Colorado Springs Services Scheduled for Edward C. Rochette
Services for former American Numismatic Association President and Executive Director Edward C. Rochette are scheduled for 1 pm on Saturday, Feb. 17 at Shove Chapel on the grounds of Colorado College, 1010 N. Nevada Avenue in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rochette, 90, died on Jan. 18 in Colorado Springs, where he lived most of his life. He was born on Feb. 17, 1927, in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Friends and family remember Rochette’s sparkling wit, creative spirit, astute mind and strong moral compass, which he relied upon to guide his life and family. He developed a love for numismatics as a youngster, when he regularly searched the cash drawer at his grandfather’s diner for collectable coins.
He served as an electrician in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and attended Clark University in Worcester and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Rochette began his professional numismatic career as a cartoonist and editor for Numismatic News, printed in lola, Wisconsin, by Krause Publications. Later, he served the company as executive editor. In 1966 he left Iola to become editor of The Numismatist, the ANA’s official journal. In this role, Rochette had a front-row seat for the construction of the Association’s new headquarters, which began on the Colorado College campus about the same time he (and later his family) moved to Colorado Springs.
He sat in the editor’s chair until 1972, when he was tapped to serve as ANA executive vice president. Rochette was at the helm when a drive was launched in 1980 to finance a second-story addition that would expand the ANA’s Money Museum, Library and staff offices. On June 10, 1982, he was on hand to welcome guests and dignitaries to the official dedication.
Rochette retired as ANA executive vice president in 1986, and in 1987 was elected to its Board of Governors, going on to serve as vice president in 1989-91 and president in 1991-93. In 1998 Rochette was called out of retirement to serve as ANA executive director, and in 2000 he spearheaded and oversaw a second renovation of the headquarters.
Rochette officially retired from the ANA in July 2003. Thanks to a $500,000 contribution from an anonymous donor and his longtime friend, mentor and employer Chester Krause, the ANA Money Museum was renamed in Rochette’s honor in 2005. Two years later, he ran successfully for the ANA Board and served a term as governor.
Rochette was a prolific and popular author, penning columns for The Numismatist, COINage and a nationally syndicated column for the Los Angeles Times. His books included Medallic Portraits of John F. Kennedy (1966), Making Money: Rogues and Rascals Who Made Their Own (1986) and The Romance of Coin Collecting (1991).
In the late 1960s, Rochette collaborated with Lieutenant Colonel. Adna G. Wilde Jr., then ANA executive director, to introduce the weeklong ANA Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs. He also was instrumental in developing a numismatic exhibit for the International Olympic Committee’s museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, and served as a numismatic consultant to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
In 1987 he was general chairman of the 50th Anniversary Congress and Exhibition of the Fédération Internationale de la Médaille (FIDEM), a global organization of medallic artists. The event was hosted by the American Numismatic Association, marking the first time FIDEM convened in the United States.
Rochette received numerous numismatic accolades and awards, including the highest honor conferred by the ANA, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service (1987), and the ANA’s Lifetime Achievement Award (1999). In 2000 he was inducted into the Numismatic Hall of Fame at the ANA’s Colorado Springs facility. According to author and ANA Past President Q. David Bowers, “Next to the Association’s founder George F. Heath, no one has done more for the ANA than Ed Rochette.”
Rochette is survived by his wife of 40 years, Mary Ann; three sons (Edward, Paul and Philip) by his first wife, Faye (who died in 1977); four stepchildren (Joseph, Michael, Paul and Susan); fourteen grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Donations in his memory can be made to the ANA Money Museum, 818 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
United States Mint to Release Set of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Coins on February 20
WASHINGTON –The United States Mint will accept orders for the 2018 America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set-Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (product code 18AD) beginning February 20 at noon Eastern Time (ET).
This set includes an uncirculated quarter from the Philadelphia Mint, an uncirculated quarter from the Denver Mint, and a proof quarter from the San Francisco Mint featuring Chapel Rock and the white pine tree that grows atop it on their reverse (tails). Inscriptions are “PICTURED ROCKS,” “MICHIGAN,” 2018,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The obverse (heads) depicts the 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan, which has been restored to bring out subtle details and the beauty of the original model. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.”
All three coins are mounted on a durable plastic card featuring an image of Michigan’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The Certificate of Authenticity is printed on the back of the card.
The America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set-Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is priced at $9.95. Orders will be accepted at catalog.usmint.gov and at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Information about shipping options is available at catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html.
