The International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) conducted its 72nd annual Congress in San Francisco, CA from May 16-19, 2024. Thirty-nine member firms attended the Congress which was held at the historic Argonaut Hotel right on the waterfront at Fisherman’s Wharf. A post-Congress trip to Monterey to visit its famous aquarium and vineyards took place right after the Congress concluded.
The Congress approved three new IAPN members, Paul Knudsen of Paul's Coins (USA), Keith Candiotti (USA), and Ginza Coins (Japan), learned more about IAPN’s activities in the last year, and received briefings on IAPN’s new website as well as regulatory trends facing the industry.
The Congress also provides a venue to decide the winner for IAPN’s annual book prize. Mr. Mairat, curator of Roman Coins at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England, was awarded the IAPN Book Prize for his title, Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume V.4: The Gallic Empire (AD 260-274), published by Spink in London.
Second prize went to Cori Sedwick Downing, a senior numismatist at the house of Daniel Frank Sedwick in Winter Park, Florida, and Isaac Rudman, a collector from the Dominican Republic, for their The Charles & Joanna Silver Coinage of Santo Domingo, 1542-1552, published by Isaac Rudman in Santo Domingo.
Third prize went to Glenn Murray, the Spanish-domiciled 72-year old Los Angeles-born numismatist, for his Boato y Tecnología: Cincuentines, centenes y escudos de a echo, published by the Asociación Amigos de la Casa de la Moneda de Segovia, in Segovia, Spain.
The nomination list of all 23 titles entered for this year's Prize may be viewed here. The Congress also provided an opportunity for IAPN members to spend time with their colleagues from around the world in a relaxed atmosphere so unlike hectic coin shows.
Activities included a visit to historic Sonoma, dinners at local restaurants and a gala held at the historic San Francisco Mint. Companions visited the Walt Disney Family Museum and the breathtaking Muir Woods.
The Gala is also an opportunity for IAPN members to support local community organizations benefiting those in need. This year, IAPN members raised $10,500 for, Ceres Community Project. Ceres prepares home-delivered meals for people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. (https://www.ceresproject.org/)
Stephen Album Rare Coins helped organize this year’s Congress and post-Congress trip.
The next Congress will take place in June 2025 in Budapest, Hungary with the post-Congress trip to Bratislava and the historic mining and minting areas of Central Slovakia. Nudelman Numismatica and Macho & Chlapovic are collaborating to organize the Congress and post-Congress tour.
International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN)
The IAPN (iapn-coins.org) was constituted at a meeting held in Geneva in 1951 to which the leading international numismatic firms had been invited. There were 28 founding members. Today, there are more than 100 numismatic firms in the membership, across several continents and twenty-five countries.
IAPN Executive Director, Peter Tompa was invited to attend a High level event where he was able to interact with European Commission officials as well as representatives of other CINOA[1] affiliated trade groups.
In late December, Mr. Tompa attended the first meeting of the European Commission's expert sub-group on “Dialogue with the Art Market" at the EC's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
His attendance at this month's follow-up meeting held in conjunction with the BRAFA Art Fair [2] in Brussels gave him the opportunity to join the event where Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission for Promoting our European Way of Life [3] gave a talk. Tompa met with and spoke to the top EU bureaucrat on the issue, Georg Haeusler.
Tompa also attended a presentation given by keynote speaker and criminologist, Dr. Donna Yates, Ph.D. (D.E.) of Maastricht University where she is an Associate Professor in the department of Criminal Law and Criminology. Yates presented, Joint efforts towards shared goals: fostering an art market that works for all stakeholders.
[1] Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Œuvres d’Art [CINOA]
[2] Brussels Expo – BRAFA 28 January 2024 – 4 February 2024 www.brafa.art
[3] European Commission "Promoting our European Way of Life (https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life_en)
Peter K. Tompa has accepted the position of IAPN’s Executive Director, effective January 1, 2024. He succeeds long-time IAPN Executive Director, Jean-Luc Van der Schueren.
Previously and going forward, Tompa has acted as the IAPN’s outside legal counsel, advocating for fair treatment for the micro and small businesses of the numismatic trade before government regulators. He has practiced cultural property law since the 1990’s and has written and lectured extensively about the subject. He is a past co-chair of the American Bar Association's Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee. He has been an avid ancient coin collector since he first saw such coins for sale while on a European family vacation in the early 1970’s. He is a life member of the American Numismatic Association and the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild as well as a Life Fellow of the American Numismatic Society. He was recently appointed as the IAPN’s representative on a European Commission expert sub-group on “Dialogue with the Art Market.”
