The following is a press release from the Professional Numismatists Guild (Temecula, California) -- The Board of Directors of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) has ratified the new or upgraded memberships of four professional numismatists.
John Albanese of John Albanese Numismatics in Far Hills, New Jersey and William Panitch of William S. Panitch Rare Coins in Albany, New York have joined PNG as Regular (full) members. Nicholas Brown of Majestic Rarities in Chicago, Illinois, an Associate PNG member since 2007, has become a Regular member. Nicholas Pyle of Pyle & Associates in Washington, DC has joined as an Affiliate member.
At the PNG Board meeting in Tampa, Florida on January 4, the board members voted to accept the resignation of previously suspended Regular member Robert L. Higgins of Certified Assets Management in Wilmington, Delaware. They also accepted the resignations of Associate members Cat Keller of Harry Laibstain Rare Coins in Norfolk Virginia and Brandon Kelley of Polaris Coins in Rockwall, Texas and the resignation of Regular member Saul Weitz of Harold B. Weitz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The qualifications for consideration of an applicant to be selected for PNG Regular membership are:
1) Be at least 21 years of age and have at least five years experience as a professional numismatist;
2) Have a net worth at all times of at least $250,000;
3) Agree by signature to abide by the PNG Code of Ethics;
4) Agree to submit to legally binding arbitration to settle any dispute relating to the purchase, sale or trade of coins and numismatic items;
5) Provide a notarized statement from a certified public account that he/she meets or exceeds the financial requirements of the PNG.
PNG Associate membership is available to employees of Regular members and to persons expressing an intention to apply for Regular membership within three years of acceptance as an Associate member. To be considered for Associate membership, the applicant must:
1) Be at least 21 years of age and have two years experience as a professional numismatist;
2) Have a numismatic net worth at all times of at least $25,000;
3) Agree by signature to abide by the PNG Code of Ethics;
4) Agree to submit to legally binding arbitration to settle any dispute relating to the purchase, sale or trade of coins and numismatic items;
5) Provide a notarized statement from a certified public account that he/she meets or exceeds the financial requirements of the PNG.
PNG Affiliate membership is open to any individual who is not a professional numismatist but is affiliated with the numismatic community and supports the principles of PNG. The PNG has 264 Regular and Associate member-dealers in the United States and seven other countries.