Category Archives: Numismatic Biographies

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Bowers on collecting: Autobiography

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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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

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