Hello again! I am continuing to go through old Coin World columns and other items in connection with writing my autobiography. This week’s message is short and sweet:
In connection with the book, I hope to turn the manuscript over to Whitman Publishing this summer
Category Archives: Numismatic Biographies
Selby Ungar: The King of Carson City Silver Dollars
Selby Ungar (1937-2018), known to the numismatic community as the “King of Carson City Silver Dollars,” passed away on October 9, 2018, at the age of 81. He was renowned for his sincerity and integrity; being a U
Joseph Menna brings his unique portfolio of talents to the position of chief engraver
On February 4, 2019, United States Mint Director David J. Ryder announced that the new chief engraver of the Mint will be Joseph (Joe) Menna
Joe Menna named chief engraver of the United States Mint
Washington — United States Mint Director David J. Ryder announced that Sculptor-Engraver Joe Menna has been named chief engraver of the United States Mint
Bowers on Alexandre Vattemare and the Numismatic Scene
Alexandre Vattemare was quite the character and personality. He lived two lives, and was famous in both
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin appoints Thomas J. Uram to succeed Mary N. Lannin as CCAC chair
Thomas “Tom” J. Uram has recently been appointed by Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to succeed Mary N
Gijsbertus Willem de Wit,1926-2018
On December 1, 2018, Gijsbertus Willem de Wit passed away. He was first and foremost known to numismatists because of his extensive collection of medieval coins, which was sold in three parts by the auction house Künker in 2007-2008
Lunch with. . . David Fanning
Welcome to the third installment of our series, “Lunch with.
Don Bailey, dean of Mexican numismatics, has passed away
On August 10 the numismatic community lost one of its pioneers, Don Bailey, a prominent dealer and specialist in Mexican numismatics, who worked tirelessly to expand interest in this area of the hobby over the past half-century.
Born and raised in Michigan, Don left the state during the Korean War to join the U
Once obscure, American Civil War tokens now take the spotlight
In the early 1940s, young George J. Fuld was first bitten by the coin-collecting bug (as were many other Americans, during a boom in hobby interest that started in the Great Depression)
Lunch with. . . Barry Sunshine
Welcome to the second installment of our series, “Lunch with.
Bowers on collecting: Coins of the presidential administrations — Thomas Jefferson
This week I give another overview of the coins issued during the administrations of various presidents from George Washington to date with a small selection of illustrations. To include all of the design types—never mind different dates and varieties—would far exceed the space available
Ken Bressett — my friend and mentor
In 1974 I had the great fortune of being awarded a scholarship to attend the American Numismatic Association’s Summer Seminar. It was the first time I had flown on an airplane, and to say I was excited would be a huge understatement
The Life and Work of Chester Beach
During the past 225+ years there have been a large number of artists, sculptors, and others who have been responsible for designing the coins that so many Americans have used in everyday commerce. Many of these should be of some familiarity to numismatists, such as George T
The Life and Work of Laura Gardin Fraser
One of the most prolific female sculptors of the early 20th century, Laura Gardin Fraser is known in both the art and the numismatic worlds. Besides numerous medals she is probably best remembered for her designs of several classic commemoratives, some of which were designed together with her husband, James Earle Fraser, whose life we covered in a previous article of this series