While in the publishing business, I rediscovered coin collecting and began going to auctions. I quickly learned that many dealers were not very well informed but that one dealership-Bowers & Ruddy Galleries, Inc.-stood out from the rest because of its dedication to quality and to its customers. It was the pre-eminent dealership of the era, and I decided that I wanted to work for the two gentlemen who owned it. In 1974, I got my wish and was hired by Q. David Bowers and James F. Ruddy. Joining this company was akin to going to work for Tiffany & Co. in the jewelry business. Instantly I found myself beside some of the top numismatists in America. I worked for the legendary Hollywood, California, dealership for five wonderful years-as advertising manager, publicity writer, editor of the monthly Special Coin Letter, and cataloguer of all kinds of coins for the firm's signature auctions as well as its famed Rare Coin Review. During these years (1974-1979), I began publishing articles about rare coins in Coin World and other journals of the hobby. The focus of the company was United States coins, and it was one of the few dealerships which devoted energy to educating its customers, via the publication of research articles and stories about coins.

Bowers & Ruddy Galleries was also deeply involved in World Coins, and my taste for the exotic and the unusual was tempted on a daily basis as wonderful coins passed before my eyes. As a former English major, my interest was drawn especially to England and its rich coinage heritage. One of the highlights of my five years in Hollywood was the assignment to write up what are arguably the most famous of all British coins, the patterns of the abdicated King Edward VIII, which were offered for sale in the 1978 A.N.A. auction. Never before had these marvelous coins been photographed in color or described in extensive detail in a public forum. So rare are these coins that the abdicated monarch, the Duke of Windsor, was never able to obtain a set for himself . . . and yet I got to examine, handle and write about them!

By 1979, I felt it was time to become an independent dealer, and I formed a company based in Pasadena with another former B&R employee. We called ourselves California Numismatic Corporation. We sold beautiful United States coins and decided also to offer coins of England as having excellent collecting qualities; we quickly found that our customers saw exceptional value in these coins, and the demand which our sales created taught me an early lesson: that Gem English coins are much rarer than corresponding U.S. coins, yet they were (and still are) temptingly priced.

In 1984, I decided to break up my business partnership and move back to Pennsylvania. My wife and I settled on State College. It was an ideal place for flying off to England in search of coins, a much quicker trip than from Los Angeles.

My business has flourished here. I also "hire myself out" to catalogue coins for auction houses. I have written up countless United States and World coins, with a specialty in British of course, for Ira and Larry Goldbergs' auctions in Beverly Hills, for Heritage Auctions in Dallas, and for a variety of London sales. My cataloguing is distinguished by historical commentary and by detailed descriptions.

After 34 years of working with the world's finest rare coins, I have pretty much "seen it all" and perhaps even contributed a little bit to history. For me, numismatics at its best is about sharing our collective cultural heritage, as seen in the world's historical coinage. It's an education in itself. The rest is mere commerce.

What I offer my customers is the benefit of my time-tested expertise, as well as hand-selected coins of exceptional beauty and quality. I invite YOU to take advantage of what I have to offer, and to become one of my numismatic friends!