As the nation begins rebounding from restrictions on public activities, prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak, American Numismatic Association officials face a looming deadline to decide if the 2020 World’s Fair of Money is viable.

The event is still on the schedule for Aug. 4 to 8 in Pittsburgh, but its fate will be an ongoing topic of discussion for the near future.

June 5, the ANA board of governors and convention committee members met by teleconference to get an understanding of the next steps. Ever-changing guidelines and restrictions hamper their making a clear decision, as government officials are unable to provide direction with certainty.

Uncertainty about whether health concerns will be relieved or intensified forces government officials to take a cautious approach, which does not allow the clear-cut answers the ANA needs, according to ANA officials participating in the teleconference.

Financial implications, reputation and logistics are among considerations being weighed in deciding the show’s fate.

Beyond effects on the bourse floor, ANA officials have noted that restrictions would likely affect show-related activities that involve gatherings. With that in mind, the ANA decided to move planned speaking opportunities to a webinar format, which would allow the “gathering” to meet social distancing regulations currently set by the city of Pittsburgh.

This decision is also in line with the ANA’s objective to continue its efforts to provide learning opportunities in a virtual environment; the ANA recently announced the eLearning Academy, to offer some courses originally scheduled for the now-canceled ANA Summer Seminar. Future announcements are anticipated to reveal the show events schedule.

The fluid but urgent nature of the situation means a decision could come quickly. Breaking news will be reported in these pages as well as on our Coin World website and via Facebook channels regarding the World’s Fair of Money.

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