In Memoriam — Mike Castle, 1939 - 2025

The Honorable Mike Castle, who shepherded legislation that reinvigorated the coin collecting hobby through Congress, passed away on August 14, 2025, at the age of 86. He was a dedicated public servant who brought a level-headed, bipartisan approach to politics both in Delaware and at the federal level. In numismatics, Castle became an integral force in enhancing modern coinage through his power in Congress. These contributions encouraged millions of people to begin casually collecting coins, leading to a major growth in the hobby.

Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) was honored to have worked with Castle as part of the NGC Signature Labels program.

The first numismatic legislation that Castle sponsored during his 18 years of service as Delaware’s lone Member of Congress was the Commemorative Coin Authorization and Reform Act of 1995. The act required the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue 10 Dollar gold coins to commemorate the bicentennial of United States gold coinage. Not only did this act preserve the integrity of commemorative coin programs, but it also led to the creation of the American Platinum Eagle bullion coin, which is a well-known collectible series today.

Castle’s greatest achievement in numismatic legislation was the 50 State Quarters Program, which became law in 1997 and led to five distinct quarter designs being released annually beginning with Delaware in 1999. The impact of the 50 State Quarters Program was so substantial that an estimated 150 million Americans (about half of the country’s population) became casual collectors, propelling the modern coin collecting hobby to new heights. The program’s financial success also netted billions in profits for the US government, all without levying any taxes.

Additionally, Castle created and sponsored bills that created the Sacagawea Dollar, the Presidential Dollar Series, the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program and several other modern commemoratives.

Mike Castle’s contributions to both politics and numismatics cannot be understated. NGC was honored to work with Castle and appreciates his extraordinary legacy in the field of numismatics.