Q. David Bowers and the Stack family, prominent names in American numismatics, will be honored with the American Numismatic Association Philanthropy Award for “their trailblazing success in the numismatic community” and contributions to the Association at the organization’s World’s Fair of Money in August in Rosemont, Illinois.

Bowers is a prolific numismatic writer active in the industry since the 1950s who, according to the ANA’s press release, “assisted the Association financially, professionally, and culturally.” He served on the ANA Board of Governors for six years, served as the association’s president from 1983 to 1985, and was inducted into the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame in 1994. He authored the American Numismatic Association Centennial History, published in 1991.

The press release also mentions his appearances in national media, lecturing at Harvard, and numerous books and articles. He wrote Coin World’s “The Joys of Collecting” column until the end of 2021; Bowers had written for Coin World for more than 60 years.

The ANA press release states that the Stack family “generously contributed to the ANA” and lauds the family’s numerous contributions to American numismatics. In 1933, John and Morton Stack converted their family “foreign exchange house,” which was established in 1858, into a coin dealership, according to the New York Times’ January 2022 obituary of Harvey Stack. Stack’s hosted its first auction in 1935.

Individual members of the Stack family won a wide range of numismatic awards and served in multiple hobby institutions, including the ANA. Harvey Stack is mentioned several times in the press release, noting his service as official auctioneer at many ANA conventions and his support of the association, as well as his testimony to Congress in 1995 and his role in developing a standardized coin grading system. Harvey Stack often contributed Guest Commentaries to Coin World.

The Stack family won the ANA Medal of Merit in 1982 and its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. Per the press release, “The Stack family was instrumental in building some of the greatest assemblages of their time, and they cultivated relationships with esteemed collectors to grow the hobby nationwide.”

The ANA Philanthropy Award “publicly honors and recognizes substantial contributions donated to the Association in support of its strategic mission that helps to further expand, enhance, and sustain the hobby,” explains the press release. The award was established in 2017 and was first bestowed at the National Money Show in Irving, Texas, in March 2018.

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