This sounds like a great idea, but Sebestian would have to check to see if
the ANS's status as a non-profit might make this impossible.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Surber [mailto:dave.surber@...]
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2000 1:28 PM
To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com
Subject: Re: AMNUMSOC-L: Updates


From: Dave Surber <dave.surber@...>


Sebastian,

     Given the current financial straits at the ANS, and a very large demand
for your images, might I  suggest the selling of advertising banners on your
search form and results pages?

     I sell advertising on my site, at a rate of about $10 per 2000 hits.  I
am certain you would have no problem getting advertisers, and this could
help defray the cost of running the site, and might even turn it into a
profitable venture.

    Just a thought... that has most likely been thought of before!

         - Dave Surber

"Heath, Sebastian" wrote:

> From: "Heath, Sebastian" <heath@...>
>
>  Right now the digital images are side effect of photo orders. That is,
> almost all photo orders result in images of the coins going on the
> web-site. Sharon, our photographer, is overloaded right now so that I
> have not yet sent any coins to her on my own initiative. But there may
> be a time when this is possible and I will keep your request in mind.
>
>  Cheers,
>
>  Sebastian.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rottinghaus, Scott T. [mailto:Rottinghaus.Scott@...]
> Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2000 9:09 AM
> To: 'heath@... '
> Subject: RE: AMNUMSOC-L: Updates
>
> Dear Mr. Heath,
>
> I am enjoying the images you have been adding to the ANS website!  Would
> there be any plans to add an image of 1984.36.1, a denarius of Nerva
> with
> Diana on the reverse?  This is an important coin, illustrated in RIC and
> BMC
> by the same piece (from the British Museum), and I would certainly be
> interested in seeing another specimen.
>
> Keep up the great work!
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Scott
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: heath@...
> To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com
> Sent: 3/17/00 10:30 PM
> Subject: AMNUMSOC-L:  Updates
>
> From: heath@...
>
> Dear Readers,
>
>              I have added the latest batch of images. Also, there
> is now a file "http://www.amnumsoc.org/collections/images/imlist.html"
> that lists all the illustrated coins in a somewhat rational order.
> There are, of course, still issues of format, order and editing to
> work out but these are being worked on.
>
>  Also, yesterday I added some news items to "http://www.amnumsoc.org/
> news/". Fodder, perhaps, for the current discussion.
>
>  I note that we have already had our first commercial posting. Please,
> no more. This is no comment on the content of such messages, just
> a request to send them elsewhere.
>
>  We have almost 100 members so far. These include ANS staff,
> councilors, members and others. All are welcome. If you know of
> anybody who might be interested in joining us, send them a note.
>
>  There was a brief in-house discussion of the role of ANS staff on
> this list. In general, we will refrain from joining in the debate.
> But we are all interested to hear your views and encourage civil
> discourse. This is, however, a good forum for asking questions about
> the ANS' activities and we will try to answer them.
>
>  Sincerely,
>
>  Sebastian Heath.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Now's your chance to get organized! Get the Web's lowest prices on
> Palm PDAs and accessories at Accompany, the leader in group buying
> Visit us today at start saving!
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
>
> Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
> Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Sebastian,

     Given the current financial straits at the ANS, and a very large demand
for your images, might I  suggest the selling of advertising banners on your
search form and results pages?

     I sell advertising on my site, at a rate of about $10 per 2000 hits.  I
am certain you would have no problem getting advertisers, and this could
help defray the cost of running the site, and might even turn it into a
profitable venture.

    Just a thought... that has most likely been thought of before!

         - Dave Surber

"Heath, Sebastian" wrote:

> From: "Heath, Sebastian" <heath@...>
>
>  Right now the digital images are side effect of photo orders. That is,
> almost all photo orders result in images of the coins going on the
> web-site. Sharon, our photographer, is overloaded right now so that I
> have not yet sent any coins to her on my own initiative. But there may
> be a time when this is possible and I will keep your request in mind.
>
>  Cheers,
>
>  Sebastian.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rottinghaus, Scott T. [mailto:Rottinghaus.Scott@...]
> Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2000 9:09 AM
> To: 'heath@... '
> Subject: RE: AMNUMSOC-L: Updates
>
> Dear Mr. Heath,
>
> I am enjoying the images you have been adding to the ANS website!  Would
> there be any plans to add an image of 1984.36.1, a denarius of Nerva
> with
> Diana on the reverse?  This is an important coin, illustrated in RIC and
> BMC
> by the same piece (from the British Museum), and I would certainly be
> interested in seeing another specimen.
>
> Keep up the great work!
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Scott
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: heath@...
> To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com
> Sent: 3/17/00 10:30 PM
> Subject: AMNUMSOC-L:  Updates
>
> From: heath@...
>
> Dear Readers,
>
>              I have added the latest batch of images. Also, there
> is now a file "http://www.amnumsoc.org/collections/images/imlist.html"
> that lists all the illustrated coins in a somewhat rational order.
> There are, of course, still issues of format, order and editing to
> work out but these are being worked on.
>
>  Also, yesterday I added some news items to "http://www.amnumsoc.org/
> news/". Fodder, perhaps, for the current discussion.
>
>  I note that we have already had our first commercial posting. Please,
> no more. This is no comment on the content of such messages, just
> a request to send them elsewhere.
>
>  We have almost 100 members so far. These include ANS staff,
> councilors, members and others. All are welcome. If you know of
> anybody who might be interested in joining us, send them a note.
>
>  There was a brief in-house discussion of the role of ANS staff on
> this list. In general, we will refrain from joining in the debate.
> But we are all interested to hear your views and encourage civil
> discourse. This is, however, a good forum for asking questions about
> the ANS' activities and we will try to answer them.
>
>  Sincerely,
>
>  Sebastian Heath.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Now's your chance to get organized! Get the Web's lowest prices on
> Palm PDAs and accessories at Accompany, the leader in group buying
> Visit us today at start saving!
> http://click.egroups.com/1/2513/6/_/_/_/953353827/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
>
> Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
> Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> @Backup- Protect and Access your data any time, any where on the net.
> Try @Backup FREE and recieve 300 points from mypoints.com Install now:
> http://click.egroups.com/1/2345/6/_/_/_/953560711/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
>
> Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
> Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l

Dear Robert:

This responds to your note.  Please be assured none of the Council wanted to
insult the fellows and those who agreed with their views.  That is why there
was a meeting in January to allow anyone who had anything to say express it
fully.  Legally, withdrawing the voluntary early out program was not an
option.  Moreover, the option had to be given to everyone at the same time;
it could not be given to some and not others.  Please note I underline the
word voluntary.  Obviously, weighing heavily in the choice of the individual
curators was the knowledge that their jobs could not be guaranteed given the
current financial situation, but I can assure you no decisions had been made
other than to offer this voluntary exit option.  Indeed, the Council
particularly hoped the Greek Curator would stay because her chair was
endowed, but she decided to take the option nonetheless.  (Incidentally,
this position will now be advertised.)

While the efforts to endow an Islamic chair have been and are welcome, the
amounts raised to date do not come close to the amounts needed.  (I recall
the amount to endow a chair to be $1 million.)  Evidently, there was another
major fund raising effort in the early 1990's that did little to put the ANS
on an even keel.  Finally, I would also note giving money to the Islamic
fund does not necessarily express disagreement with the Council action.

