Ursula Kampmann receives the Premio Lastanosa
On 3 July 2026, Ursula Kampmann received the Premio Lastanosa, the award presented by the Spanish Numismatic Society NUMMUS, at the Evento Numismático in Madrid. This award is presented in two categories: for outstanding works on numismatics and for numismatic excellence.
The Premio Lastanosa
The prize is named after the Spanish numismatist Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa. A scholar from Huesca, he lived from 1607 to 1681 during Spain’s Golden Age. He combined a broad range of knowledge with a passion for numismatics, as so many scholars did during the Humanist period. He was enthusiastic about numismatics, worked tirelessly to document and research it, and was a passionate collector of ancient coins. This made him a key figure in Spanish numismatics. His work is regarded as the benchmark for why numismatics is considered one of the central disciplines within the humanities in Spain. Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa set an example of how numismatists should make a significant contribution to the field in order to be awarded the Premio Lastanosa.
The Premio for numismatic excellence is awarded to individuals, institutions, projects or online resources that have made a significant and methodical contribution to the development, promotion or dissemination of numismatics.
Laudation by Ana Serrano Hernández
In her laudation, President Ana Serrano Hernández explained the jury’s decision to award the prize to Ursula Kampmann as follows:
Dr Ursula Kampmann embodies the spirit of the Lastanosa medal. Some people measure their contribution to numismatics by their books, others by the collections they research, or by the institutions they represent. And then there are those who achieve something far more difficult: bridging worlds that all too often operate in isolation from one another. Dr Ursula Kampmann belongs to this select group. A qualified historian and numismatist, a meticulous researcher, a specialist journalist and one of the most influential voices in international numismatic public outreach, she has dedicated her life to building bridges. Bridges between academic research and collecting. Between museums and the market. Between experts and the general public. Between those who produce knowledge and those who preserve, research and communicate it. Through CoinsWeekly, its publications, conferences and international projects, she has made a decisive contribution to making numismatics a more open, accessible and international discipline. Her work demonstrates that public engagement is not merely about imparting knowledge, but about creating a community that shares that knowledge.
But there is another aspect of her career that deserves special recognition. At a particularly difficult time for collecting in Europe, when certain legislative initiatives threatened to jeopardise the private preservation of numismatic heritage and the historical role of collectors, Ursula Kampmann defended responsible collecting with determination, calm and sound reasoning. She did so out of a conviction that private collections are part of the history of numismatics and have for centuries contributed to scientific knowledge, the preservation of cultural heritage and the advancement of our discipline.
This commitment perfectly embodies the values that inspire the Lastanosa Medal for Numismatic Excellence. This decoration was established by Nummus, the Spanish Numismatic Society, to honour careers that make an exceptional contribution to the research, preservation, dissemination and defence of numismatics.
For all these reasons, and because she has demonstrated that excellence arises when knowledge is shared and placed at the service of the entire numismatic community, it is a great honour for us to award the Lastanosa medal to Dr Ursula Kampmann.
Congratulations, Ursula, and thank you very much for reminding us that numismatics thrives best when we build bridges.
Text and images: Ursula Kampmann
