Selected Articles from the Fall 2000 Newsletter (no. 86)

At the last ANS Council meeting on June 17, the Council decided on several important issues, including the budget for the Society's 2001 fiscal year, the future composition of the ANS Council, and additional membership and dues categories.

The ANS Council approved a proposed budget for FY 2001 commencing October 1, 2000. The budget projects income of $1.42 million. Income is derived from membership dues, trust income, donations, publications sales, a draw against the ANS endowment, contributions from ANS Council members, and other miscellaneous income. Total estimated FY 2001 expenditures of $1.92 million is composed of operating expenses, staff salaries and benefits ($1.07 million) and severance packages ($186,000) to be paid to former staff who took voluntary early-out offers. This leaves the ANS with a projected deficit of less than $500,000, substantially lower than previous years. It should be noted that these figures do not include income or expenses relating to the forthcoming capital campaign or move to 140 William Street.

Kenneth L. Edlow, Treasurer of the ANS said, "The deficit for last year, FY 2000, was estimated at more than $800,000. In order to rein in the deficit, Council made strong budgetary cuts to help the ANS on the road to financial recovery. It is our goal to substantially reduce the operating deficit in FY 2001, to initiate plans to operate the Society with a surplus, and to eventually lower the annual amount drawn against the endowment to a conservative 4%."

As many ANS members may know, some ANS Fellows and members have expressed their concerns about the ANS and the Council’s actions in regard to the financial and overall direction of the Society. A group of ‘Concerned Fellows’ was formed earlier this year, which has been expressing their views through its spokesperson James Schwartz. The Council’s plan to move to 140 William Street and to establish a new museum with more public outreach, while maintaining a scholarly program, has met with criticism by the Concerned Fellows.

At the Council meeting in June, the Council agreed to a joint slate consisting of current Councilors and Concerned Fellows of the ANS for the upcoming election to be held at the ANS annual meeting on October 21, 2000. After a long and substantive debate among Fellows and Councilors, which continued until the middle of September, it was finally agreed that three of the Concerned Fellows would join the council. The Concerned Fellows’ nominees are James Schwartz, Peter Gaspar and Cory Gillilland.

The ANS Council has sent a letter to all Fellows, who represent the entire membership, in which Donald Partrick, President, re-iterates the ANS’ program. This letter is printed in this Newsletter on page 3.

The Council approved new membership categories for the Society to help offset the costs of membership services. The basic membership category will remain at $40, however if a member wishes to receive the Society's American Journal of Numismatics, membership dues will be $60. Separate categories for libraries ($100) and corporate/institutional members ($500) were approved, as well as an increase in life membership dues to $2,000. Life members will receive the American Journal of Numismatics. The above membership changes will commence for the dues of 2001. Dr. Ute Wartenberg, Executive Director of the ANS said, “We would like to provide our members with more options in terms of the benefits they receive from the ANS. We hope that these category additions will be well-received by our current members and will enable us to increase our membership.” The dues and the revised membership categories will be put up for vote by the Fellows at the annual meeting on October 21, 2000.

The Publications Committee and staff at the Society have also begun to examine better ways to distribute its journals to members and non-members. Presently, the Society produces the ANSNewsletter and three journals: the American Journal of Numismatics, the Colonial Newsletter, and Numismatic Literature. Numismatic Literature was until recently part of the annual publication subscription. All members receive the ANSNewsletter and AJN, and over half of all ANS members receive CNL free of charge. Due to the diverse interests of ANS members, this distribution system often meets resistance from some members, who wish to receive only publications which are relevant to their field of numismatic interest. As a result the ANS plans to distribute the journals through separate subscriptions. The Publications Committee would be interested in comments from members about ANS publications and their distributions. Members who wish to comment on the journals, or any other ANS publications, can send their comments to the Publications Committee, The American Numismatic Society, Broadway at 155th St., New York, NY 10032.

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs held a symposium on September 13 in the Senate Office Building in Washington. The symposium, “Coin Designs Worthy of a Great Nation,” focused on improving the design of our circulating coins. Significant ancient and foreign coins from the ANS and U.S. Coins from the Smithsonian were on display as part of an accompanying public exhibition at the Senate Office Building. To see this exhibition go to www.amnumsoc.org/senate/.