I understand that the fellows (and those of like mind) are hoping to make
changes in October.  Of course, they are entitled to seek any changes that
they are entitled to seek under the ANS Constitution and Bylaws.  I only
state the obvious.  If the Fellows are successful in making changes in the
current leadership, it comes with a real obligation.  October should not be
just viewed as an opportunity to "throw the bums out."  Please keep in mind
the current Council is just as devoted to the ANS as those who disagree with
its recent decisions.  If the Fellows are successful in electing their own
slate of Councillors, it comes with a clear obligation to have a clear plan
of action to make the ANS solvent.  A fundraising campaign may help, but
unfortunately it probably will not be the only answer.

Sincerely,

Peter Tompa

-----Original Message-----
From: RLWinnetka@... [mailto:RLWinnetka@...]
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2000 12:00 PM
To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com
Subject: Re: AMNUMSOC-L: Nasty note


From: RLWinnetka@...

Peter Tomka wrote:

(snip)
>
>  I have come to believe the strongly held views of the Fellows mostly
reflect
>  one view of the three major groups that make up the ANS membership-- that

of
>  academics.  Indeed, the ANS Fellows are disproportionately made up of
>  academics while my guess is that most associate members actually are
>  collectors or coin dealers.
>
>  The Fellows are rightly concerned about the maintenance of curatorships;
>  however,  because they view the ANS as primarily an academic institution
>  they appear to be willing to place the need to maintain curatorships over
>  any other goal-- even the continued financial viability of the Society.
>
>  I have come to conclude that this insular view has actually contributed
to
>  the financial straits the ANS has found itself in.  Indeed, over the
years
I
>  would suggest that the ANS has actually departed from its stated mission
of
>  "popularization of numismatics."  Thus, while the ANS curators catered
>  mostly to a small number of academics, the ANS remained one of the least
>  visited institutions in New York.
>
>  Its probably true the ANS may have been able to run deficits for a few
more
>  years without any major changes; however, the Council decided that the
ANS
>  could not afford to wait, particularly given the continuing fear that
there
>  could be a downturn in the stock market that could be disastrous to an
>  endowment that has been drawn down to fund yearly deficits.  What is not
>  true is that the new building caused the deficit or that the voluntary
out
>  program was needed to fund a new building.  This funding came from other
>  sources by far the most generous of which is the current ANS President.
The
>  current ANS President, Mr. Partrick, promises substantial additional
funding
>  so long as the ANS continues on its present course.
>
>  In my view, the ANS must move to reestablish itself with and expand its
>  membership with collectors and dealers, two groups essential to the
>  continued financial viability of the institution. This can only happen at
>  the Williams Street address.  Rightly or wrongly, people are simply
afraid
>  to travel to the current location.  Scholarship must remain an important
>  focus of the organization, but it cannot remain virtually the only focus.
>  To allow it to do so as the Fellows desire will doom the ANS in the not
so
>  distant future.
>
>  If the Fellows truly want things to revert to the way they were before
>  October, they have a real obligation to come forth with a detailed plan
of
>  action to ensure the continued financial viability of the institution.
>  Dropping out or sending a note of protest will not help achieve this
goal.
>  All of us should want to see the ANS to continue, and hopefully flourish
as
>  it has not in some years.
>
>  Sincerely,
>
>  Peter Tompa
>
Peter,

You have misjudged the situation regarding the Fellows; you have been a
member of the Council for only a few months, and have not been involved in
many of the discussions that have gone on.  It is not only the "academics"
who are concerned about the elimination of curators at the ANS, but the
collectors and dealers also.  Perhaps you are unaware of it, but a
fund-raising drive to save just one curator--Dr. Michael Bates, Curator of
Islamic numismatics--raised over $72,000 in a single month over the
holidays,
and over $85,000 to date--and a great deal of this came from collectors and
dealers.

Your accusation that the Fellows "appear to be willing to place the need to
maintain curatorships over any other goal-- even the continued financial
viability of the Society" is untrue and unfair.  Didn't you listen to Dr.
Schwartz's proposal?  Of course the Society must remain financially viable.

The budget shortfall--which is certainly NOT being fully covered by Mr.
Partrick's generosity (which, as you mention, comes at a price)--can be
mitigated through fund raising, as the brief Islamic curator drive showed,
as
well as reduction in other expenses such as the building and the large legal

expenses the Society has incurred recently.  Had the Council taken the
protests of the Fellows seriously at the January 15 meeting, instead of
insulting them, it could perhaps have worked out a suitable plan with
generous pledges from the Fellows present.

Let me remind you that it is the Council that is elected by the Fellows, and

not the other way around.  If you truly want the Fellows to take over from
the present Council, as you seem to be saying, then let us have a contested
election for the Council seats expiring in October.  An alternative slate
will be offered.

Best wishes,

Robert Leonard

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If anyone had bothered to TELL us about the dire financial straits of the
ANS before last fall, we COULD have done something, in the way of special
contributions or of volunteering to assist a capital campaign.  As other
posters have rightly noted, the council ran the ANS straight into the
ground over the past 10 years or so without communicating anything about
the problem to the group's members.  As for producing an alternative plan,
I think booting out the current council and electing a new slate would be a
terrific start.  But is it entirely reasonable to ask the dissenters who
have only recently learned of the ANS's situation to do the job that the
council should have been doing for years?

Yours, and still mad,
Susan Wood

"Get Partrick out of his pear tree!"

Peter Tomka wrote:

(snip)
>
>  I have come to believe the strongly held views of the Fellows mostly
reflect
>  one view of the three major groups that make up the ANS membership-- that
of
>  academics.  Indeed, the ANS Fellows are disproportionately made up of
>  academics while my guess is that most associate members actually are
>  collectors or coin dealers.
>
>  The Fellows are rightly concerned about the maintenance of curatorships;
>  however,  because they view the ANS as primarily an academic institution
>  they appear to be willing to place the need to maintain curatorships over
>  any other goal-- even the continued financial viability of the Society.
>
>  I have come to conclude that this insular view has actually contributed to
>  the financial straits the ANS has found itself in.  Indeed, over the years
I
>  would suggest that the ANS has actually departed from its stated mission of
>  "popularization of numismatics."  Thus, while the ANS curators catered
>  mostly to a small number of academics, the ANS remained one of the least
>  visited institutions in New York.
>
>  Its probably true the ANS may have been able to run deficits for a few more
>  years without any major changes; however, the Council decided that the ANS
>  could not afford to wait, particularly given the continuing fear that there
>  could be a downturn in the stock market that could be disastrous to an
>  endowment that has been drawn down to fund yearly deficits.  What is not
>  true is that the new building caused the deficit or that the voluntary out
>  program was needed to fund a new building.  This funding came from other
>  sources by far the most generous of which is the current ANS President.
The
>  current ANS President, Mr. Partrick, promises substantial additional
funding
>  so long as the ANS continues on its present course.
>
>  In my view, the ANS must move to reestablish itself with and expand its
>  membership with collectors and dealers, two groups essential to the
>  continued financial viability of the institution. This can only happen at
>  the Williams Street address.  Rightly or wrongly, people are simply afraid
>  to travel to the current location.  Scholarship must remain an important
>  focus of the organization, but it cannot remain virtually the only focus.
>  To allow it to do so as the Fellows desire will doom the ANS in the not so
>  distant future.
>
>  If the Fellows truly want things to revert to the way they were before
>  October, they have a real obligation to come forth with a detailed plan of
>  action to ensure the continued financial viability of the institution.
>  Dropping out or sending a note of protest will not help achieve this goal.
>  All of us should want to see the ANS to continue, and hopefully flourish as
>  it has not in some years.
>
>  Sincerely,
>
>  Peter Tompa
>
Peter,

You have misjudged the situation regarding the Fellows; you have been a
member of the Council for only a few months, and have not been involved in
many of the discussions that have gone on.  It is not only the "academics"
who are concerned about the elimination of curators at the ANS, but the
collectors and dealers also.  Perhaps you are unaware of it, but a
fund-raising drive to save just one curator--Dr. Michael Bates, Curator of
Islamic numismatics--raised over $72,000 in a single month over the holidays,
and over $85,000 to date--and a great deal of this came from collectors and
dealers.

