Great Numismatists?
MidLifeCrisis
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Most of the people we think of as "great numismatists" have been very wealthy.
The Garretts, the Norwebs, Eliasberg, etc.
Certainly, they formed great collections and their coins were often the best available.
But should you be considered a "great numismatist" if your ability to form a great collection is simply derived from the fact that you have enough money to buy any coin you want?
It seems to me that for a very wealthy collector, all you really have to have are connections and patience.
The Garretts, the Norwebs, Eliasberg, etc.
Certainly, they formed great collections and their coins were often the best available.
But should you be considered a "great numismatist" if your ability to form a great collection is simply derived from the fact that you have enough money to buy any coin you want?
It seems to me that for a very wealthy collector, all you really have to have are connections and patience.
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The Norweb's and Garrett's were putting together collections before the telephone existed and there were barely any reference materials.
If I were to make a list, I don't know exactly who I would put on it, but I do know that Sylvester Crosby would be at the top.
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Tom Delorey comes to mind.
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<< <i>There are some great numismatists who post right here.
Tom Delorey comes to mind. >>
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>Rich collectors can be great numismatics as well as the researchers and writers just different ends of the same stick maybe?
Heck yea. Look at what Bass did.
Go Herb! To know you is to love you. Rob
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Bumping this old post and curious about everyone's thoughts.
Partial list, alphabetical by first name or initial.
I think @MFeld is a Great Numismatists ! That guy loves toned Peace $... lol (inside joke)
I have always considered the term 'numismatist' to represent a vast array of skills covering basic collectors to researchers and all combinations in between. Wealth can certainly enhance one's collection, not necessarily one's skills/knowledge base. Also there are those with extensive general knowledge and then those with extensive focused knowledge (i.e. VAM's, different dies and die states, one series/type focus). Numismatics is a vast field and no one knows everything. Cheers, RickO
I vote for Fred Weinberg. Who in my loving innocence I once referred to as the “slabbed cricket guy”. ( of all the times to have an old guy memory lapse)
There are others here that qualify in my opinion. The best part is all I have to do is ask reasonable questions, be polite and study.
What a great time to be alive! Thanks to you all and special thanks to Fred who graciously let me slide and kindly understood my lapse of memory 😉
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I vote for the great numismatic writers, like Robert W. Julian and David T. Alexander. I've always told Bob that I want to be him when I grow up.
You are a great numismatist and numismatic writer Tom! People like Roger are following in your footsteps with pieces like the INCO patterns
Along the same lines, your Elder reference is a standard and could be updated! I see you have a NLG best article award. When you update the Elder book, try to get a NLG best book award!
It should be noticed, that some forum members like Mike @Byers have won NLG Best Book awards!
Hmm. let me add both of you to my list!
Two of the greatest numismatists I have ever had the pleasure to know were Russell Logan and John McCloskey. They both authored definitive reference books as well as founding and running two of the most popular specialty clubs in numismatics. I can not imagine modern numismatics without their contributions.
Even though they built very meaningful collections their research and dedication to education FAR out weighed the coins they accumulated.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
John McCloskey is a great example!
@Zoins said:
“ It should be noticed, that some forum members like Mike @Byers have won NLG Best Book awards!”
There are some other forum members who should be added to the list as well, who have also won the NLG Best Book award.
In my circle of friends, I'm a tremendous numismatist.... of the highest order, in fact.
I'm also the only one who collects coins.
You need a larger circle. 😉
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
I would also like to add DWLange as a great numismatist.
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Curious that I have not seen Ken Bressett's name mentioned. At 92, Ken is as sharp as a tack. He still writes and will be a special guest at the Fundamentals of Grading class at the ANA National Money Show in Colorado Springs. He is a real gentleman and the newest member of the Society of Bearded Numismatists.