Kagin catalog cover design contest deadline nears

Calling all artists.

Gold and silver coins will be given as prizes for two designs.

What kind of designs, you may ask?

Specifically, Don Kagin is looking for a catalog cover for his March 2018 American Numismatic Association National Money Show auction.

The convention is March 8-9 in Dallas, Texas, so there isn’t much time.

Deadline for submissions are to be in Kagin’s office on Feb. 16.

“We thought it was time to re-emphasize the connection between art and numismatics by making the auction catalog itself a collectible work of art,” Kagin said.

He calls the results of this process the Artist Series Catalog Covers.

For his March 2017 auction cover, Kagin said over 50 artists from around the world submitted over 135 designs.

The cover design artist winner, Chris Costello, will be working with Kagin to source future artists’ designs.

Costello is a graphic artist and illustrator. He is on the board of trustees for the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum. He is also a United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program artist.

I happened to be a judge in that first contest.

It was an eye-opening experience.

Such quality artwork.

Besides, I was working with other hobby luminaries in making choices for finalist designs.

Ken Bressett, Mary Lannin, Heidi Wastweet and Barbara Gregory also were judging.

Kagin’s email is nina@kagins.com.

The mailing address is 1550G Tiburon Blvd. Suite 201, Tiburon, CA 94920.

Here is a link for the firm's website.

Time is short.

Any interested artist should get to work immediately.

“We hope this can bring more artists and art enthusiasts to our field,” Kagin said.

That’s a good thing.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog for the third time in 2017 . He is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."

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