Jeffrey Charles Garrett
Biography
(L 2024)
Born in Glassgow, Kentucky. Married in 1980; divorced in 1986. They had a son. He remarried in 1991.
Garrett began collecting coins at age 10. He was employed as a full time coin dealer in 1974 at age 16 with the Florida Coin Exchange. In 1980 he moved to Lexington, Kentucky. He formed Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries and Mid-American Rare Coin Auctions in 1984. They conducted 20 auctions between 1984 and 1990. In 1990 they also sold certified coins through "Numismatic Express" sales. In 1993 Mid-American Auctions merged with Heritage Numismatic Auctions. PNG member after 1982. President of PNG 2005 to 2007.
Received the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award in 2005. He was named a Numismatic Ambassador in 2008. ANA board member, Vice President 2013-2015, ANA President 2015-2017. Member of the Rittenhouse Society.
Author with Ron Guth of Encyclopedia of U. S. Gold Coins 1795-1933. Author with Scott Schechter of 100 Greatest U. S. Modern Coins. Editor of the Red Book.
In 2021 he was on the Coin World list of The Most Influential People in Numismatics 1960-2020. He made the list again in 2022 and 2024.
As a family in 2023, Jeff and Mary Lynn Garrett are on the Coin World list of 100 Most Influential people in Numismatics.
bio by correspondence, 1991
Source credit: Pete Smith, American Numismatic Biographies
