ANA Summer Seminar Cancelled

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by messydesk, Apr 8, 2020.

  1. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    I wouldn't count on it. January Fun is realistically the next big coin show given that it's not something that has to happen and a high risk demographic . It going to be a while longer after businesses open up before large gatherings like that happen which includes fans at sports
     
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  3. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    For sure and obviously your work with the Navy has far more real world consequences that require a lot more planning and perfecting. The face to face teaching for coins can't be replaced and pictures generally aren't a great replacement, but now is the time where experimenting with what can work with videos/live streams should be happening.


    I am a strong believer the world will have to open back up sooner rather than later, but also that it won't just be like flipping a switch and a lot of things will be much slower to come back to normal than others. There will be a greater virtual presence for things going forward and numismatics should/needs to get on board with that. Really they should have been utilizing the virtual aspect much better than they have years ago, but if not now then when?

    Shows and shops are all shut down, many show teachers and experts have a lot more time on their hands than usual. If they wanted to there is a lot of good education they could be putting out that doesn't have to be perfect but could at least be interesting or engaging. They don't have to be hours long classes as even 10-15 minutes of talking about something they find interesting or answering a few questions would be helpful and not cost them anything. At some point people will start losing interest if there's nothing to engage them and just doing things as they've always been done is overdue for some modernization
     
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  4. Burton Strauss III

    Burton Strauss III Brother can you spare a trime? Supporter

    That is a short sighted, wishful and incorrect view.

    Until there is a vaccine, vulnerable parts of the population are still vulnerable. What the shelter/lockdown does is slow the rate of new infections to keep within our capacity of hospitals and ventilators. the peak is lower, but the area under the curve remains the same.
     
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  5. messydesk

    messydesk Well-Known Member

    The hobby is actually modernizing itself. Online groups like this one and several groups on Facebook are quite active. People doing sales on FB and Instagram are busy. A big question is whether big, expensive shows will remain relevant or if their slow demise is being irreversibly hastened by this.

    With regard to education, I wasn't being flippant with my earlier suggestion to contact the ANA's education department. They very well may be in the process of figuring out how to deploy an online replacement to their correspondence courses. To speak for them or make assumptions about what they're doing doesn't do us any good. To engage them does. The idea of 10-15 minute "teaser" courses is a good one, and I'll bet they could get a lot of their instructors to record a webcam presentation or interest talk, and then develop a "critical mass" of these that would give people a lot of topics to learn about, possibly piquing their interest for a paid online or in-person course.
     
  6. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    Area under the curve should theoretically be smaller, too. Fewer infections over time.
     
  7. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    I hope not. I just went to FUN -- my 1st big show ever after years of attending monthly or quarterly shows here in the NY Metro area -- and I loved it.

    I know that attendance has pretty much held up over the years (decades) at The Big 3: FUN, ANA, and Long Beach. Basically, they each serve a different part of the country (East Coast, MidWest, and West Coast) which is good. It's the other national or regional shows that have to fight for "shelf space" (Central States ?) that have seen a dropoff over the years, I believe.

    I would also add that if these shows do a 2nd smaller show -- like FUN's Summer show -- that is more likely to go than the primary show if attendance becomes an issue. I was actually very surprised to find out that FUN does a 2nd show, not only because I think the work to do 1 show must be a killer (I can't envision my all-volunteer astronomy club doing a 2nd space/vendor show in a year) but also because you cannibalize your other audience to an extent. But again, the main attraction for FUN in January is that many of us in the cold get to justify a few days of Florida sun-and-fun. Totally out the window in the Summer ! :D

    That said, yeah, the seminar parts could probably be done online (though there's something to be said for an in-person teaching seminar surrounded by fellow numismatists and friends). With High-Def pics and video, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to pick up some stuff.

    Quickie videos that showed up-close grading and what-to-look-fors on some of the more popular coin series would definitely be valuable.

    I'd pay to see -- or buy -- a quickie video telling me what are the Top 10 things to look for when buying a Saint-Gaudens DE. Sure folks would do the same with MSDs, SLQs, Franklins, etc.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2020
  8. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    BTW, is it the case that the other 2 big shows (ANA, Long Beach) and other regional shows do NOT charge an admission fee ?

    I'll be honest: I wouldn't have minded paying a very small nominal fee for the 3 or 4 days I was at FUN. If it was very low -- $5 -- I can't see the general public objecting, either. I wouldn't have blinked to buy a 3-day or 4-day pass at a very low rate, either.

