On 14 October 2026, the International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) awarded its annual prize for the best numismatic book of the previous year at a ceremony conducted at the Curia Julia (the Senate House) in the Roman Forum. The awardee was Stefano Bertuzzi, for his 3-volume magnum opus, Corpus Numismatum Omnium Romanorum Pontificum: Pio IX nelle medaglie, nelle croci capitolari e nella faleristica [Corpus Numismatum Omnium Romanorum Pontificum: Pius IX in medals, capitular crosses and phaleristics], published by Edizioni D’Andrea in Rome.
Umberto Moruzzi and Moruzzi Numismatics organized the event as a follow-up to a successful IAPN Congress held in Rome at which Mr. Bertuzzi’s work was voted the winner of this year’s prize.
Mr. Moruzzi reflected on the event as follows:
The setting was magnificent — just think, that extraordinary hall was once the meeting place of the Roman Senate! In addition to the 50–60 people attending in person, the conference was streamed live by the Ministry of Culture, giving it a much, much wider reach.
The regional television news program, TG3 Lazio, filmed extensively, and I believe we may receive television coverage.
A number of speakers took part, and their contributions were substantial and thought-provoking. Particularly important were the remarks by Professor Arnaldo Morace Pinelli, who also spoke via video at the IAPN Congress, and above all those of the Director-General of the Ministry of Culture, who spoke strongly in favor of private collecting and a more liberal approach to the numismatic market. Peter Preston-Morley, the Chairman of the IAPN Publication Committee, also gave an excellent speech, available here: IAPN Book Prize 2026 award speech.pdf
The Book Prize ceremony was a deeply felt occasion, and the winner was visibly moved at times. Afterwards, everyone spoke of what an exceptional event it was, praising both the contributions I have mentioned and the prize-winning book. I believe it was a wonderful opportunity to promote the IAPN and numismatics as a whole.
Since 1982, IAPN has annually conducted its book prize award honoring numismatic authors for what the organization considers “the best numismatic publication of the year”. This year 27 books were entered for the Prize, four from Asia, 16 from Europe and seven from North America.
This year’s second and third place winners received their awards in conjunction with numismatic events held in the United States and United Kingdom. Daniel Sedwick received his second-place award for Arce’s Doubloons: A die study of the Colombian gold cob coinage of assayer Arce in the name of Charles II, 1692-1714. That award was given on August 26, 2026, at the IAPN Cocktail Party held in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. See https://www.iapn-coins.org/general-news/13686240. The third-place winner, Sir Mark Jones, received his award for William Wyon, published by Spink at the British Numismatic Society’s Summer Meeting, which this year was held in Edinburgh, Scotland, on June 27., 2026.
For more about IAPN's book prize, see https://www.iapn-coins.org/book-prize
IAPN's annual book prize for 2025 will be awarded at the Curia Julia (Senate House) within the Forum in Rome. Details are below:
IAPN has provided written testimony on a proposal to extend controversial import restrictions on "Cypriot" coins. IAPN has also provided written testimony on proposed extensions of Cultural Property Agreements (CPAs) with Guatemala and Peru opposing any new import restrictions on coins.
IAPN does not oppose a renewal of the CPA with Cyprus but does oppose continuation of controversial import restrictions on Cypriot coins. IAPN argues a major reset is justified by recent revelations that the initial decision to impose import restrictions on coins was marred by at least an appearance of conflict of interest involving the State Department decision-maker as well as a new court decision underscoring the need for due process before cultural goods are forfeited.
IAPN's written testimony on the Cyprus CPA can be found here:
IAPN Cypriot Renewal 2026 SIGNED FINAL 100726.pdf
The exhibits can be found here:
2021-09-23 IAPN 2021 Cyprus Renewal Submission 2021 Final with exhibits A-D 092321.pdf
2022 IAPN Supplemental Correspondence Cyprus Renewal with Tables I to IV FINAL 011722.pdf
Expert Disclosure and Exhibits for Douglas A. Mudd.pdf
IAPN's written comments about the Guatemalan CPA can be found here:
IAPN submission 2026 Guatemala SIGNED FINAL 100726.pdf
IAPN's written comments about the Peruvian CPA can be found here:
IAPN submission 2026 Peru Signed Final 100726.pdf
The International Association of Professional Numismatist’s 75th Anniversary Medal charmed admirers when it was first revealed at IAPN’s Congress held in Rome, Italy, on May 21, 2026. The medal garnered more praise when it was exhibited along with its engraver’s plaster casts at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from July 26-28,, 2026.