Senator Phil Gramm, Chairman of the Committee, noted that President Theodore Roosevelt “initiated a review of the designs of our circulating coins, leading to what many have called the golden age of American coin design. I believe it is time for such a review again.” Participating were Mr. Robert Campbell, President of the American Numismatic Association, Dr. Richard Doty, Curator of Numismatics at the Smithsonian Institution, Jay W. Johnson, Director of the U.S. Mint, Mr. Thomas Rogers, engraver for the U.S. Mint, and Dr. Ute Wartenberg, Director of the American Numismatic Society. In a lively roundtable discussion, participants voiced a variety of opinions about the prospects of achieving another such golden age of coins. A few excerpts follow. The full transcript is available on the Senate Web site: http://www.senate.gov/~banking/coin2000/coin-sym.html.

Senator Sarbanes, commented on his visit to the ANS and noted that "In a sense, you could say that history is not only recorded, it is also minted.... I think we should think of our coinage in terms of giving every person who picks up a coin the chance to learn a bit about our great heritage and our distinguished history."

Dr. Richard G. Doty, made "highly personal remarks" in stating four problems: "First...By my lights, America's designs on their coins are distinctly uninspired. Second, they are mostly struck in a base medal clad or plated composition...Third, due to the nature of mass production, they can only be struck once, very quickly...And finally, if a design is found which works, even if it's uninspired... there will be a very, very strong temptation to retain it simply because it does work." He also mentioned solutions: changing the metallic composition, putting some of the verbiage on an underutilized surface - the edge of the coin, and getting new designs.

In her comments, Dr. Ute Wartenberg noted that " In a democracy, [coins] play an important role...recognized by the founding fathers, who tried to give the new republic an iconographic identity." She noted that the impetus to alter American coin designs over the last decade has had a variety of reasons, including "...demographic changes within the population, the increased role of women and ethnic groups, and the emergence of different artistic styles." She noted a tendency "particularly in democracies of the ancient world, not to change coin design. In a monarchy, coins tend to change more often because a new ruler required a different portrait...that monarch had considerable authority in choosing his designs and picking artists. In our modern democracy committees reign, compromise is the key to decision making. When it comes to art and taste, compromise is rarely a useful procedure." She suggested awarding prizes, such as the ANS Saltus Award, to raise awareness, open competition, and provide rewards such as money or international prestige.

In summing up, Dr. Wartenberg noted several points: "Coinage today is seen as much more prosaic and artistic excellence is often secondary. Governments have been more concerned about producing functional, inexpensive coins than expressing themselves through their currency." She stated that we should periodically examine the need for change and question not only design but the underlying values of our society; establish paid competitions that include artists from outside the field; appoint a committee that includes a wide variety of interests. "Here we come to a very important point....do not interfere with the artist's design. ...The decision of the committee has to be final, then leave the detail to the artist. This requires the will to be bold and controversial. Great art involves a very large element of risk. Last, but not least, spend money on the design process and the minting."

We would like to share the following email with our members:

---Original Message---
From: zxxxxx@webtv.net [mailto:zxxxxx@webtv.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 2:30 PM
To: wartenberg@amnumsoc.org; zxxxxx@webtv.net
Subject: My hat is off to the American Numismatic Society for a job well done!

Sir:
Recently, I had the occasion and pleasure to communicate with the Society
on a personal request for assistance.

Ninety-six years ago, on a Wednesday morning 15, June 1904, the excursion
steam ship General Slocum burned and sank in the East River of the harbor
of New York. One thousand twenty one passengers died that day. The victims
were mostly women and children on a mid-week church picnic.

My grandfather, then a policeman with the NYPD, rescued five people from 
the furnace-like inferno of that blazing ship. Family oral history has it
that he was awarded a "Congressional Medal" for his heroism that day.
Between my father and myself, we have spent over sixty years trying to
identify if such a "Congressional" medal really was presented to 
John A. Scheuing. We tried everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE. I won’t bother
you with the who, and when of these exhaustive searches, but I'm 
ecstatically pleased to inform you that the searching ended at the 
desk of Francis D. Campbell, the Society's Librarian.

On 27 May 2000, I emailed another of my routine requests for assistance 
to the American Numismatic Society. For me, it was just one more familiar
divergence into what I had come to see as "the land of blind alleys"; 
but, as you may well know, the good quest dictates that you travel all
the roads.

