The Virginia Numismatic Association held its 50th Convention and Coin Show Sept. 12-14 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Va. Nearly 100 dealers from 16 states attended.
Jay Johnson, former U.S. Mint director, was the keynote speaker at the VNA Awards Banquet. Ten past VNA board members with 40 or more years of service attended the banquet and received awards for their contributions in furthering the hobby of numismatics. George Cash, convention coordinator, was presented with the American Numismatic Association’s Presidential Award by Patti Finner, ANA vice president.
The ANA conducted “Fundamentals of Grading U.S. Coins,” a two-day pre-convention seminar.
Finner worked the Young Numismatists area, distributing educational material and answering questions from young collectors. She also led a certification workshop for the Boy Scout Coin Collecting Merit Badge, in which 56 Scouts participated. Johnson addressed the Scouts and answered questions concerning the U.S. Mint.
James Taylor, president and CEO of ANACS, and members of Dominion Grading Service were available to receive coins for authentication and grading.
Of the five exhibits on display, Scott Arney took first and second place for “The Buffalo on Coins & Currency and Other Numismatic Examples” and “Russian Coins & Currency of Czar Nicholas II.” Runners up were Sherrod Gresham, Halbert Carmichael and Clyde Childress.
Among the educational seminars conducted at the show were “Morgan & Peace Dollar VAMS” by C. Ash Harrison and “Ancient Coins of the Greek Pentathlon” by Anthony Milavic.
Alan Blair conducted an auction of more than 800 lots on Sept. 13. Included in the sale were uncirculated wheat cents, type coins, a wide variety of currency, world and ancient coins and gold.
VNA’s new board of officers were elected at its annual meeting held Sept. 14. The new officers are: John Koebert, president; Cash, first vice president and 51st convention bourse chairman; Bill Eckberg, second vice president and editor for The Numismatist; John Kolos, treasurer; and Jess W. Kilgore, secretary/Web master. Directors are Dave Batten, Walter Bradford, Jim Owens and Emmett Yonce. Bob Hart was appointed as director of youth involvement.
For more club information, visit VNA’s Web site at www.vnaonline.org.
