Official Medal For 2011 World's Fair Of Money Honors History

The following is a press release from the ANA
The official medal for the American Numismatic Association's 120th Anniversary Convention, August 16-20 in Chicago, is available for purchase. Artist Jamie Franki, former master designer in the United States Mint's Artistic Infusion Program, has been commissioned to design an historic four-medal set for the 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 World's Fairs of Money based on the well-known flag of Chicago.

The flag of Chicago has four stars, each representing an important aspect of the city's history. The first star represents Fort Dearborn, a U.S. fort built on the Chicago River in 1803. The second star represents the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The third and fourth stars represent two World's Fairs held in Chicago, in 1893 and 1933-34.

For the 2011 medal, Franki honors an historic battle from the War of 1812. Fort Dearborn's commander, Captain Nathan Heald, left with his garrison for Fort Wayne when a band of Potawatomi ambushed the group 1 ½ miles south, killing 38 men, two women and twelve children. The fort was burned to the ground. The Battle of Fort Dearborn is commemorated on the fort's site with a monumental sculpture by Henry Hering called Defense, which adorns the Chicago River's Michigan Avenue Bridge.

The concept for the Fort Dearborn Commemorative uses both sides of the medal to commemorate both sides of the battle. The obverse features one of the Potawatomi warriors and the reverse features the Fort and one of the Army Regulars, both of whom were derived from Henry Hering's Defense monument.

Jamie Franki is an art professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In 2005, his American Bison Nickel reverse design was selected for a six-month minting and received the "Coin of the Year" award for Most Popular Coin. In 2006, his Jefferson 1800 nickel obverse design was featured on America's historic forward-facing circulating coin. Franki has designed medals for the 2007 ANA National Money Show and 2008 and 2010 ANA World's Fairs of Money.

Only 125 numbered bronze medals (2 ¾ inches) will be struck, along with 175 numbered two-medal sets (1 ½ inches, bronze and .999 fine silver) and 125 convention medal badges (1 ½ inches, with ribbon drape). Bronze medals are $65, two-medal sets $155, and badges are $26. The ANA reserves the right to limit order quantities per purchase. Pre-paid orders are being accepted for August delivery by calling 1-800-367-9723.