Contest can open doors

At the Numismatic Literary Guild panel discussion last Thursday during the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money, I was asked about my beginnings as a numismatic journalist.

My first bylined article appeared in the June 1971 issue of Coins Magazine as the result of a monthly contest it held.

Who knew then that 44 years later I would still be writing numismatic articles?

The contest made me think outside the box of my daily life.

I was better off for having done so.

Now it might be your turn to think outside the box of your daily life.

I had a telephone call yesterday from Certified Acceptance Corporation.

The firm that has made green oval stickers on slabbed coins famous, is sponsoring a contest.

It might be life-changing.

It might not be, but you won’t know until you enter it.

The contest asks participants to “create and submit a video describing the best numismatic item you have ever found at an ANA show.”

These videos can be made with a smartphone, tablet, computer camera, or video camera.

Once it is made, CAC says upload the video to https://www.wetransfer.com/.

When uploading, put Promotions@Fancaster.com in the “Friend’s Email” field.

Videos should be no longer than 60 seconds.

Submission deadline is 11:59 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time Sept. 10.

What follows then will be a period of voting beginning Sept. 17 to pick the top three videos.

This selection process will continue to Oct. 15.

The top three winners will be given a one-year Gold membership to the American Numismatic Association.

Fourth to sixth places will earn numismatic reference books as prizes.

Video is a powerful medium.

Numismatic hobbyists are highly capable people.

Who knows what bringing the two together will achieve?

Buzz blogger Dave Harper is winner of the 2014 Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."

• For a great numismatic start, try Coins magazine – a great resource for any collector!