BLUE RIDGE NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION
CELEBRATES GOLDEN 50th ANNUAL CONVENTION ANNIVERSARY
by: Walt Ostromecki
Down home warming southern hospitality, a public meet and greet with President Abraham Lincoln and an ANA governor, a red-hot paper money andsouthern mint gold coin market, and more than a hundred eager, outgoing and hobby motivated youth and families added the spice that helped make the 50th Annual Convention Anniversary birthday celebration of the Blue Ridge Numismatic Association (BRNA) held in Dalton, GA August 21-23, 2009, a rousing and grand success.
By late Sunday, registration figures had already topped the 2,600 mark according to the registration chair, Blenda Brush, with more than 105 signing in and eagerly waiting to get in just after the ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday morning at 10am. “To the best of my knowledge has never occurred before during the past twelve years the BRNA has held the show at the Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center location.”
BRNA president, Gary Overton remarked, “The 160 plus dealers seem to be very upbeat, with most reporting brisk sales, particularly those offering paper money, bullion and US southern mint struck gold coins raw and certified in all grades. If the country is indeed experiencing a serious recession, there was certainly no evidence of it at this year’s show. Wheeling, dealing, and buying was the dealer catch word I heard on the floor during this our 50th anniversary birthday show! My hat’s off to our bourse coordinator, Bob Hurst!”
A crowd of approximately 100 gathered outside the BRNA bourse floor on Friday morning awaiting to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony. There was two official awards given before the ribbon cutting ceremony. The first, an ANA 50th anniversary certificate of recognition, read by ANA Governor Walt Ostromecki, on behalf of president Cliff Mishler and the second award a Dalton City proclamation given by Mayor David Pennington, declaring Friday, August 21, 2009 as “Blue Ridge Numismatic Association Day”.
Saturday morning’s activities kicked off at 9AM with a Society of Paper Money Collectors (SPMC) breakfast, made to order by that multi talented North Carolina Southern Belle, society hostess, and numismatist, Judith Murphy. The educational program featured a power point presentation on ‘North Carolina Colonial Money’ by Bob Anderson via a teleconference, a unique twist and first for the SPMC. This was followed by a number of other outstanding educational forums covering everything from Civil War Studies and Bust Halves to Confederate Currency and Bank Notes of the Afterlife.
President Abraham Lincoln, (a.k.a. Dennis Boggs) acted as the official BRNA greeter, on Saturday, welcoming, mingling, shaking hands and politicking with all those gathered as the club officers cut and doled out blue iced birthday cake.
In addition to the ANA -Youth Activities Table in the foyer staffed all three days by ANA Governor Ostromecki, the 1:00 P.M. Young Numismatists Program, facilitated under the guidance of that energetic and talented Tennessee First Lady of youth activities, Gayle Pike, was the educational highlight of the show. She was assisted by Ostromecki and the ever so talented living historian, President Abraham Lincoln. In all 55 youngsters and an equal number of family members were numismatically enriched during the two hour hands on youth event.
Why a kid educational program? Well, Pike summed it up best this way: “Kids are the hobby’s future. From them will come the dealers and leaders of the future. If we invest time and energy now by introducing them to the fun of numismatics today, then the future growth of coin collecting is insured.”
The 2010 BRNA Convention will be held in Dalton, GA at the same venue from August 20-22, 2010. Bourse information can be obtained from the BRNA website www.brna.org, from chairman, Bob Hurst forvm@cfl.rr.com, or by writing the BRNA Secretary, Box 56156, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.
The BRNA also strikes a yearly 39mm southern theme medal and a smaller US quarter size copper piece that are given out at each convention. The 2009 50th anniversary copper piece featured the obverse Indian motif design on the Saint-Gaudens US $10 gold coin.
A CONDENSED FIFTY YEAR HISTORY OF THE BRNA
The year of 1960 was a whole lot different from that of 2009. The US economy was booming, rock and roll music was in its infancy, hippies’ peace love and flower power were the new rages, Vietnam was a French matter and a charismatic young man, John F. Kennedy, had just been elected President.
On the national hobby front, coin collecting was in full bloom. According to an article printed in a June 1960 issue of the GREENVILLE NEWS, “Coin collecting is a most enjoyable, fun, and relaxing hobby that is engaged in by many people of all ages and walks of life. It has some secret and miraculous power to relax and relieve daily stress . . . ”
The story went on to note, “Coin collectors from five upstate cities met yesterday at the Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, SC, to form the Blue Ridge Numismatic Association. Some 40 persons from Anderson, Greer, Pacolet, Spartanburg, and Greenville coin clubs attended the founding meeting.
The Association would be made up of coin clubs in the Blue Ridge area. By laws were established and the state of South Carolina granted the BRNA a charter.” The Association was off and running. Early Secretary records note, “the club was founded with 300 members with most every state in the union and Canada represented. Officers elected for 1960 were:
J. L. Jones, president; Fred Zink, 1st vice president; Jack Crumley, 2nd vice president; Grady Sizemore, secretary; T.T. Wells, treasurer.” Men would dominate the presidential scene until 1991, when the first woman, Judith Murphy, would take on the leadership reigns.
The first BRNA convention was held in October 1960 at the Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, SC. Attendance was reported “as being excellence” . . . with dealers commenting “it was a great show which must continue . . . ” The good news resulted in the BRNA establishing a museum which would house many of the group’s numismatic articles and club history near Columbia, SC. This was a historical show piece for many years until the Association was forced to close its museum and remove the materials to a storage facility in the late 1980's. Several case displays on BRNA history featuring medals, articles, convention booklets, photographs, and other memorabilia were on a public exhibit during the 2009 50th birthday convention.
Today, August 2009, the BRNA is a nationally known organization that hosts an outstanding annual coin show, complete with a wide range of educational programs for both young and adult alike. Show attendance averages approximately 1,500 per year and Association membership boasts a growing membership of 548. The latter include: 316 regular, 180 life, 35 clubs, 12 YN’s, and 5 honorary life. They are also a proud supporting member of the ANA and were recognized for achieving their 50-year hobby milestone in 2009 by ANA President Clifford Mishler.
To learn more about the BRNA or become a member (dues are $10 a year, adults; $5YN’s, life-under 55 $200 and over 55 $125), please visit the group’s website at www.brna.org or write the BRNA PO Box 56156, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.