Atta Boy - Mentoring in Numismatics

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Perhaps more than any other collecting pursuit, mentoring in numismatics plays a crucial part in so many journeys. In "Atta Boy" Victor Bozarth reflects on the importance of mentorship and those that helped him realize his now 34 year full-time career in the coin business. Below are a couple excerpts from that piece:

Mentoring in numismatics is crucial. The folks who have mentored me have been instrumental in my decades-long career in coins. Whether it was an uncle, grandparent, or teacher who planted that seed, watered and nurtured it, and protected it when it was small without that “mentoring” reaching maturity is questionable. Coins are funny… You’re either into them or you’re not. The crazy thing about coins is that it crosses all the generations. Many of my mentors are no longer with us, but their lessons continue to guide me today. Be a mentor to a young numismatist!

Fred Sweeney is one of the most knowledgeable U.S. numismatists living today. Although retired now, Fred had become a dealer in the early ‘60s after collecting in high school. He often told me stories of the dealers and individuals who had both helped and mentored him. One of his favorites was a counselor at Northeast Junior High School in Kansas City, Missouri, who was active in the local “Heart of America” Kansas City coin club named Ray Lefman. Ray mentored several young numismatists, including Fred. Ray was well known in the Midwest and was a Central States Numismatic Society (CSNS) award winner for his work with young numismatists.

Full piece: https://www.pcgs.com/news/atta-boy

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