Big donation marks numismatic merger

Take that, counterfeits.

A donation of $100,000 to the Professional Numismatists Guild will go entirely to the hobby’s effort to fight fakes.

Half of the money came from Wayde Milas, RARCOA Chief Executive Officer in Willowbrook, Ill.

Half came from Standard Numismatics LLC President Brett Charville. His firm is located in Chicago.

The two had agreed to merge their firms, and the donations helped showcase the previously announced deal.

“RARCOA has been in business for over 80 years, and I’m not sure our profession has ever encountered a danger as real as the current threat of counterfeiting. For the profession and the hobby to thrive for another 80 years we must pull out all the stops to combat counterfeiters,” said Milas, who serves as PNG treasurer.

“Over the years I have come to realize just how fortunate I am to be part of the numismatic community, and I want to make sure I’m doing my part to combat the very real dangers that threaten our beloved profession every day by counterfeiters,” said Charville, a member of the PNG board of directors.

The PNG’s Executive Director Robert Brueggeman is grateful. He plans to put the money to good use.

“The PNG is delighted that Wayde and Brett are so generous with a combined donation of $100,000 to support the fabulous work of the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF). The PNG looks forward to working with Beth Deisher, ACTF’s Director of Anti-Counterfeiting, to continue and advance the success of the program,” said Brueggeman.

Like the others in this story, Brueggeman wears multiple hats. He also serves on the steering committee of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation.

Completion of the merger means staff changes.

Evan Clarke, a staff numismatist with Standard Numismatics, leaves RARCOA on Nov. 21, and Charville will go on Dec. 31.

"We thank them for their assistance during the merger and we wish them both the best in their future endeavors,” said Milas.

He also said former PNG President Jeffrey Bernberg has moved up from RARCOA Vice President to become the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, and RARCOA trader Cole Twitchell now is the firm’s Managing Director of U.S. Gold Trading.

Another Standard Numismatics staff member, Ryan Cook, has become Director of Modern and Retailer Programs at RARCOA.

These changes show that the numismatic field is a dynamic one.

However, some things don’t change.

The $100,000 gift to fight fakes is just another example of the generosity coin dealers are known for.

Well done.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog for the third time in 2017. He is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."