TOKEN AND MEDAL DEALER JOHN WHITMORE

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V19 2016 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 40, October 2, 2016, Article 14

The eminent British token and medal dealer John Whitmore passed away on August 7, 2016. Thanks to reader Charles Farthing for letting us know. John was involved in the Conder Token Collector's Club. Philip Mernick also assisted, connecting me with Paul Withers and Garry Charman, who wrote an obituary of Whitmore in the UK magazine Coin News. -Editor

John Whitmore had been a friend for for half a century. I compiled the following from the eulogy given at his funeral, Garry Charman's obituary in Coin News and personal knowledge. John introduced me to Garry at a coin fair in Cheltenham in - I'm not quite sure when, but it was probably around 1970.

Thanks. Here's Paul's remembrance of John Whitmore. -Editor

John Whitmore passed away on the 7th of August 2016 at the age of 84, surrounded by his family, after a short illness. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

In 1969 John and his wife Stella turned what had been a hobby into a full time business, initially trading under the name of 'Lickey Coins'.

Most collectors will be familiar with the later Whitmore sales lists, issued from 1983 onwards after their move to Malvern. He had extensive knowledge of both tokens and commemorative medals. His interest, especially in pub checks and unofficial farthings, led into numismatic research and the publication of several works including 'The Token Collectors Companion', which is used by many collectors.

His numismatic knowledge covered many areas including world coins and historical medals.

John, before he became a coin dealer had been a senior tax inspector, which enabled him to lead the discussions with the Treasury for the BNTA, the British Numismatic Trade Association, as he was an expert in speaking and understanding officialese and the civil service mind.

He was influential in the development of the association, serving on its council, many of its committees and for many years was its honorary treasurer. In 1999 he was granted honorary life membership, one of only four people to be so honoured in the forty-three year history of the organisation. His interests, apart from coins, were varied and included classical music, cricket, sci-fi and ornithology, and woe betide anyone who rang him when the Archers programme was on the radio in the evening. He and Stella enjoyed visiting places to see the interesting fauna and flora, both in Britain and abroad.

His general knowledge was amazing. If you asked him a question on any subject, he would come back with an answer. On the odd occasion when he could not, he would say he was not sure, but said what he thought the answer might be. On checking he was invariably correct! He would have been the perfect ‘friend to phone’.

The numismatic world is richer because of his contribution and we are all poorer for his passing, but those who met him will remember him with pleasure.