Rare certificate donated to ANA

An 1894-dated membership certificate to the American Numismatic Association signed by founder Dr. George Heath was donated to the organization’s museum by noted California numismatist Dwight Manley after he purchased it at auction.

Auctioneer David Sklow said the 6x9-inch certificate is “possibly the rarest piece of history from the American Numismatic Association’s very early years.”

Also donated was an accompanying letter and 15 other historical documents.

The only annual guide that provides complete coverage of U.S. Currency with today’s market prices and presented in full color.

Manley requested that the certificate be displayed in the ANA library in Colorado Springs, Colo., which was named after him in 2003.

Jeff Shevlin, ANA executive director, gratefully noted Manley’s generosity. “He’s made major donations to the Florence Schook School of Numismatics, to the ANA library’s renovation and even donated the oldest illustrated numismatic book, which is now housed in the library’s rare book room.”