The American Numismatic Association announced the winners of its 2008 Outstanding Club Publications Contest during the ANA Representative Program Breakfast on Aug. 2 at the World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore.

Each year, the ANA recognizes outstanding publications produced by member numismatic organizations. Submissions are judged in four categories: Local Clubs, Regional Clubs, Specialty Clubs and Electronic Newsletters.

Local Clubs

First Place: "Madison County Coin Club Newsletter," Madison County Coin Club (Editor: Harold Fears)

Second Place: "The Cincinnati Numismatist," Cincinnati Numismatic Association (Editor: Katie Heinrich)

Third Place (tie): "MCCA Newsletter," Metropolitan Coin Club of Atlanta, (Editor: David Crenshaw); and "Stephen James CSRA Coin Club Newsletter," Stephen James CSRA Coin Club (Editor: Arno Safran)

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Jeffrey Swindling and Bruce Benoit received the American Numismatic Association’s 2008 Outstanding District Representative awards.

The announcement was made by Club Representative Program National Coordinator Michael S. "Stan" Turrini on Aug. 2 at the World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore. The award is given annually to recognize commitment, leadership and a willingness to enthusiastically serve the ANA and its member clubs.

"In the last year, Jeff and Bruce have distinguished themselves by recruiting dozens of new ANA members and being ambassadors for our Association and our hobby," Turrini said. "It’s been a great year for our program; our District Representatives are an extremely dedicated group of people."

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The American Numismatic Association presented 71 competitive exhibit awards at the 2008 World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore. Winners were announced at the Exhibit Awards Presentation and Reception on Aug. 2.

Sixty-one exhibitors of all ages and experience levels, showing 85 displays, competed in this year’s program. There were also 9 non-competitive exhibitors showing 16 exhibits. The Collector Gallery featured eight current or former ANA convention Best-of-Show exhibits.

The top exhibitor was Mack Martin, who received the Howland Wood Memorial Award for Best-of-Show for his exhibit, "State of Georgia Currency Certificates, 1861-1865." First runnerup was Sam Deep, for "Off the Beaten Numismatic Path." Second runner-up was Steve Middleton for "Medals of the First Ferris Wheel."

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(Baltimore, Maryland) – The Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to well-known researcher, author and rare coin dealer John "J.D." Dannreuther of Memphis, Tennessee. 

The surprise presentation of the award was made during the organization’s annual PNG Day banquet conducted this year in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dannreuther joined the PNG in 1978.

"John Dannreuther is getting the Lifetime Achievement Award for over 30 years of dedication and devoted service to numismatics. 

John is one of the founders of the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and one of the nation’s top numismatic scholars. 

Although John certainly has ‘paid his dues,’ he continues to serve our profession and hobby as a teacher, dealer, researcher and writer," said PNG Board Member and Immediate Past President Jeff Garrett of Lexington, Kentucky who presented the award.

The Abe Kosoff Award, named after PNG’s Founding President and presented to a PNG member who has made a significant contribution to the Guild or the numismatic fraternity the past year, was given to Mark Salzberg, Chief Executive Officer of Numismatic Guaranty Corp. 

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The American Numismatic Association announced Philadelphia artist Jim Licaretz is the 2008 recipient of the ANA’s Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture (NAAEMS). Today, the United States Mint let the public know and praised Licaretz for receiving the award.

“We are pleased the panel of judges recognized Jim’s body of work,” said United States Mint Director Ed Moy.  “Jim’s artistry is helping the United States Mint achieve a new level of design excellence.”

Licaretz was a United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver from 1986 to 1989, and returned to the U.S. Mint in 2006 as a Medallic Sculpture. Recent bodies of work include the Mint’s 2008 Bald Eagle Proof silver dollar coin and the Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 obverse.

"To be honored with the American Numismatic Association’s award is quite a welcome surprise," said Licaretz. "There is a great responsibility in giving form to one’s experience of life. Medallic sculpture is a unique way of recording and sharing these experiences."

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Gordon R. Donnell, Jim Majoros and William G. Rau will receive American Numismatic Association Medal of Merit awards at the World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore, July 30-August 3.

The annual award is presented to individuals who have dedicated numerous years of service to the Association and to promoting the hobby.

Gordon R. Donnell

Gordon R. Donnell of Oakland, Calif., is always willing to share his love of the hobby and actively recruits new collectors.

A member of many local, regional and national clubs, he served as president of the Pacific Coast Numismatic Society, San Francisco Coin Club, Alameda Coin Club, Northern California Numismatic Association and International Organization of Wooden Money Collectors; and as vice president of the Liberty Numismatic Society and Diablo Numismatic Society.

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Philadelphia artist Jim Licaretz is the 2008 recipient of the American Numismatic Association’s Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture. He will accept the honor on Aug. 2 at the ANA World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore.

A medallic artist at the U.S. Mint since 2006, Licaretz was a sculptor/engraver there from 1986 to 1989. He spent a year with The Franklin Mint and was a master sculptor for Mattel, Inc. for five years.

In between, he taught life modeling and figure sculpture at Philadelphia’s Fleischer Art Memorial, and was a member of the faculty at Otis-Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles (1992-94) and Academy of Art University in San Francisco (1995-2000).

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Pennsylvania collector Sam Deep will receive the American Numismatic Association’s Exemplary Service Award Aug. 2 at the Baltimore World’s Fair of Money®.

The ANA presents the award annually to recognize an individual or entity (club, corporation, firm or association) who has performed services on behalf of the Association that are "above and beyond" the call of duty.

An ANA member since 1980, Deep is a regular convention exhibitor and exhibit judge. He prepared his first exhibit for an ANA show in 1987, won the Rodger P. Hershey People’s Choice Award in 2004 and took top honors with the Howland Wood Memorial Award for Best-in-Show Exhibit in 2002.

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Gene Hessler is the 2008 recipient of the American Numismatic Association’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service. He will be presented the accolade Aug. 2 during the Awards Banquet at the World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore.

Hessler, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is best known in the numismatic world as a paper money expert, who coined the term "syngraphics."

He is the author of The Comprehensive Catalog of United States Paper Money, which garnered the Nathan Gold Memorial Award and the Robert Friedberg Award; An Illustrated History of U.S. Loans, 1775-1898; U.S. Essay, Proof & Specimen Notes; The Engraver’s Line: An Encyclopedia of Paper Money and Postage Stamp Art; and The International Engraver’s Line. A prolific writer for numismatic periodicals, he edits Paper Money, the Society of Paper Money Collectors’ journal.

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Leon Hendrickson is the recipient of the American Numismatic Association’s 2008 Numismatist of the Year for his many contributions to the hobby. He will be presented the award during the ANA Membership Reception at 4 p.m. Aug. 1 during the World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore.

Hendrickson is widely known as the founder and president of Silver Towne, a coin dealership and mint he founded in 1949 in Winchester, Ind. He began by selling coins out of a cigar box stashed under the counter of his restaurant, and the business grew from there. Today, Silver Towne employs 100 people and features a coin shop, jewelry and collectibles departments, and custom mint.

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