A NIGHT AT THE SMITHSONIAN COIN EXHIBIT

The evening of July 15, 2015 proved to be a treat for PAN President Tom Uram and Treasurer Pat McBride. It was the official opening of the Smithsonian The Value of Money exhibition. The event started with a pleasant gathering of many notable numismatists with the sounds of a jazz quartet, food, and drink. There was a definite excitement in the air that was put in motion by the imposing vault door that acts as the entrance to the exhibit.

The newly elected ANA President Jeff Garrett made some opening remarks about the concept and creation of this wonderful exhibit. Jeff was one of the driving forces to see that the project was funded and carried to completion. His tireless effort was evident in the finished product. The official ribbon cutting was lead by the Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios whose signature is present on all of our modern paper money today.

The theme of the numismatic material in the exhibit is the history of money from the early beginnings as feature by a Yap stone primitive money to the modern bit coin. Many may remember the past numismatic display of the Eli Lily gold coin collection. This exhibit is a little bit smaller and focuses on the evolvement of money through time. One very nice feature is the lighted pull drawers beneath the display cabinets that contain some delightful numismatic pieces. It is a very clever use of space and provides that sense of surprise when opening the drawer.

The collection includes coins but also paper money, rare numismatic literature, and ephemera. The objects on display are not just from the Smithsonian collection but include donations and loaned items from individuals, coin firms, and banks.

A few of the goodies in the Smithsonian exhibit are shown at the photo at right. How many can you identify? The identification chart is below. Take notice of the various donors. The numismatic exhibit is located in the Museum of American History building first floor and is not difficult to locate.

A last word about the vault door: Vault Structures, Inc. of Fort Meyers, FL built it. The door is a replica and is not functional as a swinging door and lock. The purpose is for visual impact and that is what it certainly achieves. The photo shows company CEO Kevin McNamara with Sara Cheney, head of design and development at right. Their company is the only company left in the world that still manufactures a round vault door. They were very proud to be part of this project.

For more information on PAN, see:
www.pancoins.org

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