Curators Metcalf and Kleeberg Resign

New York, NY, March 15, 2000 - The American Numismatic Society (ANS) announced today the departures of Drs. William E. Metcalf and John M. Kleeberg.

In October, 1999 the Society’s staff was informed that in order to cut the large ANS operating deficit, staff salary cuts were needed at the organization. In late November, Dr. Ute Wartenberg, Executive Director of the ANS, announced that two curatorial and other administrative positions would have to be suspended until further funding became available. Consequently, ANS curatorial and some security staff were offered voluntary early-out packages. Dr. Metcalf accepted such a package after the voluntary departures of other certain members of the ANS curatorial staff (see separate press release). Dr. Metcalf was Chief Curator and Curator of Roman and Byzantine Coins at the Society and his resignation was effective February 4, 2000. Dr. Metcalf currently remains Visiting Professor at Bryn Mawr College and is Vice-President of the International Numismatic Commission.

Dr. John M. Kleeberg was the Curator of Modern Coins and he left the Society on February 29, 2000.

Dr. Kleeberg has announced that he will begin attending New York University Law School in the fall.

The American Numismatic Society (ANS), founded in 1858, is an international non-profit center for the preservation and study of coins, medals and paper money, representing more than 2,500 years of material culture. The ANS collection contains close to one million objects and spans all periods and geographic areas, including Greek and Roman, medieval and modern European, American, Islamic, Asian and African coins, as well as other materials. In addition, the ANS holds the world’s finest numismatic library, which is also strong in non-numismatic monographs and references on history, art, economics, language and culture. Both the collection and the library are open to the public.

For further information, contact Vanessa Samet at (212) 234-3130 ext. 231.

The American Numismatic Society
155th Street & Broadway
New York, NY 10032
(212) 234-3130
(212) 283-2267 fax
www.AmNumSoc.Org