Dealers inducted into Hall of Fame

The PCGS CoinFacts Coin Dealer Hall of Fame has inducted eight more renowned members.

The past and current dealers added to the prestigious list are Thomas Elder, Jim Halperin, Art Kagin, Abner Kreisberg, Steve Markoff, Lester Merkin, Edward Milas and Norman Stack.

The 2013 induction ceremony was part of the PCGS Set Registry luncheon conducted during the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in Rosemont, Ill., on Aug 16.

The presenters at the ceremony included Q. David Bowers, Ron Guth, David Hall, Kevin Lipton and Harvey Stack.

“The Hall of Fame was created to recognize outstanding dealers, past and present, who have made the most significant contributions to numismatics and who have handled great coins and great collections,” said Don Willis, president of Professional Coin Grading Service, a division of Collectors Universe, Inc.

“The motto of the Hall of Fame is a quote by Sir Isaac Newton: ‘If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,’ and we believe that is certainly true in our hobby and profession,” said Hall, president of Collectors Universe and a PCGS Co-Founder.

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PCGS CoinFacts President Ron Guth said the 2013 inductees represent major numismatic accomplishments of the 20th century and continuing excellence in the 21st century.

Thomas Elder (1874-1948) was one of the most important dealers of the early 20th century. He conducted hundreds of coin auctions and was an author and publisher. He is credited with coining the term “So-Called Dollars,” and produced numerous pieces.

Jim Halperin, 60, co-founded Heritage Auctions with Steve Ivy in 1982 and he embraced new technologies that helped make the company the world’s third largest auction house. Widely recognized as one of the best coin graders in the business, he is the author of the acclaimed reference book, How to Grade U.S. Coins.

Art Kagin (1919-2005) enjoyed a career of more than seventy years in the coin business, conducting over 350 auctions and serving as a president of the Professional Numismatists Guild. He is remembered as a friendly, knowledgeable dealer who had time for everyone, no matter their economic status or whether or not his time would result in a sale.

Abner Kreisberg (1904-1971) is best known for his associations with Abe Kosoff, Hans M.F. Schulman, and Jerry Cohen and the great coins they handled. He was instrumental in the sale of the famous F.C.C. Boyd collection, recognized today as one of the largest, most impressive, and extensive collections ever assembled of U.S. pattern, colonial and regular issue coins.

Steve Markoff, 70, founded A-Mark Coin Company (today part of the Spectrum International Group) and stunned the numismatic world in 1976 by capturing the Redfield hoard of over 400,000 U.S. silver dollars for $7.3 million. A-Mark later traded many of the Redfield silver dollars for the John Wilkison collection of gold pattern coins, the most complete collection ever assembled.

Lester Merkin (1916-1992), known as a “gentlemen dealer,” was a New York city collector and dealer who conducted more than 30 boutique auctions during his career. Among the more unusual items he handled were the Special Mint Set versions of 1964 coins acquired from the estate of former Mint director Eva Adams.

Ed Milas (1940-2011), president of Rare Coin Company of America, deftly handled the Continental-Illinois Bank collection of silver dollars containing over 1,500 bags of mostly pristine-quality Morgan silver dollars that was more valuable and almost four times larger than the Redfield hoard. A former PNG president, he also sold great rarities such as the 1825/4 $5, the Dexter 1804 silver dollar, the unique 1870-S half dime, and a 1787 Brasher doubloon.

Norman Stack (1928-1992), a fourth generation member of Stack’s Rare Coins, was involved as the primary cataloger in almost 400 auction sales, including the Amon Carter Collection and Yale University’s Brasher Doubloon, and helped build the Louis Eliasberg and Josiah K. Lilly collections. He was the author of United States Type Coins: An Illustrated History of the Federal Coinage and his book, U.S. Coins of Values, had 28 editions.