ANA REMODELING TAKING SHAPE; FIRST ROOM COMPLETED

Work on the American Numismatic Association's (ANA) $3 million remodeling project continues at a rapid rate, with one room already completed: a storage area for the more than 1.4 million photographic negatives and pictures of coins, paper money, tokens and medals.

"Finishing this room is a very small step in a very big project, but a very important one," says ANA Executive Director Edward C. Rochette. "The ANA has worked since the 1980s photographing material sent here for authentication, donation and certification. In addition to our spectacular museum collection and wonderful library, this photographic collection is an important asset to the ANA and the collecting community."

When finished this summer, the remodeled ANA Money Museum and Library will stimulate visitors' interest in numismatics with intriguing windows on the worlds of history, art, geography, religion, economics, sociology and architecture. (Visitors to the ANA's web site can see photographs of the remodeling as it progresses at www.money.org/renovationi mages.html.)

The lower part of the Museum has been gutted and workers are preparing to install a new elevator and staircase that will connect the upper and lower levels of the public areas.

At the same time, the Museum and Authentication Bureau staff have moved to temporary quarters in the lower level of the building. They will return to remodeled space this spring, and the area they vacate will be used for the Library and its growing collection.

Remodeling the ANA Money Museum will allow it to display a wider variety of the more than 300,000 items in the ANA's collection. As part of the project, the Association's web site will offer enriched virtual tours of both permanent and changing exhibits.

The library expansion and remodeling will provide the staff with much-needed room to handle its more than 40,000 books, catalogs, periodicals and audio-visual programs available for loan to ANA members for the cost of postage and insurance.

The remodeling is scheduled for completion by June 1, 2001, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 14 (at the conclusion of the ANA's two-week Summer Seminar). After the opening ceremonies, the fund-raising effort - ANA Target 2001 - will hold a gala black-tie dinner, featuring celebrity guests and a silent auction of special numismatic material. In addition, a live "once-in-a-lifetime" auction will be webcast on the Internet.

The ANA Target 2001 fund-raising committee has established seven contribution levels, including Platinum ($10,000+); Gold ($5,000+); Silver ($1,000+); Bronze ($500+); and Copper ($25+), as well as ANA Grand Benefactor for the top three donors of $500,000 or more and ANA Benefactor for those pledging $25,000 or more. Donor premiums being offered include VIP numismatic tours with ANA Executive Director and raconteur Edward C. Rochette; designation as "honorary general chairman" of an ANA convention of the donor's choice; tickets to the gala black-tie dinner and auction; recognition on a "donor wall" to be erected in the remodeled entry plaza; a recognition plaque; an early-entry pass to ANA convention bourses; limited-issue ANA commemorative silver medals; recognition in The Numismatist; and a banner ad on the ANA donor web page.

To make a donation, contact the American Numismatic Association, 818 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903-3279; telephone 719/632-2646; fax 719/634-4085; E-mail rochette@money.org.

For more information about ANA Target 2001, contact ANA Governor Barry Stuppler at 5855 Topanga Canyon Blvd., #330, Woodland Hills, CA 91367; fax 818/594-8599; or E-mail ANA2001@coinmag.com.