ANA is not the World's largest numismatic group

(AnswerMan2) wrote in message ...
The fact the C. Cipoletti and the ANA Board don't recognize this and
try to do something about it is the biggest reason to be pessimistic
about the future of the ANA.


If this really were a fact you would have ample grounds for pessimism. However,
it is not a fact because the board has been doing battle with this problem
almost since the ANA was first organized. The current board would welcome
ideas from the members that could improve member retention, but before you
offer suggestions consider that they probably already have been tried and have
failed. It would be great if we could wave a magic wand and get those 175,000
ex-members back - less the large number that have died in the meantime - but I
don't know of any numismatic group - large or small - that isn't having similar
membership problems.

Lastly, let's modify my statement to meet your complaint by saying that the ANA
is the largest organized numismatic group in the world. That is a fact.
Alan Herbert
ANA Governor

With nothing but the greatest respect for Mr. Herbert as a numismatist
& writer, don't dodge it Alan -- there are probably 175,000 former ANA
members still living. I agree/concur that we don't need to try to sign
up Virgil Brand.

Membership numbers being issued are running about 208,000+, maybe
higher.

This would mean 102,000 persons since I joined in 1978. Effectively,
since the number of members is unchanged since 1978 (and may well be
less) -- in effect none of these 102,000 have been retained.

Of the 96,000+ that had been issued from 1891 through 1978, there are
29,000 accounted for by membership, maybe 5,000 persons originally in
these membership numbers are now converted life members (but converted
life members should be a statiscal "wash" I think), probably no more
than 10,000 persons have ever died while still members. So that
leaves 57,000 persons still living who dropped membership from the
first 96,000 members. Lets say that another 10,000 of these 57,000
are dead.

So 102,000 plus 47,000 equals 149,000 persons still living. That
doesn't make 175,000 but I am giving the ANA the beneft of the doubt
about the number of persons who have died while members. It could be
a lot lower.

A few years back, apparently Bob leuver wanted to discontinue issuing
membership numbers for several reasons, including so we couldn't
figure this out!!! I will be surprised if Attorney Cipolleti doesn't
recommend the same.

I'm not trying to be a troll (perhaps it just comes naturally), but I
will concur with Byron Reed (is that a pusedonym? - it would
apparently be a hell of a name for a numismatist)-- since Gary Lewis
campaigned here (and many of us responded with a vote for him) he
should respond here, at least on ocassion. Or is there any provision
in the ANA by-laws for a recall election?

Bob Olson )

oly2059 wrote:

(snip)

I'm not trying to be a troll (perhaps it just comes naturally), but I
will concur with Byron Reed (is that a pusedonym? - it would
apparently be a hell of a name for a numismatist)-

Byron Reed is an honest to gosh real good guy and collector who shares
the name of the famous Byron Reed and lives in South Dakota.

Alan
'sodium pentathol post'

I don't quibble with your math, but I would point out that my comment included
both those who died while members and those who died after they were members.
As someone else pointed out the average age of ANA members is about 55 with
obvious implications on the statistics. The average male lifespan is now 77.1
years, a point I passed in July.

As for Gary, he spent about 15 minutes on the phone with me yesterday and
indicated he was in the process of calling the other governors. This morning I
had a lengthy email from him reporting on the Sacramento show. So, he's alive
and well, and doing his job.
Alan Herbert

On 6 Oct 2003 04:13:41 -0700, (oly2059) wrote:

Byron Reed (is that a pusedonym?

You call always tell the newbies from the old-time RCCers. Perhaps it's
time to start including the "not the dead one" in my posts again.

BLReed

To email me click he http://tinyurl.com/nd66
For collector coins and supplies at fair prices: http://tinyurl.com/pt9r
Cool things: http://www.byronreed.com/byrons_collections/default.htm
Talk bust coins: http://www.byronreed.com/phpBB2/index.php

In article ,
says...
On 6 Oct 2003 04:13:41 -0700, (oly2059) wrote:

Byron Reed (is that a pusedonym?

You call always tell the newbies from the old-time RCCers. Perhaps it's
time to start including the "not the dead one" in my posts again.

BLReed

I was a little disconcerted when I saw references to the great Byron Reed
collection on various sites and thought "our little Byron; who woulda
thought..." then I realized that he was the dead one. ;o)
--
Chrysta Wilson

New Kitty:
http://www.chrystawilson.com/kitty.html

My collection:
http://www.chrystawilson.com