Sauvain new ACEF executive director
The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation has selected one of the hobby’s most experienced authentication experts to lead its operations.
ACEF has appointed Mary Sauvain as its new executive director, effective August 1, 2026. She succeeds Beth Deisher, who will step down after serving in the position since April 2024.
The leadership change places a veteran grader, authenticator, educator, and professional numismatist at the center of ACEF’s campaign against counterfeit coins, paper money, and precious-metal products.
ACEF Thanks Beth Deisher for Her Leadership
ACEF President Barry Stuppler welcomed Sauvain to her new role. He also thanked Deisher for guiding the organization during the past two-plus years.
“The ACEF Board of Directors welcomes Mary in her new capacity and thanks Beth for her leadership and work during the past two-plus years,” Stuppler said.
Deisher will remain available as a consultant for one month. Therefore, she can help ACEF complete a smooth leadership transition.
ACEF’s public board page currently lists Stuppler as president, Sauvain as a director, and Deisher as executive director. Sauvain’s promotion takes effect after Deisher’s final day in the position.
Sauvain Will Represent ACEF at the 2026 World’s Fair of Money
Collectors will not have to wait long to meet ACEF’s new executive director.
Sauvain will represent the foundation at the 2026 American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh. The convention runs from August 25 through August 29 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
ACEF will operate from a section of the GreatCollections bourse area. Visitors can find Sauvain and ACEF representatives at tables 1001, 1003, 1005, 1100, 1102, and 1104.
The Pittsburgh convention will bring together hundreds of dealers, collectors, researchers, grading specialists, and other numismatic professionals. Consequently, it offers Sauvain an immediate national platform for ACEF’s educational work.
A Career Built on Authentication and Grading
Sauvain joined the ACEF Board of Directors in January 2024. However, her work in professional numismatics stretches back nearly five decades.
She began her career at Kagin’s in 1979. Then, in 1984, she joined the American Numismatic Association Certification Service. ANACS operated from the ANA’s Colorado Springs headquarters at that time.
Sauvain first worked as a grader. Next, she advanced to grader and authenticator. Later, she served as a grader, authenticator, and finalizer.
Her six years at ANACS placed her on the front lines of professional coin authentication. The experience also gave her a deep working knowledge of counterfeit dies, altered surfaces, deceptive mintmarks, and other problems that collectors and dealers regularly face.
Independent numismatic accounts confirm that Sauvain worked at Kagin’s from 1979 until 1984. They also confirm that she served as an ANACS authenticator and grader from 1984 through 1990.
Teaching Collectors How to Spot Trouble
Sauvain has also built a national reputation as an educator.
For many years, she has taught authentication and grading at the ANA Summer Seminar. In addition, she has presented courses at coin shows and coin clubs across the United States.
The ANA credits Sauvain with teaching authentication and grading at Summer Seminar since 1985. She has helped hundreds of collectors develop stronger grading skills and recognize counterfeit or altered coins.
Sauvain also brought those lessons to print.
She wrote numerous counterfeit-detection articles for The Numismatist. Moreover, she authored the monthly “The Coin Detective” column for Coin World during the early 1990s. Her articles gave collectors practical tools for examining suspicious coins and understanding common counterfeiting techniques.
Mary Sauvain Numismatic Services
After leaving ANACS in 1990, Sauvain launched Mary Sauvain Numismatic Services.
Her company specializes in Early American coinage, with a strong focus on Colonial coins. That specialty requires close attention to planchets, dies, striking characteristics, surfaces, and the many deceptive copies that have entered the market.
Sauvain continues to operate Mary Sauvain Numismatic Services from Colorado Springs.
Decades of Service to the Numismatic Community
Sauvain’s influence reaches far beyond authentication and grading.
She holds Life Membership in the American Numismatic Association. She also helped establish Women in Numismatics as one of its three founding members.
In addition, Sauvain served on the formation steering committee for the Colonial Coin Collectors Club, commonly known as C4. She later served as a regional representative for the organization.
Sauvain also holds life membership in the National Silver Dollar Roundtable.
Over the years, she has maintained memberships in the Central States Numismatic Society, Florida United Numismatists, American Numismatic Society, Professional Numismatists Guild, Numismatic Literary Guild, Early American Coppers, and C4.
The ANA identifies Sauvain as a co-founder and past president of Women in Numismatics. It also recognizes her as a founding member and former regional vice president of C4.
Major Numismatic Awards
The numismatic community has repeatedly honored Sauvain’s work.
The ANA presented her with the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award in 2000. It followed with a Presidential Award in 2003 and an Honorary Doctorate of Numismatics in 2009.
Then, in 2011, the ANA recognized Sauvain with both its Medal of Merit and the Adna G. Wilde Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence. The Wilde Award honors members who devote significant time and resources to numismatic education.
The National Silver Dollar Roundtable named Sauvain its Woman of the Year in 2003. Later, in 2016, she received the Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador Award.
ACEF’s Fight Against Counterfeit Coins
ACEF operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The Internal Revenue Service recognizes the organization as a public charity.
The foundation works to increase public awareness of counterfeit numismatic items. Its mission covers fake collectible coins, counterfeit bullion pieces, and fraudulent paper money. ACEF also supports law enforcement investigations and provides educational resources for collectors, dealers, and the public.
Donations fund ACEF’s work and projects. The foundation also maintains a Trusted Experts Directory. That resource helps members of the public locate established numismatic professionals in their area.
With Sauvain as executive director, ACEF gains a leader who understands both the technical and human sides of counterfeit detection. She has examined coins, taught collectors, written educational articles, operated a numismatic business, and served major hobby organizations.
Now, she will bring that experience to one of the coin market’s most urgent challenges.
