Convention

The numismatic exhibit program will be under the control and direction of the Central States Numismatic Society (CSNS), which reserves the right to reject any exhibit at any time. Exhibits will be accepted only upon receipt of the proper application form.
 
(1) WHO MAY EXHIBIT: Any collector of numismatic material, who is a member in good standing of CSNS, is eligible. Non-members may be invited by the president to exhibit non-competitively. Not eligible to exhibit competitively are the exhibit area chair, chief Judge, assistant chief judge and CSNS board members or a member of his immediate family.

(2) For an exhibitor to be eligible for the use of space and display cases, an exhibit application must be mailed or e-mailed to the Exhibit Area Chairman as instructed on the exhibit application by the date stated on the exhibit application as set by the Exhibit Area Chair. This date will be approximately six weeks prior to the opening of the convention. No exhibitor may exhibit any non-competitive case(s) in an area adjacent to that in which they display any competitive case(s).
 
(3) Forged, spurious, or counterfeit material, and copies or replicas, may not be displayed unless each item is clearly described as such in the exhibit and unless such items are displayed for educational purposes. No such item will be displayed in violation of United States law or government regulations. In general, this means that no counterfeits of U.S. federal material may be shown under any circumstance. Copies of federal paper money must be smaller than 75% or larger than 150% of life size, and single-sided. Violation of this paragraph, even if unintentional, will result in disqualification of the exhibit. The exhibitor must remove the offending material upon being notified of the violation. Non-offending material may be left on display, but the exhibit will not be eligible for awards.
 
(4) No single exhibit may be entered in more than one classification.  An exhibitor may not enter more than one exhibit in the same classification. He may enter separate exhibits in different classifications not to exceed three exhibits, provided he files a separate application for each exhibit, and indicates the class in which it is to be entered. No outside signs and/or lights may be used. The exhibit chairman may transfer an exhibit from one class to another if the exhibit cannot meet the 65% test of numismatic material belonging to the classification the exhibit was entered in. The exhibit chair will confer with the exhibitor about the transfer of the exhibit to its proper classification. In the event that the exhibitor does not agree with the exhibit chairman on the proper placement of the exhibit, the chief judge will make the final decision.

 

(5) ASSIGNMENT OF CASES: Cases will be assigned in the order of receipt of exhibit applications. The maximum number of cases allotted to each exhibitor shall be left to the discretion of the exhibit area chair. No exhibitor may display more than ten (10) cases, or occupy more than thirty (30) linear feet per exhibit, irrespective of whether they furnish their own cases. 
 
(6) Exhibit cases will be loaned for use at the convention upon receipt of the application stating case requirements. If an exhibitor enters more than one exhibit, and requires the loan of more than ten (10) cases, then the loan of any additional cases shall depend on the availability of such cases. This is only after requirements of other qualified exhibitors have been satisfied. Non-competitive exhibits shall be subject to such space limitations, as the exhibit chairman deems appropriate. Exhibits of material not capable of being presented in the usual cases will be permitted only upon prior and specific arrangements with the exhibit chair.

(7) The name or identity of any competitive exhibitor shall not appear on the exhibit, except as an author in a bibliographical reference. Such reference will be sufficiently general so that the exhibitor cannot be linked in any way to the exhibit.  All material must be the personal property of the exhibitor. Exhibits placed by CSNS member clubs must be composed of material owned by the club or association itself and not by the members thereof. The exhibit area chair shall keep a full and complete record of all exhibits. The record will show the name of each exhibitor, and the number of the exhibit. Names of competitive exhibitors shall not be disclosed to anyone by the exhibit chair and the chief judge. Names of exhibitors may be disclosed after the exhibit judging process is complete.
 
(8) An exhibitor, in the presence of a member of the exhibit area personnel, shall lock each exhibit case after installing an exhibit.
 
(9) A numbered identification card showing the number of the exhibit within the group, and the group classification under which the exhibit has been entered will be placed on each case. This number will be place outside each case in the upper left-hand corner, or some alternate, but in a uniformly placed position where it is plainly visible and not obscure the exhibit case glass.
 
(10) Special security will be provided for the exhibit area during the convention. Normal precautions will be exercised at all times. But, no liability shall be incurred by the Central States Numismatic Society, its officers, members, and/or committees.  Either in their respective officials, individual, or personal capacities by reason of any loss or damages whatsoever sustained, either directly or indirectly in connection with the exhibits and/or convention.

