2026 World's Fair of Money® Recap : American Numismatic Association

By the Numbers Treasures On Display Events & Awards Thank You Sponsors

2026 World’s Fair of Money®
RECAP

Pittsburgh brought out the best of the hobby. More than 6,300 collectors, dealers, and families filled the David L. Lawrence Convention Center for five days of rare coins, record-setting auctions, museum-grade exhibits, and the kind of conversations that only happen when the whole numismatic world lands in one room.

From eleven 1933 Double Eagles displayed together for the first time in history, to a shipwreck’s worth of gold, to kids earning their first prizes at Ernie’s Treasure Treehouse, here’s a look back at the 2026 World’s Fair of Money.

Opening the Show

ANA representatives, including Executive Director Kim Kiick, President Mark Lighterman, and various Board of Governors members, officially welcomed show attendees during Opening Ceremonies on Tuesday, August 25. United States Mint Director Paul Hollis also participated, giving a short introduction to the ANA and the U.S. Mint products and events planned throughout the week.

During the ceremony, Lighterman bestowed the Goodfellow Award upon Host Chair Thomas Uram. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists was recognized with the Louis S. Werner Host Club Award for all their help in hosting the show in Pittsburgh. Lighterman also took a moment to present an ANA Presidential Award to U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis. To conclude the ceremony and officially open the bourse floor to the public, members of the ANA Board of Governors cut the ribbon, declaring the start of the show.

US Mint Director Paul Hollis

Presidential Award to Paul Hollis

Louis S. Werner Host Club Award

Kim Kiick

Treasures On Display

The bourse floor was only half the story. Exhibits across the hall held more than $100 million in coins, paper money, and artifacts, much of it on public view for the first time.

1933 Double Eagles

One of the most significant exhibition milestones in modern history, the U.S. Mint’s display of all 11 government-owned 1933 Saint-Gaudens double eagles were shown together for the first time ever on Friday, August 28. Located at the U.S. Mint booth for one day only, the special feature exhibit highlighted the fascinating story of the 1933 Double Eagle and how these pieces still exist today.

To coincide with the exhibit, U.S. Mint Active Chief Counsel Greg Weinman presented “The Extraordinary Case of the 1933 Double Eagle $20 Gold Coins” alongside David Tripp and Stephen Fenton. Weinman has advised the Mint on significant legal matters involving the 1933 Double Eagles for decades and has been closely involved in litigation and other legal issues surrounding the famed coins since he first joined the Mint in 1997. Tripp is an award-winning numismatic author, researcher, and former director of Sotheby’s Coin Department, whose acclaimed book (Illegal Tender: Gold, Greed, and the Mystery of the Lost 1933 Double Eagle) established him as one of the foremost experts on the history of the coin. Fenton is a British rare coin dealer who has handled some of the world’s most important numismatic rarities, including the King Farouk 1933 Double Eagle.

Learn more here.

Double Eagle DisplayDouble Eagle Display

Money Museum Showcase

The Money Museum Showcase featured rare and historic items from the ANA’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum and items generously lent to the ANA from private collections. The showcase was an exceptional lineup of exhibits, from iconic favorites—such as the legendary 1913 Liberty head nickel—to specially curated displays honoring 250 years of American independence.

The King of U.S. Coins

The 1804 silver dollar is among the most coveted of all U.S. rare coins, with only 15 known examples. Strangely, no dollars dated 1804 were actually struck in that year. The United States Mint struck only dollars dated 1803 in 1804, and then ceased regular production of silver dollars until 1840.

The Nickel That Never Was

The story of the 1913 Liberty Head nickel begins with a mystery — no one is sure how or why the five known pieces were produced. Over the years, the “fab five” have become some of the world’s most valuable coins and have consistently been among the price leaders in the numismatic market.

