130th Anniversary ANA Convention Caps Otherwise Laid-Back Numismatic Summer
Attendance at the 130th anniversary American Numismatic Association convention – a rousing success by any measure, given what I witnessed and the reactions that have reached my eyes and ears – was definitely the highlight of my July/August numismatic summer for this year. This was my 59th ANA anniversary convention attendance, a string that commenced in 1961 in Atlanta, interrupted only in 1970 when a family situation precluded attendance in St. Louis, and last year when the Pittsburgh event was cancelled as a consequence of COVID-19 pandemic considerations.
The first 10 days of July were numismatically quiet. There was a Zoom conference call on Friday, July 2, announcing the ANA election results. My vote total slipped in second to that of Mary Lynn Garrett. At 82, that will have been the last time my name appears on a balloting. On July 1 our granddaughter, Natasha Thern, had become a doctor in residence in Oak Park. Lounging in the yard at home on a 90-degree day observing boat traffic on the lake was in store for July 4; campfire s’mores provided supper. The following day was largely spent at the office, and late afternoon found me as a volunteer on an Iola Lions work crew preparing the Iola Old Car Show (IOCS) grounds for attendees.
The 59th annual IOCS – the 2020 event had been cancelled due to the pandemic – got under way with vendor setup the following Wednesday. On Thursday morning, I drove my ’60 Chevy Impala two-door hardtop – actually passed on to a son-in-law a couple years ago, who had another commitment for the weekend – out for display in the “Blue Ribbon” display area. Later in the day, and on Friday and Saturday as well, I was engaged in “banker” crew working stints, charged with keeping
