Smartest Person in the Numismatic World
I am specifically leaving this ambiguous to encourage all types of responses. Excluding yourself, who in your opinion is the smartest person in the numismatic world? Can be a collector, author, dealer, etc.
Comments
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I'd vote for Jim Halperin. Not necessarily because of his IQ as I don't know what that is. Coin hobby IQ's are not posted anywhere. He left Harvard shortly after getting there to form his rare coin firm in the early 1970's. Co-builder of Heritage in the 1980's. Futurist and visionary. Author. Possibly the best grader in the world at his prime. "Smart" can be defined in many ways though. I like to think of it as a summation of many human traits, not just "book" or "math" or "street" smarts or how much $$ you've made.
Breen was pretty smart...though not likely to get many votes. Colonel Jessup is so smart that I have to break out a thesaurus after every one of his posts.
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Iwog.
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Eric Newman
Fan of the Oxford Comma
CCAC Representative of the General Public
2021 Young Numismatist of the Year0 -
The guy who pays "top dollar" at his shop.
All glory is fleeting.1 -
Let me know who wins. I'll buy the book after it's published.
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I vote QDB, although the others are no slouches.
I was walking in to a Balt show with him a few years ago and happened to mention I had the 1895 volume of the Numismatist in my bag, he produced to tell me the stories he liked best from that year and was right on.
ANA-LM, NBS, EAC7 -
As the first poster wrote: "Smart" can be defined in many ways though. I like to think of it as a summation of many human traits, not just "book" or "math" or "street" smarts or how much $$ you've made. "
Their are just too many "smart" numismatists and some who would qualify are dead. It would be much easier to make a top ten or top twenty list. Some of the "smartest" numismatists - successful in life and numismatic authorities in their field would be unknown to perhaps 99.5% of the posters here.
@roadrunner said: "Colonel Jessup is so smart that I have to break out a thesaurus after every one of his posts."
I'm glad to know I'm not alone!
Breen, Salzberg, Bressett, Newman, Halperin, Grunthal, Bowers, Hubbard, blah, blah, blah...etc. I'll say many posting on CU would even qualify if we factor out wealth and fame. I don't wish to highjack the thread so all things considered, darn this is hard to pick one. I'm going to wuss out of a choice
@CoinsAndMoreCoins said: "Insider2, if you don't believe him or her, ask him or her."
Not funny, I would not be the "dot" on the "I" of Halperin. Perhaps you should get over your affliction with me and learn from those here who know more about coins than you ever will.
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Among the hobbies dealers there is no shortage of smart dealers.
Pat Vetter,Mercury Dime registry set,1938 Proof set registry,Pat & BJ Coins:724-325-72113 -
Saintguru!
Sometimes his biting wit masked his true genius, but he became expert in his series in a short time and was broadly versed in many subjects beyond numismatics.
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Saintguru!
Who he?
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@roadrunner said:
I'd vote for Jim Halperin. Not necessarily because of his IQ as I don't know what that is. Coin hobby IQ's are not posted anywhere. He left Harvard shortly after getting there to form his rare coin firm in the early 1970's. Co-builder of Heritage in the 1980's. Futurist and visionary. Author. Possibly the best grader in the world at his prime. "Smart" can be defined in many ways though. I like to think of it as a summation of many human traits, not just "book" or "math" or "street" smarts or how much $$ you've made.Breen was pretty smart...though not likely to get many votes. Colonel Jessup is so smart that I have to break out a thesaurus after every one of his posts.
I got high with Breen in Jan 1985. He had the mind of (perhaps) a four-year-old, a delusionary inner world and an eidetic memory. One-trick pony.
I am painfully over-educated, have a broad-ranging garbage-can memory and certainly over-qualify as a multi-talented idiot-savant
Jimmy Halperin is all @roadrunner avers. And lots of interesting more. Has been known to hang out with Stan Lee. Really big mind without a big head.
Droll sense of humor. Certified multi-platform genius 
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - Geo. Orwell7 -
Let's all use "eidetic" in a sentence before looking it up in the dictionary.
- My grandmother has an EIDETIC leg.
- Every woman at the party liked the EIDETIC design of the dress.