David Lawrence Rare Coins Acquires Hall of Fame Collection
David Lawrence Rare Coins of Virginia Beach has purchased one of the most impressive sets of U.S. coins that has ever been assembled. The collection, pieced together by mega-collector Bruce Morelan via Legend Numismatics, was set to be auctioned through Legend Auctions in May. However, in advance of the auction announcement, the set was acquired intact by David Lawrence Rare Coins on behalf of DLRC’s partner, Dell Loy Hansen.
For Bruce, the thrill of the hunt had ended since there were no better coins to include. He had enjoyed the set for many years, even selling it intact to a coin investment fund in 2008. He was later able to purchase it once again before improving it with several additional spectacular specimens. In the end, Morelan felt it was time to pass the coins on for other collectors to enjoy. However, when rumor suggested that a “world class” collection was to be auctioned, John Brush reached out to Legend to inquire about the coins. When they found out that the legendary set was being offered, DLRC and Dell Loy Hansen jumped on the opportunity and the negotiations with Laura Sperber of Legend Numismatics took only a few hours.
“This is simply a group of coins that should not exist. The quality of each of the Seated Dollars is absolutely impeccable, and every single coin was hand-picked for not only condition, but ultimate quality,” says John Brush, President of David Lawrence. “When we found out that the set was going to become available, we acted quickly as we view this as one of the few collections that simply should not be broken apart if at all possible. The sum of all its pieces are so much greater than the individuals, and we wanted to do our part to try to keep it intact. When I notified Mr. Hansen about it, he thought that it was an excellent opportunity and one that we should pursue immediately.”
“If a collector was to own only this set, he or she would own by far one of the greatest collections ever assembled,” remarked Laura Sperber. “There is not a single coin that is anything less than the absolute best in quality and eye appeal by at least a full grade or more, in many cases. With what Dell Loy is trying to accomplish, this monster Hall of Fame set is a perfect fit for his collection. I am thrilled to see it placed with him instead of being broken up. I know he cherishes it and will allow it to be displayed to treat the current and future collecting public. I am sad to see the set go as I have enjoyed exclusively building it for fifteen years. It was certainly a highlight of my career.”
The collection not only houses the finest known pieces of many of the individual dates, but each piece is CAC-certified for quality as well. Of particular interest are the 1851 and 1852 Seated Dollars. The 1851 is graded by PCGS as MS65 and was once part of the legendary Norweb Collection. The 1852 is similarly graded by PCGS and is simply an amazing example of this key date. With coins from the legendary Garrett, Share, Childs, Fairfield, Stack, Hayes, Amon Carter, and Knoxville Collections, this set was put together over many years by some of the most discerning eyes in the coin industry. In fact, many acquisitions were made as part of larger collections to add a single coin to the set. A group that can never be duplicated, this is truly one of the Hall of Fame collections.
DLRC and Dell Loy Hansen are looking forward to exhibiting the collection in the near future, but for now it is available for viewing as a PCGS Registry Set at D.L. Hansen Liberty Seated Dollar Set.
ABOUT DAVID LAWRENCE RARE COINS
David Lawrence Rare Coins was founded in 1979 by David Lawrence Feigenbaum, in a spare bedroom. A passionate collector his entire life, he made the jump to dealing when his collecting desires surpassed his limited professor’s budget. Dave passed away after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and Dave’s son, John Feigenbaum took the reins and oversaw the company’s growth until 2015. In August of 2015, John became the Publisher of the CDN Publishing and passed operations to John Brush.
Mr. Brush directs the company with the help of an extremely dedicated staff of 17 employees. The management team has a cumulative total of over 80 years with the company and the team of numismatists offer over 125 years of experience. They are deeply passionate about all aspects of coin collecting, and whether the coin is $5, $50 or $5 million, they are here to serve the collector with the best quality, service, and price possible. Brush and the DLRC staff are also equally focused on bringing the latest technology advances to the hobby.
The company has handled legendary rarities of United States numismatics including two examples of the 1894-S Barber dime, a gem 1876-CC twenty cent piece, the finest known 1901-S Barber quarter, two of the 12 known 1870-S Seated dollars, one of the two known 1825/4 $5, and the finest certified 1796 No Pole Liberty Cap half cent. They also helped to assemble and then sell the $25 million Richmond Collection at three public auctions hosted in New York City and Baltimore, Maryland.
