At a Jan. 6 reception at the Florida United Numismatists Coin Show in Tampa, Fla., Heritage Auction Galleries President Greg Rohan announced the firm's intention to conduct a 2012 FUN auction session in Orlando, Fla., with the goal of raising $1 million in "donated consignments" to create an endowment for the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection.

The initiative was kicked off by a private collector, who has already donated an 1895 Morgan dollar in Proof-66 Deep Cameo to the effort. The coin is valued at more than $100,000.

The National Numismatic Collection, housed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., contains more than 450,000 coins, medals and tokens and 1.1 million pieces of paper money. Among the rarities are a Brasher half doubloon, the unique 1849 double eagle, two 1877 $50 gold patterns, a 1913 Liberty Head nickel, three 1804 Draped Bust silver dollars and two 1933 double eagles.

"We as collectors and dealers both, who are at the forefront of the numismatic world, are charged with a responsibility to grow our hobby," Rohan said.

The National Numismatic Collection is often the first taste of coin collecting that elementary and high school students have, he said.

One-third of the Smithsonian's operating budget comes from donations, but very little of that is dedicated to the National Numismatic Collection, Rohan said.

The endowment is expected to allow the Smithsonian to begin an online catalog of the entire collection, build a web reference library, and back traveling exhibits.

To read the complete article, see:Heritage to Hold Smithsonian Benefit(www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ArticleId=17220)