Sydney Martin accepts the 2020 Huntington Award
Press Release
New York, NY
November 23, 2020
The American Numismatic Society (ANS) awarded the Archer M. Huntington Medal to Mr. Sydney F. Martin on Thursday, November 19, 2020. The Huntington Medal Award is given annually by the ANS Trustees in honor of the late Archer M. Huntington in recognition of outstanding career contributions to numismatic scholarship.
The ceremony, streamed from the ANS headquarters in New York, was one of the Society’s most well-attended virtual events this year. Trustees, fellows, and members of the ANS from across the United States and abroad joined members of the Martin family as well as previous recipients of the award in celebrating Mr. Martin’s significant achievements.
A specialist in American Colonial numismatics, Mr. Martin has published widely on the topic and has served as the editor of the C4 Newsletter of the Colonial Coin Collectors Club. He has authored four books: The Hibernia Coinage of William Wood (1722–1724); The Rosa Americana Coinage of William Wood; French Coinage Specifically for Colonial America; and St. Patrick Coinage for Ireland and New Jersey. In addition to his research, he is a noted leader in the numismatic community, serving as the ANS President from 2012 to 2020 and as a founding member of the Augustus B. Sage Society.
Newly elected ANS President Dr. Ute Wartenberg presented Mr. Martin with the Huntington Medal and gave introductory remarks. Speaking on behalf of the Trustees and the awards committee, Dr. Wartenberg recounted Mr. Martin’s notable contributions to numismatic scholarship, especially to the study of American Colonial coinage. “When reviewing Syd Martin’s publications, the Huntington Committee was particularly impressed by the depth of research in these four monographs,” Dr. Wartenberg said. “They are models of how to do such numismatic studies: they incorporate detailed analysis of the dies, with research on the minting process, historical archival work, and outstanding historical analysis. As reviewers have pointed out, they will stand the test of time and remain indispensable for generations of researchers and collectors alike.”
After the award presentation, Mr. Martin delivered this year’s Silvia Mani Hurter Memorial Lecture, entitled “Numismatic Commemoratives of the 200th Birthday of George Washington in 1932,” in which he reviewed the coins, medals, plaques, and other numismatic objects issued in celebration of that occasion. The very well-received talk was followed by discussion and many warm wishes from attendees.
The American Numismatic Society, organized in 1858 and incorporated in 1865 in New York State, operates as a research museum under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is recognized as a publicly supported organization under section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) as confirmed on November 1, 1970.