Chiara Principe (https://www.chiaraprincipecoindesign.com/), an independent artist who has created coins and medals for institutions and countries including Luxembourg, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican, designed the medal. She has described her artistic vision as follows:
Creating the official medal of this congress was an exciting challenge that allowed me to look at the history and culture associated with my work with different eyes. It might have seemed like a classic medal to commemorate an event and an anniversary, but in reality there was an even more important subtheme that asked to be celebrated: the love of numismatics. The passion which IAPN has promoted and guarded for a good 75 years now. I have thus interpreted the work primarily as a great tribute to this passion, on which the entire work of the association revolves, but also as a tribute to Italian art, the cradle of medals, and in particular to the city of Rome, which hosted the 74th IAPN congress.
As realized in her finished medal, Numismatics is personified on the obverse as a female figure crowned with a laurel wreath decorated with coins. The goddess contemplates a Greek gold stater of Alexander the Great that also figures in the Association’s logo. Radiating behind her is the celebrated star-shaped design of Michelangelo’s pavement on Rome’s Capitoline Hill. Other design elements reference the City of Rome, the host of IAPN’s 75th Anniversary Congress. They include the outline of the Vatican dome and the famous Wolf and Twins. The obverse legend in English references the 75th Anniversary and the associated dates of 1951-2026.
On the reverse, the Capitoline Wolf takes center stage, with an outline of the Coliseum and Roman Forum in the distance supported by ancient paving stones. Above is IAPN’s logo along with a selection of coins from Ancient Rome, Medieval Florence, Ancient China and the United States in the 19th century. The English legend references the May 21-24, 2026 dates of the Congress which is also described as the 74th Assembly in Latin numerals.
Originally, what became the obverse and reverse were alternative proposals for the obverse with the IAPN logo forming the reverse. However, IAPN’s Executive Committee believed that both designs were of such artistic merit that they both should be utilized for the finished medal. Ms. Principe readily accommodated this request, which also required some adjustments of the legends and other details on each side.
Umberto Moruzzi of Moruzzi Numismatics both organized the Congress and the medal’s production. The medal was cold-struck by Omea Milano (https://www.omea.it/sito/) and then lathe-finished and hand-patinated. It is 60 mm in diameter. Bronze examples were distributed to IAPN member firms attending the Rome Congress along with gold and silver plated copies for dignitaries attending associated events.
The decision to strike a medal for IAPN’s 75th Anniversary was a return to a past tradition of striking special medals to commemorate IAPN’s annual Congress. See https://www.iapn-coins.org/IAPN-Medals. IAPN’s Congress is held every year in a different city around the globe to conduct Association business and to foster relationships between IAPN member firms. IAPN’s upcoming Congress will take place in Hong Kong in May 2027.
FOR ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION, PLEASE CONTACT: The IAPN General Secretary, 57, rue Grimaldi, 98000 MONACO. | +377 93 25 12 96 | secretary@iapn-coins.org
Copyright © 1951-2026. All Rights Reserved. The Association is a non-profit making organization established within the terms of points 60 to 72 of the Swiss Civil Code. The IAPN's registered office is: IAPN, P.O. Box, 6300 Zug, Switzerland.
A number of IAPN member firms attended this year's American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money. See ANA IAPN Dealer Roster 2026 Final 081126.pdf. In addition, IAPN held a cocktail party for members and exhibited plaster casts of its 75th Anniversary medal to the public. At the cocktail party, Doug Mudd of the ANA accepted an example of the medal from IAPN President Dan Sedwick in the presence of its designer, Chiara Principe. Dan also received his 2nd Place IAPN book prize for his work, Arce's Doubloons, at the event. Ms. Principe was also kind enough to allow plasters of her work to be displayed at the SINCONA table. These plaster casts which were reduced to create the dies for the finished medal attracted considerable attention. Numismatic dignitaries admiring her work included the Director and Chief Engraver of the French mint. They praised not only the composition, but the finish on the medal. IAPN's cocktail party and the display were but a small part of what was a great week for numismatics and the appreciation of coins and people to people contacts it stimulates.
