CODE OF ETHICS OF THE NATIONAL TOKEN COLLECTORS
ASSOCIATION

The National Token Collectors Association (NTCA) is as an educational, nonprofit organization which furthers the hobby of collecting merchant trade tokens, disseminates historical and educational information about tokens, and cultivates friendly relations among collectors, dealers, students, and scholars.  For this purpose, membership is a privilege extended to those persons deemed worthy thereof and is not a matter of right.  Such membership may be maintained unless or until the Executive Committee determines that the conduct of the member has been such that, in the best interest of NTCA, his membership shall be terminated.

As a member of the NTCA, I agree to comply with the following standards of conduct:

  1. To support the Constitution and Bylaws of NTCA, and amendments, resolutions, and policies thereto or thereof.
  2. To conduct myself so as to bring no reproach or discredit to NTCA or to impair the prestige of membership therein.
  3. To base all my dealings on the highest plane of justice, fairness, and morality; and to refrain from making any false statements, as to the condition of items that I am selling or trading, or as to any other matter.
  4. Neither to buy, sell, nor trade items of which the ownership is questionable, and to report promptly to the proper law enforcement agencies information on suspected stolen material.  I also agree to assist in the prosecution of violations of which I have knowledge, pertaining to token matters.
  5. To take immediate steps to correct any error that I have made in any transaction.
  6. Not to sell, exhibit, produce, or advertise a counterfeit, copy, re-strike, or reproduction item if its nature is not clearly indicated by the word “counterfeit,” “copy,” “re-strike,” or “reproduction” incused in the metal or printed on the paper thereof, with the exception of items generally accepted by token collectors and not in any way misrepresented as genuine.  Not to sell any repaired item if not clearly represented as “repaired” and not in any way misrepresented as “original.”
  7. To fulfill all contracts either oral or written made by me, to make prompt payments upon delivery, and to return promptly any item that is not satisfactory.
  8. When exhibiting, I agree to display only material from my own collection, or else to state clearly the source of the material.
  9. To agree to read, understand, and be bound by the “terms of sale” before submitting an auction bid or placing an order.
  10. If it is determined that I have violated the code of ethics of NTCA, the record of the violation may be disclosed to other numismatic organizations of which I am a member.
  11. I agree that any dispute concerning token/exonumia transactions in which I am involved may be settled by an arbitrator mutually agreed upon by the parties involved.  A choice of three arbitrators will be offered by the Executive Committee.
  12. To not knowingly represent in any way, including but not limited to a prices-realized report, that a bona fide sale of a token at a given price has occurred when in fact no change of ownership has occurred.

 

The Ethics Committee shall consist of five members appointed by the president of NTCA.  Violations of the code of ethics may be reported directly to the chairman of the ethics committee or to the president of NTCA, who will refer those complaints to the chairman of the ethics committee.  Three concurring votes of the ethics committee are needed to make recommendations to the executive committee.  A member of the Ethics Committee may be recused from voting if there is a conflict of interest.  If there is no concurrence, this will also be reported to the executive committee.

The Ethics Committee shall review the potential violation using these criteria:

  1. The violation must be listed in this Code of Ethics.
  2. The violation must be related to the types of token/exonumia normally bought, sold, or traded by members of NTCA.
  3. The violation must be willful.
  4. The violation must be reported by the affected party in writing.
  5. The violation must be by a member of NTCA.

The validity of any complaint will be reviewed by the ethics committee based on the following information:

  1. The severity of the violation
  2. The frequency of occurrence of the violation
  3. Any pattern of violation

These standards of conduct also extend to the buying and selling of tokens on EBAY or other on-line auction houses.  Individual transactions from these on-line auction houses may be reported to the Ethics Committee.   Feedback Profiles may be included.

If the ethics committee considers the complaint to be of sufficient merit they may recommend the suspension, expulsion, or termination of NTCA membership or other penalties such as the following:

    1. Prohibit the member from having a table at a NTCA show.
    2. Prohibit the member from attending a NTCA show.
    3. Prohibit the member from advertising in Talkin’ Tokens
    4. Forfeiting all membership fees paid.

 

The chairman of the ethics committee will maintain a file relating to all complaints and the actions taken, if any.  This file will pass to any succeeding chairman.

The final action on any complaint shall be determined by the executive committee.  The Executive Committee may accept or reject the recommendations of the Ethics Committee.  If a membership is terminated, it will be published in Talkin’ Tokens by the Secretary under the heading, Membership Terminated.  No other information shall be published.