Twin Cities Ancient Coin Club
Twin Cities Ancient Coin Club
June 25, 2026
7PM Social Hour
8PM Club Business and Program
9:30PM Social Time
The S&S Library & Research Center: Building a World-Class Numismatic Library
presented by Shanna Schmidt
In this presentation, Shanna Schmidt traces the development of the S&S Library & Research Center, from a single idea into one of the most significant private numismatic research libraries in the field.
The library was established in September 2016 as a joint undertaking between a long-time client and the speaker. Over the following ten years, the library has acquired material through the major international auctions (Kolbe & Fanning, Künker, and M&M Europe), as well as through private purchases from leading book dealers and private collectors. The collection now comprises over 10,000 volumes valued at over $2.17 million, and it continues to grow every day! Notably, it is not just a reading library, but a working research institute, intended to support attribution, pedigree research, and scholarship across ancient, world, and United States numismatics.
The talk reviews several principal initiatives, including the partnership with the Newman Numismatic Portal (2023–2025), an ongoing book-conservation program, and the expansion into the Loft on West Lake Street, which houses the renowned BCD catalog library - roughly 800 linear feet of auction catalogs extending back to the earliest English coin sales of the 1700s. Mrs. Schmidt also surveys a selection of notable holdings, among them Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia (1550), an original 1814 Lewis & Clark set, the annotated Caruso catalog, and a series of unique collotype plates.
The presentation then addresses a central question: whether a physical library remains worthwhile in an era of abundant digital resources. In weighing printed scholarship against the considerable demands of cost and space, Schmidt offers practical guidance on foundational references (SNG, Crawford, RIC, Dumbarton Oaks) and the digital tools - CoinArchives, HathiTrust, and JSTOR - available to collectors working within a budget.
General Meeting Information:
Today, we have about fifty paid members and a typical club meeting attracts 15-20 members. At times, our meetings attract as many as 40 members and guests. Although the club has had numismatic luminaries as members, the heart and soul of the club has always been the average collector. So whether your pocketbook allows you to seek out beautiful rarities, or confines you to the occasional humble bronze, you are welcome at TCACC.
What day are the meetings?
Meetings are normally held on the fourth Thursday of the month. No meetings are held in July or August. The November meeting is usually held on another date due to Thanksgiving or on the 5th Thursday, if available. See the meeting schedule below:
What time are the meetings?
All meetings officially begin at 8:00 PM. However, members typically begin arriving anytime after 7:00 PM for socializing and viewing or selling coins and related items.
After the featured presentation, an auction will be held if members brought items to sell.
Meetings typically adjourn by 10:00 PM.
Where are the meetings?
The club meets physically at:
Immanuel Lutheran Church
104 Snelling Av S
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55105-1959
Use the front (main) or parking lot entrance. We meet in the upstairs gathering area.
Future meeting dates
Jun - Thursday 06/25/26 Shanna Schmidt of Schanna Schmidt Numismatics https://www.shannaschmidt.com/