Tweet
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEDALS WIN BEST-IN-SHOW
By: Contributor
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/06/07/armenian-genocide-medals-win-best-in-show/
Tue, Jun 7 2011 .
MILWAUKEE, Wisc.-Three displays of Armenian coins, medals, and paper
currency were recently honored with gold prize awards in competitions
held in Chicago and Milwaukee.
The exhibits were prepared by recognized numismatic expert Dr. Levon
Saryan, a member of the Armenian Numismatic Society and the Society
for Armenian Studies, and an overseas member of the Armenian National
Academy of Sciences.
"Armenia's Agony: Commemorative Medals of the 1915 Armenian Genocide"
received "Best in Show" honors at the April 2011 South Shore numismatic
show held in Milwaukee. This display presents the history of the
Armenian Genocide through the medium of numismatic monuments.
The prize award, a 1/10th ounce pure gold coin, was presented at the
annual club banquet on May 21.
Rare Cilician Armenian silver coins were featured in the
display entitled "A Medieval Armenian Coin Hoard," which garnered
second-in-class for ancient coins at the highly competitive Central
States Numismatic Society convention held in Rosemont, Ill., near
Chicago, in late April. Featured in the display was a hoard of over
250 medieval silver coins dating circa 1200 A.D. from the kingdom
of Cilician Armenia. The prize, presented on April 30, was a 1/4th
ounce pure gold coin.
"Armenia 1919: The Artistic Banknotes" received third-in-class for
foreign paper money, also at the Central States show. Presented were
the attractive banknotes designed for the Republic of Armenia in 1919
by noted artist Arshag Fetvadjian. The award was a 1/10th ounce pure
gold coin.
"In the hobby world, enthusiasts enjoy showing off their material
to the public and other collectors," said Saryan. "People who
rebuild classic cars enter their cars in shows, the cars are judged
competitively, and the winners receive fancy prizes. It's the same
in numismatics. Designing a competitive display is kind of like being
a museum curator."
Saryan's displays are on Armenian subjects, each with a unifying
theme. "To assemble a winning coin display," he explained, "you
gather material related to the theme, do basic and detailed research,
prepare carefully written descriptions and explanations, and design the
display. On the day of the show, you lay out your display attractively
in locked glass museum cases."
Competing displays are graded by independent judges. There may be
anywhere from a dozen to 100 other displays, on topics ranging
from American silver dollars to Zimbabwe paper money. Criteria
typically include technical accuracy, background information, concept
originality, attractiveness of presentation, effective use of color,
completeness of a collection, and condition and rarity of the material,
graded on a 100-point scale. Results from three or four judges are
tallied to determine the winner.
"Preparing an attractive, educational display is a great way to
promote our heritage and history to others," Saryan said. "It's
a learning process for the viewer, and also for the exhibitor who
prepares the display. Numismatic exhibiting combines scholarship and
concise presentation of facts with a sense of aesthetics and design.
As far as we know, no one else in America is preparing Armenian
numismatic displays and being recognized for them."
By: Contributor
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/06/07/armenian-genocide-medals-win-best-in-show/
Tue, Jun 7 2011 .
MILWAUKEE, Wisc.-Three displays of Armenian coins, medals, and paper
currency were recently honored with gold prize awards in competitions
held in Chicago and Milwaukee.
The exhibits were prepared by recognized numismatic expert Dr. Levon
Saryan, a member of the Armenian Numismatic Society and the Society
for Armenian Studies, and an overseas member of the Armenian National
Academy of Sciences.
"Armenia's Agony: Commemorative Medals of the 1915 Armenian Genocide"
received "Best in Show" honors at the April 2011 South Shore numismatic
show held in Milwaukee. This display presents the history of the
Armenian Genocide through the medium of numismatic monuments.
The prize award, a 1/10th ounce pure gold coin, was presented at the
annual club banquet on May 21.
Rare Cilician Armenian silver coins were featured in the
display entitled "A Medieval Armenian Coin Hoard," which garnered
second-in-class for ancient coins at the highly competitive Central
States Numismatic Society convention held in Rosemont, Ill., near
Chicago, in late April. Featured in the display was a hoard of over
250 medieval silver coins dating circa 1200 A.D. from the kingdom
of Cilician Armenia. The prize, presented on April 30, was a 1/4th
ounce pure gold coin.
"Armenia 1919: The Artistic Banknotes" received third-in-class for
foreign paper money, also at the Central States show. Presented were
the attractive banknotes designed for the Republic of Armenia in 1919
by noted artist Arshag Fetvadjian. The award was a 1/10th ounce pure
gold coin.
"In the hobby world, enthusiasts enjoy showing off their material
to the public and other collectors," said Saryan. "People who
rebuild classic cars enter their cars in shows, the cars are judged
competitively, and the winners receive fancy prizes. It's the same
in numismatics. Designing a competitive display is kind of like being
a museum curator."
Saryan's displays are on Armenian subjects, each with a unifying
theme. "To assemble a winning coin display," he explained, "you
gather material related to the theme, do basic and detailed research,
prepare carefully written descriptions and explanations, and design the
display. On the day of the show, you lay out your display attractively
in locked glass museum cases."
Competing displays are graded by independent judges. There may be
anywhere from a dozen to 100 other displays, on topics ranging
from American silver dollars to Zimbabwe paper money. Criteria
typically include technical accuracy, background information, concept
originality, attractiveness of presentation, effective use of color,
completeness of a collection, and condition and rarity of the material,
graded on a 100-point scale. Results from three or four judges are
tallied to determine the winner.
"Preparing an attractive, educational display is a great way to
promote our heritage and history to others," Saryan said. "It's
a learning process for the viewer, and also for the exhibitor who
prepares the display. Numismatic exhibiting combines scholarship and
concise presentation of facts with a sense of aesthetics and design.
As far as we know, no one else in America is preparing Armenian
numismatic displays and being recognized for them."