Descriptive Summary

Repository

American Numismatic Society

Extent

8.5 cubic feet

Language

English

Abstract

Records relating to the governance of the American Numismatic Society.

Note

PORTIONS OF THE FINDING AID ARE SUPPRESSED FROM PUBLIC VIEW. ANS staff can log into Staff View for the full record group description.

Administrative Information

Collection Hierarchy

• Series: Incorporation, constitution, and bylaws records, 1858-1998

  Extent

  0.5 cubic feet (1 box)

  Access Restriction:

  Open to all researchers.

  Scope and Content:

  Records pertaining to the establishment and updating of the ANS certificate of incorporation, constitution, and bylaws. Includes a manuscript copy of the constitution, with a list of members (adopted April 6, 1858); early reports of committees (1864, 1865); manuscript, printed, and typed versions of the documents with corrections, additions, and other annotations; and printed versions of the ANS Certificate of Incorporation, Constitution, and Bylaws (1910-1998).

  Related Entities

  • Genre/Format
    • Constitutions
    • Bylaws (Adminisrative records)
    • Certificates of incorporation
    • Reports

  • Box 1 of 1

    • Constitution of the American Numismatic Society (manuscript), April 6, 1858

    • Report of the Committee Appointed by the American Numismatic Society to Prepare a New Constitution and Bylaws (manuscript), June 23, 1864

    • Certificate of Incorporation (photograph and transcript), 1865

    • Additional Final Report of Committee on Incorporation, June 22, 1865

    • Constitution and Bylaws of the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society (annotated and corrected manuscript), 1874

    • Constitution (printed), 1877

    • Constitution and Bylaws (manuscript), 1907

    • Constitution and Bylaws (typed, with accompanying notes for revision, 1909

    • Constitution and Bylaws (typed, with annotations), 1916

    • Constitution and Bylaws (typed, with annotations), 1917

    • Constitution and Bylaws (typed), 1918

    • Constitution and Bylaws (typed, with annotations), 1920

    • Constitution and Bylaws (typed, with annotations), July 7, 1921, compared October 16, 1922

    • Constitution and Bylaws (printed and manuscript), July 7, 1921

    • Certificate of Annulment of Dissolution, Reinstatement and Report of Corporate Existence, 1952

    • Certificate of Incorporation, Constitution, and Bylaws (printed versions), 1910, 1948, 1956, 1960, 1967

    • Certificate of Incorporation, Constitution, and Bylaws (printed versions), 1972, 1982, 1989, 1998

    • Incorporation records, 1915-1948

    • Photocopies of incorporation (1865) and name change (1907) under New York State seal

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• Series: Standing committee records, 1940-2007

  Extent

  2.25 cubic feet (3 boxes)

  Scope and Content:

  Contains correspondence sent among standing committee members and others, informational and policy memorandums, agendas, minutes, committee reports, and other materials, most of which appears to have been kept by each committee’s secretary, a position held by an ANS staff member. The committees are otherwise composed mostly of ANS members and occasionally staff members. While agendas and minutes are in some cases present, and somewhat scattered, more detailed types of records often prevail. In the Publications Committee materials, for example, are long letters concerning the publishing of Edward Newell’s collection of Alexander coinage (1944) sent by the Society’s editor, Alfred Bellinger; numerous documents relating to the establishment of the ANS bibliographic series Numismatic Literature (1946-1949); and a copy of a letter from Archer Huntington to Society president Herbert Ives regarding the terms of the loan of Spanish coins from the Hispanic Society of America to the ANS (1946-1949). There are detailed reports in the file of the Reorganization Committee that provide recommendations regarding the offices of curator, secretary, editor, and librarian as well as other matters requiring constitutional and bylaw revisions (1947-1954). A report of the Photographic Committee gives a brief history and overview of the current situation of the photography at ANS (1947, 1949, 1954). There is about a cubic foot of materials relating to the Assets Committee (renamed Collections Committee in 2006), nearly all of which has to do with the Society’s auctioning off of the non-American portion of its collection of medals, orders, and insignias in 2006 and 2007.

  Access Restriction:

  Some later materials may be closed to outside researchers.

