Donald Benge, RIP

Julian

I have just learned and confirmed that Donald Benge, a long time coin dealer that specialized in Morgan dollars was killed in an automobile accident earlier this month.

Don was an old time dealer from back in the sixties and even earlier and was quite active in his earlier days. I saw him last at the 2/07 Long Beach show where he was set up. He had many additional interests, as well.

Rest in Peace, Donald.

http://www.usaveteransfencing.org/

http://www.swordplaystudios.com/press/benge.html

Longacre

Sad to hear that, Julian.

coinkat

He had a shop in Burbank, California back in the old days...

lordmarcovan

I think I remember the name from my old NumiNews subscription days.


Edit- maybe even before that, when I was a YN in the late 1970s, and a reader of Coins magazine instead of NumiNews.

CaptHenway

He always used to have the first inside right-hand page in COINage, selling O-Mint dollar sets and other stuff.
TD

FredWeinberg

An interesting numismatic personality, someone
I first met in the late 1960's, and did business
with him from around 1972, throughout the
early 90's.......

As I recall, he was also a master Chess player;
Julian might know a bit more about this.......

Since I'm here in the Valley, and I do read the
papers every day, I'm surprised I missed his
obit........

Fred

Julian

Donald was an advanced chess player, but I am not sure if he reached the Master status. He used to play with another dealer friend and silver dollar maven, Steve Ruddel.

If you paste the above links, you can also see that he was an advanced fencing champion and greatly admired there.

Gemini

Sorry to hear that he died so tragically Julian. I also remember seeing his name in early numismatic publications. R.I.P. Donald

RareBronzeCollector

R.I.P.

MidAtlanticCoins

Donald was a very interesting person, and will be missed by all those knew him....