Lo and behold, and thank the Creator, Mr. Campbell was given the task
to look into this “Congressional Medal” mystery. In a 7 June 2000 email
to me, Mr. Campbell identified the medal as a Gold Life Saving Medal,
authorized by an act of Congress on 20 June 1874, and he further identified
the exact day that this medal was presented to my grandfather: 23 August, 1907.
Kudos for Mr. Campbell. I look at his persistent and comprehensive research
efforts as a true and just measure of the effectiveness of your entire
Organization. On the behalf of my entire family, please accept this note
as a collective thank you to the American Numismatic Society and their
exclusive part in solving our sixty-year family mystery.

As a side-note to history: Thursday of this week, 15 June, at 11:00 am, 
Tompkins Square Park, there in Manhattan, a Memorial Service will be
held at the Slocum Memorial Fountain for the victims and the survivors
of that great disaster.

Isn't it fitting that, in this timeframe of discovery, what
was once lost is now found?

-Gary Scheuing

On April 13, the Society hosted a lecture by Dr. Ioannis Touratsoglou, Director of the Numismatic Museum and Acting Director of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece. This was the second lecture held at the American Numismatic Society's new building at 140 William Street.

Dr. Touratsoglou’s U.S. appearances were part of the Alexander Papamarkou Lecture Series sponsored by The American Friends of the Cycladic Art Foundation. The American Friends of the Cycladic Art Foundation generously co-sponsored Dr. Touratsoglou’s ANS lecture entitled, “The Price of Power: Drachms in the Name of Alexander in Greece”. A cocktail reception preceeded the lecture, which had 50 people in attendance.

Dr. Touratsoglou is one of the leading archaeologists in Greece. Renowned for his contributions on the excavations at Vergina and Pella in ancient Macedonia, he became Director of the Numismatic Museum in Athens in 1994 and the Director of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens in 1999.

The ANS is pleased to announce a contribution of $250,000 from Chet Krause, founder and former Chairman of Krause Publications, toward the new ANS building at William Street. The gift, to be received over a three-year period, will help the ANS develop new programs in an accessible location for a wider public interested in coins and other numismatic objects.

Chet Krause understands making numismatics accessible. The highly successful Krause publishing enterprise began on a hunch in 1952 when he started publishing what he called a “trader’s paper” dedicated to the “isolated collector” of coins. What began with an interest in coins soon branched out to include a wide variety of collectibles, from antique automobiles to toys, firearms, and sports cards. Trade publications on agriculture and construction and the recreational niches including hunting, fishing, and fantasy baseball publications followed.

Numismatic News, a production of Krause Publications, is now almost fifty years old. As Q. David Bowers stated in his foreword to his book, “If a roster were to be published of staff members and contributors to Numismatic News, it would read as a virtual Who’s Who of Numismatics.” The Who’s Who includes Cliff Mishler, the Chairman of Krause Publications and an ANS Councilor, whose support and expertise also enrich the Society.

Ute Wartenberg quoted with pleasure from Just Plain Chet: The History of Krause Publications, “Publishing at Krause has also meant a willingness to experiment, to take a chance on a good bet.” She believes, “Chet Krause’s decision to make a major contribution to the ANS at this decisive time in its evolution will send a strong signal. As she states: “The ANS is in a difficult period of positive change. It deserves support from the community it supports.”

On August 12, The Burnett Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing was presented to Mr. Q. David Bowers at the American Numismatic Association’s 109th Anniversary Convention in Philadelphia. The award, sponsored by Krause Publications, is presented annually to a researcher, author or journalist, judged on the recipient’s body of work. A jury of representatives from the American Numismatic Association, The American Numismatic Society and the Numismatic Literary Guild selects the recipient.

Q. David Bowers’ research and commentary as a cataloger, columnist and author demonstrate his outstanding and continued support of the numismatic community. Bowers has educated thousands of collectors during his many decades. An award-winning columnist for the ANA’s monthly journal, The Numismatist, for over 20 years, Bowers has authored more than 35 books and scores of articles. He also produces the Rare Coin Review, one of numismatics’ most popular and informative publications.

Homer A. Thompson, Fellow and a long-time friend of the ANS, died on May 7 at age 93. Widely recognized as the leading Classical archeologist of his generation, he devoted his scholarly career to the American Excavations in the Athenian Agora. He joined the excavation in 1931 as one of the first two graduate fellows, and was Excavation Director from 1947 until his retirement in 1970. In 1947, he was appointed Professor of Classical Archeology in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton, N.J.