  Related Entities

  • Genre/Format
    • Memorandums
    • Correspondence
    • Minutes
    • Agendas (Administrative records)
    • Reports

  • Box 1 of 3

    • Publications committee, [1920s]

    • Publications committee, 1940-1942

    • Publications committee, 1944

    • Publications committee, 1946-1949

    • Publications committee, 1950-1959

    • Publications committee, 1961-1962

    • Publications committee, 1963-1965

    • Publications committee, 1966-1967

    • Publications committee, 1968-1970

    • Publications committee, 1973-1974

    • Publications committee, 1973-1974

    • Publications committee, 1978

    • Publications committee, 1981-1982

    • Publications committee, 1983-1991

    • Publications committee (Reconstituted), 1994-1998

    • Publications committee–Numismatic Literature–Historical, 1964-1987

    • Publications committee—Numismatic Literature—Report to INC, 1986-1991

    • Finance committee, 1947

    • Arrangement of Collections Committee, 1947

    • Committee to foster cooperation with the Archaeological Institute, 1947

    • Reorganization committee, 1947-1954

    • Printed proceedings committee, 1948

    • Auditing committee, 1949

    • Building committee, 1949

    • U.S. coins committee—Data sent to members by Williamson, 1953

    • Photography committee, 1947, 1949, 1957

    • Security committee, 1965

    • Acquisitions committee, 1989-1990

    • Acquisitions committee—Correspondence—Memos, 1991-1992

    • Acquisitions committee, 1992

    • Acquisitions committee, October 1993

    • Acquisitions committee, 1994

    • Acquisitions committee, 1995

    • Acquisitions committee, 1996

    • Acquisitions committee, 1997

    • Acquisitions committee, 1998

    • Acquisitions committee, 1999

    • Development committee, 1991-1993

    • Development committee, 1994-1996

    • Education committee, 1993

    • Long-range planning committee, 1991-1993

    • Long-range planning committee, 2000

    • Location committee, 1995

    • Governance committee, 1995-1996

    • Operations and management committee, 1997

  • Box 2 of 3

    • Greek committee—Old minutes, 1965-1969

    • Greek committee, 1975-1991

    • Greek committee—1976-1986

    • Islamic and South Asian committee, 1976

    • East Asian coins committee, 1976

    • East Asian coins committee, 1997-1998

    • Far Eastern committee, 1990-1996

    • Library committee, 1949-1987

    • Medals and decorations committee, 1976-1986

    • Modern coinage and currency committee, 1979-1984

    • Roman and Byzantine coins committee, 1976-1986

    • Reappointment to standing committees, 1986-1988

    • Sample letters to standing committees, 1976-1981

    • Standing committees, 1990

    • Standing committees, 1991

    • Standing committees, 1992

    • Standing committees, 1993

    • Standing committee replies, 1990-1995

    • Standing committees, 1996

    • Standing committees, 1997-1998

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• Series: Herbert E. Ives president correspondence, 1942-1951

  Extent

  0.5 cubic feet (1 box)

  Scope and Content:

  Contains Herbert Ives’s correspondence from his time as president of the ANS (1942-1946) and a few letters from after that period. While some of the letters deal with routine issues like committee appointments and council membership, many have to do with noteworthy topics, such as disagreements, particularly between Sydney Noe and Agnes Baldwin Brett, over the jurisdiction of editor vs. the publications committee (e.g., Brett, 1942; Noe, 1942; Bellinger, 1943, 1946); the donation of the Ernest Babelon portrait from Archer Huntington and Adra Newell’s role in the matter (Newell, 1942); building repairs (Huntington, 1943); the debate over the erection of a fence at Audubon Terrace and a discussion of vandalism and a younger generation getting out of hand (Pell, 1944; Damrosh, 1944; Huntington, 1944); the Edward Newell bequest, the publishing of it, and establishing a room to house it (Newell, 1944; West, 1944); a description of the ANS’s methods for documenting coins by photographing them, using the Newell coins as an example (Huntington, 1946); the donation by Huntington of shares of Hammond Lumber Company stock (Dewing, 1945; West, 1946; Mosser, 1947); and perceived difficulties with ANS fellow Luigi Criscuolo (Criscuolo, 1943; Shear, 1943; Bellinger, 1946).

  Biographical/Historical Commentary:

  Herbert E. Ives was born in Philadelphia on July 21, 1882. His father, Frederic Ives, was a distinguished scientist who had invented techniques for color photography and the half-tone process which made it possible to reprint photographs in magazines and newspapers. The younger Ives attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his bachelors degree in 1905, and Johns Hopkins University, where he earned his doctorate of philosophy in 1908. Upon graduation, Ives held a series of positions in industrial research, but his greatest successes came during his tenure at Bell Laboratories, which he joined in 1919 after serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I, where he did early work in aerial photography. It was during his years at Bell that Ives became known as one of the world's leading electron-optical physicists. Ives joined the ANS as an associate member in April 1924. By 1925, he had been elected a Fellow. In 1937, Ives was named a Patron of the ANS because of his gift to the Society of twenty-two medals awarded to his father for his scientific accomplishments. Ives was first elected to the ANS Council in January 1934 and remained on the Council until his death in November 1953. In January 1942, Ives was elected the 14th president of the ANS, succeeding Stephen H.P. Pell. Ives' numismatic interests focused on three types of gold: English nobles, Venetian ducats, and Florentine florins. Ives served as president through 1946 and he died on November 13, 1953. Upon his death, he bequeathed to the ANS his extensive collection of gold coins.