Your accusation that the Fellows "appear to be willing to place the need to
maintain curatorships over any other goal-- even the continued financial
viability of the Society" is untrue and unfair.  Didn't you listen to Dr.
Schwartz's proposal?  Of course the Society must remain financially viable.
The budget shortfall--which is certainly NOT being fully covered by Mr.
Partrick's generosity (which, as you mention, comes at a price)--can be
mitigated through fund raising, as the brief Islamic curator drive showed, as
well as reduction in other expenses such as the building and the large legal
expenses the Society has incurred recently.  Had the Council taken the
protests of the Fellows seriously at the January 15 meeting, instead of
insulting them, it could perhaps have worked out a suitable plan with
generous pledges from the Fellows present.

Let me remind you that it is the Council that is elected by the Fellows, and
not the other way around.  If you truly want the Fellows to take over from
the present Council, as you seem to be saying, then let us have a contested
election for the Council seats expiring in October.  An alternative slate
will be offered.

Best wishes,

Robert Leonard

Ms. Wood's views mirror those expressed by the Fellows at a meeting on Jan.
15, 2000.  The official response of the Council can be found on the ANS Web
site.  I joined the ANS Council in October and was present at the January
meeting; however, I am only responding to Ms. Wood as an individual who
collects and studies ancient coins as an amateur.

I have come to believe the strongly held views of the Fellows mostly reflect
one view of the three major groups that make up the ANS membership-- that of
academics.  Indeed, the ANS Fellows are disproportionately made up of
academics while my guess is that most associate members actually are
collectors or coin dealers.

The Fellows are rightly concerned about the maintenance of curatorships;
however,  because they view the ANS as primarily an academic institution
they appear to be willing to place the need to maintain curatorships over
any other goal-- even the continued financial viability of the Society.

I have come to conclude that this insular view has actually contributed to
the financial straits the ANS has found itself in.  Indeed, over the years I
would suggest that the ANS has actually departed from its stated mission of
"popularization of numismatics."  Thus, while the ANS curators catered
mostly to a small number of academics, the ANS remained one of the least
visited institutions in New York.

Its probably true the ANS may have been able to run deficits for a few more
years without any major changes; however, the Council decided that the ANS
could not afford to wait, particularly given the continuing fear that there
could be a downturn in the stock market that could be disastrous to an
endowment that has been drawn down to fund yearly deficits.  What is not
true is that the new building caused the deficit or that the voluntary out
program was needed to fund a new building.  This funding came from other
sources by far the most generous of which is the current ANS President.  The
current ANS President, Mr. Partrick, promises substantial additional funding
so long as the ANS continues on its present course.

In my view, the ANS must move to reestablish itself with and expand its
membership with collectors and dealers, two groups essential to the
continued financial viability of the institution. This can only happen at
the Williams Street address.  Rightly or wrongly, people are simply afraid
to travel to the current location.  Scholarship must remain an important
focus of the organization, but it cannot remain virtually the only focus.
To allow it to do so as the Fellows desire will doom the ANS in the not so
distant future.

If the Fellows truly want things to revert to the way they were before
October, they have a real obligation to come forth with a detailed plan of
action to ensure the continued financial viability of the institution.
Dropping out or sending a note of protest will not help achieve this goal.
All of us should want to see the ANS to continue, and hopefully flourish as
it has not in some years.

Sincerely,

Peter Tompa

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Wood [mailto:wood@...]
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2000 1:55 PM
To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com
Subject: AMNUMSOC-L: Nasty note


From: Susan Wood <wood@...>

A couple of weeks ago, after much debate, I decided to renew my membership
in
the ANS, at the minimum dues level.  I enclosed a letter with my check,
explaining this decision, although the hard copy probably went directly from
the secretary's desk to the circular file.  This e-mail address book,
however,
gives me a chance to circulate that letter to a few people who may actually
read it.  Here it is:

To Whom it May Concern,

         After considerable debate, I have reluctantly decided to renew my
membership in the American Numismatic Society, despite my absolute disgust
at
the recent decisions by the Trustees and President to eliminate curatorial
positions in order to finance the move to a new building, and my alarm at
the
revelations about the incompetent financial management of the society in
recent
decades.  I do so in order to maintain what very little leverage your
members
may still have in affecting the events of the current year, although the
contemptuous dismissal of our concerns at the recent meeting does not
inspire
much confidence in the ability of the board to listen to us.

         Please note, however, that I am paying only the minimum basic dues
of
$40.00, and am not renewing at the Bronze Circle level, as I had done in
previous years.  In my opinion, the ANS in its current state is not worth
$40,
or for that matter, $00.40, of my money, and your receipt of this check does
not constitute an expression of approval of the Society's management.









Susan Wood
Professor of Art History and Academic Adviser
Department of Art and Art History
Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4401
248-370-3379, FAX 248-370-4208

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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Are all ANS staff and Council members on the list?


-----Original Message-----
From: heath@... <heath@...>
To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com <amnumsoc-l@onelist.com>
Date: Monday, March 20, 2000 10:38 AM
Subject: AMNUMSOC-L: Varia


>From: heath@...
>
>
>Dear Readers,
>
>             Many of the ANS staff are not in today in exchange for
>Saturday having been a work day. Tomorrow I will look into the issue
>of CNL distribution and report to the list.
>
> That discussion is taking place here is clearly benficial. But there
>are still only a few of us on this list - 104 at last count. I sent
>out a message to all members whose e-mail addresses were available on
>the web-site but that was only some 340 people. So, again, if you
>know of anybody who should be on this list - including ANS members,
>seminar graduates, and others - please send them a note. Consider
>this a small volunteer effort that will help the institution in the
>long run.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Sebastian.
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
>
>Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
>Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l
>
>

Dear Readers,

              Many of the ANS staff are not in today in exchange for
Saturday having been a work day. Tomorrow I will look into the issue
of CNL distribution and report to the list.

  That discussion is taking place here is clearly benficial. But there
are still only a few of us on this list - 104 at last count. I sent
out a message to all members whose e-mail addresses were available on
the web-site but that was only some 340 people. So, again, if you
know of anybody who should be on this list - including ANS members,
seminar graduates, and others - please send them a note. Consider
this a small volunteer effort that will help the institution in the
long run.

  Cheers,

  Sebastian.

Thank you for your long letter.  It seems that all members don't realize
that the whole world - I mean the numismatic world - is mourning because of
the death of the ANS - or what we knew as ANS. What we are interested in is
not the building - it is the people - we all want the curators back.  All
the curators back. No curators - no ANS. It is as simple as that.

                         Denyse Berend

There has been a lot of smoke in the discussions about the recent
changes at the ANS and the problems which the institution currently faces.
Many people have incomplete information.  Many others are rightfully angry
about the course of recent events but have little inkling about what lay
behind these changes or what lies ahead.  Some simply go along with what
course the ANS Council has charted unable to imagine any alternative.
I would like to raise what I believe to be the long-term institutional
problems and the most effective manner at addressing them.

