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Clifford Leslie Mishler

Biography

(L2021)

                Born in Vandalia, Michigan. Attended Northwestern University 1957-58. Married Sandra Rae Knutson in December 1963. She died in 1972. The TAMS Sandra Rae Mishler Exonumia cataloguing award was named for her. Married Sylvia Mae Doyle February 27, 1976. He has three daughters. He has served on the board for the First State Bank of Iola 1972 to 1983 and the Scandinavia Telephone Company since 1981.

                While working as a carpenter in Vandalia 1959 to 1962, Mishler issued a series of three Historic Artistry medals. In 1959 he issued an Alaska-Hawaii Statehood commemorative. There were 1939 pieces issued in eight different medals or finishes. In 1961 a Civil War Commemorative was issued with 1000 pieces in sterling silver and 1000 in oxidized copper. In 1962 a medal was issued that honored both John Glenn and the Wright brothers. A thousand pieces were struck in sterling silver.

                Author and publisher of United States and Canadian Commemorative Medals and Tokens in 1958 with annual editions to 1963. Employed with Krause Publications since March 13, 1963. He was associate editor of Numismatic News 1963 to 1964, editor of NN 1964 to 1966, publisher for all numismatic publications 1966 to 1975, publisher for all publications 1975 to 1988, executive vice president 1975 to 1988, senior vice president 1988 to 1990. He was appointed president of Krause Publications effective January 1, 1991.

                He has been an active lobbyist for numismatic issues. When the GAO proposed to sell all the Carson City dollars as uncirculated he influenced them to designate about 700,000 pieces as imperfect uncirculated. He successfully lobbied for the 40% silver examples of the Eisenhower dollar. His efforts helped create the Bicentennial quarter, half and dollar coins.

                He served on the Assay Commission for 1973. He was on the Coins and Medals Advisory Panel for the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission 1970 to 1975. President of the Numismatists of Wisconsin 1974 to 1976. Editor of the TAMS Journal October 1964 through 1988 and president of TAMS 1976 to 1978. He was TAMS life member No. 1. TAMS honored Mishler with one of their presidential medals. He has received many awards including the TAMS Distinguished Service Award in 1966 and 1980, Numismatists of Wisconsin Meritorious Service Award in 1972, Society for International Numismatics Award of Excellence in 1981, ANA Medal of Merit in 1983, ANA Farran Zerbe Award in 1984, Gleen Smedley Memorial Award in 1991. 

He initiated the Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador Award in 1974. In 2003 he was named a Numismatic Ambassador.

He is a life member of the ANA, life member of TAMS, and life fellow of the ANS. In 2002 he was named Numismatist of the year. In 2004 he was inducted into the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame. In 2005 he received the Burnett Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing. In 2007 he was elected to the ANA Board and in 2009 he was elected President. After a break in service, he was re-elected to the board in 2019. In 2021 he was inducted into the SPMC Hall of Fame.

                He contributed to several of the Krause Publication books:

                Standard Catalog of World Coins with Chester

                                Krause in 1972 with later editions.

                Standard Catalog of World Paper Money with Albert

                                Pick in 1975 and later editions.

                Standard Guide to U. S. Coin and Paper Money

                                Valuations with Glenn Wright in 1975, and later

                                editions with Robert Wilhite.

                Standard Catalog of the 20th Century World Coins

                                with Krause and Colin Bruce in 1981.

                He wrote Coins Questions and Answers for Whitman Publishing.

                He also contributed the annual coins and coin collecting reviews to the New Book of Knowledge encyclopedia annuals for 1969 through 1981.


In 2021 he was on the Coin World list of The Most Influential People in Numismatics 1960-2020.


bio by correspondence, 1991; WWA 94, 04

Source credit: Pete Smith, American Numismatic Biographies

 

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