Reporters 1913 Liberty Head Nickel story earns ANA Presidents Award
American Numismatic Association President, Gary E. Lewis, has presented the ANA President’s Award to David Tirrell-Wysocki, a veteran reporter and writer for the Associated Press in Concord, New Hampshire.
Tirrell-Wysocki’s May 26, 2003 wire service story headlined, “Coin experts offer $1 million reward for missing 1913 Liberty Head nickel,” helped lead to the emergence and authentication of the previously missing Walton specimen coin at the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Baltimore on July 31, 2003.
“His story was distributed around the world and launched a chain of events that directly led to the first public display of the Walton nickel in 41 years. If the story had not been written, there’s a good chance the coin would still be residing in a closet,” said Lewis.
The coin had been out of sight since 1962 when its owner, George O. Walton of Roanoke, Virginia, died in an auto accident. It was kept for decades by Walton’s heirs in a strongbox on the floor of a closet after they were mistakenly told it was an altered date and not genuine.
After reading the AP reward story, and subsequently contacted by other news organizations, the heirs brought the coin to the ANA World’s Fair of Money® convention in Baltimore last summer where it was authenticated as the previously “missing” fifth known 1913 Liberty Head nickel.
“I was thrilled to learn my story helped find the rare nickel and honored to receive the President’s Award. It was an unexpected development in a story that prompted interest all over the country,” said Tirrell-Wysocki.
The famous Walton nickel is now on temporary loan to the ANA Money Museum and will be exhibited at this summer’s ANA convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 18 – 22.This was the first President’s Award given by Lewis since taking office last August. The award was presented to Tirrell-Wysocki at the Bay State Coin Show in Boston, Friday, March 19.
Originally Release Date: April 7, 2004
ANA Contacts: Phone: 719-482-9872
Email: pr@money.org