MICHEL PRIEUR 1955-2014

It is with much sadness and distress that I inform E-Sylum readers of the recent passing of Michel Prieur, one of the founders of CGB, who I have known for many years. In fact, he was one of the first numismatists I ever e-mailed, even before I had my own e-mail address. To me, he was a true scholar and friend, and the face of French numismatics. But not only French. He was also a world authority on Syro-Phoenician tetradrachms, as demonstrated by the book, A Type Corpus of the Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and their Fractions from 57 BC to AD 258 (2000), which he wrote with Karin Prieur. It remains the standard reference in the field.

I have very little information to offer at this time, but I see Wikipedia claims he had died on March 21. I have doubts that this is correct as this CGB blog posting is dated March 20: http://blog.cgb.fr/michel-prieur-nous-a-quittes,6160.html

I had planned to write an article on the French Sower (La Semeuse) one-franc coins with his help—which he was always graciously willing to extend—but now I do not know if I have the heart to complete the project.

Michel did more than any person I know of to popularize French coin collecting and research, even to the English speaking segment of the hobby. He had both tried in vain to find an English translator for CGB's marvelous Le Franc coin guide (modeled after Whitman's "Red" and "Blue" books) and an American distributor for the French version.

The reason for searching out an American distributor was the costly shipping fees imposed on books mailed to the US which he badly wanted to remedy. I was struck by Michel's honesty when he once suggested to me not to buy Le Franc directly from CGB, but from some other bookseller, on account of the unreasonable transatlantic shipping costs that they were forced to charge.

But Michel's efforts to promote the hobby weren't only limited to traditional means. He was a huge advocate of bringing French numismatics into our 21st century world. CGB's beautifully designed website is a testament to that. Their monthly online periodical, Le Bulletin Numismatique, published since 2004, is a reason alone for learning to read French. I find it amazing how skillfully crammed each issue of Le BN is with articles and news on numismatic topics ranging all the way from ancient to modern. As is so characteristic of Michel, all of this is offered freely to subscribers.

Some say M. Prieur was opinionated, and I believe they are right, but in all the correspondences I have had with him over the years, his opinions were always received with interest and respect as were mine. Frankly, there was very little, if anything, to disagree with as he said what needed to be said—with wit and conviction. I pray that this boldness is carried on by CGB. I shudder to think what French numismatics, and numismatics in general, would be like without their care and dedication to the hobby.

It grieves me to lose yet another dear numismatic friend in such a short time, and one following in the large wake of my stepmother, who went to heaven on February 15.

I had meant this letter to be very brief, but I see I was carried away by grief for my friend... adieu.

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web