Medallic Visionaries Jamie Franki and Heidi Wastweet Unite to Create Signature Medal Pittsburgh World's Fair of Money® Collectible Celebrates "Steel City" with Classic Lincoln Cent Design
Celebrate one of the year's premier numismatic gatherings with an exclusive collectible medal created by acclaimed artists Jamie Franki and Heidi Wastweet. Each year, the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money® welcomes collectors, researchers, and enthusiasts from across the globe for an immersive exploration of the art and history of money. Attendees can engage with hundreds of dealers, view extraordinary rarities, participate in educational sessions, enjoy family-friendly activities, and much more. This year's event takes place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA, August 25-29, 2026.
The stunning keepsake for this year's convention honors the legacy of the historic 1943 steel cent, and the iconic Lincoln cent design of V. D. Brenner. Struck as a tribute to Pittsburgh, the "Steel City," this exclusive medal masterfully reimagines classic coin imagery to feature local steelworkers and the iconic Duquesne Incline.
"From the restless imagination of Jamie Franki, we embarked on perhaps the most technically challenging design we have ever collaborated on," said Wastweet of the medal. "Years of established trust allows us to take these chances and what starts out as a 'what if?' ends up in an 'oh, wow!' It's exciting to get that kind of positive collector feedback."
Medal Details
The obverse depicts industrial steelworkers constructing a giant cent made of riveted sheet metal. Behind their work-in-progress, stylized elements of Pittsburgh's iconic skyline rise into view, seamlessly blending V. D. Brenner's original design with the city's manufacturing heritage.
The back of the medal features one of Pittsburgh's famous Duquesne Incline railcars, artfully occupying the exact position held by the Lincoln Memorial on the traditional cent. The design honors the historic 1877 funicular, a cable-driven, counterbalanced railway system that still lifts passengers 400 feet up Mount Washington for iconic views of the city's skyline and three rivers.
"Collaborating with Heidi Wastweet on ANA medal projects isn't just a baton pass of a finished design," said Franki. "We work together on the final designs to ensure they are coinable. We engineer all the subject elements to articulate a design that communicates clearly and is ready for sculpture. Her suggestions on composition and subject accuracy were incredibly generous and helpful. I didn't design this medal—we did."
This year marks the dynamic duo's third major design in partnership with the ANA, following their highly successful collaborations for medals celebrating ANA conventions in Philadelphia in 2018 and Oklahoma City in 2025.
Ordering & Availability
Medals are available in bronze (2.75" medal) for $90. To order a medal visit money.org/worldsfairofmoney-collectibles. Collectible pre-orders are not available for pickup at the show. Collectibles will be mailed after September 7, 2026. The ANA reserves the right to limit quantities per order.
About the Artists
Both Heidi and Jamie are alumni of the U.S. Mint's Artistic Infusion Program. Jamie is well-known as the designer of the 2005 Buffalo nickel reverse and the 2006/Beyond Jefferson nickel obverse. He is one of the most prolific designers of medals for the ANA's World's Fair of Money medals program.
Heidi served as the president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association and a member of the Citizens' Coinage Advisory Committee, and was selected as the winner of the 2024 ANA Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture. She has sculpted and designed thousands of coins and medals over the span of a long and impactful career in the medallic arts.
Additional information about the World's Fair of Money can be found online at WorldsFairOfMoney.com.
The American Numismatic Association is a congressionally chartered, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging the study and collection of coins and related items. The ANA helps its members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of educational and outreach programs, to include its museum, library, publications, conventions and webinars. For more information, call 719-632-2646 or visit money.org.
American Numismatic Association, 818 North Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80903, United States, (800) 514-2646
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