What Happened To Cameron Kiefer's Collection?

KellenCoin · April 7, 2019 4:52PM

Cameron Kiefer was a well known-collector on these forums and in the numismatic community before he sadly passed away in 2010. He was a quite avid collector of slabs, specifically sample slabs. However, I realized that I had never heard what happened to his collection after his passing. So, I am bringing the question to you: do any of you know what happened to his coin collection?

Zoins · April 7, 2019 4:55PM

His passing was really sad. I'm not sure what happened to his collection, but if no one has information, you can try contacting his wife, Angie, through his memorial fund:

Cameron Kiefer Family Memorial Fund
c/o Mutual of Omaha Bank
P.O. Box 69
Nederland, CO 80466

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/denverpost/obituary.aspx?n=cameron-wade-kiefer&pid=147453011&fhid=4376

Hemispherical · April 7, 2019 5:06PM

I do not recommend contacting the widow. It has been nine years and everyone has moved on.

SeattleSlammer · April 7, 2019 5:27PM

It’s a judgement call but I don’t think acting in good faith would cause harm. My mom passed last year, she was an avid quilter.......if someone reached out years later from now to ask about something quilting-related of hers, I certainly wouldn’t be upset about it.

Zoins · April 7, 2019 5:51PM

I imagine if the slabs are still in the family and they don't know what to do with them, they may be happy to have the collection go to an avid collector who can make Cameron's memory and legacy live on.

Of note, his site is still running:

http://sampleslabs.com

Coinstartled · April 7, 2019 6:09PM

I agree that it is best to leave the family alone.

habaraca · April 7, 2019 6:57PM

If you contact them, best not to mention this forum

jdimmick · April 7, 2019 7:05PM

I have had several people in the coin club pass away, and always wonder what happens to the coins. I have never approached a widow, because it just felt awkward, most of the time, even sometimes several years have gone by, and they sought me out. Not everybody , but quite a few.

Being Cameron's death was tragic, I wouldn't advise seeking out family members , when the time comes, I am sure remaining family members will contact somebody if they hadn't already.

PerryHall · April 8, 2019 1:52AM

I'm a life member of Baltimore Coin Club. When a member passes we have club members who assist the deceased club member's widow and family with the orderly disposal of the deceased member's coin collection.

keets · April 8, 2019 3:15AM

probably best to let sleeping dogs lie. my boss often expresses wonder about where a collection goes after a regular customer dies and time passes with no contact. we never reach out, we wait for the heirs to contact us if they choose to.

i think it would be in bad taste to contact his widow, especially after so much time. this forum is a drop of water in a big Numismatic ocean which is probably where his collection went.

ldhair · April 8, 2019 3:16AM

I thought Cam had sold his collection. I would not try contacting the family. Let the past be.

grip · April 8, 2019 4:53AM

ColonelJessup · April 8, 2019 5:15AM

Unfortunately, Cam committed suicide after running up six figures worth of unpayable debt. I can't name which Forum members were hurt. I taught Intro to Grading at Summer Seminar with Cameron. Good guy but his reach exceeded his grasp. I'd sooner rob a grave than contact his family. To them, ghoulish is ghoulish.

ricko · April 8, 2019 5:24AM

I agree that contact would be a bad idea. The circumstances of his demise were very bad and no doubt his holdings were liquidated to cover issues. Cheers, RickO

Walkerfan · April 8, 2019 6:05AM

I'm sure that his holdings were liquidated LONG ago....

bigmountainlion · April 8, 2019 6:41AM

He was only 28?

Walkerfan · April 8, 2019 7:07AM

@bigmountainlion said:
He was only 28?

Yes, he had the world in front of him.....very sad and tragic....

logger7 · April 8, 2019 7:30AM

Many youths are put on a pedestal and lose their way. I have an older brother who was not kept in check and ended up in jail where he belonged to learn hard lessons. Too bad he didn't get the "help" he needed in whatever form. While there is life there is hope and help.

KOYNGUY · April 9, 2019 5:36PM

Cameron's collection, or what remains of it, is stored in ANACS vault. It has been there since shortly after his death. I have been the custodian for it until his widow decides to do something with it. I believe it is mostly cheaper items as he sold what he could to appease his creditors. Never the less probably a couple grand and a lot of work to get it sold. If Anyone has any ideas on how to do it, Let me know. Please keep comments positive as this is still a sensitive area for me, Thanks, J.P. Martin

KellenCoin · April 9, 2019 5:52PM

@KOYNGUY said:
Cameron's collection, or what remains of it, is stored in ANACS vault. It has been there since shortly after his death. I have been the custodian for it until his widow decides to do something with it. I believe it is mostly cheaper items as he sold what he could to appease his creditors. Never the less probably a couple grand and a lot of work to get it sold. If Anyone has any ideas on how to do it, Let me know. Please keep comments positive as this is still a sensitive area for me, Thanks, J.P. Martin

I sent you a DM.

MrEureka · April 9, 2019 5:53PM

@KOYNGUY said:
Cameron's collection, or what remains of it, is stored in ANACS vault. It has been there since shortly after his death. I have been the custodian for it until his widow decides to do something with it. I believe it is mostly cheaper items as he sold what he could to appease his creditors. Never the less probably a couple grand and a lot of work to get it sold. If Anyone has any ideas on how to do it, Let me know. Please keep comments positive as this is still a sensitive area for me, Thanks, J.P. Martin

Message sent.

kiyote · April 9, 2019 5:57PM

He definitely imparted a lot of wisdom about his area of expertise. We can enjoy that as his legacy.

BStrauss3 · April 10, 2019 2:03PM

I might be a nice legacy to donate to the ANA Museum (if they would be interested). As a group we've raised that kind of money before...

