Mind your security for peace of mind

When you are eyeing that flashy new convertible, what are you thinking?

Certainly not that it might be stolen or end up in a flaming wreck.

That’s what insurance is for. You buy insurance and think nothing of the dangers the policy protects you from.

You take your convertible to the dealer, or to a garage to keep it in tip-top working order. Again, you think nothing of it.

It’s all part of owning a car.

The fun and adventure of owning a convertible is always paramount in your mind, but you still must do the responsible things when it comes to being a good owner.

You want to assemble a great coin collection, but your budget is limited. Start with this reference!

Are you a good owner when it comes to your coins?

I imagine you have studied hard over the years to make sure you know what a coin is, can grade it and know what it is worth so you did not overpay for it, or won’t sell it too cheaply.

But is that enough to make you a good coin owner?

Have you taken steps to guard your coins from theft if you are a collector, or to get to and from a coin show safely if you are a traveling with an inventory?

Whenever silver and gold are hot and coins break into the newspaper headlines, the general level of risk for coin collectors and dealers rises.

To minimize that risk and to help hobbyists become good coin owners, Col. Steve Ellsworth of Butternut Coins, Doug Davis of Numismatic Crime Information and Sgt. Scott Morgan of the Pima County, Ariz., Sheriff’s office, are teaching a class at the American Numismatic Association Summer Seminar that you might find not only useful, but essential.

You might remember Ellsworth’s list of the top 10 most secure coin shows that gets published each year.

His teaching team would like nothing better than to help you become one of the most secure collectors or dealers.

How will they do that?

Reading the outline of the five-day course in Colorado Springs, Colo., which is scheduled for the first week of the Summer Seminar, Saturday, June 23 to Friday, June 29, I can see their approach is a comprehensive one.

Security in the home, in a store or office and while traveling are major points as is the possession, ownership and use of deadly force, i.e., gun safety.

Trying to figure out what to do once a crisis has arrived is simply too late. Ellsworth wants to help you do all that is humanly possible to avoid finding yourself in one, but at the extreme, you will learn how to react in a crisis situation in a way that will minimize the threat.

Once you have acquired this form of insurance, you can continue the enjoyable occupation of being a coin collector. And there is no law that says you cannot do both at the same time. Summer Seminars are famous for their evening get-togethers and bull sessions and the camaraderie of being with like-minded people.

Check the ANA website at www.money.org, telephone (719) 482-9850, or email education@money.org for details.