I caught this post from Matt Hansen Saturday night on the National Bank Note Collectors Facebook group. -Editor

"It is with great sadness that I have been told that my long time friend Mike Bean has passed. One of the last of the old school master craftsmen… a great loss to the dying intaglio trade. May he rest in peace…"

Matt included some nice photos and linked to a David Lisot video from 2022. -Editor

Here's the video, filmed at the FUN Summer Coin Convention 2022. -Editor

I met Mike at multiple coin shows over the years. He will definitely be missed. Bibliophiles can see examples of his exacting craft in Mark Tomasko's book The Feel of Steel: The Art and History of Bank Note Engraving in the United States. Mike printed the frontispiece and supplied original engraved prints for the book. -Editor

"I was very sorry to hear of Mike Bean's passing. He was an outstanding plate printer whom I was privileged to call a friend for more than 30 years. I met Mike on a visit to the Bureau's Engraving Division in the mid-1990s, when he was the prover for that department. He was a friend ever since. Mike and the late Milt Teichman are the two people who taught me intaglio printing. I am reminded of Mike every time I give someone my calling card, which is his work, and for several years I used his Christmas cards.

"But most importantly, my best book, the fine printing (Bird & Bull Press, 2009) edition of The Feel of Steel, would not have been possible without Mike. The frontispiece and suite of engravings at the back of the book were Mike's work. I had the privilege and pleasure of visiting Mike in Maryland to print many of the dies for the engravings on a hand-fed die stamping press, for which I served as Mike's assistant. One of the large dies and two plates were printed by Mike on a spider press. The whole project of producing the prints was a fascinating experience and a large job. I was extremely fortunate that Mike was willing and enthusiastic about doing it. I think it was the finest work of his career. Mike also printed the engraved frontispiece for the second, or trade edition of The Feel of Steel published by the American Numismatic Society in 2012."