Wikipedia

Michael "Miles" Standish

Michael "Miles" Standish (November 13, 1964 - July 11, 2023) was an American businessman, author, rare coin expert, sports memorabilia expert and philanthropist. He was a co-founder of Collectors Universe and served as vice president of the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC).[1]

Michael "Miles" Standish
Born(1964-11-13)November 13, 1964
Kalamazoo, Michigan
DiedJuly 11, 2023(2023-07-11) (aged 58)
Occupation(s)Author, Vice President of NGC, Rare Coin Expert - Numismatist - (Coin Authenticator and Grader)
EmployerNGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation)
SpouseAndrea Mangione Standish
AwardsU.S. Mint Director's Coin of Excellence

Early life and education edit

Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on November 13, 1964, Standish became interested in numismatics at a young age. He was a 1983 graduate of Portage Central High School in Portage, Michigan, where he lettered in football and was a disc jockey at the school radio station.[2] Standish first became involved in selling coins at the age of 17, when he set up a table at the National Silver Dollar Show (1982) in Houston, Texas.[citation needed]

Career edit

Standish began his career in the coin industry as he traveled to regional and local coin shows. He was hired by ANACS, America's oldest grading service, to be a grader in 1984.[3] While at ANACS, Standish began to write a monthly column called "Under the Loupe", which was published in Coin World from 1984 until 1988.

Standish left ANACS in 1985 and went to work for Michael G. DeFalco, a dealer specializing in silver dollars, toned coins,[4] and commemoratives.[5] He also worked for Wayne Miller and Steve Contursi, where he served as a coin buyer. It was at about this time that Standish got the nickname “Miles”, a humorous reference to Myles Standish, the Plymouth Colony captain. Standish credited the origin of the nickname to then American Numismatic Association President Florence M. Schook.[6]

In January 1987, Standish joined PCGS and was the first full-time coin grader in the company’s history.[3] He became part owner in the company in 1995. In 2004 Standish received notoriety for the detection of an impostor coin. "Someone had taken a 1945 cent (which was made of copper alloy) and altered the '5' in the date to resemble a '3.' Expert authenticator Miles Standish...needed only seconds to spot the alteration and pass the news along to the coin's now crestfallen owner. Instead of being rare and worth a small fortune, the coin was just an ordinary cent."[7] Standish also spoke out about a rare dime-penny that was discovered in 2000.[8]

In 2005, Standish left PCGS to become vice chairman and chief numismatist of ANACS.[9] Standish left ANACS in September, 2006 and returned to PCGS where he served as vice president.

In 2015, Standish joined NGC and served as their vice president.

Numismatics edit

Standish was one of American numismatics' most recognized graders and authenticators of coins.[citation needed] He was the first full-time coin grader at Professional Coin Grading Service. In the course of his career, Standish graded between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 coins, including a number of significant rarities, such as the 1913 Liberty nickels and all of the 1804 dollars.[3]

While with PCGS, Standish developed a number of marketing innovations, including PCGS’ bulk submission and First Strike programs, the company’s signature series of PCGS inserts which include autographs of notable figures such as Presidents George H. Bush and Gerald Ford, U.S. Mint Directors Donna Pope, Jay W. Johnson, and Philip Diehl, Edmund Moy, Chief Engraver John Mercanti, General Tommy Franks and Hall of Fame baseball player Nolan Ryan.

In 2011, for his service to numismatics and to the U.S. Mint, Standish was awarded the “Director’s Coin for Excellence”[10][11] by the director of the United States Mint, Edmund Moy.[12]

Sports collectibles edit

Standish served as Vice President of Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) and launched PSA/DNA First autograph Sammy Sosa- authentication from 1996-2001. During that time, Standish authenticated a number of high-profile sports items including Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball[13] and Henry Aaron’s 715th home run bat and ball.[14] In 2014, Standish merged his passion for sports and numismatics by offering a series of limited edition PCGS-graded coin inserts, featuring the signatures of members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.[15]

Author edit

In 2014, Standish authored Morgan Dollar: America's Love Affair with a Legendary Coin.[16][17][18][19][20] It was recognized as a Best Specialized book in the 2015 Annual NLG (Numismatic Literary Guild) Writers' Awards.[21] In 2012, he co-authored "American Silver Eagles: A Guide to the U.S. Bullion Coin Program" with former Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, John Mercanti.[22][23][24]

From 1984 to 1988, Standish wrote a monthly column titled "Under the Loupe" for Coin World.[25]

Personal life edit

Standish was a participant in a non-profit organization that works with hospitals and healthcare providers to instill family and child friendly healthcare practices around the world. Standish’s wife Andrea Mangione Standish is the founder and president.[citation needed]

