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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;lettow, post: 539960, member: 6986&quot;]I am not only a member (21 years) but I am on the Board of Directors.&nbsp; Thank you for posting this thread.</p><p><br /></p><p>First, let me give you some background on the organization itself (skip to the end for the answer to your immediate question).&nbsp; It was founded in London in 1961.&nbsp; It has never had a relationship with SPMC although there are many US SPMC members who are also IBNS memebrs.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>There are about 2000 members worlwide representing 96 different countries from Albania to Zimbabwe (no Afghan members yet).&nbsp; Members are located in such diverse countries as Bangladesh, China, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Malta, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Uganda and Zambia.&nbsp; The largest concentrations of members are in the US (48 of the 50 states have members -- there are 22 members in Michigan), UK and Australia.</p><p><br /></p><p>While there are members who are dealers, most members are collectors and are willing to trade or acquire notes from their countries for other members.</p><p><br /></p><p>Delivering services to such a diverse membership is a challenge.&nbsp; The Society publishes a quarterly journal, a biannual membership directory and holds an annual mail auction (the most recent auction closed January 31 with thousands of lots.)&nbsp; Board and member meetings are held at the London IBNS Congress, Memphis, Valkenburg and now in Australia.&nbsp; Informal meetings are held at most major shows in the US (CPMX, ANA, Long Beach, St. Louis).&nbsp; These meetings usually have an educational program associated with them.&nbsp; Noted cataloguer and collector of Philippine notes Neil Shafer gave a program at CPMX on Philippine Guerrilla notes.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are also 18 IBNS Chapters around the world.&nbsp; These are located in Australia (Perth, Sydney and Melbourne), Belgium, Canada (Vancouver), China, Czech Republic, Egypt, the Netherlands, South Africa, Turkey, UK (Burnley, East Midlands and London), United Arab Emirates&nbsp; and the US (Milwaukee and two new ones in Southern California).&nbsp; The chapters have regular meetings, some monthly and some quarterly or semi-annually.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>The IBNS library is housed at the ANA.&nbsp; This allows IBNS members access to the entire ANA library without being ANA a member of ANA.</p><p><br /></p><p>The OP opined that 2000 seems like a low number of members.&nbsp; One thing that you have to remember is that there are organizations in most countries that serve collectors from that country that collect that country&#039;s notes, SPMC in the US is an example.&nbsp; IBNS is not aimed at those collectors, its focus is on collectors who have a worldwide focus or who collect notes from countries other than their own.&nbsp; If your collecting interests are narrow it makes more sense to join the organization in the country you collect.&nbsp; A collector who only collects Mexican Revolutionary notes living outside Mexico would be better served by joining an organization in Mexico or LANSA.&nbsp; Likewise, a US collector who only interest is US notes would not benefit much from being an IBNS member.</p><p><br /></p><p>The grievance process is something IBNS takes very seriously.&nbsp; While it can only assist with problems with other IBNS members, IBNS is not shy about suspending and expelling members whose identities are then published in the Directory.</p><p><br /></p><p>IBNS sponsors annual literary awards and a Banknote of the Year award.</p><p><br /></p><p>The membership fee is an annual fee.</p><p><br /></p><p>The book on Japan is still available from IBNS but only members can order it.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I will be more than happy to answer anyone&#039;s questions about IBNS.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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