The following is a Press Release from the American Numismatic Association (ANA) announcing the 2020 distinguished Numismatists awards. Normally these are presented at the World’s Fair of Money each year but with the even being cancelled for 2020, a visual event will be held on September 2, 2020 at Noon Mountain Time. Congratulations to all of these distinguished recipients!
Every year, the American Numismatic Association (ANA) recognizes members who go above and beyond with their service and dedication to numismatics. The following awards, which are typically presented at the World’s Fair of Money®, will be awarded during the Service Awards Presentation virtual event on Sept. 2 at 12 p.m. MT.
The Adna G. Wilde Jr. Memorial Award for Exemplary Service recognizes ANA members who dedicate their time and resources to further the educational purposes of the Association and the hobby, and who set an example for others. This year’s recipient is Doug Davis.
Davis is the founder and president of the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) based in Arlington, Texas. He established the NCIC with the Pantego Police Department (where he previously served as chief of police) in 1987. The NCIC’s goal is to assist law enforcement officers in the investigation of crimes against collectors and dealers. His work has led to the recovery of untold rare numismatic items, and he has recently taken on the battle against counterfeiting.
Davis has over 30 years of experience in law enforcement and the numismatic industry. He is a graduate of the University of Texas and holds a master-level police officer license in the state of Texas. Although Davis is no longer chief of the Pantego Police Department, he still holds the rank of lieutenant. He also is a licensed law enforcement instructor.
In 1988 Davis was presented the Professional Numismatist Guild’s Sol Kaplan Award. Davis received an ANA Presidential Award in 2012. Past President Thomas Hallenbeck bestowed the honor at a free educational program where Davis presented to about 65 law enforcement personnel in conjunction with the ANA National Money Show. In 2019 Davis became the director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force.
The Medal of Merit is bestowed on members who have dedicated years of service to numismatics. The medal is being presented to both Dr. Michael S. Fey and Thomas J. Uram this year.
Fey has held a number of leadership positions within the numismatic community. He has served the ANA as a member of the Consumer Protection Committee (2001-05 and 2007-08), Board of Governors (2005-07), Mediation Committee (2007-18) and, currently, the Advisory Council. He also has loaned Morgan silver dollars for display at the Money Museum (2017-19) and has donated thousands of dollars’ worth of coins to the Association’s collection. He has taught classes as a senior instructor at Summer Seminar since 1998.
Michael Fey has published a variety of works, including his books Top 100 Morgan Dollar Varities: The VAM Keys and A Decade of Top 100 Insights. His writings have appeared in several newsletters, including Top 100 Insights and Top 100 Value Guide, as well as magazines such as Coinage and The Numismatist. In addition, Fey Developed a template for the ANA to use to persuade dealers and collectors to donate rare coins to the Money Museum for use in Summer Seminars.
In addition to the Medal of Merit, Fey has received the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award (2001), the National Silver Dollar Roundtable President’s Award (2002), the New Jersey Numismatic Society Charles F. Nettleship Award (2007) and the Numismatic News Ambassador Award (2010).
Thomas Uram has proven to be a dedicated promoter of numismatics and a stalwart supporter of the two organizations he is most closely associated with, The Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN) and the ANA. He joined the ANA in 1974 as a young numismatist and became a life member in 1976. He served his first term as a club officer (secretary of the George Washington Numismatic Association) while he was still in high school. He has occupied many positions in the Association, from exhibit judge (2011), governor (2017-19), Foundation Committee chair (2017-19), board liaison to the Exhibits Committee (2017-19), and Convention Committee chair (2019-21).
Uram is part of numerous communities and clubs, including the Sphinx Society, North Hill Coin Club, South Hills Coin Club, CSNS, FUN, Chicago Coin Club and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. Further, Uram has served on the United States Mint Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (Speaker of the House appointment) since 2012. Now on his second five-year term, he has chaired the organization since 2019.
Uram has published a handful of numismatic works, including two articles in The Numismatist: “Morse Code on Money” (May 2013), and “Under the Dome” (October 2015).
He has received various accolades for his numismatic accomplishments, including the ANA Presidential Award (2011), the Radford Stearns silver award (2014), the People’s Choice exhibit award (2015), Numismatic Ambassador (2017) and Glenn Smedley Memorial Award (2019).
Harry J. Forman Dealer of the Year honors a professional numismatist who shows uncommon dedication to strengthening the hobby and the ANA, and displays exemplary ethical standards as a numismatic dealer.
This year’s recipient is Harlan J. Berk. Berk describes himself as a “dealer’s dealer” in ancient coins, having been in the business for 56 years. He specializes in Greek, Roman and Byzantine specimens, U.S. large cents and proof-like dollars.
Berk has published three books, including Roman Gold Coins of the Medieval World (1985), Successors of the Sestertius (1986) and 100 Greatest Ancient Coins, 2nd edition (2019). In addition, more than 100 of his articles appear in the Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine and various Krause Publications periodicals (1964-present). He has been a contributing editor for The Numismatist since the mid-1990s. Further, several of his lectures have been recorded, such as “The Art of Judging the Art of Ancient Coins” (1991), “Coins of Croesus” (1993) and “Theodotus Did Make the Dies for the Drachm of Clazomenae” (2011).
Berk has been a member of the Ancient Coin Club of Chicago since its founding in 2001 and has served as president of the Gemini Numismatic Auctions, LLC since 2005. In 1980 Berk gave 1,900 casts of ancient coins to the ANA’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum. Since 2001, he has donated the coins that are distributed to collectors enrolled in the ANA’s David R. Cervin Ancient Coin Project. He has been part of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) for many years, taking on different roles including secretary (1995-97), treasurer (1997-99), vice president (1999-2001) and president (2001-03). During his time as president, he rewrote many PNG rules relating to board members and adopted the “Collectors’ Bill of Rights.” Berk also co-founded History in Your Hands in 2016, a classroom-based program that teaches kids about coins, maps and antiquities.
The American Numismatic Association is a congressionally chartered, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging the study and collection of coins and related items. The ANA helps its 28,000 members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of educational and outreach programs as well as its museum, library, publications, and conventions. For more information, call 719-632-2646 or visit money.org.