ANA SUMMER SEMINAR 2025, SESSION TWO

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 20, 2025, Article 7

A few classes for ANA's Summer Seminar 2025 are still open, so register now while you still can! Summer Seminar is one of the premier educational experiences in numismatics. Here are the remaining session two offerings. -Garrett

Discover the nuances of high-grade, mint-state, and proof coins. Learn how to distinguish original surfaces from mint-state and circulated coins that have been cleaned or altered, and how to identify minute imperfections and color variances that can affect a coin's grade. Find out the methods experts use, as well as their own strengths and weaknesses. Enrollment is limited to 24 students.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of "Grading United States Coins, Parts 1 and 2" or instructor permission.

Instructors: Don Ketterling, professional numismatist, D.H. Ketterling Consulting; and Jeff Garrett, Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries, senior editor; and Ken Park

Learn the often-subtle differences between genuine, counterfeit, and altered coins while applying your skills using the ANA's counterfeit detection set of more than 400 coins, including U.S., world, ancient, and colonial specimens. Students handle "raw" genuine and spurious coins under instructor supervision. Topics include counterfeit-coin production, types of counterfeit dies and castings, date and mintmark alterations, specific gravity testing, and the use of microscopes.

Instructors: Brian Silliman, owner, Brian Silliman Rare Coins, former NGC grader/conserver and ANA authenticator/ conserver; H. Robert Campbell, ANA past president, owner of All About Coins, and recognized expert on toning; and Keith Moon, owner of Gem Mint Coin, LLC and former grader/finalizer for ANACS, NGC, and PCGS

Get into the coin business, open your own coin shop, and learn different ways to increase profit potential through business development. Topics covered include basic business accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management concepts, methods, and tools. Also learn inventory control, security, and ethical management. The class emphasizes practical examples to help you employ techniques learned immediately in your business. This class is designed for both new and experienced business owners and coin collectors. Whether you want to improve an existing business or start a new one, this course provides you with the tools and insights to succeed. The class is taught by an experienced coin shop owner. Class size is limited, so early registration is suggested.

Instructors: Robert Oberth, owner of Gold & Coin Exchange, GHA certified diamond graduate and lifetime member of American Numismatic Association, Roundtable authorized dealer, Professional Numismatists Guild; Kenny Duncan, Jr., U.S. Coins and Jewelry; and Seth Chandler, Witter Coin

Participants in this class have the opportunity to appreciate the artistry, history, geography, people, culture, and stories of the modern world through modern world bank notes. Explore common, scarce, artistic, and ugly (but always interesting) world bank notes. Knowledge starts from generalities to specifics in areas of general issues, commemorative, polymers, other substrates, designers, imprints, and topical themes. Grading and the preparation of talks, articles, exhibits, and presentations of bank notes will be discussed.

Instructor: Benjamin Swagerty, media specialist for OKCPS, master referee for Numista, international numismatic researcher

This course is an extension of the "Early American Copper Coinage (Copper 1)." It deals with advanced identification and basic understanding of early American coppers. Topics are student-driven—if you want to know something, just ask! Bring your loupe and any coppers you would like to share.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of "Early American Copper Coinage (Copper 1)"

This course is a review of all early commemorative silver and gold coins (1892- 1954). Students also review some associated coins and medals. Grading characteristics and varieties are reviewed and discussed. Many coins of various grades will be inspected throughout the course.

Instructor: Carl Stang, contributor to The Numismatist and expert on commemorative coins

This interdisciplinary course traces the evolution of coinage throughout history from both an economic and iconographic perspective. The two instructors complement each other by illustrating the same period of time each day from these two disciplines' viewpoints. Greg Thompson follows the course of human economic development from barter through the modern credit economy. Allen Berman traces coinage as a means of communication through the trends of art over the centuries.

Instructors: Allen G. Berman, professional numismatist; and Greg Thompson, owner, Money-Changers

While the modern portrait medal originated in Italy, by the 17th century, the most artistically innovative and technically advanced medals were being produced at the Paris Mint. The French would continue to set the standards for the finest medals into the 20th century. This course looks at the history of medal production in France from the early days of the Renaissance through the medals of Henry IV, Louis XIII and Louis XIV, Napoleon, and later medals of the Republic. Study the work of engravers including Warin, Dupré, Duvivier, and others. Explore the change in style from the Baroque and Classical periods to the Art Nouveau, Art Deco and contemporary styles, looking at the medals of Roti, Chaplain, Turin, and many more.

Instructor: David Menchell, ANA district representative, exhibit judge and award-winning exhibitor

This class is intended to perpetuate the skill set of medallic engraving, bridge the gap between artists and numismatics, and foster knowledge in both the art form and the mechanics of historic and current coin and medal production. Die engraving is an ancient art form; this course is built on a two-year timeline to teach artists how coins and medals were traditionally created. The first year's focus is bas relief and exposure to working sculpturally in the negative, in plaster. The second year builds on this knowledge and skill set, but focuses further on hand cutting steel dies for striking small medals, to include creating their own engraving tools. During the second year, all work is done in the negative, in steel. The class is time intensive and requires long periods of focus and concentration. Applicants are selected based on portfolio review.

Note: This class is only offered by scholarship. You will not be able to register until you complete the scholarship form, found at money.org/ana-summer-seminar-scholarships.

To read the full course catalog and register, see:
2025 Summer Seminar (https://www.money.org/summer-seminar/)