From the very beginning, the ANS Council has provided very
poor leadership.  The ANS Council and those with whom it has consulted in
formulating its momentous decisions have represented a very small minority
of the ANS membership.  This minority has consisted for the most part of
most of the current board and about 30 of the most generous donors to the
ANS.  According to Partrick, the Council asked these donors about the
long-term problems at the ANS in 1993 and they overwhelmingly endorsed
dramatic changes.  The ANS Council had a retreat and decided to expand
the ANS's mission and find a new home.  Even if we assume for the moment
that the benefactors and Council members generally agreed with
Partrick's policies - and this is far from clear, - the approximately 2000
ANS members did not have any say.

As has been pointed out, the Council nominates candidates to serve on it.
These candidates are then approved by vote of the Fellows.  During most of
the last decade, the Council has nominated only itself.  Incumbent members
have filled slate after slate. At times of death or resignation, they have
inducted new Council members.  However, this has not always reflected an
open process.  In 1997, a Council member was elected to the council who
prior to that year had not even been a member of the ANS.

Assuming that it was agreed on a single course of action - and this is far
from certain, - the ANS Council has communicated its decisions very poorly
both inside the ANS, inside the ANS membership and to those constituencies
outside.  It failed to establish long after the retreat of 1993 an
effective organizational structure to manage the day-to day affairs of the
ANS and to instill in that organization a clear sense of purpose.
In 1998, the ANS lost its accreditation as a museum in part due to
"mission confusion."  Nowhere, moreover, can anyone glean from statements
published in the ANS Newsletter any sense that the former crop of curators
were in any way redundant.  Jere Bacharach has suggested that the ANS
Council had decided to change the job description of curators at the ANS
toward something closer to "collection manager."  This was offered as
partial rationale for the "Buy-out" offers, in addition to the economic
problems. Obviously, not all Council members agreed, much less the general
membership. At least two Council members resigned last fall.  The
membership has let its views be known.

What is most disturbing is the fact that the ANS leadership appears to be
honestly unaware about how the ANS membership feels.  Even if one were to
assume that the cutbacks were necessary and justified, it is galling to
think that Mr. Partrick would initiate these "buy-out" offers without
notifying the ANS membership in advance or, at least, as the offers were
being made.  Most members found out only through "the grape-vine."
E-mails to the executive director were not answered.  Only on December
14th, a month and a half after the crisis began did statements appear at
the ANS web-site.  Yet, members were not even told to look at the web-site
to try to find answers to their questions and complaints.  The ANS
membership found out too little too late.

Many of the financial problems exist because of lack of initiative by the
ANS council and its poor judgment.  It continues to boggle my mind how an
institution in financial difficulty fails to mount any capital campaign
in over ten years.  Some sources have indicated that a consultants report
in 1993 recommended endowment campaigns for the positions of curators and
librarian. One would hope that a consultant's report would not be
necessary for such basic advice.  Yet, no effort was ever mounted.  The
Council also failed to anticipate the very considerable expense of
purchasing a new home, despite years of discussion and efforts to locate a
suitable site.  No capital campaign was ever launched.  In desperation,
the Council raided the endowment.  The ANS lost its accreditation as a
museum in part as a result of this reckless use of resources.

It is furthermore not clear that the ANS Council had any inkling of the
dire nature of the ANS' financial difficulties.  No significant cost
cutting actions preceded the report of the American Museum Association (?)
which stripped the ANS of its accreditation.

The move to William St. offers significant changes but not necessarily a
way out of the current financial problems.  The generosity of Mr. Partrick
and other Council members comes with a huge price tag.  Not only is the
ANS endowment still out $3 million dollars from the purchase of this
building but $4 million dollars still needs to be raised for basic
renovations.  On top of that, another $5 million dollars will be necessary
before an exhibition hall and other features which we would normally
associate with a museum would be ready.  In spite of all of the hoopla
about how attractive a musum of money would be, the ANS has yet to line up
a single significant donor outside the ANS Council.  Almost two years have
passed since the building was purchased.  This suggests either very
ineffective fundraising efforts or very little interest in the downtown
community in a financial museum.  In either case, one has to be skeptical
about the success of the move and begin to think about the consequences of
its failure.

As an alternative, I would recommend dramatic changes in the composition
of the ANS Council and the way it conducts its business.  New Council
members need to be elected in order to reestablish trust and confidence in
the ANS leadership.  Donald Partrick and others may have pure hearts
and may have given generously but they have failed to provide the necesary
leadership.  An institution such as the ANS should never be tied to
any one individual or group of individuals.  There are many competent
alternatives.  Interested fellows should not hesitate forming an
alternative slate.  James Schwartz and Bill Spengler are behind efforts to
do exactly that.

A revised ANS council should make every effort to make the membership
aware of problems, even where a difference of opinion exists  to its
origin and possible solutions, and to seek their input wherever possible.
This will not only enpower the leadership.  It will enpower the
membership. When difficult decisions need to be made, the membership will
more likely support its leadership.  It will also stand ready to
contribute in other ways.

The ANS should conserve its existing financial resources.  These are not
inconsiderable.  As recently as 1997, the ANS endowment stood at 18
million dollars.  The inaction and spending of the current Council has
reduced this to about 12 million dollars.  The sale of the current
building wuold recover some but not all of the loss.  This endowment
should provide in the current stock market a reasonable income of 400 or
500 thousand dollars.  Membership dues and publications provide perhaps
300 thousand more.

Expenses should be kept to a minimum.  Expenses at Audubon place
are relatively cheap.  This is an argument in favor of remaining there.
If it is necesary to dismiss or reduce the hours of staff, dismissals or
reduction in working hours should be taken in a manner which respects
their service and the support they enjoy in the ANS community.  Only this
will maintain the support of the numismatic community in difficult times.
Moreover, an empowered membership is more likely to volunteer and help out
in the various duties at the ANS.

The ANS should undertake a massive fundraising drive.  Annual giving has
varied between half a million and a million dollars.  Special appeals for
restricted endowments should be created for a wide range of essential
positions and expenses.  Though Mr. Partrick and other members of the
Council have given generously in the past and may stop giving with a
change in leadership, I think that a membership which
feels enpowered is capable of making up much of the difference.  They wait
to be asked.

Outreach is also important.  This includes publications and the
lectures and informal work of curators.  It also includes an
extensive web-site which is currently underway.  Other possiblities exist
but do not require the physical relocation of the ANS.  It has puzzled me
for instance why the ANS doesn't create moveable exhbits which might be
displayed in some of New York venerable financial establishments.  this
wold give visibility and establish  relationships with potentially
philanthropic institutions at little cost.  Outreach, in any case,
goes hand in hand with fundraising.  Talking to people, members and
non-members, identifies their interests and gives them an opportunity to
participate with their time, their expertise and their money.

The problems and challenges facing the ANS are considerable.  The ANS
community, however, may surmount them with the proper leadership.  It is
important for ANS members to remain actively involved in many different
ways.  Contributing to restricted funds such as the current campaign for a
chair in Islamic numismatics is one way.  Pushing for changes in the
composition of the ANS Council and, perhaps, governance procedures is
another.


