Every year during the third full week of April, the ANA and its members celebrate National Coin Week with exhibits, educational resources, presentations and other activities at civic centers, libraries and schools to let the world know about the joys of collecting and studying coins and other forms of money.

“Beautiful Places: Landmarks and Mintmarks” is the theme of 2010 National Coin Week, April 18-24. The theme celebrates the many historic and scenic places that have inspired designs on coins and paper money throughout U.S. and world history.

This year, the ANA is going on a virtual road trip — and we want you to come along! The cross-country venture will double as a treasure hunt. Beginning Presidents Day, February 15, a clue to a numismatic object will be provided once a week via e-mail. Click Here to see all the clues.

The final clue will be revealed the Monday of National Coin Week, and all road-trippers who complete the hunt and register their findings will enter a drawing for a 1/2 ounce gold coin (revealed during the trip) and other great prizes.

To reserve a spot for the trip and have information and weekly clues sent to you via e-mail, send a message to ncw@money.org with “ROAD TRIP” in the subject line.

Four items from the famed Stack’s Family Library now call the ANA’s Dwight N. Manley Library home. Purchased from George Frederick Kolbe’s January auction in New York City, the ANA’s new American numismatic literature rarities include a rare large paper copy of the first work devoted exclusively to American coins and a complete set of the 19th-century numismatic journal Numisma.

The Stack’s Family Library was assembled over seven decades by the New York numismatic firm founded by brothers Morton and Joseph Stack and carried on by their children. For more than fifty years, the library’s fabled American portion resided in antique bookcases lining two walls of Harvey Stack’s office.

Covering many aspects of numismatics and replete with rarities, the library’s sale was the most anticipated numismatic literature sale in recent memory and attracted bidders from around the world. The 400-lot sale marked only the second time a single-day numismatic literature auction grossed more than $1 million.

“We put a high priority on having a complete library collection, and are committed to upgrading and expanding it. When the opportunity arises, as it did during the Stack Family Library Sale, we took a serious look at adding rare and significant materials to the library,” ANA executive director Larry Shepherd said. “We think the ANA library is a major asset for the whole numismatic community. By obtaining these items, we are preserving them and making them available to members and scholars for viewing.”

The library won four lots in the sale, which were purchased using general funds from the ANA annual operating budget. All will be housed in the Frank J. Katen Rare Book Room, which is environmentally controlled to keep items in pristine condition.

Following are descriptions of each of the items purchased at the auction.

An Historical Account of American Coinage

John H. Hickcox’s 1858 work, An Historical Account of American Coinage (ANA Library Catalog No. GA40.H5), was the first to attempt a comprehensive history of U.S. coinage, and features five plates showing American colonial coins. The book is inscribed in ink on the front flyleaf: “M. L. Spooner, Troy, N. Y., April 12th 1968,” and autographed below in blue ink by Morton Stack. (more…)

The Professional Numismatists Guild will conduct another in its continuing series of PNG Share the Knowledge seminars at the Central States Numismatic Society 71st anniversary convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 30, 2010. The educational session is free and open to collectors and dealers, and a complimentary light lunch will be available for audience members.

“Gary Adkins, Jeff Garrett and Julian Leidman, three outstanding professional numismatists including two former PNG Presidents, will conduct an Ask the Experts session to answer the audience’s questions about the hobby and the rare coin marketplace,” said PNG Executive Director Robert Brueggeman.

“Any and all numismatic topics are open for questions, from what to collect, the best ways to buy and sell, third-party grading and so on,” explained Paul Montgomery, PNG President. “These three distinguished panelists have over 100 years of cumulative experience and knowledge in numismatics.”

Former PNG President (2007 – 2009) Adkins is President of Gary Adkins Associates, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota and helped create the PNG Share the Knowledge series that was launched in 2008 to underscore the organization’s motto, “Knowledge. Integrity. Responsibility.”

Former PNG President (2005 – 2007) Garrett is President of Mid-America Rare Coin Galleries in Lexington, Kentucky and Sarasota Rare Coin Galleries in Sarasota, Florida. A current member of the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors, he is the author of Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coinage and co-author of 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, among other books, and was a featured speaker in the first PNG Share the Knowledge seminar in February 2008.

“Sometimes the world of coin collecting can be quite confusing. Having access to a seasoned professional can be informative and useful, and collectors of all levels will be able to get answers from us on a wide range of subjects. Remember, knowledge is one of the most valuable assets when purchasing rare coins,” said Garrett.

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