This year, there were over 40 entries for the American Medal of the Year (AMY) awarded by the American Medallic Sculpture Association. Committee Chairman, Mel Wacks, indicates that "The jurors remarked about the highquality of the entries, and took three rounds of voting to choose the winner-a 3 x 3 inch square art medal featuring the Black Crowned Night Heron by Heidi Wastweet, commissioned by Brookgreen Gardens."

Heidi writes "I chose the Black Crowned Night Heron as my subject based on the large population of them in Brookgreen's Cypress Aviary. About 90% of the birds in the aviary are Black Crowned Night Herons who oftentrustingly let visitors walk up very close to them. I love spending time watching and photographing these noisy, entertaining birds but they are often overlooked by park visitors so I wanted to highlight them in a beautifulway. The two sides of the medal show two sides of the bird's character - the serious, gruff side, and a playful, goofy side. The composition of the design is intended to not only be pleasing individually on each side butalso displayed side by side joined to make a single fluid design so the birds face each other in a yin-yang fashion."

Just over 1000 medals were struck to be given exclusively to Brookgreen members subscribing at the "Presidents Council" level ($275) and higher. Ordering information can be obtained at www.brookgreen.org/membership or by calling 843-235-6000.

The runner-up was the Shekel Prize Medal by Victor Huster, commissioned by the American Israel Numismatic Association. This extra-high relief medal will be awarded annually to the author of the best published work on thesubject of Judaean, Israel, Holy Land or Judaic Numismatics. The medal design features an ancient Judaean Shekel stone weight, an ancient Judaean Shekel from the First Revolt, and a New Shekel coin of Israel (also designedby Huster). A special edition of 10 Artist Proofs were made, and are available for $250 each from AINA by calling 818-225-1348.

All of the AMY entries will be illustrated in the AMSA newsletter. Medal collectors and medallists are invited to join the American Medallic Sculpture Association by sending $40 (US & Canada) or $50 (Foreign) to AMSA,P.O. Box 1201, Edmonds, WA 98020.

For more information on Heidi Wastweet and her work, see:
http://www.wastweetstudio.com/

for more information on the American Medallic Sculpture Association, see:
https://amsamedals.org/

for more information on the American Israel Numismatic Association, see:
http://www.theshekel.org/