Michael Fuljenz, the award-winning numismatic author, educator and President of Universal Coin and Bullion, was recently honoured with the prestigious Numismatic Ambassador Award during an induction at the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Convention in Fort Lauderdale.
Created in 1974 by Krause Publications President Clifford Mishler—a former Canadian Coin News consultant—and sponsored for decades by Numismatic News, the Numismatic Ambassador awards are now sponsored by FUN. Honourees are selected each year by previous award winners. The 2017 awards were announced and presented by the FUN Numismatic Ambassador Award Administrator Tony Swicer at an awards breakfast at the convention, one of the country’s largest numismatic events.
“I thank the Ambassadors for naming me as a 2017 recipient of this valued award, and I pledge to continue to vigorously promote numismatic education and hobby enjoyment,” said Fuljenz, who received the honour on Jan. 6.
Known as “America’s gold expert,” Fuljenz has won more than 60 prestigious national and regional awards and honours for his consumer education and protection work in rare coins and precious metals. His award-winning weekly Metals Market Report is available online for free.
‘EARNED THE RESPECT OF HIS PEERS BY HIS QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE’
“The Numismatic Ambassador is a person who has earned the respect of his peers by his quest for knowledge. He wants to know the whys and wherefores of coins, tokens, medals and paper money. He wants to know much more than their values and whether they’re in demand in the marketplace. He searches out the little-known facts and passes this information on to others,” said Numismatic News Editor Dave Haprer in a May 2015 story about the award.
Fuljenz is a Life Member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and sponsors the annual ANA Farran Zerbe Award, the association’s highest honour. He’s also a member of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) and the PNG Accredited Precious Metals Dealer program. PNG also honoured Fuljenz in 2016 with its important Sol Kaplan Award for helping to fight numismatic-related crimes.
A respected community leader in his hometown of Beaumont, Texas, Fuljenz also has served with distinction as a consultant to the Federal Trade Commission, United States Mint and Royal Canadian Mint, and is on the Boards of Directors of the influential Industry Council For Tangible Assets and Crime Stoppers of Beaumont, Texas. McNeese State University recognized Fuljenz’s literary, business and civic achievements by presenting him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.
A native of Louisiana, Fuljenz was elected four times as President of the Southwest Louisiana Coin Club and served as Chairman of the Louisiana State Numismatic Association coin show.