One of the worst-kept secrets in the numismatic hobby is no longer a secret.

The American Numismatic Society will move in 2028, but that’s about the only thing that’s official this far out.

After months of rumors suggesting a decision for a potential move was imminent, the first official word about any move was in an alert from auction house Classical Numismatic Group.

That firm’s Jan. 18 sale offers 335 lots of ancient coins and weights donated by David Hendin, noted expert and author of Guide to Biblical Coins, and ANS Chairman Michael Beall, with all proceeds benefiting the society’s future move (please see related story, page 20).

Concerning the move, ANS Executive Director Gilles Bransbourg told Coin World, “No decision has been made yet. ... We know we need to plan our relocation soon since our lease expires in 2028, and any move requires a 2 to 3 years process, but we are in no position to announce where we are going yet.”

That move could be elsewhere in New York City or some other location yet to be determined.

The relocation of the ANS headquarters to a new location is anticipated to “improve accessibility to and use of the ANS’s incredible research resources,” according to Hendin, in the auction announcement.

Hendin is vice president and adjunct curator at the ANS, and was the society’s honoree during the annual gala in 2022.

The ANS was founded in New York City in 1858 and supports one of the few American museums devoted exclusively to the preservation and study of coins, medals, tokens, and the like.

Although the initial meeting of its collectors occurred in March 1858, the society pegs April 6, 1858, as its date of creation, the day the fledgling society’s first constitution and bylaws were approved by the membership.

In its early years, the society met in private homes, including the family home of ANS founding member Augustus B. Sage.

In 1865, it was incorporated as the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society or ANAS. In 1907, the name was changed back to the original one.

The presence of Archer Huntington, who became a member of the ANS in 1899 and its president in 1904, allowed the society to move to Audubon Terrace on West 155th and Broadway, at first hosted by the Hispanic Society and later moving into its own purpose-built space in 1907.

In 2003, the society moved into the former Fidelity and Deposit Company building at the corner of Fulton and William streets.

In 2008, the ANS moved to its current location, 75 Varick Street by Canal Street in downtown Manhattan.

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