Dr. George F. Heath of Monroe, Michigan, when not involved in his practice of medicine, gained a knowledge of world history by studying his collection of coins. The obscurity of his little town hampered his efforts to gain additional knowledge of the hobby and to obtain certain specimens for his cabinet, and made meeting fellow numismatists almost impossible.

In 1888 his ingenuity was tested when he, alone, printed, published and distributed a four-page leaflet, The Numismatist, in which he listed his coin needs, advertised duplicates for sale, and discussed numismatic topics The little publication found many friends among the few hundred collectors who, like the doctor, were too isolated to take advantage of numismatic societies in large cities such as Boston, Montreal, New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.