ANA Money Museum holds open house to kick off National Coin Week
More than 650 people visited the Museum of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Saturday, April 15, for an open house dubbed “Let Us Show You the Money!”
To kick off the 77th observance of the ANA’s National Coin Week – April 16-22 – the Money Museum featured free drawings for gold, silver and “golden” dollars, free coin appraisals, free state quarter boards, and the opportunity to play a “treasure trivia” game with stops throughout the nine-gallery museum.
“This was a wonderful way to begin National Coin Week and remind people about the many fascinating exhibits we have,” says Museum Curator Robert W. Hoge.
To encourage people to look more closely at their pocket change, the ANA invited two local radio personalities to place a rare 1914-D Lincoln cent worth $100 into circulation before April 15. Stephanie Seeley, a cashier at a fast-food restaurant and collector of wheat cents found the coin and decided to keep it.
Interest in the coin drop was so great that a second 1914-D cent was placed into circulation during National Coin Week, and a “reward” offered for its return.
Of the more than 650 who registered for the free drawings, two walked away with $1 gold coins from the 1850s donated by National Gold Exchange and Scotsman Coins; another six visitors won Morgan silver dollars donated by Ken Hallenbeck Rare Coin Gallery; and six others won a new Sacagawea golden dollar provided by the ANA.
ANA Authenticator Brian Silliman was assisted by local professional numismatists Don Hartlaub, Ken Hallenbeck, Art Jorgensen and John Kraljevich in offering nearly 150 free appraisals during the open house.
“We saw a variety of United States coins, from large quantities of Lincoln wheat cents to better-date Morgan and Trade dollars,” Silliman says. “We also saw a small number of fairly valuable gold coins and appraised a handful of ancient pieces.”
More than 300 school-age children and their parents scoured the Museum for answers in a numismatic trivia game modeled on the game the ANA conducts at its conventions. All participants received free collector coins, including Buffalo nickels and Indian Head cents.
Everyone who visited the Money Museum during the National Coin Week open house received a 1999-2000 State Quarter Board produced for the ANA, Professional Numismatists Guild, American Numismatic Society and the United States Mint.
Special Museum exhibits included the ANA’s two $100,000 bills; its 1913 Liberty Head nickel; stone money from the South Pacific island of Yap; Swedish copper plate money; the Museum’s 1933 gold eagle; and a special display on money and taxes.The ANA Money Museum is always free and open to the public throughout the year.
Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday.
Free group tours are available by calling 719/632-2646.
Originally Release Date: April 18, 2000
ANA Contacts: Phone: 719-482-9872
Email: pr@money.org