Thompson’s association with the ANS followed naturally from his recognition of the archaeological importance of numismatics and his unquenchable intellectual curiosity about all things Greek. He was close friends of such eminent ANS numismatists as Margaret Thompson and George Miles, both of whom authored books on coins found in the Agora excavations. The Agora excavations have always been exceptionally productive. In the 1950s, Thompson himself published hoards of Athenian bronze coins that were excavated under his auspice, and a building he was excavating proved to be a mint of the ancient city-it remains the most completely excavated mint from the Greek world. In the 1970s he was largely responsible for a revival of numismatic study of the Agora.

Within the field, Homer Thompson will be remembered for the encouragement and warm hospitality he showed to the many scholars who came from around the world to work and write in the comfortable surroundings of the Institute for Advanced Study. Over a lifetime he greatly enriched the lives of many numismatic colleagues and so the study of ancient coinage itself.

William B. Warden, Jr., a Life Fellow of the American Numismatic Society, Chair of the Society's Committee on Islamic Coins, Co-Chair of the Funding Campaign for the Islamic Curatorial Chair, and North American Secretary of the Oriental Numismatic Society, died on Saturday, August 5 at age 53. We have lost a good friend of the Society and a friend to all who knew him. The cause was general heart failure.

Bill was born in Florence, Italy, to an Italian mother and American father. In 1958, he moved to the U.S., but visited Italy frequently. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Rutgers University. After a career in industry, he took up coin dealing, specializing in Roman, Sasanian, Arab-Sasanian, and Mughal coins, as well as ancient and Asian coinages in general. He was a well-known figure at coin shows, and one of the dealers most highly respected for his integrity and knowledge of his subject. Bill joined the ANS in 1968 and was elected a Fellow in 1993. He was a member of the Committee on South Asian Coins as well as that for Islamic Coins. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society.

His numismatic publications include “A Gold Dinar of the Sasanian Queen Buran,” with Roger Kuntz in the Society's Museum Notes (1983), as well as thirteen other articles on Sasanian and Arab-Sasanian coins, on Roman and Etruscan numismatics, and on paper money issued by institutions in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Franca Warden, and seven brothers and sisters, including P. Gregory Warden, Professor of Classics at Southern Methodist University and a noted Etruscan archeologist, and Derek P. B. Warden, both members of the Society. He will be truly missed.

At this year’s Members Appreciation Day, the Distinguished Volunteer Award was presented to Mr. David Jen for his exemplary service in the Chinese and Asian coin department. Mr. Jen, who started volunteering at the ANS in 1996, has had an extraordinary life.

Mr. Jen is an American citizen whose Chinese father was studying English literature on a Boxer Indemnity fellowship at Oberlin College when David was born in Ohio. In 1936, David’s father returned to China with his family and became a professor of English literature and dean of Guizhou University.

David began his university education at Guizhou University in 1947. In 1949, his father fled the impending Communist revolution to Taiwan, leaving his family to be supported by his wife’s small teacher’s salary. David transferred to Guiyang Teachers College, which was not only free but also offered a small stipend to its students. Upon graduation, he went to Xichang, Sichuan, to teach high school. After the famine years from 1959-61, David was exiled to the Sichuan countryside. There he worked in the fields for a few cents a day, or went to the hills to cut firewood for extra money.

Starting in 1975, when Deng Xiao-Ping took control of China, David was permitted to teach in the village school. In 1979, he was “rehabilitated” and began teaching at the Xichang Teachers College. From 1982 to 1990, he taught English at the Foreign Trade Institute in Guangzhou. At the time of his retirement, he began the process of obtaining an American passport. In 1993, he went to the U.S. Consulate General in Guangdong and in three months had his U.S. passport. He came to the U.S. in 1995.

David’s interest in numismatics started when a friend of his mother brought him a few coins when he was twelve years old. In the forties, he built up a collection of stamps, and of Chinese silver dollars. His mother was paid in Guomintang paper money, which she immediately sent to David in order to change her wages into silver dollars, which were then exchanged back into paper as needed for expenses. David’s silver dollar collection was augmented by a selection of these. His collection became dormant when he entered university, and was taken away during the Cultural Revolution. In the eighties, David began collecting again, building his collection from purchases and exchanges in the semi-legal market in Guangzhou. He was able to bring this collection with him to the U.S. and today, his special interests are in Han wuzhu coins, Tang kaiyuan, and Silk Route coinage from Xinjiang.