The Kingdom of Bermania is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Big Fig Revolt and His Royal Majesty King Alanus I’s ascent to the throne. The first numismatic event in the year of festivities, the meeting of the Bermanian Guild of Numismatists (BeGON), took place on January 18 in conjunction with the New York International Numismatic Convention. Held at the Barclay InterContinental Hotel in New York City, the event opened with Eric, the grand count of New Amsterdam, introducing King Alanus, who retold the story of the Bermanian Fig Revolt. (The full history appears in Allen Berman’s book Please Ignore Our Time Machine.)
The general public and royalty alike attended the meeting, and all received a nickel-silver crown to commemorate the festivities. The obverse features the first portrait of King Alanus, and the reverse depicts the Big Fig statue. Robert Woodrow Maringer of the Shire Post Mint in West Fork, Arkansas, engraved and struck the coin. Mintage is limited to approximately 580 pieces. The commemorative is available for $15, plus $6 in postage. A limited-issue .999-fine silver version (mintage of 16) is also available for $118, plus postage.
Other 50th anniversary events will include a BeGON meeting and a meeting of Bermania’s Royal Court at the Central States Numismatic Society’s convention, held April 23-26 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Bermania is the brainchild of numismatist Allen G. Berman. It is a small, fictitious kingdom in the East Balkans near the Danube River. The ANA has officially recognized Bermania and designated the royal couple (King Alanus I and Queen Barbara) as its regional representatives.
A version of this article appears in the April 2025 issue of The Numismatist (money.org).