Coins may look silent. However, every piece of money carries a voice.
A coin can reveal political conflict, economic change, artistic ambition, religious debate, and national identity. Now, the American Numismatic Association plans to bring those stories directly to listeners through the new Worth Its Weight podcast.
The Edward C. Rochette Money Museum will officially launch the series on August 27 during the 2026 World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh. Moreover, the museum will record the first episode live on the convention’s bourse floor. The World’s Fair of Money runs from August 25 through August 29 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
A Live Numismatic Panel Will Launch the Series
ANA Money Museum Curator Caroline Turco will host the Worth Its Weight podcast. The series will explore numismatic history, scholarship, market developments, and current events.
For the premiere, Turco will lead a panel featuring five prominent voices from the numismatic community:
Jeff Garrett, Dennis Tucker, Shanna Schmidt, John Kraljevich, and Douglas Mudd.
Together, the panelists will answer audience questions about coins, collecting, and the history preserved through everyday money. Collectors and history enthusiasts can submit questions through the Worth Its Weight page on the ANA website before the live recording.
The live setting should give the first episode unusual energy. After all, the bourse floor brings together dealers, collectors, researchers, auction houses, museums, and grading services. Therefore, the podcast will launch at the center of the numismatic world rather than inside a traditional recording studio.
Two New Episodes Every Week
Following the August 27 premiere, Turco plans to release two Worth Its Weight podcast episodes each week. Listeners will find the show through major podcast platforms.
The series will follow two distinct formats.
Timely Weigh-Ins will examine numismatic news, market developments, and emerging collecting trends. These faster episodes will give listeners context for stories shaping the hobby today.
Meanwhile, Historical Deep-Dives will uncover the complex histories behind coins and paper currency. These narrative episodes will explore the people, controversies, beliefs, and political struggles that gave money its meaning.
That dual approach should appeal to both experienced collectors and curious newcomers. One episode may examine a developing market story. The next may follow a coin through war, legislation, public protest, or social change.
Turco describes the idea through one simple truth: money talks. Sometimes it whispers. At other times, it creates confusion or sparks a national argument. Worth Its Weight will translate those voices into clear and engaging stories.
Preview Episode Examines “In God We Trust”
Collectors do not need to wait until August 27 for their first listen.
Turco has already released a special preview episode titled “The Motto That Minted Debate.” The episode examines the history of the words “In God We Trust” and their place on American money. It runs for just over 27 minutes.
The story begins during the Civil War. In 1864, the U.S. Mint placed “In God We Trust” on the bronze Two-Cent Piece. That coin became the first United States coin to carry the inscription. The motto later appeared on additional silver and gold denominations beginning in 1866.
However, the story did not end there.
The episode follows the motto through the controversy surrounding the 1907 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, which initially omitted the inscription. It also examines the phrase’s Cold War role and its later appearance on paper money.
Congress required the inscription on all United States currency in 1955. Then, on July 30, 1956, the federal government declared “In God We Trust” the national motto. The 1957 $1 Silver Certificate became the first U.S. paper currency to display it. Federal Reserve Notes began carrying the motto in 1963.
As a result, the episode moves far beyond coin design. It explores the intersection of faith, government, anticommunism, law, and national identity. It also considers why four short words have inspired support, criticism, lawsuits, and political debate for generations.
Caroline Turco Brings Art, History, and Performance Together
Turco serves as a curator at the ANA’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum. She interprets coins, currency, and medals as evidence of culture, art, politics, and power.
Her background includes art history, operatic performance, museum studies, and nonprofit community engagement. Consequently, she brings both scholarly research and performance experience to the microphone.
That combination fits the podcast’s mission. Worth Its Weight does not treat coins as lifeless objects. Instead, the series will use small pieces of metal and paper to illuminate sweeping historical events and deeply human stories.
For collectors, the podcast promises fresh context for familiar objects. For newcomers, it offers an accessible route into numismatics. Above all, Worth Its Weight rests on an idea that CoinWeek readers know well:
A coin’s true story rarely fits on its label.
