ok, I am interested in taking the ANA courses (counterfeit detection, Grading I, grading II, et al.) and it looks like the 2 day courses at the ANA conventions cost members about $350 each. then I found the ANA School of Numismatics Diploma Program which offers all of the courses to ANA members for $399 as a correspondence course. are the 2 day courses really worth 5 times as much (if you do them all) as the correspondence course packet? Is the "diploma" received identical? and is one course preferred by numismatists? thanks!
I've never taken any of their courses, but can offer this as food for thought. It's the effort you put into your education rather than if it's a 2 day course or a correspondence course you do at your own pace. The benefits of being there are obviously interacting with people, the instructors as well as your fellow classmates. OTOH, the correspondence course seems much cheaper and you do it on your own pace. I think which would provide the better value for you depends more on your own personality and the way you learn than anything. I tend to learn better with concrete examples put in front of me, rather than from books. So, for me, the 2 day course might be a better value. YMMV
I'm going to ask for the correspondence course for my birthday this summer. I've been waffling about getting it for three years now, and if I want to increase my knowledge and my marketability in the hobby after I get out of the service, well this is a start in the right direction.
odd, mine worked earlier and now it doesn't, so I've edited it. Also, your 2nd link isn't working now either, it must be an issue with the ANA website.
Are you stationed at Offutt? we used to live in Omaho when i was little and I have a friend from college who did computer security at SAC for a couple of years. [I'm sure you know the type, he was one of those guys who was too smart to have normal conversations with people]
I think you pretty much get what you pay for. I know I would learn much better by having someone sit next to me and tell me what I should be observing on an actual coin in hand. For me this is better than hours of reading books and looking at pictures. Perhaps if they offered a correspondence DVD with very good close-up examples of real life coin authentication and grading, it would be worth it.
It'd be nice if for the correspondence they sent you actual coins to grade that you could return graded & get comments back on. You'd think that the course would include that (or maybe it does & I missed it).
Can't you get a Pell Grant? I wonder if you can get an education grant for this from the Department of Labor.... hmm
