COINage Contributing Editor presents Beth Deisher with an award from the Numismatic Literary Guild. Deisher won this year's Zerbe Award.

AWARD TO THE WISE
by Ed Reiter

The American Numismatic Association chose wisely and well in selecting Beth Deisher, editor of Coin World, to receive this year’s Farran Zerbe Award, the national coin club’s highest honor.

The Zerbe Award recognizes long and dedicated service to numismatics, and Beth meets that standard superbly. To some, though, her qualifications probably seemed more obvious afterward than beforehand. That’s because she’s so low-key about her contributions to the hobby.

Beth took the helm of Coin World, the hobby’s weekly newspaper of record, in 1985. It was a tumultuous time in the world of coins. Overgrading and overpricing were serious concerns. U.S. commemorative coinage had recently resumed, but major problems already were raising doubts about its future. And a movement was afoot to authorize U.S. gold and silver bullion coins, even as skeptics voiced grave reservations about the idea.

The challenge was formidable, but the new editor soon made it clear she was up to the job. Her straightforward manner, attention to detail and workaholic habits set very high standards for others on the staff.

Beth had joined the Coin World staff in 1981, working under the dynamic Margo Russell, who had been the paper’s high-profile editor since the early 1960s. When Margo retired, the daunting task of filling her shoes went to Beth.

Looking back today, it’s clear that both women have been enormous factors in Coin World’s development and success. And both have become extremely important figures in the hobby–as evidenced by the fact that collectors far and wide refer to both by just their first names.

In a number of ways, however, they’re a study in contrasts.

Margo, now 90, was a whirling dervish during her editing days. She was outgoing and effusive, and made many friends both within the hobby and at the U.S. Mint. Her entrée at the Mint built a useful new bridge between the federal government and the nation’s coin collectors. At one time, it is said, Margo was the single most influential person in the hobby.

While far from aloof, Beth is more reserved and more likely to be seen in professional–rather than social–settings, camera or notebook in hand as she takes copious photos or notes for yet another <i>Coin World</i> story. Like me, she comes from a journalistic background, and I sense that she shares my drive to get every detail just right in every story.

Beth took over at Coin World in 1985, the year before I became COINage senior editor. We have been friendly competitors for a quarter-century now, with strong emphasis on “friendly.”

Beth has led the way in giving hobby news a sharper focus and harder edge. She was in the forefront, for example, in exposing apparent transgressions by a high-ranking ANA official who eventually stepped down in the face of mounting outrage by many members.

In 1995, her testimony before a congressional subcommittee helped bring about reforms in U.S. commemorative coinage, which was suffering at the time from numerous abuses, including overproduction and inappropriate themes. She was also influential in gaining support in Washington for the 50 State Quarters® Program.

My admiration for Beth stems not from her ability to score important “scoops,” although she’s had plenty of those. Rather, it’s based on her impeccable judgment, firm commitment to fairness and unfailing professionalism in bringing every story to her readers.

Others might boast that their presentation of news is “fair and balanced”–but without any fanfare, Beth’s actions speak far more loudly than their often-empty words.

 Beth was characteristically modest when I sent my congratulations after learning of the award.

“I was astounded when ANA staff informed me,” she said in her e-mail reply.

The award came as no big surprise to me and many others. After decades of quiet excellence in covering hobby news, Beth Deisher richly deserved a headline affirming how vital she has been in putting that news in perspective for everyone else.

These are among the natural and man-made wonders scheduled for depiction on the 56 Washington quarters to be issued beginning next year in the “America the Beautiful” series, better known to collectors as the “national parks” program.

The list of sites to be showcased was announced Sept. 9 by Mint Director Edmund C. Moy, who beamed like a proud father as he introduced the world to the “brood” being hatched by the Mint.

“These new quarters,” Moy exclaimed, “will honor some of our most revered, treasured and beautiful national sites—majestic and historic places located throughout the United States and its territories that truly make us ‘America the Beautiful.’

“The designs will help reinvigorate interest in our national parks, forests, fish and wildlife refuges, and other national sites, as well as educate the public about their importance to us and our history.”

I’m sure all these places are sources of pride to people in their home states and marvelous getaways for those who know their whereabouts. Frankly, however, many of them rank among the most obscure U.S. coinage subjects since Fort Vancouver, Washington, and York County, Maine.

This is not what most vocal advocates of coinage redesign—myself included—had in mind back in the 1980s when we fought for meaningful change in Americans’ pocket change. This is not the fulfillment of our dreams; it’s stark confirmation that our dreams are fast becoming living nightmares.

