The American Numismatic Association’s 2009 Portland National Money Show™ gives visitors the opportunity to see rare coins and paper money, and interact with the country’s premier numismatists.
The show, held March 13-15 at the Oregon Convention Center, features marquee and collector exhibits, educational presentations, and hundreds of top dealers.
"The ANA is thrilled to be coming back to this great numismatic city," said ANA Executive Director Larry Shepherd. "The Portland National Money Show in 2004 was one of our best, and high dealer interest, great educational activities and impressive exhibits point to an even better show this year."
The marquee exhibits are highlighted by the Linderman-duPont specimen 1804 Draped Bust silver dollar. Insured for $3.5 million, this will be the first public display of the coin outside the ANA Money Museum in Colorado Springs since its recovery 16 years ago from a famous theft decades earlier.
Other fascinating exhibits include the world-famous McDermott-Bebee specimen 1913 Liberty Head nickel from the ANA collection, and a display by the Oregon Historical Society of the legendary "Portland Penny," used in 1845 to determine the city’s name.
"Settlers Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine and Asa Lovejoy of Boston, Massachusetts flipped the penny to determine whether the area, then known as The Clearing, would be named Portland or Boston. Pettygrove won the toss two out of three times," said George Vogt, Executive Director of the Oregon Historical Society.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing will have its popular "Billion Dollar Display" of high denomination U.S. paper money, as well as demonstrations of a 144-year old, hand operated "spider" printing press. Visitors to the BEP display area also can observe an engraver at work.
The Collector Gallery is a popular tradition at every convention. Members create exhibits on a wide range of subjects showcasing their collections and research. Competitive exhibits are judged for several awards; a special "Oregon at 150" award was created for the show to celebrate Oregon’s sesquicentennial celebration this year.
The ANA’s popular pre-convention seminar, "Coin Conservation, Authentication and Grading," is offered March 10-12. Taught by Brian Silliman, grading expert for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, the course emphasizes essential numismatics skills for collectors of any level. The member price is $249; to register, call 719-482-9857.
Many free educational opportunities await convention attendees. The Florence Schook School of Numismatics is offering a variety of workshops, including "Coin Collecting Basics," "Estate Planning for Numismatists," and "Everything You Wanted to Know About Auctions … But Were Afraid to Ask," presented by Bowers & Merena Auctions.
Numismatic Theatre is held throughout the show, and consists of half-hour presentations by ANA members on a wide variety of topics. This year’s presentations include "A Decade of Design at the U.S. Mint," "Mary, Queen of Scots, Coinage & Murder Most Foul," and "Counterfeit Notes Created to Deceive Collectors."
Educational activities for children include Treasure Trivia, a game where young visitors are challenged to answer numismatic questions for a prize; two Boy Scout coin collecting merit badge workshops; and two Girl Scout "Fun with Money" patch workshops. (Scout workshops are held on March 14 and are free. Registration required.)
Bowers & Merena Auctions will conduct the convention’s official auction, and will hold lot viewings March 11-13 from 9 to 6 p.m. Printed catalogs and online bidding will be available by mid-February; for more information, visit www.bowersandmerena.com.
The bourse area at the Portland National Money Show contains more than 240 tables, and features some of the country’s most prominent dealers, publishers and supply companies. Many of the 600 dealers attending will provide free, informal appraisals for visitors who bring in their old coins and paper money.
To register for programs or for more information about the 2009 National Money Show, call 719-482-9857, e-mail convention@money.org, or visit www.money.org (select "National Money Show" from the "Featured Links" menu).
The Portland National Money Show will be held from March 13-15 at the Oregon Convention Center. The show is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Scott Loos is the event’s general chairman, Larry Rowe is the honorary general chairman, Gene Wiley is the Numismatic Theatre chairman and Eric Holcomb is the exhibit chairman. The Willamette Coin Club and the Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association are the event’s host clubs and the Salem Numismatic Society is the honorary host club.
About the American Numismatic Association
The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging people to study and collect money and related items. The ANA helps its 32,000 members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of education and outreach programs, as well as its museum, library, publications, conventions and seminars. For more information, call 719-632-2646 or visit www.money.org.
I hope you can help me with this. During a trip to Sydney, Australia, I met someone who gave me the gift of a paper $1 bill. My grandfather had given me an Australian Pound note from his travels. I would describe them both in good condition. I was wondering if collectors here in the states or in Australia could inform me of their worth. My students are curious, as well as I. Thank you
The Portland coin show sounds great. It would be helpful if some directions were given to the lacation.
Thanks