Mark Salzberg Receives Abe Kosoff Founders Award from PNG

The Professional Numismatist Guild (PNG) presented the Abe Kosoff Founders Award to NGC Chairman Mark Salzberg at its annual awards banquet. The award is presented to a PNG member who has made a significant contribution to the Guild or to the numismatic fraternity in general during the past year. The award is named after PNG’s founding president, Abe Kosoff, who spearheaded the 1955 launch of the organization whose motto is Knowledge, Integrity, Responsibility.

"Mark Salzberg has raised his hand for every cause that benefits the hobby. He is not only a great example of a forward-looking thinker, which often is rarer in our profession than many of the coins we sell, he also gets involved hands-on through NGC to make things happen. He’s receiving the Kosoff Award this year as an example of what successful people in our association should do," said PNG Vice President Paul Montgomery of Katy, Texas.

Following the surprise presentation, Salzberg thanked his colleagues, his family and several industry mentors who, he said, led him by their own example. He also commented, "I’m very lucky to do something I love every day."

Mark Salzberg (left), NGC Chairman, accepts the prestigious Kosoff Award from PNG VP Paul Montgomery at the Professional Numismatists Guild banquet in Baltimore, July 29, 2008. (Photo by Donn Pearlman. All rights reserved.)

Several other awards were presented. The PNG presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to researcher, author and rare coin dealer John Dannreuther of Memphis, Tennessee. The Art Kagin Ambassador Award was given to collector John McCloskey of Ohio. PNG member-dealer and former American Numismatic Association President Anthony Swiatek, of Manhasset, New York, received the Significant Contribution Award. The Robert Friedberg Award was given to Michael F. Moran, author of Striking Change: The Great Artistic Collaboration of Theodore Roosevelt and Augustus Saint-Gaudens, published by Whitman Publishing. PNG leaders also recognized David Hendrickson of SilverTowne, based in Winchester, Indiana, for 25 years of membership in the Guild.

The PNG is a nonprofit trade association composed of the country’s top rare coin and paper money dealers who must adhere to a strict Code of Ethics in the buying and selling of numismatic merchandise.