The Central States Numismatic Society will hold its 76th Anniversary Convention April 21-25 at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, located the northwest Chicago suburb.
The 300-booth bourse will take place over four days, first opening from 1-6 p.m. for Professional Preview/Early Bird Day on Wednesday, April 22. Advance access to the bourse prior to the public hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday is available for a $100 registration fee. The complimentary public hours will be from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. There will be no Sunday bourse hours.
Educational programs will start at 8 a.m. Wednesday, when Kathy McFadden, executive director of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets will give a program on “Legislative and Regulatory Issues – An Overview and Update.”
From 2 to 4 p.m. that day the American Numismatic Association’s chief judge, Joseph Boling, will present the first of two identical classroom sessions for the Exhibit Judges Familiarization and Certification Program. A second session will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday. In addition to the classroom activities, seminar participants will review and judge the actual exhibits in the educational exhibit area and compare their scores with those of the official judges. Those who successfully complete the course will become ANA certified exhibit judges. Contact Boling for additional details at joeboling@aol.com.
Programs will continue at 9 a.m. Thursday with a membership meeting of Women in Numismatics. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m.that day Robert Higgins, CEO of The Argent Group will lead a “Numismatics and Hard Assets Investment Symposium.”
Friday will see the Fellowship of Christian Numismatists meet at 7:30 a.m. The first installment of the multi-session Civil War Educational Forum will start at 10 a.m., with Abraham Lincoln interpreter Dennis Boggs speaking on “Meet Mr. Lincoln.” He will be followed at 11:30 a.m. by Robert I. Girardi on “Illinois in the Civil War.” The forum will continue at 1 p.m. with Ted Karamanski, Ph.D. giving his presentation, “Chicago in the Civil War.” Friday will also hear The Battlefield Balladeers performing music and songs from the Civil War era at 2:30 p.m. The final session of the day will hear Lawrence Schuffman on” Confederate Commerce Raiders and the Post War Geneva Awards.”
Accountant Gary Knaus will start off the Saturday educational presentations at 8 a.m. with Operation Choke Point and the “Top Ten Reasons to Have an Anti-Money Laundering Program.” The Civil War Educational Forum will reconvene at 10 a.m. to hear Daniel Weinberg, proprietor of the Abraham Lincoln Book Store on “Current Lincoln Literature.” At 11:30 a.m. Robert I. Girardi will speak on “The Murder of General ‘Bull’ Nelson.” The forum will conclude at 1 p.m. with Boggs on “1865 – Peace at Last.”
Other programs on Saturday will include, at noon, CSNS Legal Counsel Steven Bieda, who serves as a Michigan state senator. His presentation will be “My Other Life: Being a Michigan State Senator – Challenges and Satisfactions.” There will also be a membership meeting of the Chicago Coin Club at 1 p.m., as well as a Boy Scout Merit Badge Clinic from noon-3 p.m.
The CSNS convention also includes an extensive educational exhibit area. Jack Huggins, long-time CSNS chief judge, expands his responsibilities this year to also become Educational Exhibit chairman. Those interested in presenting an educational exhibit at the convention should contact Huggins at hug511@aol.com.
Patricia Foley will continue in her capacity as bourse chairman and can be contacted by prospective booth holders at foleylawoffice@gmail.com.
Rooms for the convention are available at a special rate of $153 at the Schaumburg Renaissance headquarters hotel. Guests should call (847) 303-4100 and mention rate code “CENCENA”. If difficulties are encountered in booking, contact Convention Chairman Kevin Foley at (414) 807-0116 or via e-mail at kfoley2@wi.rr.com.
Full details about the convention are available at www.centralstates.info, including the current schedule of Heritage auction sessions. Additional information about the Heritage auctions can be accessed at the auction company website, www.ha.com.
