From Silver Center Cents to Ancient Mints: ANA Honors 2026’s Best Numismatic Writers
The American Numismatic Association (ANA) has announced its 2026 Literary Award winners, honoring some of the year’s strongest research and writing across the hobby.
The winning subjects span an extraordinary range. They include Silver Center cents, counterfeit coins, obsolete paper money, ancient mints, medieval tally sticks, hobo nickels, and one of America’s most famous coin hoards.
The ANA presented its adult literary honors during the Member Awards and Donor Celebration on August 27 at the 2026 Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money.
Meanwhile, the organization announced its Young Numismatist Literary Award winners during the ANA’s annual Summer Seminar banquets.
Together, the awards highlight something that collectors sometimes overlook. Coins and currency preserve history. However, research and writing give that history context.
The Numismatist Continues a Tradition That Began in 1888
The adult awards recognize articles that appeared in the 2025 volume of the ANA’s official magazine, The Numismatist.
ANA founder and first editor Dr. George F. Heath launched the publication in 1888. In 2026, The Numismatist marks its 139th volume.
That long publishing history gives the ANA Literary Awards unusual stature. Winners join generations of researchers who have used coins, medals, tokens, and paper money to explore larger stories about economics, politics, art, and history.
William Eckberg Wins 2026 Heath Literary Award
The ANA introduced the Heath Literary Award in 1949. It recognizes outstanding articles published during the preceding 12 months.
William Eckberg captured first place for “Pattern Enigma,” which appeared in the November 2025 issue of The Numismatist. Eckberg receives $250, an engraved nickel-silver medal, and a certificate.
Russ Bega earned second place for “Counterfeit, He Wrote” from the August 2025 issue. His award includes $100, an engraved bronze medal, and a certificate.
David Schenkman placed third for “The Greenduck Story,” published in February 2025. He receives an engraved bronze medal and a certificate.
Silver Center Cents Lead Raymond Award Winners
The Wayte and Olga Raymond Memorial Literary Award focuses specifically on original and comprehensive research in United States numismatics.
The late John J. Ford Jr. endowed the award in 1978.
William R. Eckberg won first place and $400 for “Silver Center Cents,” published in January 2025. He also receives a certificate.
Joel J. Orosz and Lance Humphries earned second place for “A Misattribution Rectified,” which appeared in December 2025. They receive $200 and a certificate.
Frank W. Garmon Jr. and Dylan Frederick took third place for “Pratt’s Perspective: The Art of the Indian Head Gold Pieces,” published in February 2025. They receive a certificate.
Paper Money Research Earns Sheehan Honors
An anonymous donor founded the Catherine Sheehan Literary Award for Paper Money Studies. First place carries a $50 award and a certificate.
David D. Gladfelter won first place for “Back Talk: Comments Found on the Flip Side of New Jersey Obsolete Notes,” published in March 2025.
Rick Melamed earned second place for “Fractional Imitations,” which appeared in December 2025.
Meanwhile, Ray Williams took third place for “In Search of Ensign Anthony Morris,” published in April 2025.
Second- and third-place recipients receive certificates.
Ancient and Medieval Coinage Takes the Spotlight
The Prue and Arthur Fitts Literary Award for Ancient and Medieval Coinage Studies recognizes excellence in writing about those fields.
Mark Fox won first place for “For ‘New’ Ancient Mints,” published in January 2025. He receives $250 and a plaque.
Benjamin D.R. Hellings earned second place for “Total Recall,” which appeared in March 2025. He receives a certificate.
Ken Bressett took third place for “Tally Stick Money of Medieval England,” also published in March 2025. He receives a certificate.
Redfield Hoard and Hobo Nickels Earn Honorable Mentions
The ANA also recognized two additional articles with honorable mentions.
Jeffrey A. Johnson received recognition for “The Redfield Hoard: 50 Years Later,” published in November 2025.
The other honorable mention went to Jonathan Marker for “Coinage in Flux: Reconnecting Original & Modern Hobo Nickels,” which appeared in June 2025.
ANA Names 2026 Young Numismatist Literary Award Winners
The ANA also honored a new generation of numismatic researchers through its 2026 Young Numismatist Literary Awards.
Whitman Publishing funds the three award categories. Each award bears the name of an author known for helping educate younger collectors.
The ANA announced the winners during its annual Summer Seminar banquets.
Bill Fivaz Award Honors Writers Ages 8 to 12
The Bill Fivaz Young Numismatist Literary Award recognizes writers between the ages of 8 and 12.
John Swindling won first place for “The 1975-1976 American Freedom Train and Its Medals.”
The judges made no selections for second or third place this year.
Q. David Bowers Award Recognizes Writers Ages 13 to 17
The Q. David Bowers Young Numismatist Literary Award honors writers ages 13 through 17.
Miles Tichner captured first place for “Frauds, Fakes, and Fire: The Incredible Story of the Bank of Weston.”
Cameron Scheirer earned second place for “Beggars’ Badges.”
Finally, Jackson Hancock placed third with “The Ottoman Lira: Coinage of a Dying Empire.”
French Écu Study Wins Kenneth E. Bressett Award
The Kenneth E. Bressett Young Numismatist Literary Award recognizes writers between the ages of 18 and 22.
Nate Leonauskas won first place for “The Ancien Régime’s Morgan Dollar: The French Écu.”
Rene Alvarenga received second place for “The Young Numismatist: The Next Generation.”
Mark Edwards earned third place for “The Young Collector’s Dilemma: Why the Rare Coins Market Needs a New Marketplace, and Why I Built One.”
Young Writers Earn Cash and Numismatic Book Awards
Each first-place YN winner receives a $500 cash prize plus a $500 Whitman voucher for building a personal library of numismatic books.
Second-place winners receive a $200 book voucher. Third-place winners receive a $100 book voucher.
Those prizes do more than recognize strong writing. They also help young collectors gain access to the references that can support their next research project.
Why the ANA Literary Awards Matter
Rare coins may attract headlines because of record prices and remarkable pedigrees. However, scholarship gives those objects meaning.
Research can overturn an old attribution. It can identify a forgotten minting practice. It can expose a counterfeit. Moreover, it can connect a coin or banknote with the economic and political forces that produced it.
The 2026 winners show how broad that work has become. Their subjects stretch from early American patterns to medieval money and from obsolete banknotes to modern collecting culture.
Just as importantly, the YN awards encourage younger collectors to become researchers rather than simply buyers. That investment in scholarship could shape numismatic literature for decades.
The ANA automatically considers every feature article published in The Numismatist for the Heath Literary Award. It also evaluates qualifying articles for the Raymond, Sheehan, and Fitts awards.
Writers interested in submitting manuscripts to The Numismatist can review the ANA’s publication guidelines. The organization says it seeks well-written articles that offer original, documented numismatic research.
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Editorial fact-check note: I would specifically not publish the original release’s statement that both second- and third-place YN winners received $200 vouchers. ANA’s current 2026 materials clearly list $200 for second place and $100 for third place.
