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#1
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ANA is not the World's largest numismatic group
The ANA is not the World's largest numismatic group, not by a long
shot. The World's largest numismatic group are THE FORMER LIVING MEMBERS OF THE ANA, which must total at least 175,000 persons. That's approximately twice the number of persons who subscribe to Coin World, nearly six times the number of persons who subscribe to Numismatic News and also nearly six times the number of Living Current Members of the ANA!!! Can 175,000 persons be entirely wrong? 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. Bob Olson, ANA member since 1978. |
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#2
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While lost memberships do represent a large number, and for the sake of
discussion I'll accept 175,000, they do not make a universal statement that the ANA is failing to the degree suggested by that number. A high number of those members are not really serious about collecting or lost the interest indpendent of any ANA influence. Some, but not all are a considered vote against membership. The CNA has similar stats ......gift memberships courtesy R C Mint promos too often die after one year, but I suggest many of those could not be saved even with a "perfect" parent association.........not everyone who experiments with our hobby sticks to it. Please note I lost my 2 favourite columns in the new Numismatist, so I have my disenchantment too, but to use one rather off the wall statistic to make a universal conclusion is I think a bit much........ If I may express a personal reaction to both ANA and CNA memberships where "value received" is concerned, I stay with them almost purely for social reasons.......being in contact through a common medium with others who share my obsessions. rmc |
#3
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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 |
#5
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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. I think he recognizes it but he and the board haven't figured out a way to turn around the situation. It is a serious issue of course. The average age of an ANA member is somewhere around the mid 50's. In 30 years most will probably be gone. Unless the ANA can attract younger members...well you can see where things might be headed. |
#6
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#7
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This is a problem for coin clubs all over, and for the coin industry.
Younger people typically do not have the time and money to put into coin collections, as they are spending it on other things (like educating their children). The only solution I have heard is to try and interest younger collectors in less expensive coins, but its hard to convince people to collect wheatbacks that are not interested in them. I like foreign coins and tokens (and other forms of exonumia such as wooden nickels) because there is a wide variety of interesting stuff out there, and its far more affordable. A lot of collectors started collecting in the 40s and 50s when you could get really neat coins out of circulation. Now, most coins are pretty blah, until the state quarter program came along. I think maybe a redesign of our coinage is in order. Personally, I would like to go back to allegorical figures, rather than the politically charged issue of what political hack to put on a coin. Wouldn't it be neat to have barber quarters again in circulation? Or buffalo nickels? How about WL halves? All of these were great coin designs, and I think maybe its time to bring them back. How about we start by bring back the IHC? "JSTONE9352" 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. I think he recognizes it but he and the board haven't figured out a way to turn around the situation. It is a serious issue of course. The average age of an ANA member is somewhere around the mid 50's. In 30 years most will probably be gone. Unless the ANA can attract younger members...well you can see where things might be headed. |
#8
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This seems to be true of many special interest/hobby organizations
these days. Will the kids and 20-somethings be playing computer games and IMing their friends to the exclusion of all other interests for the rest of their lives? Barry Yes, its a problem in many areas. Fraternal organizations like the Eagles and the Elks are also having problems attracting younger members as are many hobby organizations. I think the structured format of many organizations are a turnoff to many younger people who like things more informal. |
#9
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"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 Well let's see.. what have I gotten for my membership so far, which I think cost me either $30.00 when I signed up at the ANA table at the first Long Beach Show this year.. In no particular order - a) Monthly issues of The Numismatist.. b) A big 3" bronze ANA oil lamp / 2000 Calendar Medal which was promised to me as a signup spiff since I already had a loupe and didn't want the video tape which I'd already seen.. c) A small 1" bronze ANA oil lamp Medal which was first sent to me and then I complained that I was promised the big 3" bronze medal.. I complained, the ANA woman who had made the promise made good on it and the big metal was sent to me.. d) A $2.00 discount twice on admission to the Long Beach Coin Show.. e) Ability to submit directly to NGC.. which I have taken advantage of.. f) Ability to purchase coin collection insurance at a decent rate through the ANA's carrier on which I had to submit a claim a month later when a shipment of valuable coins was rifled and stolen in transit to me.. the insurance carrier was dragging their feet until I called the ANA and got an executive to rattle their cage, and then I got very prompt and satisfactory settlement including the check FEDEXed to me.. g) Ability to vote in the recent ANA election (in which I voted for you ... So far, that's it. I would say that being a member for half a year, I have more than gotten value for my $30.00 membership fee.. and with all this in mind, I am quite likely to renew my membership next year.. Harv |
#10
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"JSTONE9352" wrote in message ... This seems to be true of many special interest/hobby organizations these days. Will the kids and 20-somethings be playing computer games and IMing their friends to the exclusion of all other interests for the rest of their lives? Barry Yes, its a problem in many areas. Fraternal organizations like the Eagles and the Elks are also having problems attracting younger members as are many hobby organizations. I think the structured format of many organizations are a turnoff to many younger people who like things more informal. There is also the problem that many such organizations have a definite clich structure that is very hard to break into. Some organizations realize this is a problem and work to deal with it, others don't and tend to wither on the vine. Look at all the local moose clubs, masons lodges, fraternal groups, and similar organizations that have died off in the last couple of decades. Its hard to sustain a club like that with ten or twenty 70ish geezers who do nothing but complain about the rest of the members, a few 50ish members who do the work, and a few dozen newbies who leave after a year or two because they are never part of the group. |
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