WASHINGTON - The United States Mint announced today that Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz has been named the recipient of the 2008 Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture (NAAEMS). The award, conferred by the American Numismatic Association (ANA), will be presented to Mr. Licaretz on August 2, 2008, at the ANA World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore.

“We are pleased the panel of judges recognized Jim’s body of work,” said United States Mint Director Ed Moy. “Jim’s artistry is helping the United States Mint achieve a new level of design excellence.”

Mr. Licaretz’s works are included in numerous private collections, as well as the British Museum; the Royal Coin Cabinet; the National Museum of Economy, Stockholm, Sweden; the American Numismatic Society; and the Smithsonian Institution. His recent works for the United States Mint include the reverse design of the 2008 Bald Eagle Proof Silver Dollar Coin and the obverse design of the Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coin.

“To be honored with the American Numismatic Association’s award is quite a welcome surprise,” said Mr. Licaretz. “There is a great responsibility in giving form to one’s experience of life. Medallic sculpture is a unique way of recording and sharing these experiences.”

Mr. Licaretz was employed as a United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver from 1986 to 1989, and returned to the agency as a Medallic Sculptor in 2006. He also was a sculptor at Franklin Porcelain and the Franklin Mint in Pennsylvania, a master sculptor at Mattel, Inc. in California, and manager of the Sculpting Department at Artistic Solutions in California. In addition, he served as a faculty member at the Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia; Otis School of Art and Design, Los Angeles; and the Academy of Art College, San Francisco.
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The 2008 CNA Convention will take place this week starting on Thursday the 17th and running through Sunday the 21st.

The annual event will take place at the  Crowne Plaza Hotel 101 Lyon Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 5T9

Ian Bennett, Master of the Royal Canadian Mint will be attending the opening of the bourse at 10:00 on Friday morning. He will then remain at the Mint’s booth for a signature period, during which he will gladly sign the Mint’s centennial book, the Annual Report or any other item you may wish to bring or purchase locally. The Royal Canadian Mint will also be exhibiting its $1 Million Dollar Gold Coin.

The Canadian Numismatic Company has been appointed as the Official Convention Auctioneer for the 2008 Ottawa CNA Convention. Catalogues are available throught their website at: www.cpnum.qc.ca. The auctions will fgeature a wide range of rare and collectible Canadian coins and currency, and will be held in three sessions.

There is also an educational Symposium to be held on Thursday the 17th as follows:
9:30 – 10:30 The Canadian Numismatic Bibliography: by Paul Petch  Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow…
10:30 – 11:30 Early tokens of a Town in East Kootenay by  Ron Greene
11:30 – 12:30 Collecting Newfoundland Decimals  by Phil Carrigan
1:30 – 2:30 Pritchard & Andrews, Ottawa Token by  Scott Douglas & Chris Faulkner
2:30 – 3:30 1859 Wide 9 Over 8 Cents  by Rob Turner
3:30 – 4:30 Recent Collector Coin Counterfeits by Henry Nienhuis
4:30 – 5:30 Commemorative Silver Dollars by Michael Turini  (more…)

The American Numismatic Association will debut a new feature, Artists & Authors Alley, at the 2008 World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore. Located in aisle 900 of the convention’s bourse floor, Artists & Authors Alley gives artists and writers a chance to display their craft and discuss their work with visitors. The area will feature premier numismatic engravers, scholars and publishers.

Located within Artists & Authors Alley, Collector’s Corner will feature book and artwork signings, demonstrations, and informal discussions with some of the top experts in numismatics.

“I’m happy to be adding this new and exciting element to our show,” said ANA Meeting Services Manager Brenda Bishop. “Hobbyists will be able to meet, interact and learn from several of the most respected professionals in the field.”

The following is a schedule for Collector’s Corner presentations:

Wednesday, July 30
1-2 p.m. – Joel Iskowitz, master designer, United States Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program
3-4 p.m. – Mercer Bristow, American Philatelic Society: C.S.I. Philatelic (more…)

The pending litigation between the American Numismatic Association and John Nebel and former employees Susie Nulty, Lawrence Lee, Ph. D. and Wayne Abraham has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties, Executive Director Larry Shepherd announced today.

The resolution followed several meetings between the ANA and John Nebel in which the ANA agreed to dismiss all claims against Nebel, Nulty, Lee and Abraham.

The litigation started in July, 2005 when Christopher Cipoletti and the ANA filed suit against Nebel, Nulty, Lee, Abraham and Nebel’s corporation, Computer Systems Design Company. The case was scheduled for trial in September, 2007, but was rescheduled to August 14, 2008 after the ANA’s former legal firm withdrew from the case in August 2007. Since that date the parties engaged in continued discussions in an effort to resolve their differences.

The ANA Board of Governors voted unanimously to dismiss all claims against Nebel, Nulty, Abraham and Lee and therefore put an end this litigation. As part of the settlement, the ANA made a payment to offset a portion of the defendants litigation costs.

The ANA and the Defendants prefer to engage in numismatics, not litigation. The ANA wishes to extend its sincere apology to the defendants for the hardship that this litigation has caused.

Jim Licaretz Receives 2008 ANA Numismatic Art Award

Philadelphia artist Jim Licaretz is the 2008 recipient of the American Numismatic Association’s Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture. He will accept the honor on Aug. 2 at the ANA World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore.

A medallic artist at the U.S. Mint since 2006, Licaretz was a sculptor/engraver there from 1986 to 1989. He spent a year with The Franklin Mint and was a master sculptor for Mattel, Inc. for five years. In between, he taught life modeling and figure sculpture at Philadelphia’s Fleischer Art Memorial, and was a member of the faculty at Otis-Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles (1992-94) and Academy of Art University in San Francisco (1995-2000).

“Although I was familiar with Renaissance and 19th-century French medals, it wasn’t until sculptor Eugene Daub introduced me to the American Medallic Sculpture Association (AMSA) in 1985 that I realized contemporary artists were creating handheld art,” said Licaretz. “It was quite a revelation to me to see these small, personal statements in various materials that were being recognized as medals.”

His involvement with AMSA, which he now serves as president, led to his participation in the Fédération Internationale de la Médaille (FIDEM). In September 2007, Licaretz exhibited three medallic works at FIDEM’s 30th Congress and Exhibition, hosted by the ANA’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum in Colorado Springs. His recent work for the U.S. Mint includes the 2008 Bald Eagle $1 reverse and Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 obverse.

“The greatest appeal of medallic art is the freedom one has to create his or her own world on a small scale,” Licaretz said. “Though there are exceptions, most medallic sculpture has a magic and uniqueness not found in most art forms. I love that with the simplest of materials – clay, plaster and wax – an artist can birth something very personal.” (more…)