CSNS Names Mint Director Paul Hollis as 2026 Q. David Bowers Award Recipient

(Schaumburg, Illinois) March 23, 2026 -- United States Mint Director Paul Hollis will be presented with the Central States Numismatic Society’s prestigious Q. David Bowers Award during his opening day appearance at the 2026 CSNS convention on April 23 in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois.

The annual award recognizes contributions to the hobby by numismatic professionals and is named in honor of well-known dealer and prolific numismatic author Q. David Bowers. Members of the CSNS Board of Directors select each year’s recipient.

“Paul Hollis’ appointment as Director of the United States Mint reflects a lifetime devoted to collecting, scholarship, and service to the hobby for which the Bowers Award was created. He has been a coin collector since childhood, and recalled that while classmates wrote reports about Babe Ruth or Amelia Earhart, he chose as a topic early American scientist and first Mint Director David Rittenhouse,” said CSNS President Mitch Ernst.

“A graduate of Louisiana State University and longtime member of the American Numismatic Association, Hollis served with distinction in the Louisiana legislature and as a professional coin dealer in New Orleans. He is an award-winning author whose book, American Numismatist, received the 2012 Best Specialized Book on U.S. Coins honor from the Numismatic Literary Guild,” explained Ernst.

“To promote the hobby and the four special designs created for the reverse of Lincoln cents in 2009 to commemorate the 200th birthday of President Abraham Lincoln, Hollis gave away one million Lincoln cents, including some older wheat stalks design coins. A million cents weighs approximately 2.7 tons. That’s about 5,400 pounds of pennies,” said Ernst.

Each penny was accompanied by an illustrated, educational brochure that Hollis produced explaining the history of the Lincoln cent.

Hollis said he is grateful to be selected as this year’s CSNS award recipient.

“I am deeply honored to have been selected for this award. Q. David Bowers is a true legend in numismatics, and his work has inspired countless collectors, including me.  As a lifelong numismatist, I consider my appointment as the 41st Director of the United States Mint—my dream job—as both a privilege and a responsibility. I am committed to advancing this great hobby, strengthening our industry, and inspiring the next generation of numismatists,” stated Hollis.

President Donald J. Trump nominated Hollis to be the Director of the United States Mint on July 16, 2025, and the United States Senate confirmed him for this position on December 18, 2025. On January 5, 2026, Hollis took the oath of office, becoming the 41st Director of the United States Mint. 

Following his 12 years of service in the Louisiana Legislature, he was elected to the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2023, serving a constituency of 500,000.

He has also served on various professional boards, including the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (now the National Coin & Bullion Association) and the Numismatic Literary Guild.

The CSNS convention will be April 23-25, 2026, with PNG Dealer Day and early bird entry on April 22 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 North Thoreau Drive, in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Director Hollis will talk about the Mint’s dual-dated 1776-2026 Semiquincentennial coins at an educational symposium scheduled for 10:30 am on April 23.

For additional information about the Central States Numismatic Society and its annual convention, visit the website.