Huntington Medal Presentation

The Archer M. Huntington Medal for 1998 was presented on March 21 at 3:00 to Stanis»aw Suchodolski, Professor in the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw.
The ceremony was also attended by His Excellency Eugeniusz Wyzner, Polish Ambassador to the United Nations, and by Prof. Felix Gross, President of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences in America. Prof. Suchodolski is the first Pole to receive the Huntington Medal.
Mark M. Salton, Chairman of the Huntington Medal Committee, read the following citation:
"There is no better symbol of the importance of the Polish contribution to numismatics than the name of Joachim Lelewel in the center of the architrave over the door leading into the headquarters of the American Numismatic Society. Lelewel has been called the father of medieval numismatics, and his 1835 three-volume Numismatique du Moyen Âge is not only the first comprehensive account of medieval European coinage, but remains one of the only such integrative works to come from the pen of a single author.
"Lelewel died over fifty years before the institution of our Archer M. Huntington Award in 1918, and no Polish numismatist has been among its recipients in the intervening years. It is with great pleasure that we bestow this year's award on a scholar who exemplifies the highest standards of Polish numismatics, and of our discipline as a whole, Professor Stanislaw Suchodolski.
"Professor Suchodolski is an example of that rarest issue in medieval numismatics: a generalist. His 1982 book on coinage and monetary history in early medieval Western Europe is the only comprehensive treatment of this complex and crucial period by an individual author. In detailed articles in English, French and German on such aspects of the numismatics of this period as the coinages of the Ostrogoths, the Burgundians, and Suevi, and especially the Carolingians, Suchodolski has brought the results of his scholarship to a wide numismatic public. As well as dealing with the developing coinage systems in themselves, Suchodolski has made important contributions to the theoretical and methodological literature of early medieval numismatics with his discussions of monetary circulation, the movements from gold-based to silver-based currency systems, and the metrology of Roman and Carolingian coinages.
"He has achieved a similarly broad overview of the development of coinage in the central Middle Ages with his 1971 book on the beginnings of coinage in Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe, and subsequent articles and monographs on the earliest Rhineland, Bavarian, Bohemian, Hungarian and Scandinavian issues. Among his major contributions to the general literature on the coinages of the tenth through twelfth century is his article on the institution of Renovatio Monetae, the standard treatment of this important medieval monetary phenomenon.
"It is, not surprisingly, the medieval coinage of Poland itself which has most benefited from Suchodolski's probing inquiry. In three books and dozens of articles, he has explored and explained the organization and techniques of minting, the circulation of coins and ingots, and the relationship of royal issues to those of magnates and ecclesiastics in medieval Poland. These investigations have always placed Polish coinage in the context of the history and economics of the era and in relation to the coinages of Poland's neighbors and of Europe as a whole.
"Just as he has never isolated Polish medieval coinage from it broader context, Stanislaw Suchodolski has always been an active participant in the international numismatic community, even when conditions in Eastern Europe made this a difficult endeavor. He is Professor at the Institute for the History of Material Culture in Warsaw, an institution which has long set an example for the rest of the world with its rigorous methodology in medieval archeology and for its training excavations throughout Western Europe; in 1984 he was named Professor of the Polish Academy of Science. In over three decades as editor of the prestigious Wiadomosci Numismatyczne, he had played a major role in bringing the work of a generation of Polish scholars to the world. Since 1991 he has served the worldwide numismatic community as a member of the governing Bureau of the International Numismatic Commission.
"It is for his many contributions to our knowledge of the coinage of medieval Europe, and for his service to the discipline of numismatics as a whole, that the American Numismatic Society bestows upon Stanislaw Suchodolski the Archer M. Huntington Award for 1998.'
Prof. Suchodolski read his reply in French, and the following translation was circulated:
"Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, first I want to apologize for not speaking English, but my knowledge of the language is so feeble that I would not be able to express my thoughts freely. Other alternatives available to me—to speak in German, Russian, or my native tongue, would no doubt be even less acceptable to you.
"Then I must say that I am very happy and indeed thrilled to be the recipient of your prize, which is well known and no less prestigious. Permit me to express the three principal reasons for my joy.
"The first is simple, indeed banal. It is simply that the prize is awarded by the American Numismatic Society, one of the most famous and best-known numismatic institutions in the world. As you know perfectly well, it comprises, in addition to a society of members and a museum with rich collections, a center for study. The brilliant results of research carried on here are presented in the publications of the Society.
"The second reason for my satisfaction is that I come from that part of Europe which, up until a short time ago, was isolated from the rest of the world. Numismatists, to be sure, were not particularly persecuted by the regimes, but still it is clear that research in the countries which called themselves socialist was more difficult. This was true particularly as it involved international contacts. Today's ceremony proves that the situation has become almost normal. You see before you a representative from the other side of the former iron curtain, and he has come here without any difficulty at all.
"For me personally the situation is still more pleasant in that I am the first Pole to be so honored. I am a member of what one calls the "Polish school" of numismatics, founded by Ryszard Kiersnowski, my teacher and friend. I hope that he is also known abroad as the former vice-president of the International Commission, alongside Margaret Thompson; as a Corresponding Member of the American Numismatic Society; and finally as a participant in international congresses, among others the New York-Washington Congress. It is to Ryszard Kiersnowski that I owe my training as a numismatist. Obviously he has a part in today's ceremony.
"And finally the third reason for my satisfaction. As a medievalist, I am very pleased to be your medallist. To be sure, there are many among your list of winners; but they are much in the minority, dominated by their colleagues who study ancient coinage. The preponderance of this group is still visible in the course of international congresses.
"These are the reasons for my joy. For it, but above all for the great honor I am receiving, I thank you all most warmly."
Prof. Suchodolski then delivered the Margaret Thompson Memorial Lecture on "Coin Finds and Archaeological Contexts: A Tentative Classification." Though it had been announced that he would speak in French, Prof. Suchodolski addressed the audience in English.
A reception followed, and then a delightful dinner at Le Refuge.


