Dwight N. Manley today donated $250,000 to the American Numismatic Association Florence Schook School of Numismatics to fund scholarships for young numismatists to attend the ANA’s annual Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs.
Manley, a noted rare coin collector and sports agent, announced the donation August 5 during the opening ceremony for the ANA’s 2009 World’s Fair of Money® in Los Angeles. In 2002, the ANA Library was named in Manley’s honor after he donated $250,000 to the ANA Headquarters Renovation Fund.
"I am hopeful that this donation will plant the seeds of enrichment in the lives of hundreds of current and future young numismatists, just as when I received that special phone call from Ms. Schook in 1981 telling me I was to receive a scholarship worth $400 to the ANA Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs!" Manley said.
"From being taught by Q. David Bowers, to staying up late in the dorms with all of the other YNs and talking about coins, to being introduced to my first ANA convention and wearing the red vest of being a page and getting Steve Ivy a hot dog with mustard; no amount of money or thanks can begin to show my true appreciation for the ANA and Ms. Schook!"
Manley presented his gift as a seed grant, challenging other members of the ANA to raise another $250,000 toward a goal of $500,000. In addition, the ANA will pledge to work closely with YNs, ANA clubs and dealers to build and larger and stronger pool of qualified applicants for the increased number of scholarships that will be offered in the future.
"I can’t thank Dwight enough for his generosity and support of the hobby, the ANA and young numismatists," said Executive Director Larry Shepherd. "This is the ultimate example of ‘paying it forward.’ Dwight has chosen to remember the great influences of his life and to create opportunities for others to potentially benefit in similar ways."
Shepherd also thanked ANA President Barry Stuppler for his work in creating the Florence Schook School of Numismatics and in securing Manley’s gift as well as a recent $50,000 donation from Lee Minshull, a former YN of the Year also greatly influenced by Florence Schook and Summer Seminar.
Summer Seminar, held annually in Colorado Springs since 1969, is the ANA’s flagship educational program. Each year, nearly 400 students of all ages attend classes on a variety of numismatic subjects during two, one-week sessions at Colorado College, adjacent to ANA headquarters. Over the years, countless young numismatists have credited Summer Seminar with providing them with the knowledge and inspiration to excel in the hobby.
The Florence Schook School of Numismatics was created in 2008 to honor former ANA President Florence Schook, who dedicated much of her life to educating young numismatists.
A member of the Governor’s committee that helped select the design for the 2005 California state quarter-dollar, Manley started collecting coins at the age of 6 when he was given a 1909 Lincoln cent. In 1999 he made the world’s largest numismatic purchase by acquiring the $100+ million California Gold Rush sunken treasure recovered from the legendary 1857 voyage of the SS Central America, the fabled "Ship of Gold."
As Managing Partner of California Gold Marketing Group LLC of Newport Beach, California, Manley successfully completed nearly two years of complex negotiations to buy the ship’s famous cargo, historic California Gold Rush era coins and gold assayers’ bars.
An accomplished sports agent, real estate developer and rare coin expert, Manley is President of United Sports Agency, Newport Beach. He served without compensation for a year as National Manager of the 1,100-member Jockeys’ Guild to help the organization avoid bankruptcy and become financially solvent.
He negotiated a record-setting $70 million contract for all-star Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz. Advertising Age magazine named him to the prestigious "Marketing 100" list for his skilful work on behalf of former client, Dennis Rodman. He has served as a Federal Trade Commission and Internal Revenue Service consultant, and a U.S. Justice Department expert witness.
For the California state commemorative quarter-dollar project he produced a public service announcement starring basketball player Shaquille O’Neal and actress/director Penny Marshall. He produced a one-hour History Channel documentary about California Gold Rush era money, narrated by Oscar-winning actor Charlton Heston.
Manley also underwrote the costs for a 1,000-page reference book, A California Gold Rush History. More than $500,000 in research and preparation costs for the book was funded through sales of treasure recovered from the Central America.
His other numismatic accomplishments include record-setting bids for such well-known rarities as the historic King of Siam proof set and the finest 1913 Liberty Head nickel – one of only five known examples of that coin.
About 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.
