It's always surprising what you find leafing through old issues of magazines. Not too long ago I purchased a complete year of 1967 Coins magazines. The July issue contained a small article buried in the "World Numisnews" section announcing a translation service from the ANA. Designed for collectors who often received international correspondence in a foreign language, it probably also came in handy for anyone seeking out the translation of foreign coinage.  Stated rates were by the page (about 250 words) and cost between $1 to $4 depending on general translation or technical translation. Languages offered were Spanish, French, and German. Whatever became of this obsolete service is not known, but it seems to have not been successful and quietly disappeared. It probably filled a need back in the day before the internet, when on-line translation dictionaries were light years away and beyond the reach of most collectors. Also new were several nationally based coin clubs that are now long gone. These included "The American Coin Club" based in Brooklyn ,NY, which offered a monthly  newspaper and dealer discounts. In reality this "club" was just a front for a large wholesale dealership selling common coins to collectors at "club discounts". Membership was $15 compared to an ANA membership of $11.50.  Another national club was the "United Sates Numismatic Association" which also offered a monthly journal and dealer discounts on new and old US and world coins. Membership was also $15 and included a "educational course" written by none other than "the Famous Walter Breen" (It seems Breen always had his hands in something). Both of these organizations are long gone, but in 1967 coin collecting was in it's heyday, so anything went. Looking back at them, it's no surprise the ANA is still around and better than ever. By the way, an issue of Coins magazine in 1967 was only 50 cents.

Back in 1971 when The Franklin Mint was raking it in big time, they approached illustrator Norman Rockwell to commission a painting exclusively for Franklin Mint members. Titled "The Collector," the original painting depicted a  stately senior-aged numismatist (in a smoking jacket with white gloves) in his library, going over his collection with a presumed family member. Nearby props include a faithful dog, pipe, and books (but no familiar Red Book!).  Copies were sold to Franklin Mint members and can still be found on the secondary market (I purchased mine for under $20. It's framed and waiting to get hung in my man cave).  It's a nice piece of art to go with the room you devote the better part of your collecting to, and face it, there isn't many pieces of numismatic art you can hang on your wall. (On the other hand, you can easily fit a beautiful Saint Gaudens in your pocket.) In 2014 Christies auctioned off the original painting for $965,000. Even more interesting was an early study of the painting done with the collector studying his coins alone.  I can't make out any of the coins or titles of the books in my copy, but the old man oddly resembles Frank Lloyd Wright.