ANA AWARDS MEDALLIC ART AND WRITING

During last month's American Numismatic Association's (ANA) World's Fair of Money, hosted in Oklahoma City, members who have contributed to the hobby in profound ways were recognized. The Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture and the Burnett Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing were presented during the 134th Anniversary Awards Banquet.

The ANA's Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture is an annual honor given to an artist whose lifetime work in the field rises above all others. The 2025 recipient is Oleg Gavrizon, a renowned sculptor and medalist based in Netanya, Israel.

Born in 1962 in Tiraspol, Moldova, Gavrizon graduated from Moscow Open University and the "BASIS" School of Art and Sculpture, where he was taught relief and engraving techniques since 2000. He is president of the Art Medal Organization of Israel and serves as the country's delegate to the International Art Medal Federation (FIDEM).

Gavrizon's work has earned international acclaim, including the "Most Excellent Work" prize from the Japan Mint (2009), first prize at the 2001 Katsushika Hokusai commemorative art medal competition (Israel), and several honorable mentions. A frequent participant in international symposiums, his pieces have been showcased in solo shows and are held in private collections worldwide.

As an artist and educator, Gavrizon continues to shape the contemporary art medal field with exceptional skill and creative vision.

The Burnett Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing honors outstanding researchers, authors, or journalists annually, recognizing their contributions to the field. Initially bestowed posthumously on its namesake in 1999, the award celebrates excellence and integrity in all forms of numismatic writing. Recipients are chosen through a collaborative process involving the ANA, the American Numismatic Society (ANS), and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG). This year, David Schenkman received the honor.

A member of the ANA since 1962, Schenkman has written more than 400 articles on tokens, medals, and obsolete paper money, including a monthly column in The Numismatist spanning decades. He edited the TAMS Journal for 27 years and the Civil War Token Society Journal for five, serving as president of both organizations. Schenkman is a frequent ANA literary award winner, earning the Heath Literary Award, the Catherine Sheehan Award for Paper Money Studies, and numerous honors from the NLG.

Between 1976 and 2024, the Token and Medal Society awarded him 11 gold medals for his writing and five gold medals for cataloging. In 2003 TAMS established the David Schenkman Literary Award in his honor. His other accolades include the ANA Hall of Fame (2015), Farran Zerbe Memorial Award (2013), Lifetime Achievement Award (2012), Medal of Merit (2007), and Glenn Smedley Memorial Award (2003).

Through decades of writing, mentoring, and leadership, Schenkman has broadened appreciation for lesser-known corners of numismatics and inspired generations of collectors to follow their intellectual curiosity wherever it leads.

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