Adkins runs for ANA president

It looks like a race.

A second candidate has declared for the presidency of the American Numismatic Association.

ANA Vice President Gary Adkins made it official on Friday.

Two weeks earlier former board member Mike Ellis had announced his intention to seek the same office.

“The ANA has made a great deal of progress over the past few years, especially under the Presidency of Jeff Garrett and the current board, as well as our executive director, Kim Kiick. I want to continue that forward momentum and do what I can to improve our services and commitments to members, dealers and the numismatic community in general,” Adkins' declaration said.

He is a longtime coin dealer from the state of Minnesota. His location has given him quite a bit of experience in dealing with government overreach when it comes to regulating coin dealers.

His attention to this issue has helped mitigate problems while others simply stopped doing business in the state.

But his efforts are probably no surprise as he is on the board of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA).

ICTA has been a watchdog on state and federal government issues affecting numismatics for over three decades.

Adkins is a past ICTA chairman.

He has also been president of the Professional Numismatists Guild as well as a board member.

“These are important organizations that do a great deal to improve and protect our hobby, as well as collecting and business interests, and I hope to work closely with them as ANA President,” Adkins said.

Adkins joined ANA in 1970.

He said he has been a strong advocate for education and promotion of the hobby, as well as consumer protection.

“ANA should be the go-to organization for these services and I hope to continue progress in that direction, as well as improving ANA’s club outreach. Clubs do a great service to local communities and are the first line for recruitment of new members and future generations to the hobby,” Adkins said.

In also said in his statement that developing and improving strategic partnerships with key organizations in the industry is a goal.

“We have enjoyed working with many great partners to improve and enhance direct and indirect membership benefits,” Adkins said.

He said he believes these partnerships are crucial to improving our hobby.

Candidates and their supporters have until March 1 to get their nomination papers to ANA and then until March 31 to accept or decline the nomination.

The election will be held by paper ballot in a June-July time period. The new elected leadership will be sworn in at the Denver ANA convention Aug. 4.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper has twice won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."

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