Among many other awards and accomplishments, Standish was awarded the honor of The Commission of Kentucky Colonel. This is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Governor of Kentucky, and a recognition of an individual’s noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to the community, state, and nation. Standish was among many other notable Kentucky Colonels, including Colonel Harlan Sanders, President Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, John Lennon, Donald Trump Jr., Betty White, Paul McCarthy, Ansel Adams, Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, Mario Andretti, and Pope Benedict XVI, to name a few.[26]

Philanthropy edit

Standish was very active in philanthropic activities, from doing fun events like "Shave Miles" where he will allow celebrities and others to shave his head to raise money for the Standish Foundation for Child & Family Centered Healthcare[27] and the American Numismatic Association.[28]

Standish also established a quarter-million-dollar trust fund to benefit education and sports programs at his Alma Mater, Portage Central High School.[29]

Death edit

Standish died by suicide on July 11, 2023, in Austin, Texas.[30]

References edit

  1. ^ Standish, Michael. "Miles Standish Joins NGC". NGC.com. Collector's Universe. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  2. ^ "Standish Donates $250,000 To Portage Central High School". coinnews.net. CoinNews Media Group LLC. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Standish, Michael. "About the Author". American Silver Eagles: A Guide to the U.S. Bullion Coin Program. Whitman Publishing, LLC.
  4. ^ "Aurora Borealis Collection Showcase Image Gallery". pcgs.com. Collectors Universe. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Miles Standish Begins Next Chapter, Resigns From NGC". coinnews.net. CoinNews Media Group LLC. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Miles Standish Begins Next Chapter, Resigns From NGC". coinnews.net. CoinNews Media Group LLC. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  7. ^ Travers, Scott A. (2007-01-01). One-Minute Coin Expert. Random House Information Group. ISBN 9780375720406.
  8. ^ "It's a Penny! No, It's a Dime! Either Way, It's Worth More Than 11 Cents". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 2000-09-01. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  9. ^ "Standish returns to ANACS | Numismatic News". www.numismaticnews.net. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  10. ^ "Moy awards Director". www.numismaticnews.net. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  11. ^ Service, Professional Coin Grading. "Director's Coin for Excellence Medal Awarded to PCGS' Miles Standish". Coin News. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  12. ^ "U.S. Mint Director Awards 'Coin for Excellence' to PCGS' Miles Standish". pcgs.com. Collector's Universe. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  13. ^ Paisner, Daniel. The Ball: Mark McGwire's Home Run Ball and the Marketing of the American Dream. Viking Adult.
  14. ^ "PCGS Board of Experts". pcgs.com. Collector's Universe. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  15. ^ "Coins Now a Source for Baseball HOF Autographs". www.sportscollectorsdigest.com. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  16. ^ Standish, Michael (June 24, 2014). Morgan Dollar: America's Love Affair With a Legendary Coin, Featuring the Coins of the Coronet Collection. ISBN 978-0794839536.
  17. ^ "New Miles Standish Book Dishes on the Morgan Dollar". May 6, 2014.
  18. ^ "Morgan Dollar: America's Love Affair With a Legendary Coin by Michael "Miles" Standish - The Coin Show". The Coin Show. Archived from the original on 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  19. ^ Noble, Barnes &. "Morgan Dollar: America's Love Affair with a Legendary Coin". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  20. ^ "Whitman Releases New Morgan Dollar Book by Miles Standish". www.coinsweekly.com. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  21. ^ "Results of Annual Writers' Competition for 2015 « Numismatic Literary Guild". www.nlgonline.org.
  22. ^ Reagan, Michael. "The Birth of the American Silver Eagle". whitman.com. Whitman Publishing, LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-12-07. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  23. ^ "Mercanti co-authors American Eagle dollar book". www.coinworld.com. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  24. ^ "New American Silver Eagle Book". www.coinsweekly.com. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  25. ^ "Coin World Magazine". Under the Loupe. Amos Press. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  26. ^ "Kentucky Colonels". Kentucky Colonels.
  27. ^ "Standish Foundation for Children | Transforming Children's Healthcare Experiences". standishfoundation.org.
  28. ^ "Coin Collecting & Numismatics | American Numismatic Association". www.money.org.
  29. ^ "Rare Coin Expert Miles Standish Donates Quarter-Million Dollars to His High School". September 2, 2019.
  30. ^ Gibbs, William T. "Miles Standish, author and numismatist, dies at 58". Coin World.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_%22Miles%22_Standish&oldid=1214612568"