Don Taxay
Don Taxay | |
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 Don Taxay in 1975 | |
| Born | Donald Paul Taxay May 24, 1933 Chicago, Illinois,U.S. |
| Disappeared | c.1982 (aged 49) India |
| Occupation(s) | Numismatist,historian |
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Donald Paul Taxay[1](born May 24, 1933)[2]was an Americannumismatistandhistorian,known for the reference works he composed, and for his disappearance at the height of his career.
Career in numismatics
[edit]Taxay's first published work wasCounterfeit, Mis-Struck and Unofficial U.S. Coins,in 1963, followed byThe U.S. Mint and Coinagein 1966 (whichGilroy Robertscalled "the most complete and authoritative treatise on the subject ever written" ),[3]An Illustrated History of U.S. Commemorative Coinagein 1967,Money of the American Indiansin 1970, andScott's Comprehensive Catalogue and Encyclopedia of United States Coinsin 1971. He also served as thecuratorof theChase Manhattan Bank Money Museum[3]from April 1964 to May 1966.[2]
Business career
[edit]His first numismatic job was as manager of the leased coin department at the JordanMarsh Department Store in Boston, joining the firm in 1958. He followed this with stints as the manager of Royal Athena Coin Galleries in New York City, and New Netherlands Coin Company, where he worked with renowned numismatists and researchersJohn J. FordandWalter Breen.In 1963, Breen and Taxay formed the Institute of Numismatic Authenticators.[4]
In 1969, he and William Thomas Anton, Jr. co-authored catalogs for Harmer Rooke. In 1974, he joined award-winning numismatist Harry Forman in establishing the coin dealership of Forman, Taxay and Associates.[5]In 1975, Taxay was appointed senior vice president of First Coinventors, Inc. where he also served as director of their Colonial American Coin Club. On July 8, 1976, he formed Rare Coin Collectors Co-op, Inc, which operated until December 30, 1977.[6]In approximately 1977, Taxay withdrew from society.
Personal life
[edit]On December 25, 1977, Taxay married Constance "Connie" Ferris. The marriage ended in divorce on April 12, 1982. Taxay was a resident of Lakeland, Florida by 1979.[7]
Disappearance
[edit]In 2005–2006, the members of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society's mailing list undertook a joint research project to discover what had happened to Taxay.[8]They established that Taxay had been introduced toIndianspiritualitybyWalter Breenand that, as a result, Taxay became aRajneesheeand emigrated to India.[9]Historian Karl Moulton—whose 2007 bookHenry Voigtand Others Involved in America's Early Coinageincludes a chapter analyzing Taxay'shistoriography—speculates that Taxay attempted to liquidate all his property so that he could donate his wealth to theBhagwan Shree Rajneeshand describes him as "brainwashed and untraceable," concluding that Taxay's ultimate fate may never be known.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Joe Planas (July 20, 1969)."1792 Billion Cent Controversial".Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star.viaNewspapers.p. 12.RetrievedJuly 12,2015.
- ^abAmerican Numismatic Biographies,by Pete Smith; first published 1992; viaarchive.org
- ^abTHE U.S. MINT AND COINAGE, By Don Taxay,atKirkus Reviews,retrieved April 11, 2012
- ^Smith, Pete."DONALD PAUL TAXAY (1933-????)".nnp.wustl.edu.EPNNES & Washington University in St. Louis.Retrieved15 September2024.
- ^ANA NAMES HARRY FORMAN 2000 NUMISMATIST OF THE YEAR;August 12, 2000; by theAmerican Numismatic Association,at money.org (viaarchive.org); retrieved April 11, 2011
- ^Smith, Pete."DONALD PAUL TAXAY (1933-????)".nnp.wustl.edu.EPNNES & Washington University in St. Louis.Retrieved15 September2024.
- ^Smith, Pete."DONALD PAUL TAXAY (1933-????)".coinbooks.org.The Numismatic Bibliomania Society (NBS).Retrieved15 September2024.
- ^WHATEVER BECAME OF DON TAXAY?,fromThe E-Sylumnewsletter - Volume 8, Number 54, December 25, 2005, Article 10, by Wayne Homren; archived at coinbooks.org; retrieved April 11, 2012
- ^abDON TAXAY WHERE ARE YOU?,fromThe E-Sylumnewsletter - Volume 9, Number 1, January 1, 2006, Article 9, by Wayne Homren; archived at coinbooks.org; retrieved April 11, 2012
External links
[edit]- Correspondencebetween Taxay andEric P. Newman,atarchive.org
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