Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia Papers, 1913-1984

(2 Boxes, 0.75 lin. feet)

Collection 3002

©The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street * Philadelphia, PA 19107-5699
 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust Street Philadelphia, PA 19107-5699
Table of contents Abstract
The papers of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia document a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and collection of coins, medals, and other antiquities. The papers belonged to Raul Betancourt, Jr., the Society's president in the 1970s, and include minutes, members' lists, correspondence, inventories, and information on operating expenses.
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    Background note
    Formed in 1857, the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia (NAS) was a non-profit organization "dedicated to the encouragement and promotion of numismatic science and antiquarian research." Important members of the organization included William S. Vaux, Joseph J. Mickley, Henry P. McIlhenny, Dr. D. G. Brinton and Eli Kirk Price. Meetings were often held in the homes of members, where coins and medals were displayed and papers on a variety of subjects, including the transition from wooden sailing vessels to steel steamships, the collections of the Union League, Chinese export porcelain, and paper making at Ivy Mills, were read.


    Scope and content
    The collection has seven series. The Administration andFinancial series contain the largest amount of material and are arranged chronologically. The General subseries of the Administration series consists of meeting minutes, lists of officers and committee members, and several copies of the constitution and by-laws. The Corporate Papers of the President subseries, generated by Betancourt, contains correspondence, papers regarding an exhibit of NAS coins at the U. S. Mint, and other official papers. The Financial series documents the 1960s through the 1980s and contains annual reports, operating budgets, receipts, and insurance records that include a valuation on the Society's assets.

    Some of the other series, mainly Miscellaneous and Membership, reveal an organization that was largely focused on socializing. The Society held numerous parties both in conjunction with and separate from formal business meetings. The Correspondence series mainly consists of handwritten letters from members, several of which include endorsements for potential members. The Other Organizations series includes additional information about the relationship between NAS and the U.S. Mint. The Memorabilia series contains an assortment of items including post cards, coin company catalogs, and two undated photographs.

    Arrangement
    Series I Administration 1957-1983
    a. Administration 1957-1983
    b. Corporate Papers - President 1974-1981
    Series II Correspondence 1963-1984
    Series III Financial 1956-1984
    Series IV Membership 1961-1981
    Series V Other Organizations 1980-1983
    Series VI Miscellaneous 1930-1983
    Series VII Memorabilia 1945-1984

    Administrative information
    Restrictions
    The collection is open for research.

    Provenance
    Accession number: 1992:80

    Preferred citation
    Cite as: [Indicate the cited item or series here], Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia Papers (Collection 3002), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

    Processing information
    Processed by: John Armstrong

    Processing Completed: January 2001

    Prior to reprocessing in January 2001 the collection had been broken into series that appeared to maintain original order and this arrangement has been retained.

    Additional information
    Related material
    Proceedings of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia. Philadelphia. HSP's holdings span 1865 to 1945. (call number: Wn. 85)

    Added entries
    Subjects
  • Clubs and Associations-Philadelphia
  • Coins-Collectors and collecting

    • Contributors
  • Wood, Ralph V. H.
  • Betancourt, Raul Jr.
  • Heckscher, Ledyard II
  • Lewis, Clifford III
  • Lippincott, R. Schuyler
  • Meigs, Charles H.
  • Sturgis, Samuel B.

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    Contact information
    The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
    1300 Locust Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19107-5699

    [http://www.hsp.org/]

    ©2001

      Sponsor:Encoding made possible by a grant from the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries.
    Collection overview

    		 Series 1. Administration 1957-1983
    		Box (Box 1)

    This series primarily pertains to the operation of the NAS, including meeting minutes, the constitution and by-laws (1968), and records of the election of officers. Papers were often presented at meetings, and a copy of one given in 1979 by Capt. Charles H. Meigs, Transition From Sail to Steam, is included. The papers in the series indicate that in the 1970s, six operating committees were active and the Society duly recorded the elections of six officers to serve stated terms. There is also a completed 1957 questionnaire designed by a historiographer to acquire personal information about individual members of the NAS. The Corporate Papers of the President subseries, 1975-81, cover topics such as the loan agreement with the U.S. Mint, member and officer correspondence, official Society correspondence, tax and financial matters, and commonwealth corporation charter issues.

    		Series 2. Correspondence 1963-1984
    		Box (Box 1)

    The Correspondence series contains incoming letters from members recommending the endorsement of potential members into the Society. Other items include invitations and thank you letters, expressions of sympathy for deceased members, and a 1963 Weber De Vore letter citing the decreasing homogeneity of "character and interest" of the Society's members. Notices regarding new member confirmations are located in the Membership series.




    		Series 3. Financial 1956-1984
    		Box (Box 1)

    This series includes budgets, receipts, annual reports, bills, checks, and insurance information. In addition, there is an inventory of Society collections and information relating to the Society's interest in seeking tax exemption status.

    		Series 4. Membership 1961-1981
    		Box (Box 1)

    The Membership series contains membership lists, mailing addresses and phone numbers, as well as confirmation notices of new members.

    		Series 5. Other Organizations 1980-1983
    		Box (Box 2)

    This series documents the Society's dealings with the U.S. Mint, with which it arranged to loan a portion of its collection of commemorative coins for public display at the Philadelphia Branch.

    		Series 6. Miscellaneous 1930-1983
    		Box (Box 2)

    This series includes a hand-drawn map, newspaper clippings, awards, directions, party lists, and Society stationery.

    		Series 7. Memorabilia 1945-1984
    		Box (Box 2)

    This series contains postcards announcing Society meetings, auction catalogs of Schulman Coin & Mint, Inc., and the Certificate of Incorporation and Constitution and By-Laws of the American Numismatic Society, N.Y. 1948.

    Detailed inventory

    		 Series 1. Administration



    		a. General



    		Administration 1957-1979 11 items Box 1: 1

    		Administration 1965-1975 11 items Box 1: 2

    		Administration 1976-1983 16 items Box 1: 3

    		b. Corporate Papers of the President



    		Corporate Papers-President 1981-1980 25 items Box 1: 4

    		Corporate Papers-President 1979 37 items Box 1: 5

    		Corporate Papers-President 1979 47 items Box 1: 6

    		Corporate Papers-President 1979 30 items Box 1: 7

    		Corporate Papers-President 1979-1978 23 items Box 1: 8

    		Corporate Papers-President 1977 20 items Box 1: 9

    		Corporate Papers-President 1976-1974 42 items Box 1: 10

    		Series 2. Correspondence



    		Correspondence 1963-1984 33 items Box 1: 11

    		Series 3. Financial



    		Financial 1956-1979 12 items Box 1: 12

    		Financial 1980 5 items Box 1: 13

    		Financial 1981-1984 35 items Box 1: 14

    		Series 4. Membership



    		Membership 1961-1981 25 items Box 2: 1

    		Series 5. Other Organizations



    		Other Organizations 1980-1983 13 items Box 2: 2

    		Series 6. Miscellaneous



    		Miscellaneous 1930-1983 28 items Box 2: 3

    		Series 7. Memorabilia



    		Memorabilia 1945-1984 21 items Box 2: 4