  Access Restriction:

  Open to all researchers.

  Related Entities

  • Genre/Format
    • Correspondence

  • Person
    • Ives, Herbert E. (Herbert Eugene), 1882-1953

  • Box 1 of 1

    • 1942 - A

    • 1942 - Beers, Robert C.

    • 1942 - Boyd, F.C.C.

    • 1942 - Brett, Agnes Baldwin

    • 1942 - Criscuolo, Luigi—The Rubicon

    • 1942 - Grancsay, Stephen V. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

    • 1942 - Huntington, Archer M.

    • 1942 - LaGuardia, Fiorella H. (Mayor, New York City)

    • 1942 - Mosser, Sawyer McA.

    • 1942 - Nettleship, Charles F., Jr.

    • 1942 - Newell, Adra M.

    • 1942 - Noe, Sydney P.

    • 1942 - Pell, Stephen H.P.

    • 1942 - Pond, Shepard

    • 1942 - Taylor, Francis Henry (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

    • 1942 - West, Louis C.

    • 1943 - A

    • 1943 - Bellinger, Alfred R.

    • 1943 - Coffin, Joseph

    • 1943 - Criscuolo, Luigi

    • 1943 - de Beaumont, G. (French Committee for National Liberation)

    • 1943 - Dewing, Arthur S.

    • 1943 - Dickie, Douglas P.

    • 1943 - Gillingham, Harrold E.

    • 1943 - Huntington, Archer M.

    • 1943 - Milbank, Samuel R.

    • 1943 - Miller, Hoyt

    • 1943 - Mosser, Sawyer McA.

    • 1943 - Newell, Adra M.

    • 1943 - Noe, Sydney P.

    • 1943 - Pell, Stephen H.P.

    • 1943 - Perpall, Arnold

    • 1943 - Shear, T. Leslie

    • 1943 - Simpson, A. Carson

    • 1943 - West, Louis C.

    • 1944 - A

    • 1944 - Bellinger, Alfred R.

    • 1944 - Brett, Agnes Baldwin

    • 1944 - Damrosch, Walter J. (American Academy of Arts & Letters)

    • 1944 - Hirsch, Jacob

    • 1944 - Huntington, Archer M.

    • 1944 - Lober, Georg

    • 1944 - Morley, Charles L.

    • 1944 - Newell, Adra M.

    • 1944 - Noe, Sydney P.

    • 1944 - Pell, Stephen H.P.

    • 1944 - Perpall, Arnold

    • 1944 - Redmond, Roland L. (American Geographical Society)

    • 1944 - West, Louis C.

    • 1944 - Wright, John K. (American Geographical Society)

    • 1945 - A

    • 1945 - Bellinger, Alfred R.

    • 1945 - Bradley, Omar (General)

    • 1945 - Brett, Agnes Baldwin

    • 1945 - Criscuolo, Luigi

    • 1945 - Dewing, Arthur S.

    • 1945 - Douglas, Damon G.

    • 1945 - Gillingham, Harrold E.

    • 1945 - Hauser, Alexander

    • 1945 - Huntington, Archer M.

    • 1945 - Mabbott, Thomas O.

    • 1945 - Milbank, Samuel R.

    • 1945 - Morley, Charles L.

    • 1945 - Mosser, Sawyer McA.

    • 1945 - Newell, Adra M.

    • 1945 - Noe, Sydney P.

    • 1945 - Shear, T. Leslie.

    • 1945 - Simpson, A. Carson.

    • 1945 - West, Louis C.

    • 1945 - Zepf, H.E. (Central Hanover Bank)

    • 1946 - A

    • 1946 - Bellinger, Alfred R.

    • 1946 - Criscuolo, Luigi

    • 1946 - Dewing, Arthur S.

    • 1946 - Dickie, Douglas P.

    • 1946 - Douglas, Damon G.

    • 1946 - Harris, Everett

    • 1946 - Huntington, Archer M.

    • 1946 - Latham, L.J.

    • 1946 - Lober, Georg

    • 1946 - Miles, George C.

    • 1946 - Millikan, R.A. (Henry E. Huntington Library)

    • 1946 - Newell, Adra M.

    • 1946 - Noe, Sydney P.

    • 1946 - Pell, Stephen H.P.

    • 1946 - Rosenblatt, George L. (Walter & Samuels).

    • 1946 - West, Louis C.

    • 1946 - Zabala, Romulo (Numismatic & Antiquarian Society of Argentina).

    • 1947 - Bellinger, Alfred R.

    • 1947 - Brett, Agnes Baldwin.

    • 1947 - Dewing, Arthur S.

    • 1947 - Huntington, Archer M.

    • 1947 - Mosser, Sawyer McA

    • 1947 - Noe, Sydney P.

