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Have you ever been awe-inspired by meeting a famous numismatist?
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
I was reading the new $3 gold book by Bowers/Winter (sorry, RYK 
) and Winter mentioned in the introduction that in the 1970's he met Thurmon Munson from the New York Yankees, and about a week later, he met Q. David Bowers for the first time. Winter stated that he was more awe inspired by meeting Bowers than with meeting Munson! I thought that was a great comment and goes to show the importance of great numismatists. Although I consider the Yankees to be the center of the baseball universe (and New York in general), I thought it was really interesting.
Has anyone else met a famous numismatist and been inspired?
) and Winter mentioned in the introduction that in the 1970's he met Thurmon Munson from the New York Yankees, and about a week later, he met Q. David Bowers for the first time. Winter stated that he was more awe inspired by meeting Bowers than with meeting Munson! I thought that was a great comment and goes to show the importance of great numismatists. Although I consider the Yankees to be the center of the baseball universe (and New York in general), I thought it was really interesting.Has anyone else met a famous numismatist and been inspired?
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
1
Comments
Russ, NCNE
Apropos of the coin posse/aka caca: "The longer he spoke of his honor, the tighter I held to my purse."
<< <i>and am always going into shops right after he left. >>
Man, that would be depressing.
Russ, NCNE
I think that changes in the media, the internet, and dissemination of information, plus maturity
I got to say hello to QDB at a show but what I really would have liked is to have the chance to shoot the breeze with him. Another guy it would be great to have the chance to sit down and chat with is Pistareen. Once at the ANA Summer Seminar I eavesdropped on a conversation he was having with Ken Bressett in the ANA Library about colonial contemporary counterfeits and I remember thinking just how little I really know about US coinage.
In fact, that's one of the great things about the ANA Summer Seminar. You can sit down and have a meal with people like Doug Winter, Rick Snow, James Wiles, njcoincrank, etc. When else would an average collector ever get a chance like that?
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
<< <i>ksteelheader, that dinner was a blast, wasn't it? >>
A BLAST FROM THE PAST!!!
I remember that 1989 convention very clearly, mostly because of all the "famous" people I'd heard about that I got to actually meet there: John Ford, John Pittman, Don and Helen Carmody, Bill Fivaz, and more. In the end, with a lot of them, as I got to know them the awe turned to regular old friendship.
Probably the two people I'm still awe-struck by are John Ford (whose phone conversations always required a notepad nearby to write down all the fantastic stuff he would tell you) and Eric Newman, who was a young boy in St. Louis when Lewis and Clark passed through town. They're both legends who remind me how little I know about esoteric US numismatics (sorry Kranky -- I'm a few steps down the food chain from these guys!).
My advice to those of you who may find yourself awestruck the first time you meet the numismatic greats of our age: strike up a conversation, and feel free to talk about things other than coins. They're all pretty normal folks. Except QDB. No one who can write that many books in a year can be called normal!
Regarding meeting non-numismatic heros, when I met Pete Rose he looked like a guy who had just woken up from a 10 hour drive on a Greyhound. I was underwhelmed. But meeting the Dalai Lama lived up to the hype.
Betts medals, colonial coins, US Mint medals, foreign coins found in early America, and other numismatic Americana
<< <i>Remember I'm a WANNABE WANNABE! I met Laura once, but she was far too busy to even talk to me!! >>
Apparently smoebody likes you!!!
I had thoughts of stopping in to see Russ but, the closer i got to Kent the more sweaty my palms got and the more nervous i got.
The thought of meeting the Kennedy GOD face to face was just too much for me to bear.
and besides, i hear he has weapons..............
I've read and heard about Dave for over 40 years and this old 60 year old guy must have looked like a school kid when I said, "Q. David Bowers! I'd like to shake your hand." He offered us a seat and we sat and chatted like we'd known each other for years. Very pleasant and we learned a few things too.
Our wives thought we were a little goofy when we came back and said meeting Dave was the highlite of the show for us. A close 2nd was seeing a proof 1895 Morgan, a MS66 (or 67?) 16-D Mercury dime and a MS65 1798 Bust Dollar all in the same case.
Pete
Louis Armstrong
Eric
<< <i>I wanna meet Mad Marty >>
<< <i>I wanna meet Mad Marty >>
That's easy. If you really hurry up and go to almost any coin shop, he'll be the one walking out.
<< <i>
<< <i>I wanna meet Mad Marty >>
That's easy. If you really hurry up and go to almost any coin shop, he'll be the one walking out. >>
So I've heard....
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>I wanna meet Mad Marty >>
That's easy. If you really hurry up and go to almost any coin shop, he'll be the one walking out. >>
So I've heard....
Peg, you will never meet me! Because I'm the one stalking you!!
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>I wanna meet Mad Marty >>
That's easy. If you really hurry up and go to almost any coin shop, he'll be the one walking out. >>
So I've heard....
Peg, you will never meet me! Because I'm the one stalking you!! >>
Can I stalk you then?
<< <i>The first time I met John Kraljevich (Pistareen) was pretty awe inspiring. He may not be famous yet but he certainly will be! >>
Just having Pistareen respond to one of my inane Colonial posts was inspiring to me.
Eric
<< <i>I remember the first time I met the "Legend" herself, Ms Laurie Sperber. After I introduced myself she turned to me and said these awe inspiring words.... "oh no, what do you want, I'm busy!" >>
The time I met the Legend, she took one look at me and asked "Federal, state or local?"
