RIP Rich Hartzog

Some of you, especially American collectors of "exonumia" may know the name "Rich Hartzog" or at least his website. I corresponded with him in recent months with questions about the "FD" countermarks from Trinidad which he handed over to Prof Brunk, who is now almost blind.

His last email to me was this:



Well, I recently sent him an email asking whether he was back on his feet, together with the proofs of an article for the Canadian Journal of Numismatics that would have interested him and prof Brunk. Since I didn't get any reply and he had written "if I get better", I started wondering whether things had turned for the worse, and sadly, they did. It took me 15 seconds to find an obituary notice on the Coin World website. It looks like when he wrote his last message to me he did not even know yet he had pancreatic cancer. That was on October 18th, and he passed away only three weeks later on November 10th.

Rest in peace

Very sad news. A loss to the industry for sure.

I got a reply from Rich's brother Jeff. He sent me an obituary which I'm reproducing here for the record:

******************************************
Obituary for Rich Hartzog

Richard A. Hartzog died November 11, 2017 of Metastatic Bladder Cancer.

Born November 4, 1947 in Chicago and raised in Wheaton, IL. Hartzog moved to Rockford after attending the University of Wisconsin at Platteville. Predeceased by his parents Walter Hartzog and Virginia J. Hartzog, his sister Terri L. Hartzog and his Lady June Shigley. He is survived by his brother Jeffrey L. Hartzog the World Traveler, Sister Nancy J. White of Colorado, daughter Jennifer Hartzog of South Beloit, nephew Tyler White of Kansas City, and his inherited daughters: Karen (Tim) McCaugheny of Lombard, Jennifer Kross of Peachtree City GA and Kerryanne Shigley of Loves Park.

Hartzog was a collector and dealer specializing in tokens, medals and other small collectibles including 19th century Illinois Exonumia. He issued numerous auction catalogs and sold at shows and on-line over the course of 45+ years of business. Under the name World Exonumia Press he published several books of his own and others. Hartzog was president of the Chicago Coin Club 1979 to 1982. He has served on the board of governors for the CSNS, CWTS, TAMS, Illinois Numismatic Association and others.

A “Celebration of Life” for Rich will take place at lksjer on January 13, 2018 at lskjdf. Interment will be at the Montrose Cemetery in Chicago.

******************************************