By the middle of the 19th century, people in the U.S. were beginning to take collecting coins seriously. A handful of antiques and collectibles dealers had added coins to their offerings, and the Astor Library in New York City hosted one of the country’s largest groups of coin collectors, most of whom were primarily interested in ancient European and Middle Eastern currency.
It took a sixteen-year-old coin enthusiast named Augustus B. Sage to take the initiative of inviting a handful of people who were known fellow enthusiasts to join him and four other friends at his New York home to discuss formalizing a coin collectors’ society. At that gathering on the evening of March 8, 1858, the organization that would eventually become the American Numismatic Society (ANS) was born.
Numismatics Research Collection and Library
Conceived as an organization to exchange scholarly information about coin history and collecting, the ANS claims to have the foremost research collection and library specializing in numismatics in the U.S. Its headquarters in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood has a regular series of lectures and conferences along with an active program of exhibits with varying themes. The society also provides materials for traveling exhibits around the U.S. and overseas.
ANA Forms in Chicago
In 1891, the American Numismatic Association (ANA) was formed in Chicago with a similar mission to the ANS. Its principal activities consisted of publishing a monthly newsletter, The Numismatist, and holding meetings and conventions to bring collectors together. The ANA established a permanent home in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1967 that houses exhibits and events as well as a staff that coordinates numerous shows and meetings around the country.
The ANS for Hobbyists and Investors
From a few hundred enthusiasts meeting in small groups in the 1850s, coin and currency collecting in the U.S. has as many as 1 million hobbyists and investors today. If you’re ready to join them, a good place to start is on ANS website: numismatics.org.
And whether you’re a seasoned collector or just getting started, be sure to browse the selection of U.S. and foreign coins and banknotes available online from The Great American Coin Company®. Our inventory is constantly changing, so be sure to check back often.