Dale Seppa submitted this obituary of author Michael Anderson. Thank you.
-Editor
Michael John Anderson, Dec 1, 1938 - Apr 9, 2021
Michael was interested in coins from a very early age and studied them
intensively for virtually his entire life. He was a member of many
numismatic organizations and was also a life member of the Essex
Numismatic Society. During his lifetime he served on the Council of the
British Numismatic Society, as Secretary and President of the London
Numismatic Club and as Treasurer of the British Association of
Numismatic Societies.
He contributed dozens of articles to the numismatic press; from "The Coins of the Grand Princes of Kiev" in Seaby's Coin and Medal Bulletin in 1963 to his article "Aristobulos of Chalcis and Salome" in Coins & Antiquities in 1999 the final year that periodical was published. After that his writing was curtailed due to failing vision and other health problems but he still managed to finish one major work and several articles in Caesaromagus.
His final article The Mint at Corbridge was not published prior to his
death but I believe it will appear posthumously in Caesaromagus the
official publication of the Essex Numismatic Society. He had also
continued to work on the update of the Standard Catalog of Ecuadorian
Coins until his death. Due to his death a new edition may not be published.
Michael was a meticulous researcher of historical and numismatic subjects.
He held a Bachelor's degree in Languages, specializing in Russian, Spanish,
German and French and also held a Master's degree from Cambridge.
Those studies naturally pointed him to a career where his multi-lingual
abilities would be of use.
He joined the Foreign and Colonial Office in 1958 and served as British
Vice-Consul in Ecuador from 1965 to 1968, whence his interest in the
coinage of Ecuador. His principal work, A Numismatic History of
Ecuador, was a detailed, scholarly masterpiece with 394 pages that
included dozens of official Ecuadorian documents translated into English.
Previously he had co-authored the second edition of "The Coins of
Ecuador";, published by Almanzar's Coins of the World in 1973. His own extensive collection of Ecuadorian coins, sold by Glendenning's in
February of 1977 is generally recognized as one of the more important
reference works for the serious collector of Ecuadorian coins.
As mentioned above his first major posting at the FCO was to Quito as the
British Vice-Consul which was followed by similar postings to Beirut and
Athens. Subsequently he was posted as the British Consul to the Philippines
and later to Spain and also served as Relieving Consul in Zimbabwe,
Venezuela and France at various times. Throughout his decades of service
he also spent time in various positions at the FCO in London.
His step siblings, Keith and Shirley, knew Michael all their lives as the
families were neighbors and close friends. After the sibling's father died
followed by the death of Michael's mother, the surviving parents
eventually married. Michael enjoyed having a new combined family.
He visited his step brother Keith in Australia on several occasions and his
travels took him to various countries visiting relatives and friends where he was much welcomed and respected. In Australia Michael accompanied
Keith and other family to various places including New South Wales and the
Great Dividing Range, Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef. He also
revisited Ecuador on several occasions including at least one trip to the
Galapagos Islands where he took great pleasure in visiting with Margret
Wittmer the author of Floreana: A Woman's Pilgrimage to the Galapagos.
After his foreign service Michael lived in Westminster for many years
and enjoyed the advantages of living in London. After his retirement,
when his health became a problem, he moved from his flat in
Westminster to The Hawthorns Residential Home in Eastbourne, East
Sussex. Due to various infirmities his ability to travel was greatly
reduced but he continued to meet family and friends in Eastbourne as
well as in London when his health permitted.
He lived at The Hawthorns for several years until he died, keeping busy
with various societies, including the Anglo-Ecuadorian Society, as well as
several Numismatic and Philatelic Societies.
Michael is sorely missed by his many friends and correspondents as well
as by the residents and management of The Hawthorns in Eastbourne.
Wayne Homren, Editor
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