Stuart D. Sears
The American University in Cairo
Department of Arabic Studies



On Fri, 17 Mar 2000, Dan Freidus wrote:

> From: "Dan Freidus" <freidus@...>
>
> I can understand why Susan takes the stand she does.  But while there has
> been vocal dissent among ANS supporters, it it by no means unanimous.  I
> wrot e abit about the ANS in the issue of Coin World appearing in mailboxes
> this week.  But th editors made me tone it down because they felt that my
> column, in voicing support for changes at the ANS, was too editorial in
> nature.
>
> What I didn't say, in either the original or edited version, is that I have
> heard little serious talk about other options from dissenters.   What I
> found shocking was the financial state of the organization. On that I plead
> guilty at not having read the financial section of the annual report
> carefully.  I trusted the Council and Director to draw my attention to what
> needed attention.  But the long-term existence of the institution was at
> risk the way things were going.
>
> The Council and Director have chosen to make changes that give the ANS a
> good chance at not only having a less risky financial situation down the
> road, but also to be much better at fulfilling the mission of the
> organization. Yes, that means sacrificing part of the mission in the short
> run.
>
> I believe that the new building is crucial.  I also understand that keeping
> operating expenses at their old level could have depleted the endowment
> before the move has a chance to generate new sources of income.  If staff is
> the majority of the budget, how could one reduce the budget without reducing
> staff?  Did they pick the exact proper level of skeleton crew for the next
> few years?  Ask 10 people and you'll probably get 12 opinions.  But the
> point is that they are being fiscally responsible for the short term while
> making plans for the long term that should create an institution even better
> than the old one.
>
> Given that, I agree with David Hendin in that now is when the ANS needs our
> support.  Personally, I converted my membership to a life membership.  Whole
> Earth Review, formerly Coevolution Quarterly (the Whole Earth Catalog
> people) have always described their life subscriptions as for "your life or
> ours, whichever is shorter".  I fully believe that my life membership in the
> ANS will be for my lifetime.
>
> Dan Freidus
>
> freidus@...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Susan Wood <wood@...>
> To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com <amnumsoc-l@onelist.com>
> Date: Friday, March 17, 2000 1:52 PM
> Subject: AMNUMSOC-L: Nasty note
>
>
> >From: Susan Wood <wood@...>
> >
> >A couple of weeks ago, after much debate, I decided to renew my membership
> in
> >the ANS, at the minimum dues level.  I enclosed a letter with my check,
> >explaining this decision, although the hard copy probably went directly
> from
> >the secretary's desk to the circular file.  This e-mail address book,
> however,
> >gives me a chance to circulate that letter to a few people who may actually
> >read it.  Here it is:
> >
> >To Whom it May Concern,
> >
> >        After considerable debate, I have reluctantly decided to renew my
> >membership in the American Numismatic Society, despite my absolute disgust
> at
> >the recent decisions by the Trustees and President to eliminate curatorial
> >positions in order to finance the move to a new building, and my alarm at
> the
> >revelations about the incompetent financial management of the society in
> recent
> >decades.  I do so in order to maintain what very little leverage your
> members
> >may still have in affecting the events of the current year, although the
> >contemptuous dismissal of our concerns at the recent meeting does not
> inspire
> >much confidence in the ability of the board to listen to us.
> >
> >        Please note, however, that I am paying only the minimum basic dues
> of
> >$40.00, and am not renewing at the Bronze Circle level, as I had done in
> >previous years.  In my opinion, the ANS in its current state is not worth
> $40,
> >or for that matter, $00.40, of my money, and your receipt of this check
> does
> >not constitute an expression of approval of the Society’s management.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Susan Wood
> >Professor of Art History and Academic Adviser
> >Department of Art and Art History
> >Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4401
> >248-370-3379, FAX 248-370-4208
> >
> >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >Special Offer-Earn 300 Points from MyPoints.com for trying @Backup
> >Get automatic protection and access to your important computer files.
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> >
> >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
> >
> >Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
> >Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l
> >
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> You have a voice mail message waiting for you at iHello.com:
> http://click.egroups.com/1/2377/6/_/_/_/953322344/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
>
> Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
> Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l
>
>
>

I agree.  Though the Colonial Newsletter is interesting, its free distribution
to
members ( I recieve it in Spain) should be discontinued if there are financial
problems at the Society.  How about putting this type of information on the
internet?  How about a Colonial Newsletter website?  It could cut costs and in
the long run make the information available to many more people.

Glenn Murray
http://www.SegoviaMint.org
murray@...
___________

AmphoraDH@... wrote:

> From: AmphoraDH@...
>
> To George Heath, et.al.
>
> I just received the recent material from The Colonial Newsletter, which is
> apparently sent to all ANS fellows (or maybe all members).
>
> I'm sure it's fascinating material, but very far from my area of interest.  I
> daresay the package cost the ANS at least ten bucks to send me, and I'm sure
> I'm not the only one who really has no use for it.
>
> Please remove me from this list and save some $$ for the ANS.  Please
> consider polling other members to determine if this mailing is wanted or not
> wanted for possible further savings.
>
> David Hendin
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> You have a voice mail message waiting for you at iHello.com:
> http://click.egroups.com/1/2377/6/_/_/_/953399298/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
>
> Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
> Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l

Chuck --
	 I appreciate the clarification on The Colonial Newsletter.  I *assumed*
it was only sent on request.  I can appreciate David's complaint a bit
better, knowing that it was an automatic distribution.
		 Bill Malkmus
=========================================
Charles B. Smith, Jr. wrote:
>
> From: "Charles B. Smith, Jr." <csmithjr@...>
>
> At 11:23 AM 3/18/2000 -0800, you wrote:
> >From: William Malkmus <malkmus@...>
> >       The Colonial Newsletter is only sent to the Associate Members who
> >request it.
>
> In my experience this is not correct.  I have never checked the little box
> for the Colonial Newsletter on the dues form, yet have been getting it
> anyway.  I agree with David Hendin's suggestion that money should not be
> wasted sending me this particular publication, as useful as it appears to
> be for those who work in that area.
>
> Chuck Smith
> csmithjr@...

At 11:23 AM 3/18/2000 -0800, you wrote:
>From: William Malkmus <malkmus@...>
> The Colonial Newsletter is only sent to the Associate Members who
>request it.

In my experience this is not correct.  I have never checked the little box
for the Colonial Newsletter on the dues form, yet have been getting it
anyway.  I agree with David Hendin's suggestion that money should not be
wasted sending me this particular publication, as useful as it appears to
be for those who work in that area.

Chuck Smith
csmithjr@...

To David Hendin (if still on list):
	 The Colonial Newsletter is only sent to the Associate Members who
request it.  I don't know whether Fellows get it whether they want it or
not.
		 Bill Malkmus
============
AmphoraDH@... wrote:
>
> From: AmphoraDH@...
>
> To George Heath, et.al.
>
> I just received the recent material from The Colonial Newsletter, which is
> apparently sent to all ANS fellows (or maybe all members).
>
> I'm sure it's fascinating material, but very far from my area of interest.  I
> daresay the package cost the ANS at least ten bucks to send me, and I'm sure
> I'm not the only one who really has no use for it.
>
> Please remove me from this list and save some $$ for the ANS.  Please
> consider polling other members to determine if this mailing is wanted or not
> wanted for possible further savings.
>
> David Hendin

Attn. Sebastian Heath.  Sorry I called you "George Heath."

To George Heath, et.al.

I just received the recent material from The Colonial Newsletter, which is
apparently sent to all ANS fellows (or maybe all members).

I'm sure it's fascinating material, but very far from my area of interest.  I
daresay the package cost the ANS at least ten bucks to send me, and I'm sure
I'm not the only one who really has no use for it.

