Heritage Auctions co-founder Jim Halperin and National Currency Foundation founder Andrew Shiva receive the ANA’s 2026 Philanthropy Award for their contributions to numismatics.
What does it take to leave a lasting mark on coin collecting? For some, the answer lies in building a successful business. For others, it means preserving history, advancing research, or helping future generations discover the hobby.
The American Numismatic Association (ANA) has honored two individuals who have accomplished much of that work: James L. “Jim” Halperin and Andrew Shiva.
The two received the ANA’s 2026 Philanthropy Award, which recognizes individuals whose generosity and contributions advance the organization’s mission to expand, strengthen, and sustain numismatics. The ANA included both recipients among the honorees at its 2026 World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh.
Although their careers followed different paths, both men have helped shape the hobby through education, innovation, historical preservation, and philanthropy.
Jim Halperin: From Teenage Coin Dealer to Industry Pioneer
Jim Halperin entered the rare coin business at just 16 years old. His early interest in coins eventually helped him build one of the most influential careers in modern numismatics.
As co-founder of Heritage Auctions, Halperin played a significant role in transforming the rare coin marketplace. His contributions extended beyond buying and selling coins. He helped advance grading standards, pricing transparency, and the use of technology in the auction business.
In particular, Halperin recognized the internet’s potential to make auction results and market information more accessible. His work helped Heritage develop online auction resources that collectors and dealers could use to research values and bidding history.
However, Halperin’s accomplishments extend well beyond numismatics.
Through the Halperin Foundation, which he established with his wife, Gayle, he supports charitable initiatives involving the arts, healthcare, and education. His family’s philanthropic efforts have also included substantial contributions to community projects.
Moreover, Halperin has expressed his intention to direct much of his wealth, including his interests in Heritage Auctions, toward charitable causes.
His philosophy reflects a belief that business success creates opportunities and responsibilities to benefit others.
Andrew Shiva: A $2 Note in Paris Sparked a Lifelong Passion
Andrew Shiva’s journey into American paper money began in an unlikely place: a Paris flea market.
In 1989, Shiva encountered a 1917 $2 United States Note. Its elaborate engraving and unfamiliar appearance immediately captured his attention. That chance discovery launched a collecting pursuit that eventually led him into the specialized world of U.S. National Bank notes.
By 1995, Shiva had shifted his attention from collecting U.S. type notes to National Bank notes, a field rich in local banking history, signatures, and historical connections.
Yet Shiva wanted to do more than assemble an important collection.
He began studying the people who signed the notes, the banks that issued them, and the communities whose histories they preserve. Consequently, his collecting interests developed into a broader commitment to numismatic research and historical preservation.
In 2011, Shiva founded the National Currency Foundation, which promotes paper money collecting, research, and education. The foundation also maintains resources connected with the Hickman Project, a major census of surviving National Bank notes.
Shiva also serves as a research associate with the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution‘s National Museum of American History.
His support for the Smithsonian has produced tangible preservation benefits. For example, a gift from Shiva and his wife, Anya, helped the museum rehouse more than 80,000 international banknotes in archival-quality materials.
Additionally, Shiva has supported the ANA through the Susan Isabel Foundation, a charitable organization that honors his mother.
Supporting the Future of Coin Collecting
The ANA Philanthropy Award recognizes more than individual accomplishments. It highlights the importance of private support in preserving numismatic knowledge and expanding educational opportunities.
Halperin’s influence on the commercial side of the hobby and Shiva’s dedication to paper money research demonstrate two different ways collectors can make lasting contributions.
Both have also used their resources to support institutions and programs that benefit others.
The American Numismatic Association, a congressionally chartered nonprofit educational organization, promotes the study and collection of coins, paper money, and related items. Its educational programs include the ANA Money Museum, Dwight N. Manley Numismatic Library, publications, conventions, online learning, and webinars.
For more information about the ANA and its programs, visit money.org or call 719-632-2646.