I almost pooped my levis, it was Walter frickin Breen !
Talked for about 10 minutes.
<< <i>singer/piano player named Barry Mantilow. Not really impressed with all that either. >>
Nobody is.
Russ, NCNE
<< <i>I wanna meet Mad Marty >>
The question was "numismatist" not "numismatute"!
Joe
Those will surely be days to remember!
<< <i>
<< <i>singer/piano player named Barry Mantilow. Not really impressed with all that either. >>
Nobody is.
Russ, NCNE >>
In the 1970's I played basketball in high school and college. While doing so I met and played hoops with some NBA players. I was and am amazed by how good they are (god given athletic ability, hard work and mental toughness) but they are like anyone else and have the same human strengths and weaknesses (physical, meidical, emotional, psychological, moral, spiritual, etc.). Some are great persons, some are scumbags. Same thing with lawyers (my current occupation).
The flip side of being awe inspired is being disgusted. I have met many people, especially in my legal work, that have nothing good or positive about them. Quite the opposite frankly and after meeting them I am reminded that "pure evil" does exist.
In that vein, I heard a story from a dealer I know about the infamous Walter Breen. Years ago at a large show, the dealer attended with his young son. The boy went to use the bathroom and other dealers advised his father to go get his son immediately (which he did). Seems that Mr. Breen was using the facilities at the same time. Talk about creepy. Though many say Mr. Breen's private troubles should not tarnish his professional work, I find it difficult to do so now, years after his death. It would have been impossible to do so when he was alive. My sitting down and talking coins with him or doing business with him simply would have never happened.
The Ludlow Brilliant Collection (1938-64)
<< <i>
Some coin geek who, with his father, used to hang out with some second-rate drag racer whose name escapes me.
Eric
Bozz Scaggs I ran into when I was in law school in Sacramento sometime in between late 1979 and early 1981. Out late in Old Sacramento on a Saturday night. My friends and I had been drinking beer at Fannie Ann's and left at about 1:00 a.m. We did not want to go home yet so we stopped by a small bar a couple of doors down. Live music, played by none other Bozz Scaggs. About a dozen people listening. What a treat.
Huey Lewis I ran into at the SF Airport. I was returning home from a flight and was walking through a corridor to the parking garage. Huey Lewis was walking from the garage to the terminal. Decked out in a black boots, black jeans, black turtleneck T-shirt and a deep purple sport coat. I could not believe how short and petite the guy is. He looked about 5'4" and about 120 lbs. TVfilmvideos sure make him look larger than life.
John - I'm still having trouble envisioning Walter Breen, Pete Rose and the Dalai Lama all in the same room. But the funny thing is, my lack of imagination aside, it completely wouldn't surprise me if you were there with them.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Check out the Southern Gold Society
Steve
<< <i>The first time I met John Kraljevich (Pistareen) was pretty awe inspiring. >>
Mr. Boiler: This is a name-dropping thread. When you only have my name to drop, you need to get out of Indiana more!
My guess is that you were only awe-inspired because I offered to let the boss buy you, Rick, and I lunch.
<< <i>John - I'm still having trouble envisioning Walter Breen, Pete Rose and the Dalai Lama all in the same room. >>
Andy: Next time I see you, remind me to tell you what it's like to be with Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama when one decides to play a joke on the other. (True story)
Betts medals, colonial coins, US Mint medals, foreign coins found in early America, and other numismatic Americana
Forgot to mention, In the late 80's I met and shook hands with Mickey Mantle - I was in NY attending a coin Auction and the was a long break between the morning session and the the coins I was interested in. I had a late lunch and was walking along Central Park South when I cam eto the Restaurant called "Mickey Mantle's". I went in to get a couple of match books for my 12 year old son who collected baseball cards - At the Restaurant they sold post cards with Mickey Mantle's photo - the cost a buck - when I went to pay for them the nice young lady asked me If I'd like one with "Mr. Mantle's" autograph? I asked "How much" - she gave me a funny look and said - all you have to do is go in the back and ask him. So I did! He was sitting having a beer (one of many we found out several years later) with another former Yankee and I politely asked him if he would autograph the postcard for my son - Which he did - I told him that I grew up rooting for him in the 50's EXCEPT when the yankees played the Detroit Tigers - He kinda chuckled and said they had a couple of good pitchers on the Tigers - I said yes they did: Frank Lary and Jim Bunning - Mantle said Yep - both those guys struck me out more than once - I replied - Yeah - but you hit your share of home runs off of themand I also remarked that he was one of the few players who ever hit a ball out of Tiger (Briggs) stadium! When I asked him if he would autograph one for me - he did and when I reached for the card he shook my hand and asked if my son played baseball - Quite an experience and very unexpected. He had arms like stove pipes!
“It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.” Mark Twain
Newmismatist
But it occurs to me that the Coin Collecting community is a pretty small group. Virtually every "big name" you can think of is accessable for a couple of reasons:
- For the most part, they are in the public service business. Dealers, authors, company owners, what have you. Unlike Hollywood or major sports, they actually would be hurt by hiding from the public.
- In their daily life, they are totally anonymous. So they don't have the fear of the public that other "famous" people would be.
- Coin geeks don't scream, tear at their clothing, or throw undergarments at them.
You can never forget his dialect. The perfect toupee even back then. He even dabbled with coin collecting.
But the most awe inspring numismatist for me ? Emory Mae Norweb. What a real collector! I was fortunate enough to absorb much of what she personally taught me.