Amanda's Chronicles: Summer Seminar 2014

AmandaVarner

Hello, one and all!

I just got back from week one of the ANA's Summer Seminar, and as usual tried to keep tabs on things so that I might share with everyone!

There are a ton of pics, and I even included my notes from Intermediate Coin Grading in the hopes that it may help someone else out there.

Please take a look, and let me know what you think!

MGLICKER

Looks nice and cool there Amanda. 108 here in Tucson.

Must explain why Rick attends.

Bodin

OK! That's it! I'm going next time. I've put it off too long.
Also,
a huge THANK YOU, because I'm going to a small town close to Colorado Springs in 2 weeks and I forgot the ANA Museum was in CS! You just pissed my wife off BIGTIME though! Thank you for the great write-up

kranky

Nice job with the notes from your class.

John and I were in the same Advanced Grading class at Summer Seminar years ago. Good guy.

Mark

This looks like it will be a ton of fun to read. I'm making it with this post so it doesn't get away from me ... because that would be bad!!

Thanks so much for your time and effort!!

AmandaVarner

<< <i>OK! That's it! I'm going next time. I've put it off too long.
Also,
a huge THANK YOU, because I'm going to a small town close to Colorado Springs in 2 weeks and I forgot the ANA Museum was in CS! You just pissed my wife off BIGTIME though! Thank you for the great write-up >>



Yes!! I'll see you next year!

That is hands down the best response I've ever had -- I love it! And if you really have decided to go, you won't regret a second of it!

...and tell the wife I'm not sorry.

TwoSides2aCoin

Nice reporting. Appears to be a lot of learning with the fun. After all, isn't it ?

Goldbully

You just pissed my wife off BIGTIME though!
Why is that, Bodin?

AmandaVarner

<< <i>You just pissed my wife off BIGTIME though!
Why is that, Bodin? >>



Haaaahaha!

ArizonaJack

Having read many of your previous show reports, this kicked ass too
Knowing your friends with Charmy is xtra cool :-)

OldIndianNutKase

Amanda,

Thank you for the great report on your experiences with the ANA summer event. I have very fond memories of the time in my life that I lived in Colorado Springs. I think you were fortunate to miss the Rockies game in Denver and instead spend some time in Colorado Springs. I too have good times at the Phantom Canyon Brewing Co. And at the Golden Bee (Broadmoor).

Colorado welcomes you any time you might want to return.

OINK

FullStrike

A very entertaining post. Thank you for adding your special brand of pizzazz to this site.

While I do need to learn to grade and all I just can't see traveling somewhere to do it. Are there any coin grading
videos out there anywhere?

For some reason I'm feeling a draw to Ireland for my dream "exotic" vacation. There must be a cool Coin Shop there
with some really olde Irish Coins. A nice old Irish Coin would go well with the 13th century Venetian one I got in Venice
when stationed in Italy with the US Army.

astrorat

ANA's Summer Seminar is a great event and well worth the time and expense (which really is minimal). So much to learn and not much time ... so you just need to attend again.

MFH

Thanks for sharing, I was there last year and the year before.
Those images sure brought back a lot of fond memories.

MsMorrisine

How many YN's did you win at the auction?

EagleEye

Thanks for the report. Today is the last day of session 2. The YN auction raised $30K last night. Charmy will post a report when she recovers.

ricko

Great report Amanda and thanks for posting it..... Cheers, RickO

thebeav

I always enjoy your reports. Thank you for posting them.

You sure do take a cute selfie !

AmandaVarner

ArizonaJack - Thanks! I always try to kick as much ass as possible.

OldIndianNutKase - I've been to Phantom twice now (they had chicken fried bacon last year, holy crap) and really do love the place! I have yet to take advantage of the pool hall upstairs, but that's next! Did you attend the Summer Seminar while you lived in COS?

FullStrike - I know exactly where you're coming from, but the truth of the matter is there is no substitute for hands on training with an experienced professional looking over your shoulder. While one can certainly learn a lot from reading, correspondence courses and online tutorials like videos, it can never really replace an environment like the one provided in summer seminar, especially for things like grading and counterfeit detection. You look at a ton of coins and get immediate feed back on each one, and that really helps you to narrow down your focus and get things right. I know John Schuch II (one of the grading 2 instructors and a grader at NGC) teaches 1 day seminars at several major coin shows around the country. Check out the ANA's website, PCGS and NGC ... each one offers a few scattered one day grading courses that would give you some good experience, and also give you an idea on whether or not you'd enjoy (and get something out of) a week long experience.

Astrorat - I fully intend to -- just try and stop me!

MFH - Plenty of time to plan for next year.

MsMorrisine -- Not one, I'm afraid.

EagleEye & Ricko - Thank you!

thebeav - And thank you as well -- on both counts!

dizzlecc

Great report thanks for sharing. The ANA retweeted several of your posts/pics on twitter. It looks like a good time and a well run event.

messydesk

Nice report, although you forgot to mention the intimate bus ride for two to the airport on Thursday morning.

AmandaVarner

I was keeping that all to myself!

AmandaVarner

<< <i>Great report thanks for sharing. The ANA retweeted several of your posts/pics on twitter. It looks like a good time and a well run event. >>



Thank you! At the banquet, the ANA both tweeted nearly identical pics of Steve in his dress accepting his certificate, arms raised like Rocky at nearly the exact same time. It was just a wall of Steve in the coin feeds hahaha!

EurekaGold

Great report! Keep the info coming, and the selfies, too : )

alohagary

I always look forward to your reports and enjoyed this one the best. Keep up the great work. Hope to meet you at the Long Beach show in the future.

bidask

Fabulous report.

I've been to one day of the summer seminar a few years ago.

Flew in to hear John Albanese speak.

It's all as you reported.

DUIGUY

No argument here!

Cougar1978

Thanks for the report Amanda. A really super report, always wondered what those were like.

AmandaVarner

Thank you all!

^^ When I saw that sign, I thought it was absolute genius. Who can argue with that??

AmandaVarner

<< <i>Fabulous report.

I've been to one day of the summer seminar a few years ago.

Flew in to hear John Albanese speak.

It's all as you reported. >>



Thank you! Yes, they always have some fantastic speakers and presentations, outside of the actual classes. There are a ton of "mini-seminars" and other educational experiences happening all around you all the time.

alohagary

Great grading info

AmandaVarner

<< <i>Great grading info >>



Thanks! I really enjoyed the class, and it was my hope that my notes would be able to help someone else out there.