News release from the Professional Numismatists Guild:

Gary Adkins of Minneapolis, Min., who served as President of the Professional Numismatists Guild from 2007 to 2009 and is the current vice-president of the American Numismatic Association, is the recipient of the PNG 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.  Adkins received the award during the PNG annual banquet on August 8, 2016, in Anaheim, Calif.

“Gary has been actively involved in numismatics for a half century as a collector, as a dealer, as an educator and mentor and as a dedicated, forward-thinking leader of the Professional Numismatists Guild, the American Numismatic Association and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets,” said PNG President Dana Samuelson who presented the award to Adkins.

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“Gary created the Professional Numismatists Guild ‘Collectors Bill of Rights,' the pledge that PNG members must follow regarding consumer protection and education. He also was a hard-working leader in the recently successful fight to rescind some of the onerous tax policies and regulations in his home state of Minnesota,” added Samuelson.

A half dozen other major awards, honors and recognitions were also announced at the annual banquet.

The Abe Kosoff Founders Award for steadfast dedication to the entire numismatic community was presented by PNG Vice President Barry Stuppler posthumously to Chet Krause of Iola, Wis., founder of Numismatic News and numerous other publications. Krause passed away on June 25, 2016. Numismatic News Editor David C. Harper accepted the award on Krause’s behalf.  

The Sol Kaplan Award for efforts in combating crimes against the numismatic community was presented by PNG Executive Director Robert Brueggeman jointly to Doug Davis, Michael Fuljenz and Jerry Jordan. 

“Davis, Fuljenz and Jordan worked for nine months to provide valuable assistance to law enforcement agencies in four states that helped detectives coordinate their investigations into a series of numismatic-related crimes. Their persistent work successfully led to the arrests earlier this year of three suspected con artists who allegedly targeted elderly victims and their coin collections in California, Colorado, New York and Texas,” explained Brueggeman.

Davis, the City Manager and former Police Chief of Pantego, Texas, is founder and president of the Numismatic Crime Information Center, and previously received a Kaplan Award in 1988.  PNG member Fuljenz is President of Universal Coin & Bullion in Beaumont, Texas, and Jerry Jordan is Editor of SETinvestigates.com, an online investigative news organization in Southeast Texas.

The Robert Friedberg Award that recognizes outstanding literary achievement in numismatics and is not automatically given each year was announced by PNG Secretary James Simek.  The 2016 recipient is author Hugo Vanhoudt for his reference book, The Coins of the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian Law Countries and of the French and Dutch Periods, 1434-1830 (published in Belgium, 2015).

The Art Kagin Ambassador Award for distinguished service as an advocate of numismatic goodwill was presented by PNG Board member John Maben to Anthony Swiatek of Saratoga Springs, N.Y, a former ANA president (1997 – 1999).

The Significant Contribution Award for years of dedication and significant contributions to numismatics was presented by PNG Board member James Sego to Paul Whitnah of Arlington, Texas.  Whitnah, who assists dealers and collectors nationwide with travel arrangements through M&M Travel, provides on-site communications services at the PNG/ANA Numismatic Trade Show and was a volunteer at ANA conventions for over 30 years.

PNG leaders recognized Dean Oakes of Iowa City, Iowa for 50 years as a member of the guild.

Eight other members were saluted for reaching 25 years of membership: Daniel Avena Jr. of Vineland, New Jersey; Sheridan Downey of Oakland, Calif.; Bret Leifer of Wayland, Mass.; Warren Mills of Milford, N.H.; Donn Pearlman of Las Vegas, Nev.; Thomas Schell of Lancaster, Pa.; David Sundman of Littleton, N.H.; and Anthony Swiatek of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The Professional Numismatists Guild is a nonprofit trade association composed of the country's top rare coin and paper money dealers who must adhere to a strict Code of Ethics in the buying and selling of numismatic merchandise.  Members of the PNG Accredited Precious Metals Dealer (APMD) program must follow strict code in the buying and selling of numismatic bullion items.

For additional information about the awards, the PNG or APMD, contact Robert Brueggeman, PNG Executive Director, 28441 Rancho California Road, Suite 106, Temecula, CA 92590. Phone: 951-587-8300. Email: info@PNGdealers.org. Online: www.PNGdealers.org.