PR: ANA Honors the Albert L. Baber Family for Lifetime Achievement

American Numismatic Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 2, 2003

CONTACT: Stephen Bobbitt
Telephone: 719/632-2646 x113
E-mail:


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.