A Liberty for All

For millennia, coins carried the faces of powerful monarchs to signal authority. George Washington firmly believed the American Republic should be different as its sovereign people held the real power. This exhibit highlights the adoption of Liberty on our nation’s first coinage and how her image has evolved over the last 250 years.

Promises in Silver: The Changing Face of Indian Peace Medals

A joint display between the ANA and the American Numismatic Society, Indian Peace Medals were featured—crucial diplomatic tools used from the late 17th century to establish and maintain alliances with Native American leaders.

The America 250 Display, Presented by the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4)

C4 presented display cases exploring the variety of coins, tokens, medals, and paper currency that circulated throughout the American colonies and the young republic before the establishment of the U.S. Mint in 1792. Each piece offered a glimpse into the commerce, politics, and daily life of early America.

To explore the other extraordinary treasures featured in this year’s Money Museum exhibit, please select the button below. Featured highlights include rare Satrapal Coinage of the Achaemenid Persian Empire on loan from John Nebel, the legendary 1921 $20 Double Eagle Satin Proof, and The Forgotten Emergency Money of World War II.

Visitors can also discover iconic historic documents and coinage, such as Two Versions of the Declaration of Independence courtesy of Brian Hendelson, as well as the world-renowned Athenian silver tetradrachms in Athena’s Owls—Icons of Silver, presented courtesy of the Arcadia Collection.

View Complete Money Museum Showcase

Tyrants of the Golden Horn

A portion of the unparalleled Tyrant Collection (TheTyrantCollection.com) was publicly displayed together for the first time. This multi-million dollar exhibit showcased 224 important coins representing virtually every Byzantine emperor, as well as later Ottoman rulers.

Named after Istanbul’s historic harbor, the collection spans over 1,700 years of numismatic history. It features everything from a gold Aureus of Diocletian struck in 290 A.D. to a 1943 Turkish 500 kurush.

“The Tyrants of the Golden Horn consists of coins of the emperors and sultans who ruled Constantinople from its founding in 324 by Constantine the Great, to the abolishment of the Ottoman Sultanate in 1922,” says Dan O’Dowd, owner of the Tyrant Collection.

Commemoratives & Error Coins Displayed by GreatCollections

GreatCollections, the ANA’s Official Auctioneer, displayed the All-Time #1 Silver Commemorative Set of 144 Coins Graded by PCGS with CAC Approval, formed by well-known ANA member and supporter Mike Fuljenz over 20 years. They also showcased the Palos Verdes Collection of Error Coins, a personal passion project for the collector, which included fascinating errors like double strikes, off-metals, wrong planchets, off-center strikes, and die caps. All coins included in the collection were struck from the year 1972.

Above: A few of the error coins GreatCollections will displayed during the World's Fair of Money in Pittsburgh. (Image courtesy of GreatCollections.)

Select highlights from the silver commemorative set carefully assembled by ANA member Mike Fuljenz. (Image courtesy of GreatCollections.)

Silver ErrorSilver Error

GreatCollections ErrorsGreatCollections Errors

Gold Quarter Obverse CanadaGold Quarter Obverse Canada

Gold Quarter Canada 3Gold Quarter Canada 3

Gold Quarter Canada 2Gold Quarter Canada 2

Double Struck IkeDouble Struck Ike

Double Struck Ike ShineDouble Struck Ike Shine

Double Struck Ike RevDouble Struck Ike Rev

Bonded Two-Piece Die CapBonded Two-Piece Die Cap

Bonded Two-Piece Die Cap RevBonded Two-Piece Die Cap Rev

S.S. Central America Display

Attendees had a chance to browse remarkable treasures recovered from the S.S. Central America (also known as the “Ship of Gold”), which sank in a hurricane in 1857 while carrying California Gold Rush gold. This member exhibit featured artifacts and scientific discoveries from expeditions to the wreck.

Events & Awards

The World’s Fair of Money is more than a bourse floor. Across five days the ANA hosted technical seminars and free lectures, launched a podcast live from the show floor, celebrated its donors at the Heinz History Center, and gave young collectors a corner of the convention to call their own. The week closed with the presentation of the hobby’s highest honors.