 

(11) Awards for any exhibit will be made by the Central States Numismatic Society, in accordance with the procedures approved by the executive board. Exhibits will be in six (6) different classifications to which first, second, and third place awards will be given. An exhibit must receive at least sixty-five (65) points in order to obtain an award. A Best of Show award will be made to one of the first-place winners. It will not be awarded twice to the same person for substantially the same exhibit. An exhibit that has won first place twice, has been displayed three times or if an adult exhibit, receives less than an average score of seventy (70) points is ineligible for further competitive display without significant changes that are approved by the exhibit area chair. A list of previous winners of the Best of Show award will be maintained by the exhibit area chair in addition to a list of exhibits and the number of times each has been exhibited.

 
(12) NEW EXHIBITOR AWARD: An award will be made for the Best New Exhibit, to a person who has never before exhibited competitively at a CSNS convention. A YN exhibitor who has never won a CSNS award shall be considered to be a new exhibitor. This award was funded by the Stack family in memory of Joseph and Morton Stack.

 
(13) MOST EDUCATIONAL AWARD: An award will be made for the Most Educational Exhibit. This award was funded by a donation from Polly Pittman Roberts to honor her father, John Jay Pittman. The award will be presented annually. A panel of judges selected by the Exhibit Committee Chairperson will judge the most educational exhibit. The panel will choose the winner among the competitive exhibits only. An exhibit that covers the numismatic title/theme in a thorough, informative and creative way that makes the average viewer walk away learning the numismatic material presented, as well as convincing the viewer to start collecting the numismatic material are aspects of a winning exhibit.

 
(14) PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD:  A People’s Choice Award will be made for the exhibit receiving the most people’s choice ballots. The exhibit area chair will appoint a minimum of two ballot tellers one of which can be the chair. The cutoff time will be the closing of the convention the day before the awards ceremony.

 

(15) Exhibitors awarded honorarium and prizes in excess of the current tax free limit shall submit Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 to exhibit area personnel if this form is not already on file with CSNS before removing their exhibit(s). The 2020 reporting requirement is six hundred dollars ($600) or more.

 

(16) Exhibits will be installed by noon on the first day of the convention. They can be removed after 2 pm on the last day of the convention. The exhibit area chair is authorized to allow late installation and early removal of exhibits if an obvious extenuating circumstance(s) is presented by an exhibitor(s). These include inbound transit failure, inclement weather and personal emergencies.

 

(17) The chief judge will make exhibit judging assignments and, where possible, assign judges that have American Numismatic Association judge certification in the category that they are judging. The chief judge will that verify none of the judges will be judging their own exhibit, a member of their family and/or installing and/or removing an exhibit(s) as an exhibitor agent. Each category shall have three judges who shall be certified American Numismatic Association judges whose certifications are current. An exception can be made if there is a shortage of ANA certified judges. A judging team leader will be appointed for each team. A judge can be assigned to more than one team. The Best of Show judging team shall consist of not less than three judges that are not required to have ANA judging certification. In addition to the selection conflict of interest statement above, the Best of Show judges can not have a competitive exhibit at the convention or participate in the category judging process.

 

(18) Exhibit judges should be selected with specific standards as:

A. Open-mindedness.

B. Thorough knowledge of the exhibit class being judged.

C. Humility toward the task of judging, with willingness to ask for assistance and to give due credit to the opinions of others.

D. Willingness to explain a rating and to change a rating when error, obvious or otherwise, has been made.

 

(19) Each judge must follow the rating sheet and use the current American Numismatic Association rating standards for each. After completing the judging of any class, they will discuss among themselves the relative standings each has given the respective exhibits. Judges may at this time make such changes in ratings as they deem to be necessary.

​

(20) The completed rating sheets are returned to the exhibit office table by the judging team leader along with in the first, second and third place award information. The chief judge or his designee will review all classes to ensure that there were no discrepancies between the original ratings of the exhibits and the numerical scores that have been given to them. In other words, did the consensus of the three class judges about which exhibit is first, second and third agree with the scores. It is possible for two judges to place an exhibit first, yet the scores show another exhibit with higher points if the third judge is a higher marker. Such cases will be resolved in favor of the exhibit that received the greater number of votes for the first, second and/or third place as applicable.

​

(21) Exhibit judging sheets shall be made available to exhibitors as soon as practical after the chief judge or his designee completes the judging audit process. An exhibitor may submit a written appeal request for to the chief judge as to any supposed error in rating the exhibitor’s exhibit. The chief judge will provide forms for use by those who desire a review. The time for appeal submittal will be on Friday morning from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. Only written appeals will be considered. Personal presentation by an exhibitor will not be allowed. The chief judge and his assignee(s) will review and make any exhibit judging changes which are final. Exhibitors who file a request for review may have points deducted as well as granted.

