By Jill Westeyn
October 25, 2018
On October 17, 2018, the United States Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing held its 2018 Numismatic Forum at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, DC. The theme of this year’s forum was, Collectively Building Numismatics. Distinguished speakers throughout the day included the Treasurer of the United States, Jovita Carranza; the Director of the United States Mint (Mint), David J. Ryder; and the Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), Leonard R. Olijar. The 69 attendees were composed of numismatists and dealers, including: Gary Adkins, President, the American Numismatic Association; Former Director of the Mint, Phillip Diehl; members of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, and members of the numismatic press. Moreover, 36 Mint employees were in attendance to either present on a part of the agenda, participate in breakout sessions or listen to the “voice of the customer.”
The purpose of the forum was to engage in an open discussion with the numismatic community and customer base about their needs and wants for the hobby. The morning session began with a warm welcome from Treasurer Carranza, who was followed by Director Ryder. Ryder conveyed his goals, vision and upcoming plans for the Mint. Following his remarks, Mint employees successively took the podium, one-by-one, to speak about topics such as 2019 coin programs, a new youth program, products, and updates. Additionally, the Mint’s integration with BEP products was also discussed.
After lunch, Chief Counsel’s Greg Weinman moderated an Anti-Counterfeit Panel discussion. The panel consisted of external presenter Beth Deischer (ICTA), and Mint employees Walter Douglas and Ron Harrigal. Audience members engaged the panel members on the topic of the increasing menace of counterfeit precious metal products, and some offered recommendations for defeating counterfeiters. Next, participants attended two breakout sessions that focused on generating ideas relating to the future of the numismatic hobby. Topics encompassed product portfolios, packaging sustainability and innovations, international collaborations, and purchasing incentives.
The day-long event concluded with a question and answer session, and closing remarks by Director Olijar and Director Ryder.
The Mint held its first numismatic forum in 2016. This year’s forum, the third, was cited by many attendees to be the best of the three.
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