A number of IAPN member firms will be attending this year's World's Fair of Money taking place from August 25-29, 2026, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
A roster of IAPN member firms exhibiting at the show can be found here:
ANA IAPN Dealer Roster 2026 Final 081126.pdf
More about the World's Fair of Money can be found here:
https://www.money.org/worldsfairofmoney/
For those attending, let IAPN members help guide you through the World of Numismatics!
IAPN's Executive Director, Peter Tompa, published his views on coins as cultural goods in a chapter in an open access book funded by the European Union, Anne-Sophie V.E. Radermecker ed., "Low-End Markets for Art and Cultural Goods. Understanding the Economic, Cultural and Social Dynamics of Low-Value Goods" (Palgrave Macmillan 2026).
From the abstract,
This chapter argues that historical coins, due to large mintages and significant survival rates, are best preserved and studied through private collecting and a robust numismatic trade rather than state control. Current regulatory schemes, including restrictive import and export controls in the United States and European Union, are overly burdensome and impractical, especially given the lack of provenance for many coins. The chapter critiques these regulations for undermining legitimate collecting and numismatic scholarship while offering limited benefits to cultural heritage preservation. Instead, it promotes a model based on the United Kingdom’s Portable Antiquities Scheme and Treasure Act, which encourages responsible reporting of finds and cooperation among finders, collectors, and institutions. As a result, we have a much better picture of early British economic history. The chapter concludes that policies emphasizing conservation and collaborative stewardship serve both cultural heritage and scholarly inquiry far more effectively than rigid governmental controls.
To access the chapter, see https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-27566-0_24 or for a PDF, see https://rdcu.be/fylaO.
The US Trade Representative (USTR) has announced tariffs against 60 economies to ban imports produced with forced labor. See https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/fact-sheets/2026/july/fact-sheet-ustr-section-301-action-response-failure-60-economies-ban-imports-produced-forced-labor These tariffs replace prior “reciprocal tariffs” struck down by the US Supreme Court as well replacement tariffs that expired on July 24, 2026.
IAPN submitted the following comments asking for an exemption from such tariffs for the numismatic trade. See https://comments.ustr.gov/s/commentdetails?rid=6BQW7T23TB
As a result of these comments as well as those of CINOA, Heritage Auctions, the British Antique Dealer's Association, the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild, and others, USTR has agreed to exempt coins and other antiques and collectibles from this new round of tariffs. A pre-publication version of the applicable Federal Register Notice linked to the press release explains this exemption. See pages 55, 61-62, 94, and 242.
As a result, IAPN believes that the following codes should be used to claim the exemption, but we suggest conferring with a customs broker before doing so:
Primary codes for coins and other antiques and collectibles: (9701-9706). Secondary code for exemption: 9903.05.86. See https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCBP/bulletins/421d887(U.S. Note 52(b) / HTS 9903.05.86 )
(Updated with more information on codes: 7/28/26)
Peter Tompa, IAPN’s Executive Director, appeared and spoke at a July 14, 2026, CPAC meeting. He previously filed written comments about these CPAs. You can find a summary of the public session here, along with links to all written comments, including those of IAPN: https://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2026/07/cpac-meets-to-discuss-new-cultural.html
IAPN’s General Secretary, Federico Pastrone, and Executive Director, Peter Tompa, attended CINOA’s Annual Roundtable and General Meeting from May 25 to May 27, 2026,in Marseille, France.
Federico and Peter interacted with representatives of other CINOA member organizations from Europe and the United States. They participated in roundtable discussions about regulatory issues facing the art, numismatics, and antiques trade, including Anti-Money Laundering rules, import and export controls, and tariffs.
Learn more about the IAPN + CINOA.
FOR ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION, PLEASE CONTACT:The IAPN General Secretary, 57, rue Grimaldi, 98000 MONACO. | +377 93 25 12 96 | secretary@iapn-coins.org
Copyright © 1951-2026. All Rights Reserved.The Association is a non-profit making organization established within the terms of points 60 to 72 of the Swiss Civil Code.The IAPN's registered office is: IAPN, P.O. Box, 6300 Zug, Switzerland.