Ute Wartenberg Named ANS Assistant Director

The American Numismatic Society has appointed Dr. Ute Wartenberg to the position of Assistant Director of the Society. The announcement was made following the meeting of the Society's Personnel Committee on February 14, at which Dr. Wartenberg was selected from among the leading candidates. She will begin working in her new position on July 1. ANS Executive Director Leslie A. Elam expressed his great confidence in the Society's newest staff member, noting "Ute Wartenberg exhibits a firm understanding of the Society's aspirations promulgated in our new strategic plan–to open the ANS to a larger audience while maintaining the standards of excellence that identify this unique organization. I look forward to working with her in the coming years and have assured her that she will find life here at the ANS both stimulating and challenging."
Having developed an early interest in ancient coins, Dr. Wartenberg, studied at Saarbrücken University in Germany. Her doctoral thesis dealt with unpublished Greek papyrus texts from Egypt, which she completed in 1990 at Oxford University where she was a Rhodes Scholar. In 1991, she was appointed as curator of Greek coins in the Department of Coins and Medals in the British Museum, where she worked with the late Dr. Martin Price until his departure in 1994. She is Editor of Coin Hoards, acts as Secretary of the British Academy Sylloge Committee, and has written books and articles in the field of Greek numismatics and papyrology. Her other interests include music and modern art as well as sport and traveling.
In her new capacity at the ANS, Dr. Wartenberg has direct administrative responsibility for interdepartmental programs and projects, including exhibitions, public programs, marketing ventures, and ANS membership promotion, and will oversee efforts to encourage greater involvement in Society activities by volunteers.


COAC 1998 Takes Shape

"Circulating Counterfeits of the Americas" Theme of Conference

The 1998 Coinage of the Americas Conference, on circulating counterfeits, is rapidly taking shape. The response to the call for papers, published in the last issue of the ANSNewsletter, has been among the most enthusiastic we have ever encountered. COAC 1998 will be held at the ANS on Saturday, November 7.
A wide range of papers is planned, which will cover many of the important areas of counterfeiting. For the conference, the Steering Committee has defined the theme as including counterfeits made to defraud the public; not fakes made to fool the collector.


