Dr. Ralph Ross is running for ANA President. This is his daughter's article on Numismatics.
Zoins
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I did some Google searches for Ralph Ross who is running for ANA President. He is a Ph.D., as are both candidates this year.
I was moved by what his daughter wrote and posted online. She, and her brother, became ANA members at 1 year old! As kids, they had to spell NUMISMATICS for their Dad at age 2! This is a guy who loves numismatics!
Will he be able to get more YNs into the hobby as ANA President?
The following is a short excerpt. Click through to read the entire article.
http://www.ccatech.com/tna/youth.htm
How I Got Started in Numismatics
By: Jillian Denise RossIt’s simple! To describe my start in numismatics I must tell you a little about my father, Ralph W. Ross, Ph.D., environmental toxicologist and coin collector since the quaint old age of four years old. My father got everyone in our family interested in coins, including me. When my oldest brother Jason was born in 1983, my father feverously tried to get him a membership in the American Numismatic Association (ANA), to no avail. Finally, his unrelenting efforts paid off and Jason became an ANA member at five years old. My younger brother Jeremy and I both became members of the ANA at one year’s old. While I don’t remember joining the ANA, I do remember, as early as two years old, being quizzed about spelling words, such as EINSTEIN, MATHEMATICS and NUMISMATICS. My dad would ask me “How much is 1+1?” and I would respond, “2”. The word that family had to spell for my father, including siblings and other young relatives, was POP! By age three I knew that 2 + 2 = 4 = 22 = (2)(2) = 4.
...
I am now an 18 year old freshman matriculating at Columbia University in New York City. A Biomedical Engineering major and Freshman Class President of the School of Engineering, I am still passionate about coins, but have little time for anything other than school. Although I don’t have much time for collecting coins right now, I will always be a life-long collector. I understand that coin collectors range from basic collectors to professional numismatists and everything in between. I will forever love numismatics and can appreciate the excitement my father must have felt at four years old. I am so lucky to have a numismatic, mathematician father who inculcated me with a love of mathematics and numismatics!Sincerely,
Jillian D. Ross
Columbia University
Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2016 Engineering Student Council President.
Comments
Pretty cool story, thanks for sharing!
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
I recently had an interaction with him over an ANA matter and I must say he took the time to speak with me about the issue and was sincere. He has my vote, a no brainer.
He sounds like a fine gentleman.
I will end up voting for him. Besides, Don Kagin is promoting himself as the Establishment Candidate with all those endorsements of former ANA Presidents. Many of those Presidents were in office during the "bad old days" of the Cipoletti era which certainly makes me uncomfortable about voting for Don.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
🙂
Nice story! I liked this part the best ... My father got everyone in our family interested in coins,
Very interesting read - thanks for posting!
Kagin is a very recognizable name and will be tough to beat I imagine. Ralph Ross is a real gentleman with a passion for the hobby.
Overall, the ANA needs reinvention. The candidates who best can outline that journey will receive my vote.
Latin American Collection
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End Systemic Elitism - It Takes All Of Us
I am very conflicted about my vote.
I knew Ralph years ago when we were both members of the Greater Houston Coin Club. A real gent and super dedicated to bringing YN's into the hobby. Each year (or month?) The Numismatist would post who sponsored new members and Ralph always had a slew of new YN's sponsored. LM ANA
Wow , what a great father you have! How thankful you should be.
I too am an Engineer (BSEE) . Could not afford those Gem Barber Halves at $50 apiece in the dealers cases back then ( very late 60's early 70's)
only drooled. All the hours spent studying Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical engineering , Electronics & Electrical Engineering. No time for coins then. All. paid off career wise many many times over with what I put in to it. Retired now and enjoy coins more than ever.
Krueger
It's a tough choice. Haven't made up my mind yet.
Seems like a dedicated individual - to family and numismatics. Interesting letter from his daughter. Cheers, RickO