In our excitement one topic that didn't come up at our Nummis Nova meeting this month was the recent Coin World special issue on The Most Influential People In Numismatics 1960-2020. I was quite honored to be included, along with fellow Nummis Nova regulars Roger Burdette and Julian Leidman, as well as Numismatic Bibliomania Society stalwarts Len Augsburger, Joel Orosz and David Sundman. Also included were an amazing array of regular E-Sylum contributors and supporters. I've always described our discussions as being like a weekly cocktail party with top numismatists from around the world, and this list is confirmation of that.
The issue was in celebration of Coin World's 60th anniversary.
Here's how Managing Editor Bill Gibbs described the effort.
-Editor
In devising the original list of several
hundred candidates, we decided on a couple
of rules: One, the candidates had to be living;
Two, current Coin World staff members were
ineligible, though I can think of several who
would be most deserving of making the final
cut; Three, the final list would be winnowed
down to 100; and Four, a candidate could be
anyone who has had an effect on the hobby
(while collectors and dealers dominate the
list, some of the candidates serve the hobby
in other ways, such as designing the coins
we collect). In its final form, we ended up
with 96 profiles, with a few candidates either
choosing not to participate or proving impossible to contact.
Here's an excerpt from the remarks of Amos Media CEO Rick Amos.
-Editor
Rising to the uppermost
echelons comes with unique
responsibility. These individuals
hold sway over the numismatic
community. They not only influence but shape the industry's
values, direction, investments,
choices, and decisions.
At the same time, many are
responsible for brands, marketing messages and engagement
vehicles; or are experts within
associations, corporations, and product development. That knowledge and understanding has
become so incredibly valuable not just to those
that enjoy coin collecting, but to the industry as a
whole because it drives passion, audience development and vision.
That is what Coin World's Most Influential People
in Numismatics from 1960-2020 list assesses. As a
rule, it focuses on the living, while using a variety
of data points to measure influence.
We evaluate influence in several ways, noting
innovative ideas, contributions enriching the hobby, leading initiatives that make it better, or a highly
visible role in representing their companies in a
variety of ways or platforms. Others cultivate and
share a particular expertise — around customer
experiences, product development, or sustainability
— that establishes them as thought-leaders.
More than 200 influencers were eligible for
consideration, and we extend our apology to
others that should have been considered. The
individuals on this list have had a significant effect
on numismatics and an impact on how the hobby
works. Names on this list include collectors, dealers, researchers, authors, club officials, designers, artists, authenticators, graders, journalists, Mint officials,
and more. We also considered reader voting results
when making our choices, and a few pointed out
that not all nominees had a positive influence.
What makes an individual worthy of a spot on
a list of the most influential people? While you will
certainly find people who wield traditional power
— heads of organizations, CEOs, major dealers —
we also include many extraordinary, lesser-known
individuals who seized the moment to impact the
hobby in meaningful ways. Their work challenges
each of us to wield our own influence toward a
hobby that is healthier, resilient, more sustainable,
and just.
Coin World's Most Influential People is a designation of individuals whose time, in our estimation,
has made an indelible mark over the past 60 years.
While leaning towards those that have spent more
than 30+ years in numismatics, it also includes
members who only needed a decade or so to
make their mark. .
The issue is a real keeper, with photos and bios of the selected individuals along with articles on the founding of Coin World, the future of numismatics, and more.
-Editor
For more information, see:
https://www.coinworld.com/
Wayne Homren, Editor
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.
To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor
at this address: whomren@gmail.com
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