The varied and storied life of Chester L. Krause of Iola, Wis., is well documented in his autobiography, I’m Chet. In the book, Krause recalls his youth growing up on the family farm just east of Iola, and days spent in a one-room country schoolhouse and the challenges of making ends meet during the Great Depression.
It was during this time he was introduced to coin collecting, and in 1952 he started a modest little publication for fellow collectors called Numismatic News. Initially, all of the work for the periodical was done out of his parents’ home with help from his family. But eventually the business, which became known as Krause Publications, grew to become the world’s largest hobby publisher.
Krause is the original co-author, with Clifford L. Mishler, of the multivolume Standard Catalog of World Coins, which is known worldwide as the leading reference on coins of the world. He is a former Governor of the ANA and is a member of the ANA Hall-of-Fame. He has been recognized with virtually every honor the ANA can bestow, including the Medal of Merit, Glenn Smedley Memorial Award, Exemplary Service Award, Numismatist of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award and the ANA’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service.
CoinWeek’s David Lisot sat down with Chet last week at the Baltimore Expo to record his thoughts on the numismatic hobby.
Copyright © April, 2011
