Thomas K. DeLorey has been selected as the American Numismatic Association’s 2009 Numismatist of the Year. The 37-year member will receive the award August 7 during the ANA World’s Fair of Money® in Los Angeles.

DeLorey grew up in suburban Detroit. His first position was staff writer and eventual editor of “Collectors’ Clearinghouse” for Coin World in Sidney, Ohio. He was at one time a serious collector of tokens and medals issued by Thomas L. Elder, one of the foremost U.S. coin dealers of the first half of the 20th century. DeLorey also was big on coins of the Republic of Honduras. (He authored award-winning articles on both topics for The Numismatist in the 1980s.) He credits his father with igniting his interest in numismatics. Read the rest of this entry »

Leon Hendrickson is the recipient of the American Numismatic Association’s 2008 Numismatist of the Year for his many contributions to the hobby. He will be presented the award during the ANA Membership Reception at 4 p.m. Aug. 1 during the World’s Fair of Money® in Baltimore.

Hendrickson is widely known as the founder and president of Silver Towne, a coin dealership and mint he founded in 1949 in Winchester, Ind. He began by selling coins out of a cigar box stashed under the counter of his restaurant, and the business grew from there. Today, Silver Towne employs 100 people and features a coin shop, jewelry and collectibles departments, and custom mint.

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