SeattleSlammer · April 10, 2019 2:35PM

Wow it’s a small world here. Thanks for chiming in J.P.

Hemispherical · April 10, 2019 4:42PM

@KOYNGUY

Thanks for doing what you are doing for all these years for the family. Good heart.

KOYNGUY · April 10, 2019 6:03PM

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll pass them on. Again, I'm not sure what the contents are, leftover inventory and some sample slabs, misc items. All in a box of 150 pounds or so. Angie is still a single mom with 2 kids and I'm
am quite sure she is not rolling in it. I know she would want any liquidation to be low key out of respect to all parties. Man, hard to accept it has been 8 years plus.

Cougar1978 · April 11, 2019 5:33AM

eBay blowout?

DCW · April 11, 2019 7:13AM

Why not list them here? I'm sure members who remember Cameron would buy what remains at strong prices, knowing that 100% proceeds would go to his children.

TwoKopeiki · April 11, 2019 7:27AM

I think partnering with our host on a commemorative label and hosting an internal sale / fund raiser with funds split between Cameron's family and AFSP would be a way to go.

topstuf · April 11, 2019 8:12AM

@PerryHall said:
I'm a life member of Baltimore Coin Club. When a member passes we have club members who assist the deceased club member's widow and family with the orderly disposal of the deceased member's coin collection.

The Stockton coin club would do the same thing.
"Orderly" meaning "as applied to vultures."

Zoins · April 11, 2019 8:36AM

@TwoKopeiki said:
I think partnering with our host on a commemorative label and hosting an internal sale / fund raiser with funds split between Cameron's family and AFSP would be a way to go.

This would be a nice gesture. He was a YN on these forums and we grew up with him. Sometimes things don’t work out but there are still a lot of good memories to focus on.

illini420 · April 11, 2019 10:41AM

I think anyone who helps to buy or sell these coins may unfortunately also hear from some of the folks that are still owed. A sad situation, and one that I wouldn't voluntarily involve myself with.

Hemispherical · April 11, 2019 11:52AM

The Statute of Limitations on Debt varies from State to State.

BryceM · April 11, 2019 12:13PM

Maybe, but there is no statute of limitations on sore feelings. This was all before my time here, but it sounds like a perfectly horrible situation. It’s probably wise to be discrete about any dispersal of the collection.

KOYNGUY · April 20, 2019 3:36PM

Kellen, sent EM, J.P.

yspsales · April 21, 2019 3:04AM

Due to boredom, spent last weekend reading about his meteoric rise and unfortunate fall.

I remember him from a past visit to the forum.

Did not know he had passed.

Did not know Russ or Bear had passed before rejoining a few months ago.

Today is a good day to be humble and thankful, and remember those no longer with us.

BStrauss3 · April 21, 2019 7:50AM

Kellen is a YN who is very interested in samples - he's found several nice, odd, unusual ones that I've bought from him on fleaBay.

Zoins · April 21, 2019 9:26AM

@FSF said:
2. For Zoins or anyone, would the memorial fund still even be in place at this point?

Also, props to KOYNGUY for chiming in. What a coincidence.

Not sure about the memorial fund still being active but absent KOYNGUY’s post, it seemed like one way to reach out. I’ve never run a memorial fund so I don’t know how long they last. Someone is still maintaining Cameron’s website so that is still alive.

There was an unfortunate set of events. If something good can come of it, why not?

ms70 · April 21, 2019 9:51AM

Don't make a big deal out of something that isn't.

Zoins · April 21, 2019 10:48AM

@FSF said:

@Zoins said:

@FSF said:
2. For Zoins or anyone, would the memorial fund still even be in place at this point?

Also, props to KOYNGUY for chiming in. What a coincidence.

Not sure about the memorial fund still being active but absent KOYNGUY’s post, it seemed like one way to reach out. I’ve never run a memorial fund so I don’t know how long they last. Someone is still maintaining Cameron’s website so that is still alive.

There was an unfortunate set of events. If something good can come of it, why not?

Because I side with those that believe that the issue should be left alone, especially as it relates to contacting family members. SeattleSlammer mentioned that his mother was into knitting and that he wouldn't be upset if someone contacted him about her knitting years later. But that is apples and oranges. I'm sure his mom was a fine knitter and very much enjoyed doing her thing. To ask SeattleSlammer about it probably brings back fond memories of something that probably only positively impacted his mom's life.

But where Cameron's family is concerned, I'm guessing they all probably feel that coins had a significant role in his ultimate demise and broaching that could very well open up some old wounds that need not be done. If one of Cam's old little league buddies wanted to talk to them about how they use to to turn double plays when they were twelve, I'm guessing that would probably be quite fine. But the entire topic of coins is very likely an emotionally sensitive and painful matter.

My perspective is that may be beneficial to recall the good parts of the past so that his memory can live on in a good way, to have a legacy so to speak. It may be useful to know that there are people that can still recall the good times and regret what happened. Kellen is also a YN like Cameron was so there may be a sense of continuity, that his life has some additional meaning.

It’s hard to know what anyone thinks without asking them, but a sense of meaning and legacy can be valuable for some. I think it’s good for this to go through an existing relation so I’m glad KOYNGUY found this thread.

Zoins · April 21, 2019 11:00AM

@ms70 said:
Don't make a big deal out of something that isn't.

KOYNGUY is here and responding to this now so I think we should let this proceed as he and the family wishes.

ms70 · April 21, 2019 11:54AM

@Zoins said:

@ms70 said:
Don't make a big deal out of something that isn't.

KOYNGUY is here and responding to this now so I think we should let this proceed as he and the family wishes.

That is precisely my point. There is no need for any more back & forth on what to do.

What Happened To Cameron Kiefer's Collection?

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