https://www.numismaticnews.net/stac...+Friday+Newsletter&oly_enc_id=3813B0414178H1X Thought a lot of you would be interested by this announcement.
He'll always be my favorite. And American Numismatics before the Civil War 1760-1860 will always be my favorite numismatical volume.
The depth of influence QDB has had on this hobby is inestimable. He was a driving force for so long, and his knowledge and experience are breathtaking. I honestly hope somebody starts to write his biography now that he's retired, with interviews to get his unique perspective. He handled so many legendary collections it blows my mind. And so I present one of the shining stars of my collection, a 1908S NGC MS-65+ RD PL Indian Head Cent, sold to me personally by Rick Snow who said it was ex-QDB:
I have this feeling somehow he'll continue on. Reading the article, this never seemed like a job to him. He said he never felt like he worked a day in his life. A very lucky thing for anyone to claim. We'll see what happens next.
I'm not familiar with everything he's ever written but I'm wondering if he's written his memoirs. That would probably be a multi-volume set.
I work in the same town where Mr. Bowers resides, and frequent the very same post office as he when I'm mailing out parcels, yet have never had the pleasure of meeting the man. Have I seen him from afar? At major shows, yes, but he was always so engaged in conversation with others that I'd have been intruding if I stopped over. The man is a true giant, having educated so many of us in so many areas of this hobby, and in other hobbies as well. His prolific writings will live on, but probably more widespread are his observations, repeated time and again by so many dealers and collectors over the years, many not even knowing where they originated. Many of the factoids and stories passed across generations in this hobby are likely his, and have enriched us all, yet they do not bear his name. I hope to meet the man one day. Now that he's retiring and likely to be back home, I'd love to bump into him at the post office and take him out to a casual lunch where a line of folks are not waiting to shake hands and ask a token question. Yeah, Mike . . . dream on.
Anyone who finds an '09-S VDB in pocket change can't be all bad. I hope he enjoys his retirement as much as I do.