- The EIDETIC notes she took from the class were of no use to my on test.
- If not for his EIDETIC formula, the lab would have burned down.
- I offered the EIDETIC collector a low-ball price for his coins.
- ???
I'm going to educate myself now. You'll need to look up the word on your own.
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What happened? That word disappeared from the post and my dictionary!
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@Insider2 said:
Saintguru!Who he?
When you go to church, do you ask who God is?
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Eidetic memory or not, there aren't many dummies in the coin game.
Collector of Large Cents, US Type, and modern pocket change.0 -
You.
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Roger Burdette. His books are full of information. He has a plethora of knowledge.
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@Gazes said:
Excluding yourself, who in your opinion is the smartest person in the numismatic world?
I know several coin dealers that would claim that title.
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."----Voltaire1 -
I am the OP but let me throw in John Pittman who was the subject of a short article in Coin World this week which highlighted is incredible memory and knowledge of numismatics.
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@Coinstartled said:
@Insider2 said:
Saintguru!Who he?
When you go to church, do you ask who God is?
No, I take his existence on faith. Nevertheless, when someone posts the word "God" most know Who it refers to no matter what they believe or what faith/religion they follow. Even an atheist recognizes that Word.
I'll ask again...Who is Saintguru? Hopefully, the more informed members than I will know and respond.
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Check the thread that I bumped up for you.
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I dunno, I guess it depends on where you are sitting.
A few have a broad knowledge of everything to do with numismatics. Some specialize in only one type of coin. Some specialize in old coins and perhaps the history of old coinage. Some specialize in modern coins. Some specialize in error coins. Error coins are my field so I look to Fred and Tom as super smart guys.
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@Coinstartled said:
Check the thread that I bumped up for you.I'm sorry to be so stupid...really. I have no idea what a bumped up thread is and don't see any blue links.
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Thanks, I remember reading this thread recently. It should be very easy to ID the "Saint" with a single phone call when I get the time. Now that I need to do actual "work" I am less interested in who he is.
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@ColonelJessup said:
@roadrunner said:
I'd vote for Jim Halperin. Not necessarily because of his IQ as I don't know what that is. Coin hobby IQ's are not posted anywhere. He left Harvard shortly after getting there to form his rare coin firm in the early 1970's. Co-builder of Heritage in the 1980's. Futurist and visionary. Author. Possibly the best grader in the world at his prime. "Smart" can be defined in many ways though. I like to think of it as a summation of many human traits, not just "book" or "math" or "street" smarts or how much $$ you've made.Breen was pretty smart...though not likely to get many votes. Colonel Jessup is so smart that I have to break out a thesaurus after every one of his posts.
I am painfully over-educated, have a broad-ranging garbage-can memory and certainly over-qualify as a multi-talented idiot-savant
Jimmy Halperin is all @roadrunner avers. And lots of interesting more. Has been known to hang out with Stan Lee. Really big mind without a big head.
Droll sense of humor. Certified multi-platform genius There are several candidates here.
Up until last year this was an easy question but Herb Hicks (ProofArtWorkonCircs) has died.
I always suspected John J Pittman was pretty sharp but tried to hide it. Now days there are lots of contenders and we'll be able to see better when they've passed on. Numismatics seem to attract savants of many stripes and especially idiot savants.
tempus fugit extra philosophiam.0 -
My vote would be Q. David Bowers. When one man has written that many books on so many diverse subjects, he has to be on the list.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?6 -
Some of the smartest people in the world drive common cars, live in modest houses, have unimpressive jobs, and live quiet lives. Not all smart people chose to parley their knowledge into wealth, notoriety, or other esteemed symbols of success.
It just might be some guy in Louisiana stuffing Lincolns from circulation into albums for the pure enjoyment of it.
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@BryceM said:
Some of the smartest people in the world drive common cars, live in modest houses, have unimpressive jobs, and live quiet lives. Not all smart people chose to parley their knowledge into wealth, notoriety, or other esteemed symbols of success.It just might be some guy in Louisiana stuffing Lincolns from circulation into albums for the pure enjoyment of it.
No doubt.
And some people try to stay far below all the radars.
