Chester L. Krause has resigned from the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors, and will be replaced by former Governor Alan Herbert.

In a July 7 letter to President Clifford Mishler, Krause explained that health reasons precluded his attendance at the Board of Governors meetings in Florida in January and in March in Fort Worth during the ANA National Money Show.

“Although I feel in generally good health, it has become increasingly difficult for me to travel,” Krause said to President Mishler. “Consequently, I don’t feel I can serve the Board or the ANA membership to the fullest extent. I think it is proper for me to step aside sooner than later. It has been my pleasure to serve with you and all the Board members during the last three years.”

Krause was elected to the Board in 2007 and reelected in 2009. To most, he is “just plain Chet.” He is a member of the ANA Hall-of-Fame who has been recognized with virtually every honor the Association can bestow, including the Medal of Merit, Glenn Smedley Memorial Award, Exemplary Service Award, Numismatist of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award and the ANA’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service.

During Krause’s tenure on the Board of Directors, the ANA has hired a new executive director, Larry Shepherd, stabilized its finances, increased donations, expanded educational programs and approved a third annual show, the Fall National Money Show, which debuts in Pittsburgh in 2011.

“I am sure everyone shares my sadness at losing Chet’s wisdom and sage advice,” said Shepherd. “I will miss Chet’s guidance and opinions, which I value and respect greatly. I thank Chet for his love of the ANA and his devotion to the hobby. There are very few people in the history of the ANA who have done as much for this organization – or the hobby – as Chet.”

Mishler echoed Shepherd’s sentiments. “We have greatly valued Chet’s contributions to the Board and will miss his wise and experienced counsel. At the same time, we welcome Alan back to the Board and are pleased that Chet’s seat on the Board is being placed in such capable hands. (more…)

“Coins Worthy of a King” the 1861-P Paquet and 1921 Proof Double Eagles in Historic ANA Exhibit

An $18 million display of two rare Double Eagles accompanied by Boston-related early Americana will be one of the exhibit highlights in the Museum Showcase area at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money convention in Boston, August 10 – 14, 2010.

The coins in this first-ever display are the finer each of the two known 1861 Philadelphia Mint “Paquet Reverse” gold $20, graded NGC MS67, and 1921 Proof Roman Finish Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, graded NGC SP64.

[PHOTO CAPTION: 1861-P Paquet $20 NGC MS67 - Formerly in the famous Farouk and Norweb collections, this 1861 Philadelphia Mint "Paquet Reverse" gold $20, graded NGC MS67, will be displayed at the ANA World's Fair of Money in Boston courtesy of Brian Hendelson of Classic Coin Co. (Photo courtesy of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.)]

Insured for $8 million each, they are being provided for the ANA exhibit by Brian Hendelson, President of Classic Coin Co. of Bridgewater, New Jersey.

“This will be the first time both coins have ever been displayed at the same time and location. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of visitors to see them together up close,” he said.

In addition to these two coins, other historic items in the display from Hendelson’s own collection include one of the few known surviving broadsides of the Declaration of Independence printed in Boston circa July 17, 1776 by printers Gill, Powars and Willis; seven silver spoons crafted by legendary Boston patriot Paul Revere; and a silver teapot and knee buckles made by fellow Colonial era Boston silversmith, Jacob Hurd, that were acquired by a New England family in 1785 and passed down to their heirs for over two centuries.

In descriptive text prepared for the exhibit, ANA Museum Curator Douglas Mudd headlines the Paquet design Double Eagle as “a coin fit for a king.” One of its former owners was the notorious King Farouk of Egypt who amassed a fabled coin collection before he was deposed in 1952. It also was in the famous coin collection of Ambassador and Mrs. R. Henry Norweb.

Nearly three million Double Eagles were struck in 1861 at the Philadelphia Mint, but today only two are known with a slightly modified design on the reverse made by Assistant Mint Engraver, Anthony Paquet, who also engraved the first Congressional Medal of Merit. His lettering on the $20 coin is taller and more slender than the design originally created in 1857 by Chief Engraver James Longacre. (more…)

Exhibit Includes Treasures from 1857 SS Central America Shipwreck

The incredible “Ship of Gold” exhibit, showcasing California Gold Rush-era sunken treasure recovered from the 1857 shipwreck of the SS Central America, will make port in Boston at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money, August 10-14 at the Hynes Convention Center. The exhibit is courtesy of Monaco Rare Coins of Newport Beach, Calif.

The SS Central America was recovered in 1988 from nearly 8,000 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. The ship sank in a hurricane in September 1857 while carrying California gold from Panama to New York City.

“There will be examples of historic assayers’ ingots as well as San Francisco Mint and California territorial gold coins with a combined value of over $10 million,” said Adam Crum, vice president of Monaco. “One of the highlights is a huge Kellogg & Humbert ingot. Weighing just over 55 troy pounds, it is the largest surviving gold ingot of the California Gold Rush.”

The exhibit also includes one of the 13 recovered octagonal $50 gold pieces produced by the United States Assay Office of San Francisco, and the remains of a wooden cargo box that still contains approximately 110 Double Eagles as they were found on the ocean floor. Many appear to be 1857-S $20 gold pieces, apparently freshly struck at the San Francisco Mint when they were placed in the container for shipping.

Visitors will see the front pages of three 1857 newspapers that published stories about the shipwreck, the ordeal of survivors and the devastating economic effects created by the loss of the gold. Robert Evans, the chief scientist on the 1980s mission by the Columbus-America Discovery Group that located and recovered the magnificent sunken treasure, will be in Boston to meet visitors and discuss the SS Central America, her cargo, crew and passengers.

The Ship of Gold display was first publicly presented in February 2000. Over the years it has been seen by more than one million people in exhibitions at several venues and cities across the country.

[Adam Crum of Monaco Rare Coins Gives a  Tour of the Exhibit - Originally Filmed on Long Beach
Video Courtesy of CoinTelevision.com]

The ANA World’s Fair of Money is the nation’s premiere money show. Show hours are 1-5:30 p.m. August 10, and 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. August 11-14. Dealer set-up is from 8 a.m.-
1 p.m. Tuesday, August 10. Admission is $6 for adults, and free for ANA members and children 12 and under. For more information on all of the show highlights, call 719-482-9857 or visit www.worldsfairofmoney.com.