ANA to Get Bass Coins for 20 Years

COIN WORLD
September 4, 2000

ANA to Get Bass Coins for 20 Years
Museum section showing coins, notes to open in 2001

By Beth Deisher, Coin World staff

By July 2001, the collecting public is expected to be able to view and study up close and personal, some of the United States' most rare gold coins and patterns as well as some of its most beautiful paper money.

The rarities comprise the "core" or creme de la creme of the holdings of the Harry W. Bass Jr. Foundation, being loaned for a period of 20 years to the American Numismatic Association for special exhibit in its Money Museum at ANA headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Harry W. Bass Jr. Foundation officials told Coin World Aug. 18 that earlier reports indicating the foundation would provide a grant for half of the needed amount for renovation of ANA headquarters was in error. The foundation, the officials said, will make available a grant to underwrite the costs of renovating and building a special vault, exhibit cases and an interactive media capability to view and study the Bass collection within the ANA's museum.

Although an architect has been working with the ANA, cost estimates have not been finalized, so the total amount of the grant has not been established, foundation officials explained.

ANA Executive Director Edward C. Rochette confirmed that the association's newly launched "ANA Target 2001" fundraising campaign seeking $3 million for renovation of the headquarters building is "above arid beyond" whatever the Harry W. Bass Jr. Foundation contributes.

However, Rochette and foundation officials agreed that the opportunity to exhibit the Baas collection was the impetus for ANA officials to consider the major renovation project recently approved by the ANA Board of Governors.

Officials said that the more than 500 items that constitute the Bass core collection will be made available for exhibit and study. The core includes the premier collection of die varieties of U.S. gold coins, dated 1795 to 1834; the only complete collection of $3 gold coins dated 1854-1889 (including the unique 1870-S coin); and a complete type set of U.S. gold coins. The collection also contains many rare patterns and gold coins. Included in the paper money holdings are vignettes, trial and progress proofs, and the first uncut sheets of the Series 1896 silver certificates known as the "Educational Series" in $1, $2 and $5 denominations.

Foundation officials said collectors would be able to view items in exhibit cases as well as examine high-quality digital images via the computer. ANA will photograph every item in the collection and the digital images will have the capability of being viewed at up to 50 times original size, Also, other computers within the Bass exhibit will provide interactive media presentations and a searchable database will contain all known facts about each item in the collection.

Foundation officials say this exhibit realizes the dreams of Harry W. Bass, Jr. and his desire to share his research and collection with the numismatic researchers and the public.

The major portion of the Bass collection has already been disbursed through three public auctions of coins and paper money in the past two years, with prices realized totaling $31.18 million and the sale of his library for $1.1 million. The final public auction of items from the Bass collection will be offered by Auctions by Bowers and Merena Nov. 20-21, 2000 in New York City.