ANA Drops the Coin Collecting Merit Badge Session for the National Money Show in Irving

astrorat

Another decision by the ANA that makes me wonder if the leadership has forgotten the association's educational mission.

We (Texas Numismatic Association leadership) learned that the ANA has decided not to offer the Coin Collecting Merit Badge session for scouts at National Money Show this spring in Irving, TX. The Texas Numismatic Association, however, has stepped up to help our young numismatists in the scouting programs learn about numismatics and earn their badges and patches. As a Texas Numismatic Association Governor, I am pleased our state association can offer a program for our scouts. As an ANA Life Member, I am saddened that the ANA has dropped the session.

To drop such an important educational event from one of the ANA's premier numismatic events for the public is absurd.

dpoole

Can't imagine their rationale...

cladking

@astrorat said:
Another decision by the ANA that makes me wonder if the leadership has forgotten the association's educational mission.

We (Texas Numismatic Association leadership) learned that the ANA has decided not to offer the Coin Collecting Merit Badge session for scouts at National Money Show this spring in Irving, TX. The Texas Numismatic Association, however, has stepped up to help our young numismatists in the scouting programs learn about numismatics and earn their badges and patches. As a Texas Numismatic Association Governor, I am pleased our state association can offer a program for our scouts. As an ANA Life Member, I am saddened that the ANA has dropped the session.

To drop such an important educational event from one of the ANA's premier numismatic events for the public is absurd.

I tend to agree but without knowing the course work and what, if anything, they intend to replace it, it's hard to have an opinion. Certainly a keystone of the ANA is education and no group is more important to educate than young people.

Might there have been a problem with too low or too high attendance making the program ineffective?

Is scouting still as active as it was a few years back?

RogerB

Annelida.
Nautilidae [Cephalopoda].
Anthozoa [Cnidaria],

Sad. Very unfortunate. Maybe ANA should just evaporate....?

291fifth

I earned the Coin Collecting merit badge back in 1962. I still have it ... the old type that depicts and ancient coin. My merit badge counselor gave me a copy of COIN WORLD when I first visited him. I was amazed to see that such a publication existed!

Unfortunately, I suspect this decision stems from two factors:

1. A sharp decline in the number of participants in scouting.

2. Lack of interest in coin collecting among persons of scouting age.

I wonder if the ANA will release any info on their reason why?

Zoins

Maybe they should have add Bitcoin and cryptocurrency to the Coin Collecting merit badge

ricko

That is too bad... I hate to see anything dropped that encourages kids to do things other than video games. Cheers, RickO

Zoins

@ricko said:
That is too bad... I hate to see anything dropped that encourages kids to do things other than video games. Cheers, RickO

The local Boy Scout troops here do a lot of outdoors activities like hiking and canoeing. I'm guessing they still do the forestry merit badge.

COINS MAKE CENTS

At shows I set up at, that offer coin collecting merit badge class, there are always tons of scouts that come to it. I'll be the first to admit most of them act like they could care less but there are always a few that are interested and want to learn more.

To me that's worth it if there's only one that enjoys it that's one more that may get hooked for life and be a part of continuing the hobby

Ana has done some things recently that really make me question there thoughts behind them

Zoins

@COINS MAKE CENTS said:
At shows I set up at, that offer coin collecting merit badge class, there are always tons of scouts that come to it. I'll be the first to admit most of them act like they could care less but there are always a few that are interested and want to learn more.

To me that's worth it if there's only one that enjoys it that's one more that may get hooked for life and be a part of continuing the hobby

Ana has done some things recently that really make me question there thoughts behind them

If boys today are less interesting in the coin collecting merit badge, perhaps the curriculum could adapt. I'm not sure when the content was last updated. I was a guest high school teacher a while back and you have to make the content relevant to today's interests.

ElKevvo

Ya know, personally I think even if only 5 kids showed up it would be worth it. There are still a lot of scouts in the DFW area (heck the Boy Scouts HQ is a stones throw from the convention center) and IMO the hobby has enough challenges attracting new participants that no opportunity should be passed up.

K

Zoins

@ElKevvo said:
Ya know, personally I think even if only 5 kids showed up it would be worth it. There are still a lot of scouts in the DFW area (heck the Boy Scouts HQ is a stones throw from the convention center) and IMO the hobby has enough challenges attracting new participants that no opportunity should be passed up.

K

Scouting itself is shrinking and has their own challenges attracting new participants. They need to be focusing on more popular activities, even beyond their current ones.

astrorat

For an organization whose members lament constantly about "nobody young is collecting coins" to not aggressively seek out opportunities to bring young boys and girls into coin collecting is just plain silly.

EXOJUNKIE

I haven't seen @GregL (Greg Lyon, ANA Governor) on the boards in quite awhile. He is usually pretty transparent when discussing ANA business. Maybe we can coax him out to comment on this...?

BryceM

The PC world of today and the Boy Scouts apparently can't co-exist. Scouting is a shell of it's former self in terms of numbers and interest. A number of abuse scandals focused plenty of negative attention to the program. That, and their desire to cater to every special interest have alienated their conservative, religious base. It's a darn shame too, because young boys need mentoring and direction now more than at any other time. The outdoors, camaraderie, and goal-oriented activity would be a great elixir to many of our societal ills.

astrorat

To be clear ... the ANA "Scouts" programs are for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. The "Merit Badge" is for the Boy Scouts and the "Fun with Money Patch" is for the Girl Scouts.