YES! Event

The ANA hosted YES! (You’re an Exceptional Supporter) Event, celebrating those who have generously supported the ANA over the years. The celebration unfolded at the Senator John Heinz History Center Tuesday evening. Featured during the event was delicious food, live entertainment, a chance to mingle with friends, and the opportunity to explore the entirety of the museum for the evening.

To become a supporter of the ANA and for the chance to join future exclusive events, consider becoming a donor at money.org/donate.

Numismatic Seminars

On August 23–24, just ahead of the convention, the ANA hosted two technical seminars. Counterfeit Detection of U.S. Coins gave students hands-on time with some of the most deceptive Chinese-made counterfeits of U.S. colonials, coins, tokens, bullion, and bars currently circulating in the marketplace. Intermediate Grading of U.S. Coins used group and individual exercises to build an understanding of how today’s grading-service philosophies developed and why.

Worth Its Weight Podcast Launch

On Thursday, August 27, the ANA’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum launched a new podcast, Worth Its Weight, recorded live on the bourse floor. The debut episode brought together five leading voices in numismatics for a lively, candid conversation about coins, collecting, and the future of the field.

Podcast host and Money Museum Curator Caroline Turco posed big numismatic questions to a panel whose expertise spanned American, ancient, and early American numismatics, grading, museums, markets, publishing, and historical research. Along the way, the conversation moved from spirited debate to personal stories about the objects that have meant the most to each panelist

Worth Its Weight is broadcast twice-weekly across all major podcast platforms. The show’s dual-format structure offers something for every listener:

Timely Weigh-Ins: Fast-paced episodes addressing current news, market developments, and trends in the numismatic world.
Historical Deep-Dives: Narrative-driven episodes uncovering the rich, surprising, and often controversial histories stored within coins and paper currency.

Learn more and listen today at money.org/worth-its-weight.

Panelists included Jeff Garrett, Dennis Tucker, John Kraljevich, Douglas Mudd and Tyler Rossi.

Panelist Information

Jeff Garrett – One of the country’s foremost authorities on United States coinage, an author and longtime professional coin dealer, and a past president of both the American Numismatic Association and the Professional Numismatists Guild. He is also the co-author of the Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins and a senior editor of the Guide Book of United States Coins, better known as the Red Book.

Dennis Tucker – An award-winning numismatic author, researcher, and lecturer. During his nineteen years as publisher at Whitman Publishing, he helped guide the publication of twenty editions of the Red Book and scores of books exploring coins, medals, banking, and American financial history.

John Kraljevich – A nationally recognized authority on early American coins, medals, currency, and historical objects. An acclaimed researcher, writer, cataloger, and longtime ANA Summer Seminar instructor, he was named the ANA’s Numismatist of the Year in 2016.

Douglas Mudd – A historian and museum professional who has served as curator of the ANA’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum for more than two decades. Before joining the ANA, he managed the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, and he has written and lectured extensively on money and its place in world history.

Tyler Rossi – A professional numismatist with Shanna Schmidt Numismatics and Numismatica Ars Classica USA, where he specialized in auction representation, collection management, and numismatic research. His interests span ancient and pre-modern coinage, politically charged currencies, propaganda on banknotes, and historical counterfeits. He is also a longtime numismatic writer and has served as editor of NENA News and as a board member of the Chicago Coin Club.

Numismatic Literary Guild Awards

The Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) recognized the ANA’s Publications Department with two major awards at the 2026 NLG Awards Luncheon, held August 27 during the World’s Fair of Money. For the third consecutive year, the ANA’s Reading Room was named Best News or Blog Website in the Website/Digital category. Launched in October 2023, the Reading Room was recognized as the “best interactive blog that communicates information and personal commentaries about the numismatic hobby.”