Please remove me from this list and save some $$ for the ANS.  Please
consider polling other members to determine if this mailing is wanted or not
wanted for possible further savings.

David Hendin

Dear Readers,


              I have added the latest batch of images. Also, there
is now a file "http://www.amnumsoc.org/collections/images/imlist.html"
that lists all the illustrated coins in a somewhat rational order.
There are, of course, still issues of format, order and editing to
work out but these are being worked on.

  Also, yesterday I added some news items to "http://www.amnumsoc.org/
news/". Fodder, perhaps, for the current discussion.

  I note that we have already had our first commercial posting. Please,
no more. This is no comment on the content of such messages, just
a request to send them elsewhere.

  We have almost 100 members so far. These include ANS staff,
councilors, members and others. All are welcome. If you know of
anybody who might be interested in joining us, send them a note.

  There was a brief in-house discussion of the role of ANS staff on
this list. In general, we will refrain from joining in the debate.
But we are all interested to hear your views and encourage civil
discourse. This is, however, a good forum for asking questions about
the ANS' activities and we will try to answer them.

  Sincerely,

  Sebastian Heath.

I can understand why Susan takes the stand she does.  But while there has
been vocal dissent among ANS supporters, it it by no means unanimous.  I
wrot e abit about the ANS in the issue of Coin World appearing in mailboxes
this week.  But th editors made me tone it down because they felt that my
column, in voicing support for changes at the ANS, was too editorial in
nature.

What I didn't say, in either the original or edited version, is that I have
heard little serious talk about other options from dissenters.   What I
found shocking was the financial state of the organization. On that I plead
guilty at not having read the financial section of the annual report
carefully.  I trusted the Council and Director to draw my attention to what
needed attention.  But the long-term existence of the institution was at
risk the way things were going.

The Council and Director have chosen to make changes that give the ANS a
good chance at not only having a less risky financial situation down the
road, but also to be much better at fulfilling the mission of the
organization. Yes, that means sacrificing part of the mission in the short
run.

I believe that the new building is crucial.  I also understand that keeping
operating expenses at their old level could have depleted the endowment
before the move has a chance to generate new sources of income.  If staff is
the majority of the budget, how could one reduce the budget without reducing
staff?  Did they pick the exact proper level of skeleton crew for the next
few years?  Ask 10 people and you'll probably get 12 opinions.  But the
point is that they are being fiscally responsible for the short term while
making plans for the long term that should create an institution even better
than the old one.

Given that, I agree with David Hendin in that now is when the ANS needs our
support.  Personally, I converted my membership to a life membership.  Whole
Earth Review, formerly Coevolution Quarterly (the Whole Earth Catalog
people) have always described their life subscriptions as for "your life or
ours, whichever is shorter".  I fully believe that my life membership in the
ANS will be for my lifetime.

Dan Freidus

freidus@...

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Wood <wood@...>
To: amnumsoc-l@onelist.com <amnumsoc-l@onelist.com>
Date: Friday, March 17, 2000 1:52 PM
Subject: AMNUMSOC-L: Nasty note


>From: Susan Wood <wood@...>
>
>A couple of weeks ago, after much debate, I decided to renew my membership
in
>the ANS, at the minimum dues level.  I enclosed a letter with my check,
>explaining this decision, although the hard copy probably went directly
from
>the secretary's desk to the circular file.  This e-mail address book,
however,
>gives me a chance to circulate that letter to a few people who may actually
>read it.  Here it is:
>
>To Whom it May Concern,
>
>        After considerable debate, I have reluctantly decided to renew my
>membership in the American Numismatic Society, despite my absolute disgust
at
>the recent decisions by the Trustees and President to eliminate curatorial
>positions in order to finance the move to a new building, and my alarm at
the
>revelations about the incompetent financial management of the society in
recent
>decades.  I do so in order to maintain what very little leverage your
members
>may still have in affecting the events of the current year, although the
>contemptuous dismissal of our concerns at the recent meeting does not
inspire
>much confidence in the ability of the board to listen to us.
>
>        Please note, however, that I am paying only the minimum basic dues
of
>$40.00, and am not renewing at the Bronze Circle level, as I had done in
>previous years.  In my opinion, the ANS in its current state is not worth
$40,
>or for that matter, $00.40, of my money, and your receipt of this check
does
>not constitute an expression of approval of the Society’s management.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Susan Wood
>Professor of Art History and Academic Adviser
>Department of Art and Art History
>Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4401
>248-370-3379, FAX 248-370-4208
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>Get automatic protection and access to your important computer files.
>Install today:
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>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>amnumsoc-l-unsubscribe@onelist.com
>
>Home Page: http://www.onelist.com/group/amnumsoc-l
>Archive: http://www.onelist.com/messages/amnumsoc-l
>
>

Dear fellow members, I Feel that if we stick together and support the society
despite the decisions (ugh!) that were made all will work out eventually.
HAVE FAITH
                                                         John Graff

Friends.  I have read Susan Woods' recent email.

It made me want to share that I have just renewed with the ANS at a much
higher level than I have before.

I also believe that ANS management over the past decade or so has been pretty
dismal.  And it is left to the current management to clean it up.

If any of you have ever run companies before you know that if it takes 10 or
20 years to get into a mess, you cannot get out of it in 6 to 8 weeks.  Not
only that but when new management finds a mess that has been swept under it's
bed, management usually has to make unpleasant decisions to get the train
moving in the right direction.

I would like to think that these are the tough things, and that a better
future will follow.  But if the rest of you decide to hold your breaths
instead of writing some checks, well, then I guess things might not get
better.

David Hendin

A couple of weeks ago, after much debate, I decided to renew my membership in
the ANS, at the minimum dues level.  I enclosed a letter with my check,
explaining this decision, although the hard copy probably went directly from
the secretary's desk to the circular file.  This e-mail address book, however,
gives me a chance to circulate that letter to a few people who may actually
read it.  Here it is:

To Whom it May Concern,

         After considerable debate, I have reluctantly decided to renew my
membership in the American Numismatic Society, despite my absolute disgust at
the recent decisions by the Trustees and President to eliminate curatorial
positions in order to finance the move to a new building, and my alarm at the
revelations about the incompetent financial management of the society in recent
decades.  I do so in order to maintain what very little leverage your members
may still have in affecting the events of the current year, although the
contemptuous dismissal of our concerns at the recent meeting does not inspire
much confidence in the ability of the board to listen to us.

         Please note, however, that I am paying only the minimum basic dues of
$40.00, and am not renewing at the Bronze Circle level, as I had done in
previous years.  In my opinion, the ANS in its current state is not worth $40,
or for that matter, $00.40, of my money, and your receipt of this check does
not constitute an expression of approval of the Society’s management.









Susan Wood
Professor of Art History and Academic Adviser
Department of Art and Art History
Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4401
248-370-3379, FAX 248-370-4208

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The 3rd book on coin issues and coin finds in Armenia is just published.
This book contents coin finds from Duin (4-13th c.) and the inventory of
Sasanian and Byzantine coins (pre islamic) found in Armenia (6-7th c.) with
a general study of history, economy and settlement in Armenia during this
period.

You can find information on books and other numismatic publications on
<http://www.cultura-net.com/moneta>



**************

Georges Depeyrot, Chargé de recherche au CNRS, Centre de recherches
historiques
54 Boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris <mailto:Depeyrot@...>
Fax + 33 1 49 54 23 99

MONETA (numismatic and economic history books):
Orders and information on <http://www.cultura-net.com/moneta>

I must take exception to the following
characterization of cause and effect within
the ANS:

".....the fiscal realities which necessitated
  the current restructuring within the American
  Numismatic Society...."

