The American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money, scheduled Aug. 6 to 10 in Rosemont, Illinois, is miles from the Ascension Islands, but three new coins connect the two.

Minted Assets, a United States-based firm, has cooperated to release three Ascension Island coins to mark the 2024 ANA event, the first-ever decimal denominated legal tender coin issued during the show.

The three different coins carry the same basic design, with modifications reflecting the denomination variance between them.

A Reverse Proof silver-plated $1 coin is joined by a Proof .999 fine silver $5 and a Proof .9999 fine gold $100 coin.

Designing details

American coin designer and former U.S. Mint engraver Joel Iskowitz designed the coins for Minted Assets.

The obverse of the coins depicts the allegorical goddess Nomisma (her name employing the Greek word for “money”), laurels, and a representation of a U.S. 1793 Flowing Hair, Chain large cent.

Nomisma holds the World’s Fair of Money logo. 

Elsewhere on the obverse, set against a “slate background and border,” are the denomination identification, the legend E PLURIBUS UNUM, 2024, and the coin’s metal purity, weight, and designer initials.

The reverse depicts an American bald eagle in flight over Chicago’s outdoor sculpture Cloud Gate (also known as “The Bean,” a monumental, highly polished metallic work of art in the city’s Millennium Park). 

The eagle holds a rose in its talons, in symbol of the city of Rosemont, where the convention is held. An image of Dr. George F. Heath is seen in front of Cloud Gate. Heath was a founder of the ANA, which held its very first convention in the city of Chicago in 1891. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber originally created this image on a galvano in the early 1900s. The image was later turned into a medal for the ANA.

Mintage, availability

The coins all have reeded edges and a medallic orientation, or “medal turn,” meaning that, when turned like a page, the coin presents an upright view of its opposite side.

The silver-plated $1 coin weighs 25 grams, measures 38.6 millimeters in diameter, and is offered displayed in a coin card.

Most of its mintage of 1,000 pieces will be distributed at the show. Visitors to the show can obtain one at booth 730, where approximately 200 pieces will be made available each day of the show.

The silver $5 coin weighs 31.1 grams and is 38.6 millimeters in diameter. With a mintage limit of 600 pieces, it retails for $129 each.

The gold $100 weighs 31.1 grams and measures 32 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage limit of 120 pieces that retail for $3,925 each.

The silver and gold Proof coins will each be packaged in a box with a reversible insert that can be used to house the coin after grading and encapsulation. 

Numismatic Guaranty Co. will have an exclusive label acquirable only by submitting a coin to NGC at the show.

Chang Bullock of Minted Assets told Coin World that the firm will limit the number of coins sold per person to keep dealers from hoarding the coins for resale. 

For more information, visit the firm’s website, mintedassets.com.

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