Well, this is my first ANA seminar. If you see me, please say "hi." I'll be attending the Ancient-CSI course: CSI Ancient Coins: Forensics of Ancient Coin Collecting 20. 5-day class: Sunday, June 27, 1-4 PM; Monday-Thursday, June 28-July 1, 9 AM- 4 PM. Like archaeologists, ancient coin collectors must use forensic techniques to explore and understand the field of ancient Greek and Roman coinage. Students will be led through a series of studies using original source materials and recent studies to reveal how ancient coins are identified and dated, and their designs interpreted. Discussions will be richly supplemented with PowerPoint illustrations and hands-on experience with authentic coins. This course is open to both novice and advanced collectors. Instructors: Kerry Wetterstrom, editor of The Celator magazine; and David Vagi, director of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation Ancients Anyone else going? And any advice for a first timer? I'm a little too old for college dorms, but I decided to stay at the college, anyway. Should be interesting. Is there any on-campus pub / wateringhole? guy
Guy, I will be attending both sessions. Let's plan to meet during lunch one day. Shoot me a PM with your cell number and I'll give you a call. I live in Colorado Springs so if you have any other questions about the area feel free to ask me. There are no watering holes on campus but a very good brew pub is Phantom Canyon Brewery straight south on Cascade at Pikes Peak. It is only about 8 blocks south of the ANA headquarters. They have excellent beer and food plus they have several pool tables. Nearby (across Cascade in the Antlers Hotel) is Judge Baldwin's Brewery. On the next street over - Tejon - is an Italian restaurant named Il Vicino. They have an EXCELLENT India Pale Ale. I would advise you to take advantage of the goings-on every evening. There are free talks and bull sessions where you can not only learn something (sometimes you can learn quite a bit) but you meet a lot of people that share your interest in coins. You never know who you might run into at these things. (Ken Bressett, Dave Bowers, Bill Fivaz just to name a few.) If you have not signed up for a mini-seminar you should consider doing that. Sunday morning the ANA has a book sale of surplus books from the library. Wednesday evening is the YN (Young Numismatists) Auction. Even if you never bid you will have a great time. Every evening behind the dorm is an informal gathering of attendees. And make sure you attend the banquet Thursday eveining. The food is always excellent and the program is rewarding. Again you can make lots of new friends at these events. ANA usually schedules a tour of the Denver Mint the Friday after one of the sessions. You should consider taking this tour because they take you down on the floor where all the equipment is - blanking machines, annealing machines, coin presses, etc. It is well worth the time and expense. Be advised that you must submit info so the Mint Police can do a background check on you before they allow you inside the Mint and it may be too late to accomplish that at this late date. ANA also offers other tours and outings, e.g. Pikes Peak Cog Railroad ride to the top of Pikes Peak, a tour of the Molly Kathlene Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, etc. There is no shortage of things to do.
i didn't book vegas this summer and am regretting it. i would love to go, but there probably aint nothing for my girlfriend to do there, plus i have nobody to watch the dog!!
Be sure to drink lots of water due to climate and altitude. For good drink to go and some exercise, walk north of dorm to first main road, hang a left and go down the hill to the liqour store on NW corner. They have a great selection of brew and wine which you can enjoy on the patio overlooking the athletic field with Pike's Peak on the horizon. You are going to have a great time.
That's a good suggestion. And another good suggestion. That would be Coaltrain Wine & Liquor located just west of Wood Ave. on Uintah.
I want to thank Hobo and 2centRick for all the great advice and I want to thank all the others for their good wishes. I'll try to write at least a short summary when I get back about the course and how everything went. guy
Guy, you are braver than I. I didn't like the idea of a college dorm either so I got a hotel room off campus. Would like to check out the rooms for a possible return next year, though. I'm there for session 1 only--taking "The Business of Being a Coin Dealer" (5 day class) and the Conder Token class (2 evening sessions.) Should be fun!
Be sure to introduce yourself to Rick Snow - he'll be taking classes this week, instead of giving a class. He says the Lizzard Lounge on campus is where a lot of people "hang out" but you have to bring your own beverages. I had planned on going but it conflicted with the Ontario Coin show which I was already committed to. I'm hoping I can plan accordingly next year! Please be sure to post a detailed report upon your return - and have a great time!!
Have fun & drink plenty of water through the week I recommend staying at the new dorms and networking (drinking heavily) with all the attendees at the dorm's common area overlooking Pikes Peak. The only thing missing in the dorm room is a good desk lamp suitable for viewing coins or reading a book. I recommend that you bring one with you. I'll miss Colorado Springs this year. I will be at the Boston ANA.
Hmmm... you people worry me with all the talk about drinking. :goofer: Steve Ellsworth has assured our class participants that we will likely suffer from information overload, and according to one of his guest speakers, there may be only 3 students left standing at the end of the week. I can't imagine taking the class with a hangover.:bigeyes:
Oh man, the Lizard Lounge! I regret that I was only 19 last time I was there. (The kind folks offered, but I was a good ANA intern and declined. LOL)
The class's are like 550 the room and board are around the same for food and the dorm room. Then you have to get there.
Here is the link to information on the summer seminars. The first week session sarts in a couple days. http://www.money.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NumismaticEvents/SummerSeminar/default.htm
Man, I wish I was you guys. I have been wanting to go to the courses a few years now and never can get the time away from work. You will love the ancients course, Kerry is a great guy and I have bought a few coins from David Vagi and he is a really nice guy too. You have to tell us all how it went.
