ANA Board Acknowledges Lamp of Knowledge as Official Seal

The American Numismatic Association Board of Governors has voted unanimously to acknowledge that the "Lamp of Knowledge" is and remains the official seal of the Association.

The vote, taken during a conference call on June 2, authorizes the use of the Lamp of Knowledge on certificates, awards, the ANA Federal Charter, Bylaws and Code of Ethics documents. The ANA will continue its use of the current ANA logo for marketing purposes until a new logo is selected by the membership and confirmed by the Board. The current logo, created around the Peace Dollar, has been in use since 2003.

ANA President Barry Stuppler, who has championed the creation of a new logo, announced plans last winter to ask five accomplished medallic artists to develop designs for a new logo. Those designs, which were submitted in April, were to be displayed on the ANA website and published in The Numismatist. Members would then vote on their favorite designs.

"We received some beautiful artwork," Stuppler said. "However, the designs we received would be difficult to use in a variety of ways as required for a logo. As a result, we have decided to seek additional input from artists from a variety of disciplines."

Stuppler said that once artists have been identified and additional submissions received, the membership would be asked to provide input.

"We want to be sure that we make the right decision in selecting a logo for this Association and that the voices of our membership are heard," Stuppler said.

Stuppler emphasized that no operating funds will be utilized to develop or implement a new logo.

"We will need to raise about $62,000, and no new logo will be implemented until those funds are in hand." He added that the fundraising effort has been seeded with a $2,000 anonymous donation.

Stuppler said the decision to use the Lamp of Knowledge as the official seal recognizes the desire of many members to utilize the time-honored symbol.

"It’s an important icon to so many of our members," he said. "I think that placing the old logo on official medals, awards and documents is a vital step in responding to the wishes of the membership."

The Lamp of Knowledge was adopted for use by the ANA from the University of Michigan seal. According to an article by ANA Historian Q. David Bowers in the June issue of The Numismatist, it appeared in the ANA magazine as early as 1908.

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The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging people to study and collect money and related items. The ANA helps its 32,000 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, conventions and seminars. For more information, call 719-632-2646 or visit www.money.org.