The Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG), a nonprofit organization composed of editors, authors, and writers who cover news and feature stories about all forms of money, medals, and tokens as collectibles, has announced its annual awards competition for 2020.
This year’s competition is being overseen by David Lange, the new Numismatic Literary Guild Awards Coordinator.
To be eligible for consideration in any of this year’s categories, entries must have been published, released, or posted between May 1, 2019, and April 30, 2020.
Only one entry per category is allowed per submitter. Each submission must be accompanied by a cover sheet or label attached to each entry copy and containing the following information:
- CATEGORY NUMBER
- CATEGORY TITLE
- NAME OF PUBLICATION
- TITLE OF SUBMISSION
- DATE OF PUBLICATION
- NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS OF ENTRANT
- NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND EMAIL ADDRESS OF AUTHOR IF DIFFERENT THAN ENTRANT
All entries must be received no later than Wednesday, June 1, 2020. They should be sent to the contest coordinator at the following address: David W. Lange, NLG Awards Coordinator, c/o NGC, P.O. Box 4776, Sarasota, Florida 34230.
Winners will be announced, and awards presented, at the 2020 Numismatic Literary Guild Bash and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at the American Numismatic Association (ANA) World’s Fair of Money® in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
If you submit an entry and cannot be at the awards ceremony in person, you should indicate on your entry cover sheets the name of a designated person who can accept the award on your behalf and deliver it to you.
For information about joining the Numismatic Literary Guild, visit www.nlgonline.org/membership.
Here are the Numismatic Literary Guild 2019 Awards Competition categories and criteria.
NOTE: Each copy of each entry must be accompanied by a cover sheet. Please no paper clips or rubber bands — these tend to become separated at some point. The cover sheets should be stapled directly to the front cover of the entry (exceptions may be made for hardcover books or catalogs).
1. Best Specialized Books
Three printed copies are required for each entry, unless the entry is an e-book exclusively
- a. United States Coins
- b. Ancient or Medieval Coins (pre-1500)
- c. World Coins (1500 to date)
- d. United States Paper Money
- e. World Paper Money
- f. Tokens & Medals
- g. Errors or Varieties
- h. Numismatic Investment or Marketplace
- i. Numismatic History or Personalities
2. Book of the Year
The printed or electronic media work having the greatest potential impact on numismatics. Criteria include overall reader appeal, research quality, photographic and graphic excellence, cover and typography where applicable. Books submitted in the specialized categories are automatically considered for Book of the Year.
3. NUMISMATIC FEATURE ARTICLES
Three copies are required for each entry.
- a. Early American Coins (includes all non-U.S. Mint issues)
- b. U.S. Coins (1792 to Date)
- c. Ancient or Medieval Coins (pre-1500)
- d. World Coins (1500 to Date)
- e. U.S. Paper Money
- f. World Paper Money
- g. Tokens & Medals
- h. Numismatic Investment or Marketplace
- i. Numismatic History or Personalities
- j. James L. Miller Memorial Award – Article or Story of the Year
Articles submitted in the specialized categories are automatically considered for this award, and submitting additional copies is not required.
4. NUMISMATIC COLUMNS
Three copies each of three different columns are required.
- a. Early American Coins (includes all non-U.S. Mint issues)
- b. U.S. Coins (1792 to Date)
- c. Ancient or Medieval Coins (pre-1500)
- d. World Coins (1500 to Date)
- e. Paper Money
- f. Tokens & Medals
- g. Numismatic Investment or Marketplace
- h. Ed Reiter Memorial Award For Best Column – Numismatic PublicationsColumns submitted in the specialized categories are automatically considered for this award, and submitting additional copies is not required
- i. The Maurice M. Gould Memorial Award for Best Column – Non-Numismatic PublicationsColumns submitted in the specialized categories are automatically considered for this award, and submitting additional copies is not required
5. PERIODICALS
Three copies each of three different issues are required.
a. Best Investment Newsletter
Criteria include overall reader appeal, quality of research and writing, and graphics, as applicable.
b. Best Professional Periodical
To be submitted by the publisher or editor of any daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual for-profit numismatic publication in the U.S. or overseas. Criteria include overall numismatic appeal, features, departments, graphics, journalistic and editorial excellence as applicable.
c. Best Club or Not-for-Profit Periodical – Large Circulation
Open to any local, regional, national or international not-for-profit numismatic organization in the U.S. or overseas having a circulation of more than 20,000 per issue.
d. Best Club or Not-for-Profit Periodical – Small Circulation
Open to any local, regional, national or international not-for-profit numismatic organization in the U.S. or overseas having a circulation less than 20,000 per issue.