We wanted change for the better, not lengthy series of monotonous variations on the same basic themes. We wanted coinage subjects with the power to instill a sense of national pride, not “historic sites” that are “national” in name but mostly parochial in nature. And we wanted coins whose memorable designs would mirror “America the Beautiful.” Given the Mint’s recent track record, that mirror will be hopelessly cracked on the upcoming quarters.

To put this into perspective, Congress and the Mint couldn’t even bring themselves to support special coins for the Civil War centennial in the early 1960s—coins to mark the most critical event in U.S. history. Yet today, the Mint is poised to make circulating coins not only for the “beauties” already mentioned, but also for such very remote outposts as the National Park of American Samoa, American Memorial Park in the Northern Mariana Islands and Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Sadly, the worst is undoubtedly yet to come—when the Mint unveils the 56 designs “inspired” by the laundry list of sites. We’ve already had a sneak preview, for several coins issued in recent years bore designs meant to capture the grandeur of national parks and other natural wonders. And all were dismal failures.

“Exhibit A” is the 1999 commemorative silver dollar honoring Yellowstone National Park. Its feeble attempt to portray “Old Faithful” made the geyser look more like a monster’s fist bursting out of the ground as villagers watched in horror.

To spotlight Yosemite Valley on the California quarter, the Mint depicted an elderly man—said to be naturalist John Muir—resting beside a big rock while a bird (perhaps a vulture?) circled overhead. Crater Lake emerged on the Oregon quarter as a kind of giant bird bath ringed by Christmas trees. And even the Rocky Mountains on the Colorado quarter resembled the rumpled sleeve of a corduroy jacket.

The Mint is not entirely to blame for artistic miscarriages such as these. Sweeping natural wonders don’t lend themselves to depiction on tiny canvases—especially those the size of a Washington quarter. The finger of guilt also must be pointed at those who ordered the Mint to design and strike such coins in the first place.

The 50 State Quarters program showed that many Americans were receptive to coinage redesign. Millions of people embraced the new coins despite mediocre designs and many set them aside—perhaps becoming collectors in the process.

But prospects for the new coins seem more clouded. Even within the hobby, enthusiasm is waning for marathon-length series of special coins. Plus, the subjects being honored are narrower in scope and more difficult to portray than those on the 50-state quarters.

Let’s hope that we’re not entering a kind of coinage wilderness on a river of no return.?

For further information about the club, visit them online at http://abcc.anaclubs.org; send them an e-mail at abcoinclub@hotmail.com; drop them a line at PO Box 21187 Lehigh Valley, PA 18002-1187; or call them at (610) 434-0222.

The ANA told the press, “The ANA received several competitive bids for its 2010 National Money Show auctions in Dallas/Fort Worth and the 2010 World’s Fair of Money auctions in Boston. The bids were complex and required a review of several diverse components. After review, it was determined that the most favorable bid that best served the interests of the ANA’s members was tendered by Heritage Auctions, Inc. As the bids contain proprietary and confidential proposals, it is the policy of the ANA not to discuss the details of the bids. The bids were sealed and received by BiggsKofford, the ANA’s auditors, and were then tendered to the ANA Executive Director and General Counsel, each of whom conducted an independent review and thereafter conferred to review their respective analysis of the bids. After extensive review, they made a unanimous recommendation to the Board of Governors.”

“The PNG Board of Directors unanimously agreed to contribute the funds to assist IAPN in its lobbying efforts to combat unfair import restrictions. We are concerned that overzealous Customs Bureau agents may unfairly misconstrue even well-meaning regulations by mistakenly claiming that any undocumented ancient coin is a stolen cultural property artifact of another country,” said PNG Executive Director Robert Brueggeman.

“This is a frustrating and ironic situation,” said PNG President Paul Montgomery. “The U.S. already has agreements with Cyprus and China that hinder the importation of coins that may have widely circulated centuries ago and, in fact, are now easily available for purchase by the public in those countries. Yet, Customs officials are seemingly doing nothing to stop the egregious importation into the U.S. of counterfeit coins from China and elsewhere.”

PNG and IAPN officials are concerned about efforts by the Archaeological Institute of America to train Customs inspectors to detect and seize coins suspected of being imported in violation of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act.

Additional information is available online at www.PNGDealers.com and www.IAPN-coins.org.

National Gold Exchange Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The action could affect the coin market positively

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The U.S. Virgin Islands Quarter

At one time, several European powers ruled over some or all of the islands. Since 1917, this eastern outpost has flown an American flag

by Ron Meyer