A ten-year memoriam for Robert S. Archer

For the twenty years during which I was active in the numismatic scene of New York City, fall of 1973 thru summer 1994, there was a core group of active dealers, collectors, convention workers and club members who would have contact with each other sometimes weekly, but at most semi-monthly.

There was also some movement between the between certain firms by the staff members.

One of these folks was Robert S. Archer, and I was reminded that this month is the tenth anniversary of his death.

Bob's collecting speciality were early 20th century proof and specimen issues of the British Commonwealth. Many of these were struck at the Heaton Mint. They are beautiful coins. They were sold in a Sprink sale.

His professional career took him first from a life as a Madison Avenue advertising account executive to the Numismatic Director of Spink & Son, USA Inc. which opened with a boutique office on the 19th floor of 445 Park Avenue. They held sales in special locations for the time - The Plaza Hotel and the Waldorf-Astoria. At the Waldorf sale, they also intrduced the book Art of Coins and their Photogrpahy, with a reception that not only included finger food, but a string quartet.

Upon leaving Spink, he would spend time at the numismatic department of William Doyle Galleries, mostly dealing with estate collections, then Sotheby's, and finally, Stacks / Coin Galleries where I got to work with him for four years before my re-location to Wisconsin.

When I got to be his co-worker, he was recovering from a divorce, and had a wonderful daughter, who would eventually attend Harvard.

Bob had trouble controlling his diabeties, and after a long a steady decline, he had one health issue heaped upon another. Toward the end he was having a most difficult time and was mostly confined to a wheel chair.

Be careful out there.

George