6. WEBSITES
Submit links to entry pages or three printed copies of selected entry pages.
a. Best Online News Website
b. Best Dealer or Industry Website
c. Best Non-Trade Website
This category is for web sites maintained by coin clubs and other non-commercial organizations and individuals devoted to the coin hobby.
d. Best Numismatic Social Media Platform or Coin Collector Forum
The award will be presented for the best numismatic-themed page or feed posted on a collector forum site (or message board) or social media site such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Google Plus. Entries will be judged based on the quality of articles, external links, and graphics posted. Audience engagement also will be considered by the judges.
e. Best Blog
This award recognizes the best interactive blog that communicates information and personal commentaries about the numismatic hobby.
7. AUCTION OR FIXED-PRICE CATALOGS
Submit three copies of each entry.
Criteria include cover design, overall eye appeal, format, graphics and layout, research and quality of description. Entries may be submitted by auction firm, auctioneer or cataloger. NOTE: LIMIT OF ONE CATALOG FROM EACH AUCTION FIRM PER CATEGORY.
- a. Best U.S. Coin Auction Catalog
- b. Best World Coin Auction Catalog
- c. Best Paper Money Auction Catalog
- d. Best Book or Exonumia Auction Catalog
8. AUDIO-VISUAL
a. Radio
Entry must include three copies of a standard-size CD, flash/thumb drive or URL of a story or feature report or three selections from continuing series, accompanied by written statement citing date(s) of broadcast, call letters and location of radio station.
Best news story, feature report or continuing series involving numismatics.
b. Audio
Entry must include three copies of a standard-size D or flash/thumb drive of the audio, accompanied by a written statement citing date(s) of first use.
Best non-broadcast, audio program involving numismatics. Includes audio tracks from numismatic slide shows, educational tapes, audio newsletters or podcasts.
c. Television
Entry must include three standard-size DVD or flash/thumb drive of the television story or feature report broadcast or three selections from a continuing televised series. They must be accompanied by a written statement citing date(s) of broadcast, call letters and location of station.
Best spot news story, feature report or continuing series involving numismatics shown on television or cable.
d. Short Video – Commercial or Non-Commercial
Entry must include three copies of a standard-size DVD, film or flash/thumb drive used in presentation.
This category is for video presentations of 10 minutes or less. Best non-broadcast slide film, PowerPoint®, movie film or videotape presentation involving numismatics made for educational purposes.
e. Long Video – Commercial or Non-Commercial
The submission criteria are the same as for 8d.
This category is for video presentations lasting longer than 10 minutes.
f. Still Photography
Entry must include three sets of five examples each in either hard copy or electronic format.
This applies to either commercial or non-commercial photography of numismatic objects, and entries may include examples of both.
f. Software or App
For physical media three copies of the work need to be submitted. For digitally distributed software or apps, three copies must also be provided, and if the entry is distributed on the Android or Apple store, written instructions must be provided about how to locate and download the app. Each entry must be accompanied by a written statement citing date(s) of first use.
Best presentation of new numismatic-related software or mobile application published in CD-Rom, DVD, App Store or any other electronic format or electronic delivery system.
9. SPECIAL AWARDS
a. Lee Martin Founder’s Award – Best All-Around Portfolio
Collection of writings and/or photographs and related items demonstrating numismatic writing ability and versatility published within the contest year. The emphasis is on quality, not quantity, and organization and presentation will count as heavily as volume.
One copy of the portfolio entry needs to be submitted and can be submitted as PDF files on a flash or thumb drive. Items included in the portfolio may also be submitted in other relevant categories at entrant’s option.
b. Clement F. Bailey Memorial Award
This award was endowed by Jim Miller of Miller Magazines in memory of an especially beloved member of the numismatic writing community and NLG founder, Clement F. Bailey. This award recognizes excellence among new writers in numismatics whose first published writings in this field appeared in hobby publications during the previous year. Nominees are supplied solely by numismatic publishers.
c. The Ribbit
This award recognizes an individual who has achieved prominence in numismatics while maintaining approachability, a sense of humor and essential modesty. The winner is selected by the previous year’s recipient.
d. The Clemy
The winner of this award, the Guild’s highest honor, is chosen by the previous year’s recipient(s) from a list of nominees provided by the NLG Board of Directors.
NLG reserves the right to limit the number of plaques for any given entry, with the number to be determined at its discretion. NLG will provide plaques only for the persons named in an entry when it is originally submitted. Winners living in foreign countries, other than Canada and Mexico, will receive certificates and cash awards, rather than plaques. This change was necessitated by sharply higher shipping costs for plaques sent to foreign addresses, plus burdensome security regulations. The cash awards will be $50 for first-place winners and $25 for entrants whose work is cited for Extraordinary Merit. Both will receive certificates suitable for framing.
The Numismatic Literary Guild, founded in 1968, is an organization made up of several hundred writers, authors, editors, publishers, photographers, catalogers, curators and other individuals from around the world who are engaged in publicizing and promoting numismatics through writing and related skills.
The Guild holds a Symposium each year on timely issues affecting its members and stages the annual Bash – which, besides the award presentation, features a lavish buffet and hobby-related skits and song parodies. The NLG also publishes a newsletter.