Tompa hopes to assist IAPN’s President and Executive Committee in fosteringa healthy and prosperous numismatic trade conducted according to the highest standards of business ethics and commercial practice.
The IAPN was constituted at a meeting held in Geneva in 1951 to which the leading international numismatic firms had been invited. There were 28 founding members. Today, there are more than 100 numismatic firms in the membership, across several continents and twenty-five countries.
FOR ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION, PLEASE CONTACT:The IAPN General Secretary57, rue Grimaldi 98000 MONACO Email: secretary@iapn-coins.org | Tel. +377 93 25 12 96
On Friday, the 12th of January, newly appointed IAPN Executive Director, Peter K. Tompa spoke on topics related to numismatics, antiquities and cultural property law.
Peter discussed new and proposed import restrictions on coins, recent prosecutions for cultural property crimes, and developments in the European Union before taking questions for further discussion from members of the ACCG and the IAPN. Peter also introduced Keith Twitchell, who has succeeded Peter as the ACCG’s executive director.
The talk was held at the InterContinental New York Barclay's Morgan Suite within the bourse area of the 52nd Annual New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC).
Participants and IAPN Members attending the 52nd Annual New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC) held from 11 to 14 January in New York City were greeted at the IAPN's table by newly appointed IAPN Executive Director, Peter K. Tompa.
The IAPN plans to continue setting up booths at additional future events. IAPN members are welcome to gather, stop by to meet other attending IAPN members, and will help in staffing and representing the Association and its engagement in the hobby and industry for the public and other potential member candidates.
In late December, IAPN Executive Director Peter Tompa attended the first meeting of a European Commission expert sub-group on “Dialogue with the Art Market" at the EC's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting provided Tompa an opportunity to meet EU regulators as well as representatives of other industry groups. Tompa was allowed to provide EU regulators with information about the coin trade and its perspectives on proposed regulations. He plans to attend a follow-up meeting held in conjunction with an upcoming Brussels Art Fair where there will be an opportunity to meet with Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the EC.
With the beginning of the New Year, The IAPN are pleased to announce their long awaited website relaunch, resulting from an internal research and development initiative over the past several months.
Members of the Association and the public alike are invited to explore the reorganized website for archived news, the activities of its Membership, important announcements on international trade and additional numismatic resources and ongoing event updates.
Content available on the website has been reorganized by topic or associated to dedicated categories, while ongoing research into the Association's historical activities is being added as it becomes available. The Auction Calendar is regularly updated and the Lost Coin Archive is available for disseminating information when issues arise.
For any enquiries about the IAPN, please contact the General Secretary.
IAPN Member, Jeff Garrett of Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries Inc. has written an excellent article with important security reminders and suggestions for dealers and collectors alike. We encourage all to read and consider this important advice.
Originally published on the NGC website, please use the following link read the entire article: https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/12217/
Statement of the IAPN Regarding Criminal Complaint Brought by the Manhattan District Attorney Against Richard Beale, the Proprietor of Roma Numismatics
March 13, 2023
The International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) has become aware that the New York District Attorney’s Office has brought a criminal complaint against Richard Beale, the managing director of Roma Numismatics Limited, a London-based auction house. That criminal complaint alleges that Beale unlawfully purchased valuable coins from Italy, Greece, and Gaza in violation of local national patrimony laws and created false provenances to hide their illicit origins. The criminal complaint also alleges that Italo Vecchi, an Italian dealer based in London, aided this effort for a Roman Republican gold coin of Brutus and another silver coin from Naxos, an ancient Greek colony in Sicily.
To continue reading the complete statement, download the [PDF]
THE International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) have joined Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Œuvres d’Art (CINOA) as an Associate Member.
Their membership to this important organization representing the art trade, enables the Association and its global members access to a better understanding of and participation in European political developments on trade regulations in cultural goods and on money-laundering legislation. In joining CINOA the IAPN are gaining further insight and influence within Brussels to help better understand future challenges within the numismatic industry and to cooperate in building communication channels with authorities of the European Union to ensure that the IAPN’s point of view is included in the decision-making that will eventually form future laws affecting the trade in cultural materials, numismatic or otherwise.
Download the IAPN's Press Release to learn more about CINOA [PDF]
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 © 1951-2024. 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.