Papers Scheduled to Date

Philip L. Mossman and Charles Smith will give a paper on counterfeit halfpence, with particular attention to the Irish issues. Michael Ringo, a longtime specialist in the series, will also contribute a paper at COAC 1998. Keith Davignon, who wrote a superb book on circulating counterfeit bust halves, will discuss that topic in collaboration with Bradley Karoleff. Richard G. Doty, a familiar and welcome participant in the COAC series, will talk on the counterfeiting of private banknotes.
Two papers have been scheduled on the counterfeit 2 reales, arguably of U.S. manufacture: one by John Lorenzo, and another by ANS curator John Kleeberg. Horace Flatt, well known for his outstanding works on Peruvian coinage, will examine the counterfeiting of Bolivian 4 soles. Two papers treat counter-measures: Michael Sullivan will discuss counterfeit detectors, and Emmett McDonald will present a paper on American counterfeit detection machines.
John M. Kleeberg, ANS Curator of Modern Coins, will serve as Chairman for the 1998 COAC. Individuals considering participating in the conference should contact Dr. Kleeberg by June 15 (kleeberg@amnumsoc.org). Exhibits on the theme of the conference are also invited; those interested are again urged to contact Kleeberg at the ANS.

Plan Ahead for Hotel Needs

Hotel space in New York City is already tight for the fall 1998 season. Those planning to attend the conference from out of town will want to reserve early. The ANS enjoys a special rate at two convenient and hospitable hotels--the Beacon at 2130 Broadway (74th Street), offers single or double accommodations at $115.00 plus tax; and the Lucerne Hotel, 201 W. 79th Street (at Columbus Ave.) is $125.00 per night. Both are convenient to the Broadway IRT 1 train, for a brief ride to 157th Street and the ANS. Rooms at this rate will probably be sold out by mid June.


