The Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) was founded in 1969 to provide a meeting-place for contemporary jewelers and metalsmiths, to encourage the free exchange of information inside the field, to promote the field to a wider audience, and to recognize outstanding creative achievement. The organization held its first conference in 1970, and that same year held its first exhibition in conjunction with the Minnesota Museum of Art. Between 1970 and 1980, the size of membership grew from around 50 members to over one thousand. In 1980, SNAG published the first edition of its quarterly magazine, Metalsmith. The organization also published brochures and newsletters; sponsored workshops, competitions, and lectures; supported an audiovisual library composed of technical sets, films, and exhibitions for its members and educational institutions; and distrbuted books by metalismiths, jewelery makers, and other creators.