Hobby leaders honored by peers
The Professional Numismatists Guild 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jeff C. Garrett of Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries in Louisville, Ky. He also was a former PNG president and…
The Professional Numismatists Guild 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jeff C. Garrett of Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries in Louisville, Ky. He also was a former PNG president and was sworn in Aug. 14 as president of the American Numismatic Association.
“Jeff’s excellent reference books, his dedication to the hobby and profession, and his efforts to help the Smithsonian continue to expand and exhibit the National Numismatic Collection make him the outstanding choice for this year’s award,” said Barry Stuppler, co-chair with Dana Samuelson of the PNG Lifetime Achievement Award Committee.
Samuelson told the audience that Garrett started working as a coin dealer in his teens and now is in his fifth decade as a professional numismatist.
Steve Ivy of Dallas, Texas, co-chairman and CEO of Heritage Auctions and a former PNG President (2003 – 2005) was given the Abe Kosoff Founders Award by Terry Hanlon and John Maben.
Ivy first began advertising in the national media in 1964 when he was 14.
Fred Weinberg gave the Sol Kaplan Award. He told of catching a coin show thief through cooperation of a number of coin dealers.
Victor Bozarth of Bozarth Numismatics, Inc. of Brenham, Texas and Sarah Miller of Heritage Auctions, New York City, actually got the award, for their critical roles, but they were not alone. In a sense the award went to a group of dealers.
The Significant Contribution Award went to Julian M. Leidman of Bonanza Coins in Silver Spring, Md. It was given by Jeffrey F. Bernberg. Bernberg was the recipient of the Distinguish Service Award for 12 years of service to PNG, which included a term as president (2011-2013).
Robert Korver of Heritage Auctions was given the Achievement in Excellence Award for Korver’s “countless hours championing the fight against import restrictions.”
Korver warned those present that there are people in government and the archeological community that consider private collectors to be criminals and we must always be on our guard.
John G. Hanson of Wellesley, Mass., was not present, but he was recognized for 50 years of PNG membership.
For 25 years of membership, the honorees were Klaus J. Degler of Denver, Colo.; William Dominick of Tappan, N.Y.; Stephen J. Gehringer of Allentown, Pa.; Salvatore Germano of Hawthorne, N.J; Ed Grundy of Pueblo, Colo.; James Halperin of Dallas, Texas; Richard N. Nachbar of Williamsville, N.Y; Daniel N. Ratner of Rockville, Md; and affiliate member Paul R. Whitnah of Arlington, Texas.
Numismatics might be the study of coins, but the truly successful put people at the center of it as the dinner and its awards clearly proved.
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News.
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