NumismaTalks: ANA eLearning Academy Webinars

Explore 250 Years of American History through Numismatics
April 20, 2026, 12 pm MT

The coinage of the United States is a tangible link to many of the most important events in the country's history. We will explore coinage that circulated when the nation was formed and the early issue of the US Mint in 1792 and 1793. Over the course of the next 250 years, the coinage of the United States was an important part of many major events. Numismatics is an excellent way to explore American history. In 2026, the U.S. Mint will issue many coins to celebrate the country's 250 anniversary. Our exploration will conclude with a study of the coins created for the United States semi quincentennial.

Jeff Garrett is a professional numismatist from Lexington, Kentucky, with over 50 years of experience. Jeff has handled nearly every United States coin ever issued and is considered one of the country's top experts. He is also the Senior Editor for the Guide Book of United States Coins (Redbook).

Funding the Revolution: Gold and Silver Coins Circulating in 1776 United States
April 21, 2026, 12 pm MT

What gold and silver coins circulated in 1776 as the United States declared its independence from Great Britain? While the famous paper Continental Currency was used to fund operations in the 13 states and keep the economy in order, gold and silver played a crucial role in keeping the Red Coats at bay in the borderlands of the country in the initial stages of the war. This presentation will cover what coins were then in circulation, how Congress procured them, and why a large portion of the gold and silver in the country was then exported.

Jesse Kraft, Ph.D. is the Resolute Americana Assistant Curator of American Numismatics at the American Numismatic Society, where his curatorial duties include the coins, tokens, medals, and paper currency of both North and South America. Since joining the ANS in 2019, he has published extensively, with topics ranging from colonial coins and paper currency, the Continental dollar, Victor D. Brenner, and even microbes living on money. Jesse is also the Treasurer of the International Committee of Money and Banking Museums (ICOMON).

The Continental Currency that Funded Our Revolution and the Post War Confederation Coinage
April 22, 2026, 12 pm MT

This presentation is an overview of the importance of our Continental Currency and the state coinages that started 2 years after the Treaty of Paris.

Ray Williams authors the quarterly “Early American Money” column in The Numismatist. He is a retired electronic technician who started collecting by earning the Boy Scouts Coin Collecting merit badge. He is a past president of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club, a Rittenhouse Society member, and a fellow of the American Numismatic Society. He enjoys researching and writing about colonial numismatics and giving presentations.

Revolutionary Money: The Nova Constellatio Quint
April 23, 2026, 12 pm MT

This presentation will discuss how on Sunday, March 23rd, 1783, a ship arrived in Philadelphia carrying the Preliminary Articles of Peace, a document that formally recognized American Independence, and brought the Revolutionary War to a close. On March 24th, the United States Treasury issued a warrant to government employee Benjamin Dudley, who returned nine days later to deliver what Founding Father Robert Morris described as, "the first that has been struck as an American Coin."

Morris's first American coin was lost to history in 1783, and remained a mystery for over 200 years. In 2017, research published by The Numismatist identified the piece as the Plain Obverse Nova Constellatio Quint, and demonstrated in addition to being a first, the Quint and Morris's other Nova Constellatio patterns were revolutionary coins that changed the face of money forever.

Donald H. Kagin is a prominent American numismatist, author, and professional coin dealer, widely recognized as one of the leading authorities on pioneer gold coinage and United States rarities. He holds the distinction of earning the first-ever Bachelor of Arts degree in Numismatics from Northwestern University, later completing a PhD in Numismatics from the Union Graduate School.

David J. McCarthy is a highly respected American numismatist, researcher, and author, currently serving as the Senior Numismatist and Researcher at Kagin’s, Inc. He is widely considered one of the foremost experts on early American coinage, pioneer gold, and Western Americana.

Finding Tony: Anthony de Francisci and the Public Reception of the 1921 Peace Dollar
April 24, 2026, 12 pm MT

Anthony de Francisci is known to coin collectors as the designer of the Peace Dollar (1921 to 1935) and his famed silver dollar was just a small part of an active sculptor's studio. Working directly from the artist's personal scrapbooks, we'll explore the public reception of his Peace dollar, the popular narrative of his wife who served as the model, and how this single project fit into the larger context of his professional life as a working sculptor in the 1920s. Further, we'll consider the concept of how this one coin - which represented a single relatively small project for him - has an outsized impact on his reputation.

Steve Roach is an independent appraiser of coins, art, archives and collections based in Maryland and has been involved in numismatics since he was a young collector in Michigan in the 1990s. He spent nearly two decades in various positions at Coin World, serving as its Editor-and-Chief. He teaches art appraisal methodology and ethics for the International Society of Appraisers, providing a unique viewpoint to examine an artist’s economic and artistic life.

Out of the Shadow: The Golden and Silver Ages of Comics in Numismatics
May 14, 2026, 12 pm MT

“Truth, Justice, and the American Way.”
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
Or perhaps: “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!”

These timeless catchphrases, born from the earliest days of pulp, comic, and radio adventures, have echoed far beyond their pages and broadcasts—transcended into lasting emblems of strength, virtue, and the American spirit.

This presentation explores the origin stories of comics in numismatics, uncovering how coins, tokens, and medals reflected the popular culture of their time—and how they continue to inspire collectors today.

Robert Penn began his numismatic journey in California during the 1990s, where an early fascination with history and collecting grew into a lifelong pursuit. Currently, he serves as talent relations manager for Phoenix Fan Fusion, a major pop culture convention in Arizona. He is a researcher and specialist in Columbiana and exonumia. He contributed to the American Numismatic Association, both as a competitive exhibitor and as a presenter in the NumismaTalks series. He is a life member of the American Numismatic Association and a member of The Medal Collectors of America, where he is a regular contributor and serves as auction correspondent. He is also the author of Striking History: The U.S. Mint at the Chicago World's Fair.