ANA honors the Albert L. Baber Family for Lifetime Achievement
The American Numismatic Association (ANA) confers its Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to organized numismatics.
First conferred in 1992, the Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals, families, firms or judicial entities for service to the hobby. The 2003 recipient is the Albert L. Baber Family.
Before his death in 1999, ANA life member Albert L. Baber of San Diego, California, spent more than 45 years involved in numismatics. Going far beyond his personal collecting interests, he volunteered and was very active in local, state, regional and national organizations in a variety of capacities. His enthusiasm led family members to participate in the hobby and join the ANA.
Dorothy C. Baber started her husband in the hobby as a way to help in recuperate from a mild heart attack in 1954, bringing him a Whitman folder, a bag of Lincoln cents and a copy of A Guide Book of United States Coins. She followed him into the ANA in the 1960s and joined him in his many club and organizational activities. She served as secretary, vice president and president of six local and state organizations, and, with her husband, was very active in a number of local, state, regional and national shows, serving as general chairman of the ANA’s 1990 National Money Show in San Diego.
In 1988, Dorothy Baber received the ANA Medal of Merit for her service to the Association. Two years later she was named Outstanding District Delegate, and in 1995 she received both the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award and the ANA’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service.
Lawrence P. Baber joined his father and mother in the numismatic hobby, starting to collect coins in the 1950s as a paper boy. As he became more involved in school, sports and military service, his hobby interests took a back seat. However, while living in Hawaii in the 1970s, and with his parents’ continued hobby involvement, his numismatic interests were rekindled. He became a member of the Hawaii State Numismatic Society and the Maui Coin Club, becoming president of both.
Returning to San Diego in 1982, Larry Baber and his family became actively involved, with his parents in the San Diego Numismatic Society, California State Numismatic Association and Token and Medal Society. An award-winning exhibitor, he served two years as the ANA’s chief judge.
Baber’s enthusiasm for the hobby and its people have rubbed off on his wife, Cecilia, and their children. Cecilia frequently volunteers her time at ANA conventions.In bestowing its Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Numismatic Association expresses the sincere appreciation of its members to the Albert L. Baber Family.
Originally Release Date: August 2, 2003
ANA Contact: Phone: 719-482-9872
Email: pr@money.org