    I wouldn't mind having the fees maybe bring in some heavy-hitter speakers (Bowers, Burdette, etc.) or use it on other pleasantries for the attendees, vendors, etc. Just a thought....

    I would guess that the "business model" doesn't require this or they feel they make enough to cover expenses from sponsorships and vendor fees for tables, etc. Still, for FUN renting out the OCCC must cost some serious $$$.

    I wonder if they get a cheaper rate as a 501(c)-3 vs. a business.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2020
  9. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    I'm surprised there aren't more grading videos on YouTube for specific coins (maybe there are in general but I didn't find many on Saints).
     
  10. messydesk

    messydesk Well-Known Member

    It would seem you've never sat through a QDB speech, then, but I digress.
     
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  11. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    Funny you bring that up, I am watching a few on YouTube that came up when I searched for educational videos.

    He does seem a bit slow and methodical which usually leads me to catch some ZZzzzs..... :D

    My experience has been that if you at least have an interesting topic OR have great slides/PowerPoint, you can keep the audiences's attention.

    I think some of these speakers need to shorten their talks and allow for more Q&A time. That's been the experience I have in our astronomy club.
     
  12. messydesk

    messydesk Well-Known Member

    The past couple I've seen have been unstoppable streams of consciousness that go from discussing XF vs. EF to who which auction had the best scalloped potatoes at their buffet.
     
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  13. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    Some influential leaders are great speakers.

    Some influential leaders are great writers.

    Sometimes, you get a winning combination of both.

    More often, you don't.
     
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  14. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    Absolutely and I am a big fan of that happening. My biggest criticism (which wasn't directed at you at all) is that some of the old school type organizations seem to dismiss or ignore the online/social media aspect especially the ANA where to me they should be a leader otherwise what is their point?


    I didn't mean to seem so dismissive or rude of the idea, the problem just is that I'm a nobody and also a nobody that have been critical of their lack of engaging in such a way in the past.

    Someone with some clout who they may listen too absolutely should and if not doing some youtubes or IG or periscopes etc would cost them anything but time. I'm not the person to lead the charge here as I wouldn't be taken seriously but the establishment we have now.

    That said I would actually like to see some of them take the reigns and try something and maybe hopefully close the gap we have had for a long time between older and younger collectors. If not as you mentioned before the social media will continue to organically erode the old ways, just seems a shame that no big attempt is being made by them to close that gap
     
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  15. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    I don't doubt that you can learn alot from online vs. going to the big conventions.

    Maybe if you've gone to dozens or hundreds it's different...but I had A BLAST at my 1st ever big convention @ FUN this past January. Next January, I definitely want to take the courses that they have.

    Speaking of which....there's so much dead time at night, I wonder why they don't have them at that hour ? Or at least split the 6 or 8 hours between the showhours and then finish at night.

    I guess they know what works for them, but it's a PITA to have to come 1 or 2 days early and do nothing all day but the seminar. Would be great IMO to go to the show....take a 3 or 4 hour break for the course...back to the show...early dinner....then finish the course. :D
     
  16. Burton Strauss III

    Burton Strauss III Brother can you spare a trime? Supporter

    That's nice for you. Maybe the people giving the seminar want to be able to attend the show too??? And still have time for set up personal hygiene and sleep????
     
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  17. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    Sure, but it's 4 days long (FUN)....it just seems very drawn-out to have an 8 or 10 hour session or whatever kill an entire day (albeit before the show actually starts).

    I've heard good things about the ANA educational seminars -- heck, I've learned alot from guys here who are veterans and many took those same courses -- and maybe it'd be a nice change of pace and/or bump up attendance.

    Do you know how many attend those seminars before a major show like FUN ?
     
  18. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    Many of the people teaching and attending the seminar are also interested in attending the show. The teachers are often dealers who have tables. They can't take time during the show to teach the class. Also, after a long day trading on the bourse, the last thing they want to do is go teach a class. Also, the evening is often when the highlight auctions are. Also, some of the best parts of the show are after the floor closes, when everyone goes to dinner and talks and interfaces. There are many reasons why a 2 day class before the show is preferred.
     
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  19. Dimedude2

    Dimedude2 Member

    Working from home doing consecutive Skype meetings all day is incredibly painful. It is certain that classes and discussions face to face are always more effective than online, where your attention span is limited.
     
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