Remembering Charles “Chuck” Mitton

Charles Lee Mitton, affectionately known as Chuck, passed away peacefully, with his family by his side, on August 31, 2025, in Littleton, Colorado, at the age of 81.

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Chuck was a proud second-generation native. He was the son of the late Charles Earl Mitton and Iris Helen Martin. Chuck graduated from the University of Denver with a bachelor's degree in business administration. While in school, he worked for the University Hills Bank, where he learned hands-on training that proved more valuable than his formal education.

Chuck built an accomplished career in finance and insurance. Beyond his professional life, he pursued his passions with enthusiasm and dedication. An avid traveler, he journeyed extensively throughout the US and the world, including many memorable trips to Africa with his father, and later his family. These experiences fostered a lifelong fascination with culture, history, and numismatics. Chuck became an expert in primitive money and was a devoted and active member of the American Numismatic Association, where he frequently presented and shared his knowledge with others. To know Chuck was to know his memorable handlebar mustache and to have seen and appreciated his personal African Museum in his basement. 

Chuck also cherished the outdoors and spent much of his free time with his beloved wife and family in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Whether biking or exploring the trails in his 1950s Willys Jeep, his love for the mountains and his family was ever-present. He will be remembered for his devotion to his loved ones––including his dogs and grand dogs––and for the warmth, humor, and generosity he brought to those around him.

Chuck was the author of the self-published book "Ethnic Groups, Artifacts, and Traditional Money of Africa: Cross Reference Guide" (2005). The 173-page large size, spiral bound book was divided into five chapters including, "African Ethnic Groups; Sorted by Ethnic group," "African Ethnic Groups; Sorted by Country," "Artifacts and Traditional Money; Sorted by name," "Artifacts and Traditional Money; Sorted by Description," and "Artifacts and Traditional Money; Sorted by Country." It's an invaluable resource for those who collect, buy, sell, or catalog African odd and curious money.

In addition to the ANA (LM-4855), Chuck was a member of (and contributor to) the International Bank Note Society (IBNS), the International Primitive Money Society, the Bill Henderson Supper Club, DAWN (Denver Area World Numismatists), and a founding member of PANDA (Poker and Numismatics in the Denver Area).

For many years, Chuck volunteered weekly or almost weekly at the ANA Museum. In the late 1970s, Chuck, along with Bob Gardner, Hal "Spike" Greimann, Dave Koble, and Bill Rosenblum, formed a partnership (Mile High Shows) to organize large coin shows in Denver when the CWNA stopped running shows. The coin show operation was eventually sold to Jerry Morgan, who ran it for many years. After he retired, the show was run by Jabon (last name escapes me) before Neal Hatgi bought the show in 2018. In addition to his collection of African odd and curious money and other art and objects, Chuck collected African numismatics, including ancient coins, dark ages coinage, modern coins, and African paper money. Africa to Chuck meant many (but not all) of the Islands off the coast of Africa.

During the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, Chuck, along with Rita and Bill Rosenblum, gave many show-and-tell presentations to coin clubs up and down the front range of Colorado on odd and curious. No squinting at tiny coins from across the room, Katanga crosses and spear money could be seen by one and all. And if you did not mind getting your hands dirty, you could pick up a leg band or a kissi penny.

Chuck helped Bill at coin shows and auctions in Colorado and across the country. He was in charge of the money bag. His years of working at a bank as a young man kept everything organized and easy to find. The banknotes were all facing the same way, and all were right side up. Nowadays, when I get cash from a bank, they give me banknotes facing different ways, and half of them are upside down. Chuck would have been aghast. Chuck and I shared many a hotel room and many (some may say too many) glasses of gin. He was my biking buddy. Almost every weekend for 15 plus years, when I wasn't at a show, we would bike on bike paths, trails, and roads in the metro Denver area.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Jean Mitton; his children, Matthew Mitton and Shannon Gough (husband Kevin Gough); and his step grandchildren, Hannah Gough and Ethan Gough, his brother-in-law Alan Hackett (husband of the late Dr. Elizabeth Hackett) and nieces Elizabeth Baker (husband Richard Osborne), Christine Boyette (husband Greg Boyette), Katie Karana (husband Nawar Karana) and Meredith Hampton (husband Josh Hampton). His parents, Charles Earl Mitton and Iris Martin, and sister-in-law Carol Baker, preceded him in death.

In accordance with his wishes, Chuck will be cremated and his ashes spread in the mountains of Colorado. A celebration of life will be held on October 4, 2025, to honor his memory, with more details to follow. Instead of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association.