Earliest Known Membership Certificate From 1894 Donated to ANA by Dwight Manley
Colorado Springs, Colo. - The earliest known surviving
American Numismatic Association membership certificate, dated July
1, 1894, has been acquired by California real estate developer and
long-time coin collector, Dwight Manley, and donated to the ANA.
Manley's donation also includes 16 other documents and materials
dating back to the early years of the association that was founded
in 1891 by Dr. George F. Heath of Monroe, Mich.
The items were purchased by Manley in the Oct. 6,
2012 auction conducted by David Sklow Fine Numismatic Books. The
6-by-9 inch ANA certificate of membership was described by Sklow as
"possibly the rarest piece of history from the American Numismatic
Association's very early years."
Manley requested that the certificate be displayed in the
ANA library so that visitors to the association's headquarters can
see it. In 2003, the library was named in Manley's honor in
recognition of his life-long dedication to and financial support of
the association.
"I'm a huge fan of the ANA and all that it stands for. I was
both fortunate and amazed to be able to buy these items that even
the ANA didn't have in their possession. I feel the best place for
these unique, historic pieces of numismatica is in the ANA library
where their beauty and romance can be enjoyed," said
Manley.
The 1894 ANA membership certificate was originally sent to
Joseph Potichke of Massachusetts, and it reads:
"Membership No. 196. Waltham, Mass. July 1, 1894. This is to
certify, that, Mr. Joseph M. Potichke, was admitted to membership
in the American Numismatic Association on the first day of July
1894. In witness whereof we have set our hand and seal."
It is signed by then-ANA President Heath and ANA Secretary
O.W. Page with a red wax seal affixed to the paper next to their
signatures.
Manley also acquired from the auction and donated a brief
letter handwritten by Page to Potichke, dated May 28, 1894
acknowledging his membership application. It was written on the
only known surviving example of early ANA letterhead stationery
that lists Board of Officers and Board of Trustees members in 1894.
There are also two receipts to Potichke signed by Page for 50 cents
in dues and a 50-cent initiation fee.
"I have never seen another of these early membership
certificates, and that includes the archives of the ANA itself,"
said Sklow, who serves as the ANA Secretary and Historian. "The
certificate is a remarkable item, possibly unique, and a truly rare
piece of ANA history. Coupled with the letter from Secretary Page
and the two receipts it makes a complete accounting of Mr. Potichke
joining the ANA 118 years ago when the ANA had not yet achieved its
third birthday."
In 1899, Dr. Heath reassigned membership numbers, and
Potichke's was changed from 196 to 72.
"This is a continuation of a number of significant donations
made to the ANA by Dwight Manley. He's made major donations to the
Florence Schook School of Numismatics, to the ANA library's
renovation, and even donated the oldest illustrated numismatic
book, which is now housed in the library's rare book room," said
ANA Executive Director Jeff Shevlin. "His continued support and
significant contributions help the ANA to keep strengthening the
hobby."
The American Numismatic Association's Dwight N. Manley
Library is the world's largest numismatic lending library with more
than 100,000 books, auction catalogs, periodicals , videos, DVDs
and slide sets. It is located at ANA headquarters, 818 N. Cascade
Ave., in Colorado Springs, Colo., and is open to the public from
10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Additional
information is available by email at library@money.org and on the
ANA web site, www.money.org.
The American Numismatic Association is a congressionally
chartered nonprofit educational organization dedicated to
encouraging people to study and collect money and related items.
The ANA helps its 28,000 members and the public discover and
explore the world of money through its vast array of education and
outreach programs, as well as its museum, library, publications,
conventions and seminars. For more information, call 719-632-2646
or go to www.money.org.