David Lawrence Rare Coins is an industry leader in the trading and auctioning of U.S. rare coins certified by PCGS, NGC, and CAC. DLRC holds weekly internet auctions and offers sellers the options of direct sale or consignment to auction. To work with David Lawrence or for any question as to how they can help your collection, please call 1-800-776-0560 or email coins@davidlawrence.com. DLRC is located in Virginia Beach, VA, and offers products via their website, trade shows, Amazon, and on eBay.
United States Mint to Release 2018 Native American $1 Coin Products on February 15
WASHINGTON – Sales will open for United States Mint product options featuring the 2018 Native American $1 Coin on February 15 at noon Eastern Time (ET).
Since 2009, this $1 coin has displayed an annually-changing reverse design that recognizes the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the United States. This year’s coin recognizes the accomplishments of Olympian and multi-talented athlete Jim Thorpe. The reverse (tails) design depicts Thorpe, with the foreground elements highlighting his football and Olympic achievements. Inscriptions are “JIM THORPE,” “WA-THO-HUK” (his native name), “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and “$1.”
The obverse (heads side) design retains the central figure “Sacagawea” carrying her infant son, Jean Baptiste. The inscriptions are “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
Available product options and their prices are as follows:
| PRODUCT CODE | PRODUCT OPTION | PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| 18NA | 25-Coin Roll – “P” | $32.95 |
| 18NB | 25-Coin Roll – “D” | $32.95 |
| 18NC | 250-Coin Box – “P” | $275.95 |
| 18ND | 250-Coin Box – “D” | $275.95 |
| 18NE | 100-Coin Bag – “P” | $111.95 |
| 18NF | 100-Coin Bag – “D” | $111.95 |
Orders will be accepted at catalog.usmint.gov/ and 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Information on shipping options is available at www.catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html.
The rolls and bags of Native American $1 Coins are also available for purchase through the United States Mint Product Enrollment Program. To learn more about this convenient ordering method, please visit catalog.usmint.gov/shop/product-enrollments/.
United States Mint Launches 41st America the Beautiful Quarters® Program Coin
First quarter dollar of 2018 honors Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
MUNISING – The United States Mint (Mint) joined the National Park Service (NPS) today to celebrate the release of the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program coin honoring Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan. The coin is the first of five America the Beautiful Quarters to be issued in 2018, and the 41st release in the series.
The reverse (tails) of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore quarter depicts Chapel Rock and the white pine tree that grows atop it. Inscriptions are “PICTURED ROCKS,” “MICHIGAN,” “2018,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” A digital image of the quarter is available here.
“This new coin not only reflects one of the many unique features of the longest freshwater coastline in the United States, but also the breathtaking natural beauty of the state,” said Marc Landry, a Michigan native and Acting Associate Director of the Mint’s Numismatic and Bullion Directorate.
More than 450 schoolchildren, along with local residents, gathered in the Mather Elementary School auditorium for the ceremony, led by Katherine Reynolds, Executive Director of the Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce Development, the Alger County Chamber of Commerce and the Munising Downtown Development Authority. Additional ceremony participants included Timothy Williams, Deputy Director of External Affairs at the Department of the Interior, on behalf of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke; Jay Gage, Upper Peninsula Regional Manager, on behalf of Senator Debbie Stabenow; Katelyn Rader, Upper Peninsula Regional Coordinator, for Senator Gary Peters; David Horne, Superintendent of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore; and the Munising High School Concert Choir, which provided pre- and post-event music. Paul Balan, Mint Artistic Infusion Program designer of the quarter, received special recognition during the ceremony which culminated in an exchange of $10 rolls of newly minted quarters.
“America’s public lands are full of postcard worthy places, like one of Michigan’s best kept secrets, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “With its awe-inspiring scenery and amazing year-round recreational opportunities, it is a testament that not all of our great public lands are located out West. Whether you want to hunt and fish or bike and kayak, its sandstone cliffs, towering waterfalls, hardwood forest, and miles of beaches offer something for all visitors.”
The NPS, a bureau of the Department of the Interior, has held stewardship of America’s national parks since 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating the agency. It oversees more than 400 sites covering approximately 84 million acres in the United States and its territories. In addition to national parks, the NPS system includes monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, as well as the White House.
Authorized by Public Law 110-456 and launched in 2009, the America the Beautiful Quarters Program is a 12-year program that honors 56 national parks and other national sites. Each year until 2020, the public will see five new national sites depicted on the reverses of the America the Beautiful Quarters coins. A final coin will be released in 2021. The Mint is issuing these quarters in the order in which each honored location was first established as a national site.
The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792 and became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver, gold and platinum bullion coins. The Mint’s numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.