100-YEAR-OLD NUMISMATISTS

There have been previous attempts in The-Esylum to identify numismatists who have lived to the age of one hundred. I am updating the list from my notes. Perhaps some don't qualify as a numismatist, but if they have been mentioned, they are included.

Carl G. Boehmer (5/8/1906 – 6/8/2011) lived 105 years, joined the ANA in 1936 as member 5422, and just qualified as a 75-Year Member.

James E. Charlton (7/26/1911 – 9/20/2013) lived 102 years. He was life member 1677 of the ANA, joining in 1950 and being a member for 63 years.

William S. Dewey (12/5/1905 – 4/2/2006) lived 100 years, joined the ANA in 1933 and became life member #52 in 1939 making him a member for 73 years.

Edward Gans (8/30/1887 – 2/13/1991) lived 103 years, joined the ANA in 1940 and was honored for 25 years in 1965.

Dr. Jesse C. Green (12/13/1817 - 7/26/1920) lived 103 years. He was not an ANA member but was mentioned in The Numismatist upon his hundredth birthdate and again upon his death. The Numismatist speculated that he was the oldest collector in the United States.

Robert L. Hendershot (8/7/1898 – 3/22/2005) lived 106 years, joined the ANA in 1931 as member 3867, and was a member for 74 years.

Genevieve T. Herdegen (8/30/1886 – 7/12/1989) lived 102 years. She made a donation to the ANA of the Robert T. Herdegen Collection and was given an ANA Medal of Merit. There is no indication that she was a collector or a member of the ANA.

Clyde Hubbard (2/26/1916 – 11/9/2020) lived 104 years, joined the ANA in 1950 as member 18455 and was a member for 70 years.

Honora Nora W. Hussey (3/26/1915 - 11/8/2020) lived 105 years. She served as superintendent of the Denver Mint. She was not an ANA member.

Robert Hepworth Lloyd (5/18/1906 – 10/10/2009) lived 103 years, joined the ANA in 1926 as member 3024, attaining 83 years of membership. He became the senior member of the ANA in 1995 following the death of 90-year-old John Amos West. Thus, he was senior member for 14 years.

George Francis Marlier (1/12/1868 – 9/1/1967) lived 99 years, 8 months. He was ANA member 102, joining on June 1, 1899, making him a member for 68 years. He had been the senior member of the ANA.

Eric P. Newman (5/25/1911 – 11/15/2017) lived 106 years. He joined the ANA in 1935 as member 4624 and was a member for 82 years. He would have been senior member of the ANA for eight years after the death of Lloyd in 2009.

Nellie Tayloe Ross (11/29/1876 – 12/19/1977) lived 101 years. She served as director of the Mint. She was not a member of the ANA.

Carl H. Subak (1/31/1919 – still living) is 102 years old, joined the ANA in 1948 as member 15379. He was last mentioned in The Numismatist in 1991 and did not get a 50-Year award.

Who is currently the senior member of the ANA? One possibility is Ken Bressett. He was born in 1928 and joined the ANA in 1947 as junior member 14350. He will qualify for the 75-Year Member Award next year, still well short of being a 100-year-old numismatist.

Kudos to Pete Smith for his thorough summary of longevity records for 75-year members of the A.N.A. It is surprising to learn how few actually remained active throughout their lives. 2022 will mark 75 years since 1947, and a time to once again consider those who may still be actively involved. After a bit of research I have found only two. Robert Hendershot joined the ANA in 1931 and was a member for 74 years. Sadly, he died at age 106, and missed his diamond anniversary.

Harvey G. Stack joined the ANA in 1947 as Junior Member J-14872, and is still very actively involved.

Kenneth E. Bressett joined the ANA a month or so before Harvey in 1947, as Junior Member J-14350, and is now Life Member #369, and still as active as ever.

The first ANA convention that I attended was Boston in 1948, and I have missed only five since then. I have also been involved with every ANA summer seminar since 1974. Other records show that I am also the longest active member of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association, the Rittenhouse Society, the New England Numismatic Association, and possibly the American Numismatic Society.

One who truly enjoys every aspect of the hobby ---Ken Bressett

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
A.N.A. 75-YEAR MEMBERS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n50a15.html)

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