The following is a Press Release from the American Numismatic Association announcing its 2020 literary awards.
The American Numismatic Association’s 2020 literary awards – recognizing articles published in the 2019 volume of its official magazine, The Numismatist – will be presented virtually on Sept. 1 at 12 p.m. (MDT). The Numismatist was launched by ANA founder and first editor Dr. George F. Heath in 1888, and this year marks it’s 133rd volume.
The Heath Literary Award acknowledges outstanding articles published in the preceding 12 months.
- First place goes to Tom DeLorey and Dan Owens for “Not a Ghost of a Chance: Revisiting the Mystery of the 1873-S Seated Liberty Dollars” (July 2019). The authors will receive $250 and engraved nickel-silver medals designed in 2013 by artist and ANA member Jamie Franki.
- Nick Bruyer earned second place ($100 and an engraved bronze medal) for “Brunaugh’s Treasury Notes” (November 2019).
- David Schenkman received third place (engraved bronze medal) for “Turnpikes & Toll Roads: Tokens, Tickets & Scrip of America’s Early Highways” (June 2019).
The Wayte and Olga Raymond Memorial Literary Award, endowed in 1978 by the late John J. Ford Jr., is presented for articles that display original and comprehensive research in U.S. numismatics.
- DeLorey and Owens’ study received first place ($400 and a certificate).
- David McCarthy and Kevin Vinton received second place ($200 and certificate) for “The First Fugio Cent?” (June 2019).
- McCarthy also received third place (certificate) with “1942 High-Relief Cent Pattern” (January 2019).
Funded by an anonymous donor, the Catherine Sheehan Literary Award for U.S. Paper Money Studies includes $50 for first place.
- Heinz Tschachler took the top prize for “The Wildman in the New World” (September 2019).
- Second place (certificate) went to Bruyer for “Brunaugh’s Treasury Notes.”
- Schenkman received third place (certificate) for “The Scrip of DuBois, Pennsylvania” (February 2019).
The Prue and Arthur Fitts Literary Award for Ancient and Medieval Coinage Studies recognizes literary excellence in those fields.
- Thomas A. Palmer received first place ($250 and a plaque) for “From the Sublime to the Ridiculous: Celtic Imitations of Thasian Tetradrachms” (November 2019).
- Earning second place (certificate) was Michael Shutterly for “Portraits of Byzantium” (January 2019).
- Mike Gasvoda received third place (certificate) for “A Striking Evolution” (December 2019).
All feature articles published in The Numismatist automatically are considered for the Heath Literary Award; likewise, all qualifying articles are evaluated for the Raymond, Sheehan and Fitts awards. For information about submitting manuscripts for review and possible publication, email Editor-in-Chief Caleb Noel at cnoel@money.org.
2020 Young Numismatist Literary Award Winners
The ANA also presents annual awards to encourage young writers and ensure a corps of future numismatic authors and researchers. The Young Numismatist Literary Award categories are named in honor of Whitman authors dedicated to educating the next generation of numismatists. YN Literary Awards will be celebrated at the Sept. 1 virtual ceremonies at 12 p.m. (MDT).
First place in each category received a $500 cash prize, plus a $500 voucher to help build a personal library of numismatic books produced by Whitman Publishing. Second place received a $200 book voucher and third place received a $100 book voucher. The prizes were provided by Whitman Publishing.
The Q. David Bowers Young Numismatist Literary Award honors numismatist writers that are aged 13 to 17. This year’s first place recipient is Alexandre G. Bojko for “The Wonderful World of Pattern Coins: The History of Pattern Coinage from 1792-1880.” Luke W. Daniel placed second with “Throw Me Something, Mister! A History of Mardi Gras Doubloons,” and Caleb Audette took third with his paper on “Legendary Men of America’s Treasury Notes.”
The Kenneth E. Bressett Young Numismatist Literary Award is given to writers between the ages of 18 and 22. This year, first place was won by Cole Hendrickson for “John Gault and his New Metallic Currency.”
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.