Ambassadors get up early

It was a short night for me, but I got up early for a good cause. Numismatic News sponsors an Ambassador Breakfast on the Thursday of every World’s Fair of Money. To get to the room at the convention center and to be ready to greet the more than 100 guests as they enter requires that I get there no later than 7:30 a.m. for an 8 a.m. start.

On an ordinary business day, that timing would be no problem, but at an ANA convention where it is difficult to get in the night before in a sensible fashion, the early morning hours day by day get ever more difficult to witness.

The breakfast is a tradition. The invited guests are holders of the Numismatic Ambassador Award, an honor that Numismatic News has been bestowing on the hobby’s volunteers since 1974. Today five more people will become part of this select circle as voted on by the current award holders.

Because the award is being presented in her backyard, Ginny Bourke should be mentioned first. She is heading up the exhibits at this year’s convention. Michigan’s Paul Cunningham, New Hampshire’s Bob Fritsch, Florida’s Tony Swicer and Canada’s Paul Johnson are the other honorees.

Accepting for Paul Johnson will be Cliff Mishler and Stan Turrini. Johnson, who usually attends the ANA summer convention could not attend this year because he is preparing the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association convention in Edmonton, Canada. Usually this convention is in July, but not this year. The fate that led to his getting the award somehow threw him a curve also, and he will be getting the plaque from the duo who will be attending RCNA. It doesn’t hurt that Mishler was the creator of the original Ambassador Award. I am grateful that he is available to take the handoff to present the plaque to Johnson in person.

Congratulations to one and all.