ANA NUMISMATIST OF THE YEAR, AND MORE

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V27 2024 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 27, Number 36, September 8, 2024, Article 24

People are a big part of what we discuss here in The E-Sylum. It's the people who create, discover, research, write about, collect and sell the numismatic items we treasure, and it's people who make this such a wonderful hobby to enjoy. I couldn't begin to list the countless friends I've made through numismatics - young and old, rich and poor, from my own neighborhood to across the world.

This ANA press release highlights several awardees from the recent convention, starting off with Numismatist of the Year Doug Winter, a good friend and steadfast supporter of The E-Sylum from its early days. -Editor

One long-time numismatist, one budding collector, and five enthusiastic and highly involved hobbyists were recognized with American Numismatic Association (ANA) awards for their devotion to the hobby. The Numismatist of the Year was awarded during the Chicago World's Fair of Money® 133rd Anniversary Awards Banquet. The Young Numismatist of the Year was presented during this year's Summer Seminar event. The Glenn Smedley Memorial Awards were presented during the Chicago World's Fair of Money Member Awards and Donor Celebration.

The Numismatist of the Year award recognizes collectors at the regional and/or national level who have demonstrated outstanding leadership within the hobby and the ANA. The 2024 recipient is numismatic author and U.S. gold coin expert Doug Winter.

A member of the ANA since 1973, Winter has published over a dozen specialty guides and essential references for collectors. He founded Douglas Winter Numismatics in 1989 after years of researching, buying, and selling rare U.S. gold coins. By 1992 his company was recognized as one of the leading specialized numismatic firms in the Pacific Northwest. Winter has taught classes at the ANA's Summer Seminar and is a member of many numismatic organizations, including the Numismatic Literary Guild, Numismatic Guaranty Company, and Professional Coin Grading Service. He is a longtime supporter of the ANA and continues to publish articles and newsletters about collecting U.S. gold coins.

The Young Numismatist of the Year is Ross Koenig. Koenig has written articles for the ANA's The Numismatist and the Reading Room and has given talks on the topics of AI coin grading and modernizing numismatic businesses. He served as a volunteer while he attended the 2023 Summer Seminar. Koenig has almost completed an 1800-to-present U.S. type set and hopes to assemble a complete issue of fractional currency.

The ANA has recognized five exceptional individuals with a 2024 Glenn Smedley Memorial Award. These highly involved hobbyists demonstrate positivity, cooperation, dependability, and strong communication skills.

Steven Bieda designed the reverse of the 1992 Olympics half dollar and had a major role in selecting the design of Michigan's state quarter and upcoming innovation dollar. A 14-year veteran of the Michigan legislature, Bieda used this political acumen to initiate successful legislation for the 2004 Thomas Edison commemorative.

Members may know Dennis Boggs better as his celebrity look-a-like—Abraham Lincoln. Boggs travels coast to coast to bring the story of America's 16th president to rapt audiences of all ages. He averages 250 performances a year. His presentations at ANA conventions provide a popular historical context for numismatics.

Founder and president of the Numismatic Crime Information Center Doug Davis has over 40 years of experience in law enforcement. In 2019 he was appointed director of anticounterfeiting for the Anti-Counterfeiting Education Foundation. He conducts classes and workshops to educate the numismatic community on the threats that fakes pose.

Donna Moon has been volunteering in the hobby for about 30 years. She holds leadership roles in several organizations, including the Florida United Numismatists, Token and Medal Society, and Central Florida Coin Club. The latter's coin shows owe much of their success to their dedication and hard work.

From presentations at club meetings to workshops at conventions, Phil Vitale lives and breathes numismatic awareness. An eminent member of the Albuquerque Coin Club, Vitale's passion for spreading the joy of the hobby extends far beyond New Mexico—he also serves as the ANA's outreach program coordinator for the entire nation.