Recently we posted about our surge in membership since the beginning of this year. One of our new members, Russell Augustin of Willowbrook, Illinois, was our 200th member. In the past, we did a special post about our 100th member and our 150th member. So, in keeping with that practice here is a little bit about Russell Augustin as we welcome him to the Society.
Russell Augustin, President and CEO, AU Capital Management, LLC
Russell began working as a professional numismatist in 1982. He attended both Ohio Wesleyan University and Harvard University. It was in 1985 that Russell saw the future of numismatics with the advent of the third-party certification services PCGS and NGC. Inspired by this new focus on accountability in professional numismatics, he founded NumisTech, a research firm with an emphasis on the development of the PAR (Price Access and Retrieval) database of auction records for each and every U.S. coin. For several years, NumisTech published its U.S. Coin Auction Price Activity Report.
Augustin’s wide range of numismatic experience includes being an appraiser for the federal government and a price consultant for both the Kidder Peabody Rare Coin Fund and the Boston-based advertising firm Hill Holiday for the U.S. Mint. He was Vice President and Director of Numismatics at New Orleans-based Blanchard and Company, followed by the same responsibilities at Jefferson Coin & Bullion. Russell developed and built a retail numismatic business that he sold to Stanford Coin & Bullion in 2003. He has been a long-term advisor to Coin Trader, Inc.
It was in 2005 that Augustin established AU Capital Management (AUCM), LLC, in Florida, where he is currently owner and president. AUCM is a boutique-style wholesale and retail business with interests that stretch from 600 B.C. to the 19th century. The year 2016 saw AUCM begin a professional collaboration with Illinois-based RARCOA in order to expand its wholesale numismatic program, as well as to merge its retail offerings. AUCM continues to operate as a separate entity but as a partner of RARCOA. RARCOA is best known for selling large quantities of U.S. gold coins to dealers, brokers, and telemarketers. Russell is the Senior Numismatist at RARCOA.
Russell’s vast professional numismatic background makes him a knowledgeable expert in ancient Roman coinage, U.S. colonial coinage, U.S. type coins, and Pioneer and Fractional gold coins. Currently, he is helping several people just like you create PCGS Registry Sets.
Other clients Russell works with are developing type sets or advanced sets of the Twelve Caesars’ coins; California fractional gold; California, Oregon, Mormon, Colorado, Carolina, and Georgia pioneer gold; Carson City gold denomination sets; and Capped Bust half dollars. Augustin is among the most active retailers of mint state-certified gold coins. Every day, you can find up to a thousand gold coins offered on the Collector’s Corner section of our website. Russell oversees the publication of goldcoingraphs.com, which can be found on AUCM’s website.
Russell has developed the #1 PCGS Registry Set of Bechtler gold coinage, in part by acquiring specimens from renowned Pioneer gold collector James Gray. Russell was the recipient of PCGS Registry Set Awards for Best Colonials, Private Issues, and Territorial Gold and Pattern Sets for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012, as well as the award for Best New Set in 2008.
Russell’s Memberships:
- American Numismatic Association, Life Member #5804
- Florida United Numismatists, Life Member
- Central States Numismatic Society, Life Member #300
- National Silver Dollar Roundtable, Life Member #120
- Society of Private & Pioneer Numismatists
- Early American Coppers
- Liberty Seated Collectors Club
- Society of U.S. Pattern Collectors
- Chicago Coin Club, Member #1271
Russell’s Affiliations:
- Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS #3087)
- Numismatic Guarantee Corporation (NGC #1824)
- Paper Money Guarantee Corporation (PMG #4775)
- PCGS Currency Grading Service (PCGS #905479)
- American Numismatic Association Certification Service (ANACS)
- Independent Coin Grading (ICG)
I have personally known Russell for several years now, having first met him at FUN. I have purchased several SSCA (SS Central America) pieces from him and was always very satisfied with my purchase. He is one of the “good guys” in the coin business. If you happen to run across him at a show in the future, please tell him that I sent you. You will not be disappointed.
Ben Costello
President, 1715 Fleet Society
