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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 20, 2026, Article 26

Here are some additional items in the media this week that may be of interest. -Editor

The 2026 Coin of the Year (COTY) awards officially began in early January with a worldwide call for nominations. From the many issues released in 2025, mints, banks, and enthusiasts submitted nearly 600 coins for consideration.

A nominating committee then narrowed this number into the COTY 100, which contains 100 2025-dated candidates from 41 countries. Over 40 mints and central banks are represented in this group.

This selection features 10 outstanding coins in 10 specific categories. Voting has already commenced, and our panel of over 100 judges is casting ballots designed to select one coin in each category as a winner.

The COTY champion will be honored with the other category winners at the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money on August 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. We welcome you to attend that ceremony and hope you enjoy the 2026 COTY Awards.

To read the complete article, see:
The 2026 COTY 100 (https://www.numismaticnews.net/the-coty-100-2026)

An article in Canadian Coin News looks at the changing demographics of ancient coin collecting. -Editor

Ancient coins are attracting a new wave of global collectors, with demand for rare and high grade pieces remaining strong even as the market stabilizes following pandemic-era highs.

Once the domain of traditional collectors, the sector is now drawing increased interest from investors and younger buyers, particularly in technology-driven markets. Dealers report growing demand from both North America and Europe, pushing prices for premium material to new levels.

At the same time, dealers are seeing a shift in demographics, with new collectors entering the market at a younger age and bringing fresh capital into the sector. This evolving buyer base is helping to sustain strong demand for authenticated, high quality ancient material.

Larry Dziubek passed along this article about a large hoard of Viking coins. Thanks. -Editor

As of April 29, archaeologists have found 2,970 silver coins, making the Mørstad Hoard the largest in Norwegian history. According to Norway's Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, the second biggest hoard, which was uncovered in the mid-19th century, contained 1,849 coins. What's more, no trove of such significance has been discovered since 1950, when 964 coins were found in the city of Trondheim.

"This is a historic discovery," said Norway's Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen in a statement from the Innlandet County Authority. "The fact that it is also from the Viking Age makes it even more spectacular."

Archaeologists are still excavating the site and hope to find even more coins, all while experts at the Museum of Natural History examine the treasures that have already been uncovered.

The majority of the artifacts are English and German coins, which were "the euro or dollar of the Viking Age," explained University of Oslo professor Svein Gullbekk. A few others are Danish or Norwegian. In addition to Hardrada, they were minted under rulers like Knut the Great and Æthelred II. According to Gullbekk, "The coin hoard includes coins from the 980s to the 1040s."

And here's an interview with Royal Mint Chief Engraver Gordon Summers. -Editor

For most coin collectors, the fascination begins with the finished product — the gleam of a proof strike, the sharpness of relief, the timeless symbolism pressed into precious metal. But every truly memorable coin has a story behind it, and at The Royal Mint, few people have shaped those stories more profoundly than Chief Engraver Gordon Summers.

After hearing Summers speak candidly about his career and philosophy at The Royal Mint, I came away with even greater respect for the craftsmanship hiding behind every great coin design. What collectors often see as "just another release" is, in reality, the product of decades of artistic discipline, technical problem-solving, and relentless refinement.

Summers essentially created his own opportunity. After asking what qualifications he needed to work at the Mint, he was told it "might be good if you could engrave." So he spent an entire year teaching himself engraving before applying again.

For collectors, that detail matters. Great coin engraving is not something casually learned. Summers himself explained it perfectly:

"Five years and you become an engraver. Ten years and you become a competent engraver. Thirty years and you're pretty good and then you retire."

That statement may be one of the best descriptions of numismatic craftsmanship I've ever heard.