    • 1947 - Simpson, A. Carson

    • 1948 - Mosser, Sawyer McA.

    • 1949 - Boyce, Aline A.

    • 1949 - Mosser, Sawyer McA.

    • 1949 - Noe, Sydney P.

    • 1950 - Mosser, Sawyer McA.

    • 1951 - Gillingham, Harrold E.

    • 1951 - Mosser, Sawyer McA.

    • 1951 - Noe, Sydney P.

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• Series: Miscellaneous governance records, 1864-2001

  Extent

  1 cubic foot (1 box)

  Location

  Vault

  Scope and Content:

  Various records pertaining to the governance of the Society. Includes early handwritten annual reports from officers, some with detailed financial information and lists of donations to the library and coin cabinet. In addition, there are reports containing the accounts of the Lincoln Medal Committee (1867, 1874); correspondence and agreements regarding the creation of the Society’s first membership medal (1877); and committee reports, correspondence, and subscription letters for the Charles E. Anthon (1884) and Ulysses S. Grant medals (1897). A number of official memorandums and letters (1923, 1939-1946, 1960-1971) that were sent to the Society’s council members by the curator or secretary contain details about important matters of interest, such as the suggested appointment of Agnes Baldwin Brett as associate curator of ancient coins (1923); the theft of decorations and proposed security enhancements, including a recommendation that George Miles be appointed honorary curator of Muhammadan coins with vault permissions (1939); a bomb threat made during a private viewing of the Robert J. Eidlitz collection (1940); and a detailed discussion of the suggested appointment of Naichi Chang to be an honorary or assistant curator of Chinese coins (1940). Also found are a document concerning the dies for an (Andrew) Johnson-Entry Medal by George Levitt that were deposited at the Society by Isaac F. Wood (1869 – See American Journal of Numismatics, v.4, no.5, p. 56); copies of the legal documents relating to the proposed merger between the Society and the New-York Historical Society (1904); and a J. Sanford Saltus note to Baumann Belden regarding the presentation of a loving cup to Edward Groh (1900).

  Access Restriction:

  Materials up to 1958 are open. Later materials may be closed to outside researchers.

  Related Entities

  • Genre/Format
    • Correspondence
    • Memorandums
    • Reports

  • Box 1 of 1

    • Report of the special committee on contributions to the Metropolitan Fair in aid of the U.S. Sanitary Commission, May 26, 1864 (handwritten)

    • Report of the corresponding secretary, March 23, 1865 (handwritten)

    • Curator report, March 22, 1866 (handwritten)

    • Annual report of the treasurer, March 31, 1867, and report of the publishing committee and Lincoln medal committee, 1867 (handwritten)

    • “Johnson Entry” medal—Certificate regarding cancelation of dies, 1869

    • Library reports with donations, 1869-1883

    • Treasurer reports, 1870s-1880s

    • Various—Publication committee, member lists, funds, library lists, etc., 1870s-1908

    • Lincoln medal committee report, 1874

    • ANS proceedings, 1875

    • Correspondence and agreement regarding the membership medal dies—Isaac Wood, 1876-1877

    • Charles E. Anthon annual meeting address, ca. 1879

    • Curator reports with coin donations, 1879-1883

    • Text of William Poillon talk on the importance of American coinage of high artistic quality, 1880

    • Annual reports, 1880, 1883

    • Charles E. Anthon medal committee reports and subscription letters, 1884

    • Curator, treasurer, and librarian reports, 1887-1901

    • Grant medal committee—Correspondence and subscriptions, 1897

    • Staff and committee reports and other items, including Saltus to Belden on Groh’s loving cup, 1899-1905

    • Report on materials sent to Paris Exposition, 1900

    • Henry Russell Drowne correspondence, speech text, and menu, 1902

    • ANS and New-York Historical merger proposal, 1904

    • Corresponding secretary report for 1906 and membership list and funds, 1905-1907

    • Librarian S. Whitney Dunscomb’s objection to material omitted from librarian’s report, 1907

    • Governors and award committee, 1910

    • Certificate of change of number of members of the council and supplement, 1910

    • Council letters, 1923

    • Proceedings—Annual meeting, January 1930

    • Annual meeting, January 1931

    • Council memorandums, 1939

    • Council memorandums, 1940

    • Council letters, 1942

    • Council memorandums, 1946

    • Centennial plans for publications—Old international numismatic congress plans—Committee: Nov. 1954-55, Ingholt, Mosser, Casper, J. Kramer, Miles, 1954-1962

    • Council and executive committee polls and memorandums [A], 1951-1960

    • Council and executive committee polls and memorandums [B], 1960-1967

    • Council meeting, 1969-1972

    • Council meeting, January 1971

    • Annual meeting, October 2001

    • Council meeting, August 2002

    • Board self assessment, 2001

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