Who is Eric Streiner, and how did he do it?

STONE

I've recently been searching auction catalogs and old collections for some of the finest Large Cents. I doing this research, I've come across none other than Ted Naftzger's collection.
His collection was one of controversy, as the ANS, from what I gather, accused him of swapping coins, in order to improve and upgrade his collection.
While not to belabor this instance, I wanted to track where his collection went after it was sold in 1992.

In googling his name, "Ted Naftzger Large Cent Collection", I got a hit from none other than the EAC website; makes sense don't it.
As I read the little blurb about his collection, I noticed that a 21 year-old named Eric Streiner bought Naftzger's "Half-Cents, early date Large Cents, and 56 Proofs".
Apparently all the coins were raw (as I understand it) until Streiner encapsulated 102 coins by PCGS. Streiner eventually sold over 100 coins to Jay Parrino, and that's where my search went cold.

So, my question is: Who is Eric Streiner? And where did he get the dough, at the age of 21, to buy Naftzger's colelction?
Also, what is Eric up to these days?

Link to the article I found about the Naftzger collection (sold March 1992): EAC blurb on Naftzger

COALPORTER

Interesting, I did a web search on Eric.
Is this the guy? Sounds like he's a self motived dude. Born not made

AmericanCopper

Still collecting

Connecticoin

I've been outbid on ebay by "ericstreiner" numerous times. Probably the same guy.

nicetoning42107

Isn't there a Cameron Stanley who has one of the, if not the, top PCGS proof Memorial Cent set? (He could have a lot more, this set was the only one I bothered to look up in the Registry the one time)

Isn't he a former YN and isn't he about 17 years old these days? I was wondering how he did it.

1798CentCollector

<< <i>His collection was one of controversy, as the ANS, from what I gather, accused him of swapping coins, in order to improve and upgrade his collection. >>



It was Sheldon who switched the ANS coins. Naftzger subsequently got caught up in this as the ANS brought suit to recover the coins.

roadrunner

Little Eric back in the 1988-1990 market was a force even being a teenager. He had a great eye that was among the very best at the time. He had Stacks among others behind him. Between him and Martin Paul it was hard to buy anything that slipped through the cracks in the 1988-1990 auction market. And the few times I did beat those guys, I invariably paid too much and didn't get the grade at PCGS/NGC. Ironically, a number of those coins found their way back to Eric and Martin and they eventually upgraded them. Yup, that was how it worked back in those days. I never dealt with Eric outside of the auction hall. He was upper crust, and I was the burnt toast.

Eric is still buying today though I haven't seem him on the bourse or at auctions since 2002. I was hoping to pick up a MS66/67 bust half out of Queller on the cheap but Eric was on it and took it home. But he's probably still out there behind the scenes. He collects art as well as he did with coins.

roadrunner

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

Eric is a cheap #@&amp;*. He hangs out with Tony Terranova, who is so jealous of that little shrimp, Tony gets annoyed and frustrated.

Eric also sold the complete John Story Jenks collection of Proof coinage in addition to Naftzgers coins. Where did that little worm get all his money ?

I heard he has a rich uncle who died and left him a big collection of stuff. Nobody knows except Laura Sperber and she ain't telling. Stay tuned for more famous quotes from Eric, and Tony and possibly Miss Sperber.

Stewart

Barry

He sounds like a modern-day QDB.

coindeuce

"Little Eric back in the 1988-1990 market"...
Uh O.K., so then at the age of between 10 and 12 little Eric just walked in to the coin market with pockets full of cash that his mother gave to him? Even a coin-savant has to have a lot of capital from somewhere to play in the market the way Eric did.

STONE

<< <i>"Little Eric back in the 1988-1990 market"...
Uh O.K., so then at the age of between 10 and 12 little Eric just walked in to the coin market with pockets full of cash that his mother gave to him? Even a coin-savant has to have a lot of capital from somewhere to play in the market the way Eric did. >>


Thus my inquisitive confusion!

tradedollarnut

He loves his Tiffany glass!

nicetoning42107

<< <i>"Little Eric back in the 1988-1990 market"...
Uh O.K., so then at the age of between 10 and 12 little Eric just walked in to the coin market with pockets full of cash that his mother gave to him? Even a coin-savant has to have a lot of capital from somewhere to play in the market the way Eric did. >>



Actually this would put him around 18 to 20 years old at that time. Cameron Stanley is currently younger than that.

EagleEye

Eric had the good sense to take the Naftzger/ANS scandal (then only a rumor) and deduced that Naftzger may want to bail out quickly and quietly. So he arranged an introduction and made the deal of the decade!

Edited to add: Where did he get the dough? I don't know, but when you snag a deal like that, getting the dough is very easy.

Type2

I like Little Eric he sound like some one I can hang around with.

CoinRaritiesOnline

<< <i>Eric is a cheap #@&amp;*. He hangs out with Tony Terranova, who is so jealous of that little shrimp, Tony gets annoyed and frustrated.

Eric also sold the complete John Story Jenks collection of Proof coinage in addition to Naftzgers coins. Where did that little worm get all his money ?

I heard he has a rich uncle who died and left him a big collection of stuff. Nobody knows except Laura Sperber and she ain't telling. Stay tuned for more famous quotes from Eric, and Tony and possibly Miss Sperber.

Stewart >>



Feel the love.

MrEureka

I heard he has a rich uncle who died and left him a big collection of stuff.

I'm afraid - no, actually certain - that Stewart is full of crap.

I met Eric early on when he was just getting started and got to know him pretty well. He must have been about 15 at the time. He's completely self-made. Unlike Stewart and his rich uncle.

MrEureka

Where did he get the dough? I don't know, but when you snag a deal like that, getting the dough is very easy.

Some of the money came from the profits earned when he sold the roughly $8 million Norman Stack type set. Which I only mention to point out that the Naftzer deal didn't fall into a nobody's lap. Eric was already a player.

nicetoning42107

<< <i>Where did he get the dough? I don't know, but when you snag a deal like that, getting the dough is very easy.

Some of the money came from the profits earned when he sold the roughly $8 million Norman Stack type set. Which I only mention to point out that the Naftzer deal didn't fall into a nobody's lap. Eric was already a player. >>



But he had to have money to buy that $8 million set to begin with. I know the idea in business is to make profits and your capital snowballs and you keep playing on higher levels. But to have that much capital in his teens, he had to have some kind of huge loan, major score, or something. To start with practically nothing and be dealing in millions in a matter of a few years (just how young did he start?) would be an absolutely incredible story I'd sit down to hear with anticipation.

coindeuce

I'll speculate that Mr. Streiner came from old garment district money.

CoinRaritiesOnline

<< <i>I'll speculate that Mr. Streiner came from old garment district money. >>



What makes you say that?

Longacre

This is an interesting thread, because I have never heard of this person. Re the Naftzger collection purchase and the fact that the coins were just rumored to be switched at that point (per EagleEye), did the ANS pursue the coins from Streiner, or were they disbursed immediately thereafter? That would be a bit telling.