Library Notes

As the library proceeds with its card catalogue conversion efforts, it seems only fitting to acknowledge our late Council member and Chairman of the Library Committee, Harry W. Bass Jr., whose Research Foundation has made possible this project and whose financial and moral support has meant so much to the library over the past three decades. Most of the library's advances during this period, whether in the areas of computerization, physical plant, or significant acquisitions, have been made possible through the generous support of Mr. Bass. His concern for this library, its staff, and its collection will be truly missed.
During recent months a great deal of time has been spent on developing guidelines for the Library's card catalogue retrospective conversion project. Based on his examination of several thousand cards in the catalogue, the Librarian prepared an initial list of specifications to be used by Gaylord Information Systems of Liverpool, New York, the firm chosen to convert the Library's catalogue cards to machine readable (MARC tagged) records. Ms. Tamara Fultz, Assistant Librarian, compiled a list of MARC fields which the Library would need for the present conversion project and for ongoing cataloguing. These specifications will be incorported in the overall project guidelines used by Gaylord and the library staff. Gaylord has begun the conversion of the first group of library catalogue cards and has returned a representative group of records to us by electronic file transfer. The Library staff is examining these computerized catalogue records using software developed by W. L. Hill Consulting of Dallas, TX.
On February 25, in conjunction with the "Day of the Etruscans" conference, the Librarian mounted an exhibition of works from the library's collection of works of the eighteenth to twentieth centuries dealing wholly or partially with Etruscan numismatics. Among the works exhibited were Joann Baptist Passeri's De nummi etruscis paestanorum (Pesara, 1748), P. Raffaele Garrucci's Le monete dell'Italia antica (Rome, 1885), and Ernst J. Haeberlin's Aes Grave; Das Schwergeld Roms und Mittelitaliens (Frankfurt am Main, 1910).
Among the publications generously donated by authors and publishers are Armando Bernardelli, ed., Ritrovamenti monetali di etB romana nel Veneto, Provincia 4, Vicenza, vol. 2, Bassano (Padua, 1997), donated by general editor, Giovanni Gorini; Franz Betzner, Lebensmittelkarten, Bezug- und Berechti-gungsscheine im 2. Weltkrieg (Duren, Germany, 1994); Tony Carlotto, The Copper Coins of Vermont and Those Bearing the Vermont Name (Chelsea, MI, 1998), donated by Anthony Terranova; Coin Dealer, 1998 Numismatic Dealer Directory (Torrance, CA, 1998); M. Crusafont i Sabater, ed., Obra numismBtica esparsa i inPdita de Joaquim Botet i Sis\ (Barcelona, 1997), donated by Dr. Leandre Villaronga; John Davenport, The Daalders of the Dutch Feudal States and Others (Dallas, TX, 1997); Georges Depeyrot, Le numJraire carolingien: corpus des monnaies. DeuxiPme Jdition augmentJe (Wetteren/Paris, 1998); Julijan Dobrinic, Corpus Notarum Pecuniariarum Fluminense: Rijecki novci (Rijeka, 1997); Ulf Dr@ger, Deutsche Kunstmedaillen des 20. Jahrhunderts (Berlin, 1996); Thomas Figueira, The Power of Money: Coinage and Politics in the Athenian Empire. (Philadelphia, 1998), donated by Dr. John H. Kroll; Dr. Jay M. Galst, The Eye in Nummis, talk given March 14, 1998, for the Cogan Ophthalmic History Society Meeting, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (New York, 1998); K. Ganesh and Dr. Girijapathy, The Coins of the Hoysalas (Bangalore, India, 1998); Han-J`rg Kellner, Die Mhnzgeschichte des Hochstifts Passau: Ein Katalog der Mhnzen und Medaillen (Stuttgart, 1997); Leo Mildenberg, Vestigia Leonis: Studien zur antiken Numismatik Israels, Pal@stinas, und der `stlichen Mittelmeerwelt, Herausgegeben von Ulrich Hhbner und Ernst Axel Knauf (Freiburg/G`ttingen, 1998); Pervin T. Nasir, Rare Coins in the National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi (Karachi, 1997); Zdenka Nemeskalova-Jiroudkova, Keltsky poklad ze stareho kolina (Prague, 1998); Klaus Petry, Monet@re Entwicklung, Handelsintensit@t und wirtschafliche Beziehungen des oberlothringischen Raumes vom Anfang des 6. bis zur Mitte des 12. Jahrhunderts (Trier, 1992); Jens Pilegaard and R. Juul Boerge, eds., Sieg's montkatalog 1998 (Aalborg, 1997); Stephen K. Scher, The Proud Republic: Dutch Medals of the Golden Age, photography by John Bigelow Taylor (New York, 1997); Frovin Sieg, Sieg's Seddelkatalog Danmark, 1695-1997 (Aalborg, 1997); Leandre Villaronga, Monedes de plata emporitanes dels segles V-IV aC (Barcelona, 1997); from Dr. Stephen K. Scher, La medaglia contemporaneo in Italia: Galleria d'Arte Moderna Contemporanea, 20 ottobre-30 novembre 1995, Conservatore, M. Cristina Rodeschini Galati (Bergamo, 1995); and Dennis P. Wierzba, President of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club, has donated a number of issues of The C4 Newsletter, which the Library was lacking. Readers wishing further information concerning the above publications should address inquiries to the Librarian.

First Fowler Lecture to be Delivered by Frank Holt

Frank L. Holt will give the inaugural Harry W. Fowler Memorial Lecture at the Society on Saturday, September 26, 1998, at 3:00 P.M. He will speak on: "Every Coin a Mystery: The Quest for Bactria." Dr. Holt teaches ancient history at the University of Texas at Houston and is an alumnus of the ANS Graduate Seminar as well as a specialist in Bactrian coinage. This coinage was the primary focus of ANS past President Harry Fowler who bequeathed his collection of Bactrian coins to the Society in 1995.


ROS AWARDED ROMAN STUDIES FELLOWSHIP

The Fellowship in Roman Studies for 1998/9 has been awarded to Karen E. Ros, Assistant Professor in the Department of History of Art at the University of Indiana. Dr. Ros is an alumna of the 1985 Graduate Seminar. She received her A.B. in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from Bryn Mawr College, and her A.M. and Ph.D. in Classical Art and Archaeology from the University of Michigan. She taught at the University of Toronto and McMaster University before joining the faculty at Indiana. She is currently working on a book on Roman portraits from Carthage, but hopes to use the Roman Studies Fellowship to complete a study of Roman adventus and profectio coins.