Call for Submissions: The 1500 Penn Prize of 2026
The Treasury Historical Association (THA) has published a call for submissions for the 1500 Penn Prize. This annual award – named for the Treasury Department’s address adjacent to the White House – given to a scholar, doctoral student, or independent researcher who has published a scholarly article exploring the history of political economy in the United States and whose work has made a significant contribution to their field of study. The prize committee especially welcomes articles related directly to the Treasury’s role in American life in historical perspective and that has the potential to enhance the public’s awareness of the Treasury’s work.
Only articles published between November 1, 2024, and February 1, 2026, will be considered. Book chapters and dissertation chapters are not eligible. Articles may cover any period of American history to include the colonial era, and may address topics such as (but that are not limited to):
Treasury-Centered Topics
- The Treasury Department’s origins, establishment, and role in early or modern American life
- Former Treasury secretaries, other Treasury officials, and career employees
- Specific agencies and bureaus within the Treasury
- Architectural history of the main Treasury building and its other agencies
- Role of the Treasury during moments of crisis including wartime, economic depression, and recession
- Treasury’s relationship to other federal agencies, state governments, and civil society organizations
- Emergence of the Treasury’s role in international finance and global commerc
General American political economic history
- Paper currency, coinage, and monetary history
- Corporations and regulation of the marketplace
- Capitalism, trade, and labor
- Traditions of political economic thought
- Agriculture, industrialization, and urbanization
- Local, state, and subnational economic relationships between groups
- International finance and the US dollar
The winner will receive an honorarium of $2500 and an invitation to present their research at the THA’s
prestigious lecture series. Speakers have included former Secretaries of the Treasury and leading scholars.
Funds for travel and accommodation may also be available. The application deadline is extended to
March 13, 2026. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. The committee expects to
announce its decision in April.
To apply, please complete and submit it through this form.