DONALD JOSEPH PFAU (1945-1985)

For the 40th anniversary of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, I wrote an article about the NBS charter members. Don Pfau was given membership number 61. At the time, I couldn't distinguish him from others with the same name.

Last week I found an item in the November-December 1985 issue of The Repository. Cal Wilson wrote, "I have just received word that Don Pfau, an immediate past board member of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, passed away in late November, following a long bout with cancer. Don was more interested in philatelic literature that he was in numismatic pursuits, although he did own a number of fine and scarce coin works. When the organization of the NBS was first being discussed, I contacted Don to see if he would accept nomination for a board position, and he readily accepted, and offered his services as required. My most sincere sympathy to his family."

That was enough for me to research his biography.

Donald J. Pfau was born in Monterey, California, on November 20, 1945. He was the son of Joseph Jacob Pfau (1916-1992) and Virvil Evelyn Sinkey (1919-2006).

I did not find the family listed in the 1950 Census. It is likely they were listed under a different spelling.

In July of 1982, he was listed as member 2252 in the France and Colonies Philatelic Society, Inc. He listed his interests as philatelic literature. He was also a member of the U. S. Classics Philatelic Society.

Don Pfau was elected to serve on the executive board for the Numismatic Bibliomania Society and assumed the office on February 19, 1983. He served until the end of his term at the ANA Convention in 1985.

In 1985, he was living at 3639 Sancroft, Orchard Lake, Michigan.

A hundred lots from Pfau were included in the Money Tree 15th Mail Bid Sale of December 5, 1992. The catalog has this small tidbit, "Pfau… worked for a major firm which auctioned philatelic literature." It also mentioned that Don was married to Colleen with sons Wade and Cody.

Lot 6 in the sale included the first 106 issues of Numismatic Literature published by the ANS. The lot realized $150, the only three figure price in his consignment.

Donald Pfau died on November 11, 1985, just short of his 40th birthday. He is buried in Commerce Village Burying Ground in Michigan. I did not find a published obituary.

I won't say that he never got his name in a newspaper. I will say that I was unable to find anything for him on the newspapers.com site.

I asked NBS Historian Joel J. Orosz if Pfau was mentioned in the minutes for society meetings during his term in office. Unfortunately, those records have not survived in the archives. Joel was also unable to locate a photograph of Pfau.

The Constitution for the NBS states, "Numismatic literature includes books, periodicals, catalogs and other written or printed material…" That ‘other' material can include dealer house organs, newspapers, correspondence and club histories.

Donald J. Pfau left little published records of his life and involvement in the hobby. The examples of Don Pfau this week and Cal Wilson last week illustrate the importance of recording what is happening in numismatics and preserving those records where they can be studied later.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
CALVIN OTTO WILSON, JR. (1944-2018) (https://www.coinbooks.org/v29/esylum_v29n19a17.html)

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