It is difficult to disagree with the view that
some restructuring of the ANS was necessitated by
fiscal realities, but the current restructuring of
the ANS was not.  The current restructuring -
the elimination of the curators and the gambling
away of the remaining ANS endowment on the dubious
proposition that a down-town money museum will
bring in big bucks, far from being necessitated
by financial realities, does not address them.

The ANS may indeed need change, but it desperately
needs leadership with the wisdom to trust ANS
members and to work with them to make rational
plans for the future.

Peter Gaspar

Ed Deane of HBRF has forwarded the on-line text of Numismatic
Literature vol. 102 (1979) to me and I have added it to the
searchable version.

  Find this at http://www.amnumsoc.org/search/ .

  The following years are currently on-line: 1947-1949, 1952,
1979-1998.


  -Sebastian

LET'S GIVE CHANGE A CHANCE! (At the ANS)

  Editorial: (from CNL-113, "The Colonial Newsletter" published
  by The American Numismatic Society)

  Benjamin Franklin, that 18th century American genius well
  known in numismatic circles, wrote to a friend in 1789, “But in
  this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes.” At the risk of
  appearing impudent, I would suggest a slight amendment to the
  words of this notable printer/philosopher/statesman, which, by
  their intrinsic truth, have evolved into a time-worn cliché. I
  would humbly suggest that a third element be added to Franklin’s
  truism, which would now expand those certainties of life to
  become “death, taxes, and change.” While in this election year
  there is copious political rhetoric about modifying taxes, one
  doesn’t hear any proposals to alter the certitude of the remaining
  duo. Change has always been with us but in this rapidly evolving
  post-modern world, it has become so rampant, that it is now an
  accepted part of our everyday routine. Without doubt, change
  may certainly be to the good as well as to the bad - but as one of
  my senior medical colleagues always cautioned, “don’t confuse
  all change with progress.” In this dialogue about change the
  additional caveat is added - before making any final value
  judgement as to whether a specific change is good and
  progressive, versus bad and regressive, one should wait and
  give change a chance to work - and hope that it turns out for the
  good.

  In case you were wondering whether the foregoing was a homily
  or an hallucination, my ramblings about change were prompted
  by the recent revelation of the fiscal realities which necessitated
  the current restructuring within the American Numismatic
  Society, the sponsor of The Colonial Newsletter. These changes
  took many by surprise - encouraging those who look with
  anticipation to a bright future in a new home in the financial
  district, while the reaction to the curatorial downsizing ranged
  from disbelief to infuriation as others view that alteration as
  antithetical to the mission of the Society. These arguments, pro
  and con, have received widespread attention in the numismatic
  press and on the ANS website to which our patrons are referred
  for details.

  Lest any of you have wondered, the status of The Colonial
  Newsletter is not directly affected by the current
  rearrangements. In order to accommodate the current
  restructuring underway at the ANS, Jim Spilman announced that
  the "experimental period" of three years described in the
  Memorandum of Agreement between CNLF and ANS (see CNL
  pp. 1161-62) has been extended, pending final approval of the
  ANS Council, so that the holdings of the CNL will not become
  the exclusive property of the ANS until April 15, 2002.
  Publication and distribution of CNL by the ANS will continue as
  during the past three years without interruption. So I’m glad to
  report - business as usual.

  I misspoke - business is not as usual - it is better than usual.
  I’m pleased to announce that Louis Jordan has accepted an
  invitation to become an Associate Editor for The Colonial
  Newsletter. Serving in this capacity, Lou will join Mike Hodder
  and Gary Trudgen.

  Lou, a native of Saugus, MA, lives with his family in South Bend,
  IN. He received his B.A. in History and Latin from the University
  of Massachusetts, Boston, in 1973, his M.A. in Medieval History
  from the University of Chicago in 1974, his Ph.D. from the
  University of Notre Dame in Medieval Studies in 1980, and his
  Master of Library Science from Indiana University, Bloomington,
  in 1981. Currently, he is the Director of Special Collections,
  University of Notre Dame Libraries, whose department is
  responsible for the Rare Books and Special Collections with a
  total of some 320,000 volumes within 30 or more different
  collections. His responsibilities also include The Medieval
  Institute Library, The Frank M. Folsom Ambrosiana Microfilm
  and Photographic Collection (25,000 microfilms, 50,000
  photographs and 20,000 slides), The Anastos Collection on
  Byzantine Studies, and the Edmund P. Joyce Sports Research
  Collection of 100,000 items. Lou is also the author of several
  books on Western Manuscripts. I might add that he has been
  very helpful to me in obtaining difficult and rare references.

  We know him best as the Curator of the Numismatic Collections
  in charge of the University’s extensive numismatic holdings
  which he described for us in CNL pp. 1919-28. While Lou has
  always had an interest in numismatics and has been working
  with coins for many years, he guesses that he will always prefer
  the "colonial" American period. I hope our patrons have taken
  advantage of his website, “The Coins of Colonial and Early
  America,” at the URL

              http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/index.html.

  Dr. Jordan can be
  contacted by e-mail at:

              louis.e.jordan.1@....

  We extend to him our cordial welcome.

  Enclosed with CNL 113 is a new Cumulative Index composed by
  our Editor Emeritus, J C Spilman. This updated index, expanded
  in its listings, now features a new section listing all Illustrations,
  Tables, and Charts, appearing in the CNL since its inception in
  October 1960. Patrons may be interested to learn that Jim and
  Associate Editor Gary Trudgen are currently engaged in a
  formidable project of putting the prior issues of the CNL in .PDF
  format on a CD and on the Internet.

  Signed: PLM (Dr. Philip L. Mossman)

  CNL-113 and the new CNL Two Part Cumulative Index will be
  issued by the ANS during April, 2000.

  JCS

The following bill was introduced in Congress March 8th. If you have any
interest in it, you may wish to write to your COngressman (Washington DC
20515) or Senator (Washington DC 20510).  THe bill is HR 3866:
Annual Assay Commission Act (Introduced in the House)

HR 3866 IH


106th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 3866
To reestablish the annual assay commission.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 8, 2000
Mr. ROTHMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Banking and Financial Services



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--


A BILL
To reestablish the annual assay commission.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Annual Assay Commission Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds as follows:

(1) It is in the national interest for the citizens of the Nation, and those
who purchase products of the United States Mint, to know that gold, silver,
and platinum coinage produced by the several United States mints are of the
proper size, weight, and purity provided for by law.

(2) From 1792 until 1977, an annual assay commission, as first required by
the Act entitled `An Act establishing a Mint, and regulating the Coins of the
United States' and approved April 2, 1792, performed such functions, until
such time as there were no precious metal coins regularly being produced by
the United States mints.

(3) Since 1977, the United States Mint has begun regular production of
bullion coinage comprised of .999 fine silver, .9995 fine platinum, and gold
of either .900 or .999 fine.

(4) Since 1982, the United States Mint has produced millions of gold and
silver commemorative coins that have sold to collectors and others on the
primary market for more than $1,000,000,000.

(5) It is desirable to involve numismatists, and others, in the process of
marketing and merchandising of coins, of which an annual assay is an
important component part.

(6) There is a marketing need for an annual ceremony to attest that the coins
produced by the several United States mints are manufactured in conformity
with their statutory requirements, to publicize the same, and to involve the
general and numismatic public in the annual assay and its report.