The ANA’s flagship publication, The Numismatist, also received top honors, winning Best Club or Not-for-Profit Periodical.

In addition to the two Publications Department awards, the ANA Money Museum also received recognition for best Non-Trade Website in the Website/Digital category for The Silk Road(s) virtual exhibit. The numismatic travelogue allows viewers to explore how money, commerce, and ideas connected cultures across the ancient trade route.

Visit the Reading Room

Explore the Money Museum

2026 NLG Awards Caleb Noel and Doug Mudd

COTY Awards

World Coin News presented its Coin of the Year (COTY) awards ceremony on Thursday, August 27. The annual competition recognizes outstanding coin designs from around the world. It was the fourth time this event was held in conjunction with the ANA’s World’s Fair of Money. The program was co-sponsored by the World’s Fair of Money and The Journal of East Asian Numismatics.

After a worldwide call for nominations in early January 2026, the approximately 600 coins were narrowed by the COTY Nominating Committee in May 2026 to ten coins in ten categories, identified as the COTY 100. The process then required the most challenging task of all: voting for the winners.

View 2026 Winners

Here are this year’s results: ten 2025-dated winning coins, as well as the 2026 Coin of the Year champion:

Most Historically Significant Coin
Austria, Beliefs and Rituals – The White Gold of Hallstatt, KM 3393
20 Euro, Silver
Münze Österreich

Best Contemporary Event Coin
France, Notre-Dame, KM 3653
2 Euro, Base Metal
Monnaie de Paris

Best Gold Coin
United States of America, American Liberty, KM823
100 Dollar, Gold
United States Mint

Best Silver Coin
Austria, Einstein Ring – The Uncharted Universe, KM 3392
20 Euro, Silver
Münze Österreich

Best Crown Coin
China, Chinese Dragon, KM 2938
10 Yuan, Silver
China Gold Inc., Shenzhen Guobao Mint

Best Circulating Coin
Hungary, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Commemorative Circulation Coin, KM 1127
200 Forint, Base Metal
Hungarian Mint

Best Bi-Metallic Coin
Austria, Digitalisation, KM 3394
25 Euro, Silver-Niobium
Münze Österreich

Most Artistic Coin
France, El Dorado – The Sower, KM 3613
10 Euro, Silver
Monnaie de Paris

Most Innovative Coin
France, 90 Years of Lancôme, KM 3611
10 Euro, Silver
Monnaie de Paris

Most Inspiration Coin
Ukraine, Let’s Hold the Line!, KM 1131
5 Hryvnias, Nickel Silver
National Bank of Ukraine

2026 Coin of the Year
China, Chinese Dragon, KM 2938
10 Yuan, Silver
China Gold Inc., Shenzhen Guobao Mint

After a committee survey of over 100 votes, the final ballot count for the Coin of the Year was awarded to China’s silver 10 yuan “Chinese Dragon” coin. The winning issue was also awarded the Best Crown Coin category. This is China’s first Coin of the Year award. The country has been the recipient of numerous Coin of the Year category nominations and wins over the years.

The issue was minted by the Shenzhen Guobao Mint in Shenzhen, China, on behalf of the People’s Bank of China. The coin is the first issue of the mint’s dragon series. It is also the second bullion coin to be issued by the mint.

Youth Activities

Ernie’s Treasure Treehouse, sponsored by Kevin Lipton Rare Coins, had 196 young collectors lining up throughout the week to enjoy arcade-style activities. The ANA’s Treasure Trivia, available to young children to learn about numismatics and earn prizes as they explore the bourse floor for answers, welcomed 115 participants. Saturday morning, the Young Collectors Corner taught by ANA Education Director Christian Strayhorn offered valuable beginner information about coin collecting, with a surprise visit from the U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis.

Learn more about the ANA’s programs for young collectors at money.org/young-numismatists.

