2022 Collector Exhibit Area Update

Brett Irick, CSNS Vice President and Exhibit Area Chairman

With the pandemic finally easing after two long years, CSNS is optimistic that our 2022 Convention will be held and that we will again have a world class exhibit area.  The area is designed to have a capacity of 232 cases. Already on hand are twenty-three applications that will use around 100 cases that were retained from the cancelled 2020 Convention. In 2019, we received applications for 231 cases. The deadline for filing an exhibit application is March 15.  However, we recommend filing your application as early as possible. CSNS consistently has the largest numismatic exhibit area in the country and is a great place to test new exhibits before the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money convention in the summer.

Returning for 2022 will be our Chief Judge Col. Joseph E. Boling who is now also an American Governor.  Also returning will be our exhibit office and setup up volunteer Past CSNS President Bill Brandimore. ANA certified judges will be contacted by Joe early in the spring with a request for volunteers to judge.

The exhibit rules have been updated to reflect the changes approved by the ANA in 2021 for the criteria of degree of difficulty, condition, and rarity. These changes and the 2022 exhibit application can be viewed on the CSNS website under the Convention Tab and then clicking on the Exhibit Area button.  

The CSNS Board of Governors have approved several changes based on exhibitor and sponsor feedback. This included reducing the number of adult exhibit classes to five and junior exhibits from two classes to one class. The remaining classes are consistent with the current categories used by the major state organizations. There is also a non-competitive category for those exhibits that the owner does not wish to have judged. The remaining adult judging categories are U. S. Coins, Foreign Coins, Tokens and Medals, Paper Money and Miscellaneous.

A review of the exhibit awards was made after the pandemic caused significant increases in the price of gold and silver prizes.  CSNS Secretary-Treasurer Jack Huggins advised that the awards in use through 2019 were first used when the American Eagle coins were first released in 1986.  Analysis determined that the inflation adjusted cost of our awards had grown 40% in 36 years.  With exhibitor feedback, the Best of Show one ounce gold coin has been replaced with an ANA Summer Seminar Scholarship and an NGC slabbed one ounce CSNS silver round.  Dealer feedback resulted in the first, second and third place gold coins being replaced by certificates for “dealer dollars” in the amounts of $400 for first, $250 for second and $125 for third.  These certificates can be redeemed on the CSNS bourse floor until the end of the next CSNS Convention. Each award winner will also receive an NGC slabbed CSNS one ounce silver round.

The exhibit awards are currently full sponsored by generous donors except for the Tokens and Medals class. This $1,500 sponsorship can be split into three classifications on request.  First place $700, $500 second place and $300 third place. Our thanks go out to our long-term sponsors – Best of Show SilverTowne, U. S. Coins – Heritage Auctions, Foreign Coins – SEGS – Larry Briggs, All Paper – CSNS Lockwood Fund, Miscellaneous – Brett Irick, Junior – Jack Huggins and Award Sample Slabs - NGC.  

A new sponsor for 2022 is the Michigan based Polish American Numismatic Society. They will be loaning us their fire code compliant red cloth table covers. These covers will replace the disposable plastic table covers and table draping. This will result in a richer look for the exhibit area and achieve a savings of over $1,000 every year.

The Friends of the Exhibits have received several donations since late 2020. Annual Member $50 donations were received from Peter Levin and Michael Shutterly.  We received $500 from Tom Uram earning him Lifetime Patron Status. Bill Burd and Gerald Forsythe each made donations of $1,000 making them Lifetime Sustainers.  Bill Burd has now made a total of $1,500 in donations to the Friends Fund. These funds are used to support judge honorariums and miscellaneous exhibit area expenses. A Friends of Exhibits donation form is in this issue of the Centinel. 

With the strong sponsorship support of the exhibit area, it has now become break even or cost neutral for the first time in several decades.  

CSNS looks forward to seeing our exhibitors and judges in April.  If you have any questions, you can contact me at birick@centralstatesnumismaticsociety.org or by mobile phone 313-207-3562.