SEC. 3. ANNUAL ASSAY REQUIRED.

(a) IN GENERAL- To secure conformity in the composition and weight of the
minor coinage of the United States, subsidiary denominations, dollar coins,
and coins struck in silver, gold, platinum and other precious metals, an
annual assay shall be held in the manner provided in subsection (b)(4) to
test and examine, in the presence of the Director of the Mint, the fineness
and weight of the coins reserved by the several mints for this purpose.

(b) ASSAY COMMISSION-

(1) MEMBERSHIP AND APPOINTMENT-

(A) IN GENERAL- The annual assay required under subsection (a) shall be
conducted by an assay commission consisting of such number of members as the
President may determine to be appropriate, not to exceed 25, who shall be
appointed by the President.

(B) REPRESENTATION OF NUMISMATISTS- At least 1/2 of the members of the assay
commission shall be appointed from among individuals who are, by reason of
education, training, or experience, amateur or professional numismatists.

(2) TERMS- Members of the assay commission shall--

(A) be appointed each year by the President to serve for that year only; and

(B) not be eligible for re-appointment until a period of not less than 5
years has passed since their most recent appointment expired.

(3) SERVICE WITHOUT COMPENSATION- Members of the assay commission shall serve
without pay, except that such members shall be entitled to receive, in
accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, travel or
transportation expenses, or a per diem allowance in lieu of expenses, while
away from such member's home or place of business in connection with such
member's service on the assay commission.

(4) MEETINGS OF ASSAY COMMISSION-

(A) IN GENERAL- The assay commission shall meet on the second Wednesday in
February of each year, to carry out the duties of the commission under this
section.

(B) LOCATION- The meeting of the assay commission shall be convened at any
United States mint, or at the United States Mint in Washington, D.C., as
determined by the Director of the Mint.

(C) CONTINUATION FOLLOWING ADJOURNMENT- The meeting of the assay commission
may continue following adjournment if necessary.

(D) OTHER MEETINGS- If a majority of the members of the assay commission fail
to attend any meeting scheduled pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Director of
the Mint shall call a meeting of the commissioners at such other time as the
Director determines to be convenient.

(5) EXPENSES OF ASSAY COMMISSION- The expenses of the assay commission which
the Secretary determines are reasonable and appropriate shall be paid by the
Secretary from the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund under section
5136 of title 31, United States Code.

(c) SELECTION AND TRANSFER OF COINS-

(1) IN GENERAL- In accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of
the Treasury, each superintendent of a United States mint shall select and
transfer, without examination and discrimination, specimens of coins in the
manner described in paragraphs (2) and (3) for assay at trial to the Office
of the Director of the Mint in Washington, D.C.

(2) CERTAIN CIRCULATING COINS- For each issue of circulating coins, other
than 1-cent and 5-cent coins, by any United States mint, specimen coins for
special assay and testing shall be taken at random as follows:

(A) In the case of dollar coins, half dollar coins, and quarter dollar coins,
not less than 2 coins for each 200,000 pieces or fraction thereof issued.

(B) In the case of dime coins, not less than 2 coins for each 400,000 pieces
or fraction thereof issued.

(3) OTHER COINS- For each issue of coins not described in subparagraph (A) by
any United States mint, including bullion coins and special numismatic coins,
specimen coins for the examination and testing shall be taken at random in
such quantities as the Secretary of the Treasury shall direct, but not less
than 10 coins of each quality of coin struck at each facility of the United
States Mint producing such coins.

(4) MANNER OF SELECTION AND TRANSFER- The selection of specimen coins under
this subsection shall be made by a superintendent of a United States mint
under this section, or by a representative designated by such superintendent,
in the presence of the assayer or person who performs such assay function, or
by a representative designated by the assayer or other person, without
testing and the coins so selected selection shall be protected from attrition
and enclosed in envelopes which shall be sealed and labeled to show the place
of coinage, the date, number, and amount of delivery, and the number and
denomination of the pieces enclosed.

(d) PROCEDURE FOLLOWING EXAMINATION AND TESTING-

(1) STANDARDIZED FINENESS AND WEIGHT- If it appears to the assay commission,
after examination and testing, that the coins presented to the assay
commission coins do not differ from the standard fineness and weight by a
greater quantity than is permitted by such regulations as the Secretary of
the Treasury may from time to time prescribe, the trial by the assay
commission shall be considered and reported as satisfactory.

(2) DEVIATION- If, after the examination and testing referred to in paragraph
(1), it appears to the assay commission that any coin differs from the
standard fineness and weight by a greater quantity than is permitted by the
regulations referred to in such paragraph, this fact shall be certified to
the Director of the Mint and the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary
shall take such action as is appropriate to rectify the cause.

(e) LABORATORY TESTS OF ADDITIONAL SPECIMEN COINS- In addition to the
specimen coins selected under other provisions of this subsection, specimen
coins, as either proof or uncirculated pieces, may be forwarded promptly to
the Director of the Mint for laboratory testing as to their conformity in
composition and weight with the requirements of law.

(f) ANNUAL REPORT-

(1) REPORT REQUIRED- The Director of the Mint shall prepare and publish an
annual report containing the report of the assay commission for such year and
the results of laboratory tests conducted pursuant to subsection (e).

(2) SUBMISSION TO THE CONGRESS- Each report prepared pursuant to paragraph
(1) shall be submitted to the Congress.

SEC. 4. PRODUCTION OF ASSAY COMMISSION MEDALS.

The Director of the Mint may continue the practice of producing assay
commission medals for the members of the assay commission, if bronze copies
of such medals are made available for sale to the general public.

* * *
for more information:
click here:
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ttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r106:1:./temp/~r106mal7mA::</A>  <A
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HREF="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r106:1:./temp/~r106mal7mA::">http:
//thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r106:1:./temp/~r106mal7mA::</A>  <A
HREF="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r106:./temp/~r106FItJMv">http://th
omas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r106:./temp/~r106FItJMv</A>  <A
HREF="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r106:./temp/~r106FItJMv">http://th
omas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r106:./temp/~r106FItJMv</A>

Testing address best DAvid L. Ganz

A little bit difficult to subscribe, but useful.
thanks

The American Numismatic Society

                      is proud to present

                       a lecture given by

                   Dr. Ioannis Touratsoglou
  The Prive of Power: Drachms in the name of Alexander of Greece

                    Thursday, April 13, 2000
                       6:00 PM Reception
                       6:30 PM Lecture

              at the new home of the ANS located at
                     140 William Street
                     New York, NY 10038


                       sponsored by

               The Cycladic Art Foundation
            Alexander Papamarkou Lectureship Program

                The American Numismatic Society
                  Broadway at 155th Street
                    New York NY 10032
                       (212) 234-3130
                      www.amnumsoc.org

The American Numismatic Society

                    is proud to present

           THE ARCHER M. HUNTINGTON MEDAL AWARD

                             to

                     Prof. Maria Alfoldi

                  Saturday, March 18, 2000
                          3:00 pm

            The presentation will be followed by

           THE MARGARET THOMPSON MEMORIAL LECTURE

                             on

   "Buildings of Rome on Ancient Coins: Imagery and Meaning

  In Prof. Alfoldi's absence, the lecture will be delivered by

          Prof. Kenneth Harl, Tulane University

                    A reception will follow

                The American Numismatic Society
                  Broadway at 155th Street
                      New York NY 10032
                        (212) 234-3130
                       info@...
                        www.amnumsoc.org