Giveaways & New Releases

Popular collectibles made a huge impression on show attendees. Minted Assets gave away 250 free copper commemorative coins each day of the show at their table. This is the third coin in this series, designed by artist Joel Iskowitz, who unfortunately passed away earlier this year, making it the final coin he designed during his long and distinguished career.

China’s ANA Show Pandas made their return to the WFM this year. Available exclusively from GOVMINT, these popular commemoratives with a one-year-only design feature landmarks or elements from the convention’s host city and always sell out fast.

Auctions

ANA Event Auctioneer Partners Stack’s Bowers Galleries and Heritage Auctions presented auction lot viewings for their auctions scheduled to take place after the show concluded.

Stack’s Bowers Galleries included rarities across the spectrum of American coinage in their auction. Comprising 23 auction sessions, their Rarities Night session produced record-breaking results with total prices realized of $26,305,945 (all prices include buyer’s premium).

Heritage Auctions held an online auction featuring the finest of only four privately held examples of the famous Quintuple Stella from Bob R. Simpson’s collection. Their ANA U.S. Coins Signature® Auction realized $39,918,268.

ANA Featured Live Auction Sponsor Early Cents Auctions held a sale of Fred Borcherdt’s Hall of Fame Collection of 1793-1814 Cents on Thursday, August 27. With over 360 lots, the auction realized $3,997,512 (including buyer’s premium). Their live auction featured a premium example of the first large cent, a 1793 S-1 R4 Chain AMERI., graded PCGS AU55. This is the finest of this rare die state outside of the American Numismatic Society’s collection.

A painting of the ANA’s Bebee Specimen 1913 Liberty Head nickel (pictured left) created by NFP.io and Laura Verschoore and offered by David Lawrence Rare Coin at auction during the show realized $5,650. The inaugural large-format work of fine art was auctioned to benefit the ANA in support of its educational mission.

Collector Exhibits

The collector exhibits at the 2026 ANA World’s Fair of Money once again highlighted the vibrant creativity, deep historical research, and dedication that define the numismatic community. Spanning diverse categories—from ancient coinage and obsolete paper currency to modern mint errors and thematic showcases—the display cases transformed the convention floor into an educational museum curated entirely by passion. Each exhibit invited attendees on a tailored visual journey, offering rare glimpses into obscure monetary histories and unique personal collections that are seldom seen anywhere else under one roof.

Member Awards Celebration

Thursday afternoon, ANA members and member clubs accepted longevity membership pins, and numerous ANA authors received literary awards for outstanding articles published in The Numismatist in 2025.

Learn more about ANA awards at money.org/american-numismatic-association-awards.

Cincinnati Numismatic Association 95 Years

135th Anniversary Banquet

On Friday evening, the ANA hosted the 135th Anniversary Banquet to take time to recognize and celebrate those in the hobby community who have gone above and beyond with their passion for numismatics. In the Allegheny Ballroom at the Westin Pittsburgh hotel, individuals were celebrated for their mentorship, dedication, enthusiasm, and contributions to advance the hobby. The following ANA awards were presented throughout the evening:

Charles H. Wolfe Sr. Memorial Award for YN Best of Show Exhibit: Alivia Rawson

Radford Stearns Memorial Award for Excellence in Exhibiting: Michael Shutterly

The Howland Wood Memorial Award for Best-of-Show Exhibit: Michael Kodysz

Burnett Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing: David Hall

Philanthropy Award: Jim Halperin & Andrew Shiva

Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture: Jānis Strupulis

Harry J. Forman Dealer of the Year Award: Laura Sperber

Elvira Clain-Stefanelli Memorial Award for Achievement in Numismatics: Beth Deisher

Numismatist of the Year: Jeff Garrett

Lifetime Achievement Award: Bill Fivaz

Chester L. Krause Memorial Distinguished Service Award: Anthony Terranova

Numismatic Hall of Fame (Historic Era): Louis Edward Eliasberg Sr. & Benjamin G. Green