​

(22) Exhibit classifications are:

A. United States Coins

B. Foreign Coins

C. Tokens, Medals, Orders and Decorations

D. Paper Money

E. Miscellaneous -Exhibits not covered by classes A - D

F. Junior – Age seventeen (17) or younger

G. Non-Competitive

 
The following point score system shall be used for judging exhibits: 

 EXHIBIT ASPECT
The title should be obvious. There should be an explanation of what the exhibitor intends to show.  
 
Maximum Points: 05 
 
BASIC NUMISMATIC INFORMATION 
The numismatic specifications of the exhibit, items should be described to the extent needed by the exhibit's scope to answer the questions of another numismatist. Examples: mint, mintage, composition, dimensions, designer, engraver and variety. 

 

Maximum Points: 15 
 
SPECIAL NUMISMATIC INFORMATION 
Enough additional information should be given to answer the questions of a general viewer. Examples: historic, biographic, geographic, economic and artist data.  
Maximum Points: 15 

 

CREATIVITY AND ORIGINALITY 
The exhibit shall be novel and creative in concept, content, scope, design or presentation.  

 

Maximum Points: 10 
 
ATTRACTIVENESS 

The exhibit should be neat, well designed and eye-catching. The color scheme shall be pleasing and effective. The title and text should be easy to read and not faded or dingy due to repeated display. Spelling, grammar, and typographic errors are to be addressed here.

 

Maximum Points: 10 
 
BALANCE 
The numismatic items, the information, and related items should be balanced and related to the scope.  

Maximum Points: 10 
 
COMPLETENESS 
The exhibit should present all of the numismatic material necessary to support the title and statement of scope. Allowances should be made for lack of material that is not generally available to collectors or for which there is insufficient exhibit space.  
 
Maximum Points: 05 
 
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY 
The exhibit should show dedication to collecting. The numismatic material or the related information was difficult to assemble or to present. Examples: multiple rare pieces, new research, a collection that took years to assemble.  
 
Maximum Points: 10 

 
CONDITION 
The numismatic material should be the best that is reasonably available to the exhibitor, who may make a statement about the condition of individual items or the overall exhibit. 

 

Maximum Points: 10 
 
RARITY 
Rarity is judged by the number of like pieces believed to exist, not by the value of individual pieces. 

 

Maximum Points: 10 
 
Maximum total points 
100 
 
 
A CSNS judge should be a qualified ANA judge. The CSNS exhibit chairperson shall obtain a list of qualified judges. Asking these judges to attend the CSNS convention, the exhibit chairperson will coordinate placing these judges in the right classes.  
Exhibit judges should be selected with specific standards as:  
A. Open-mindedness. B. Thorough knowledge of the exhibit class being judged. C. Humility toward the task of judging, with the willingness to ask for assistance and to give due credit to the opinions of others. D. Willingness to explain a rating and to change a rating when error, obvious or otherwise, has been made. 
An exhibitor may not judge in categories in which he or she is entered competitively but may judge in other categories in which he or she, family members or other relations are not entered competitively. Competitive exhibitors may not judge the Best of Show. Exhibitors must accept the judges' decisions as final and binding in all cases. Each class must have three judges. Each judge must follow the rating sheet. After completing the judging of any class, they will discuss among themselves the relative standings each has given the respective exhibits. Judges may at this time make such changes in ratings as they deem to be necessary. 
The rating sheets are then returned to the exhibit chairperson. The exhibit chairperson will assemble a review committee. The committee will review all classes to ensure that there were no discrepancies between the original ratings of the exhibits and the numerical scores that have been given to them. In other words, did the consensus of the three class judges about which exhibit is first, second and third agree with the scores. It is possible for two judges to place an exhibit first, yet the scores show another exhibit with higher points if the third judge is a higher marker. Such cases will be resolved in favor of the exhibit that received the greater number of votes for the first place (or second or third as applicable.) The exhibit chairperson upon request by the exhibitor may distribute the exhibit rating sheets. 

 
The exhibit chairperson will have three judges selected to judge the Best of Show. The judge must be a qualified ANA judge. No such judge may have been a competitive exhibitor nor have placed or be scheduled to remove an exhibit on behalf of a competitive exhibitor. These judges will also use the CSNS rating sheet. Any questions concerning the exhibit rules should be directed to the CSNS exhibit rules committee. 
 
 
BEST OF SHOW STANDARDS MAXIMUM POINTS

A. How consistently has the exhibit followed the announced title or theme for the exhibit?  Max: 10

B. Does the display give a striking or exceptional effect, or is it merely average in its overall appearance?  Max: 10

C. Does the exhibit present information above what is known to the average collector of this type of material?  Max: 10

D. To what extent has careful research been done as evidenced by the numismatic information imparted to the viewer?  Max: 10

E. Has credit been given to numismatic written sources?  Max: 5

F. Would a non-collector understand the exhibit?  Max: 5

Total Points: 50