NNP

David Thomason Alexander

Biography

(L2024)

Born in Brooklyn, New York. Received B.S. from the University of Miami at Coral Gables, Florida, in 1961 and M.A. in 1962. He did graduate work at the University of California at Los Angeles 1962 to 1963. Married to Debra Lee Price who died in 1974. Married to Patricia Ann LaBranche French December 3, 1977 with two adopted children. They issued a medal to commemorate the wedding. Employed as director of the Historical Museum of Southern Florida 1963 to 1974.

Employed by Coin World in 1974 to 1981 as staff writer and international editor. Appointed executive editor of Numismatic Scrapbook in 1975. In 1981 he joined the publishing division of Johnson & Jensen. Employed with Kagin's in 1983. Director of Alexander Numismatic Services Inc. in 1984. With Numismatic Investments of Florida. Served as executive director of the Numismatic Literary Guild from August 1982 to August 1990. Winner of Clemy Award in 1987. In 1990 he joined the staff of Stack's as a cataloger. Historian for the ANA in 1998. He is the founder of Medal Collectors of America (MCA).

Alexander has been a contributor to COINage, First Strike, FUN Topics, Numismatic News and PNG Report. Editor of Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine. Appointed editor of The Shekel in 1981. Editor of Coin World Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of United States Coins in 1990. He contributes “The Research Desk” column to Coin World.

He was named a Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador in 1995. He received the ANA Glenn Smedley Memorial Award in 1999, Medal of Merit in 2000. In 2010 he received the Burnette Anderson Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Writing. In 2013 he was named ANA Numismatist of the Year. In 2021 he was on the Coin World list of The Most Influential People in Numismatics 1960-2020. In 2021 he received the ANA Lifetime Achievement Award. He made the Coin World list again in 2024.

Profile CW 6/24/1981, NN 12/9/1986

See also https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/608098.