The "average guy" has always run the world anyway so why not be 'Joe six pack". It's easy to look smart and even easier not to.
tempus fugit extra philosophiam.1 -
@BryceM said:
Some of the smartest people in the world drive common cars, live in modest houses, have unimpressive jobs, and live quiet lives. Not all smart people chose to parley their knowledge into wealth, notoriety, or other esteemed symbols of success.It just might be some guy in Louisiana stuffing Lincolns from circulation into albums for the pure enjoyment of it.
@cladking said:
@BryceM said:
Some of the smartest people in the world drive common cars, live in modest houses, have unimpressive jobs, and live quiet lives. Not all smart people chose to parley their knowledge into wealth, notoriety, or other esteemed symbols of success.It just might be some guy in Louisiana stuffing Lincolns from circulation into albums for the pure enjoyment of it.
No doubt.
And some people try to stay far below all the radars.
The "average guy" has always run the world anyway so why not be 'Joe six pack". It's easy to look smart and even easier not to.
I understand the sentiment expressed in these posts; however, I disagree that either of these "numismatic giants" would even get on a list of the top 20,000 "smart" numismatists. Additionally, IMO, very many of us here would know even less about the field than the folks you both mentioned.
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Probably a guy or gal that got out long ago.
My Current project....https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mysetregistry/album/1607946 -
Broadstruck, Dr Mikey, Justacommeman, Greg Bingham.
For Commems, those are my go to minds/eyes.
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@LindeDad said:
Probably a guy or gal that got out long ago.Absolutely. The Sellers are the smartest people in the Numismatic World today.
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My vote would be Pogue, Newman, and the other big fish who left the hobby before Titanic hits the iceberg.
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I'm not smart enough to know .
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My vote would go to JD, John Dannreuther. He is as smart as the day is long and as nice a person as you could ever hope to meet.
TomT-1794
Check out some of my 1794 Large Cents on www.coingallery.org1 -
I would give another vote to Tony Terranova. He knows more about Colonials, Early Copper, and U.S. Coins in all series than anyone I have ever met in Numismatics.
TomT-1794
Check out some of my 1794 Large Cents on www.coingallery.org3 -
It's the one who gets the last chair when the music stops.
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See, too many to mention. I forgot about JD and TT. I wish we could each nominate 10 - 20 and no rankings of who's the best as it would be impossible.
What about those who cannot hear the music before? Maybe pick them as notable in each decade.0 -
I would say Tom DeLorey and David Alexander. They always beat me at The World Series of Numismatics.
The person I always go to for information is JK.
Rick Snow, Eagle Eye Rare Coins, Inc.Check out my new web site:1 -
Who is JK? Kern?
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JK is a savant and well rounded to boot with a wicked sense of humor . Not a bad pick at all
Martin Logies ain't too shabby either
mark
Walker Proof Digital Album
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......1 -
JK = John Kraljevich, 2016 ANA Numismatist of the Year.
He's known for writing highly accurate histories for the big coins in major auctions, among other things.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/602567/an-ending-a-beginning-john-kraljevich-americana/p1
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/11519313/0 -
There are clearly some brilliant numismatists who have also excelled in other fields. For me really smart, brilliant, fully human would involve a totally comprehensive knowledge base with the ability to fully utilize it if also wealthy for the benevolent benefit of the maximum number. Someone with comprehensive recall who has read most of the books on the Adler Van Doren book list. There used to be plenty of people like that, not so much these days when a college degree is the equivalent of what a top high school diploma used to signify for generations.
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@yosclimber said:
JK = John Kraljevich, 2016 ANA Numismatist of the Year.
He's known for writing highly accurate histories for the big coins in major auctions, among other things.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/602567/an-ending-a-beginning-john-kraljevich-americana/p1
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/11519313/That was my only other JK choice but I was embarrassed when I couldn't remember how to spell his name!
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I would split it into these categories:
smartest person for
coin business: Kevin Lipton
coin grading: Joe oConnor
serving wealthy clients: Laura Sperber0 -
Who is this? Coin dealer? TPGS grader?
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Lots of ways to slice it - best grader, best researcher, best trader, best writer, best executive, best cataloger, etc.
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PCGS founders.
Government is the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. - Bastiat
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