P. Newman. This event was held at the very unusual Explorers Club in New York City. Mr. Joseph R. Lasser served as Chairman for the event as well as the highly entertaining Master of Ceremonies. The party was complete with balloons and tributes to Ben Franklin and Eric. Eighty people joined together to celebrate Eric Newman D scholar, gentleman, numismatist.

On Saturday, July 20, we honored four persons who have been members since 1946 D Mendel Lazear Peterson, Sr., Leon Lacroix, Mark Salton, and Randolph Zander. This was the fourth consecutive year that the ANS has recognized its 50-year members with a special tribute program, which this year featured a guest talk by James Risk, himself a 50-year member of the ANS. An overflow audience enjoyed the presentations and the display of the numismatic publications produced by these four 50-year members.

Annual Giving continues to be a major Development activity. As of September 30, we exceeded our 1996 goal of $100,000 for Annual Giving and $25,000 from our Circle Members. We are very pleased at the generosity of our members this year. We look forward to an increased Circle list in 1997 with the enticement of a remarkable calendar that was created for the Newman dinner. And we are constantly working to have members sign up for a Life Membership. Have you?
JACOBS