James L. Halperin
 |
This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (October 2008) |
James L. Halperin (born October 31, 1952, in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American author and businessman. In 1985 Halperin authored a text on grading coins, How to Grade U.S. Coins, upon which the grading standards of the two leading third-party grading services PCGS and NGC were ultimately based. He is also author of two popular futurism fiction books, The Truth Machine (1996) and The First Immortal (1997), both best-sellers that were each cited in PC Magazine's 20th Anniversary Survey in 2001 as one of the 17 top science/technology fiction books of the previous 20 years.[1] The Truth Machine is currently under development as a motion picture at Lions Gate.
Halperin graduated from Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts in 1970, then attended Harvard University between 1970-1971 where he majored in psychology and later philosophy. After three semesters, Halperin took a permanent leave of absence to pursue a career in numismatics. In 1976 he established a rare coin fund for investors, New England Rare Coin Fund (NERCF). Upon liquidation at auction in April 1980, each investor in NERCF received 460% of their initial investment after commissions and fees.[2]
In 1982, he sold his coin company to a former employee, entered into a 50/50 business partnership with renowned numismatist-turned-businessman Steve Ivy and settled in Dallas, Texas. Halperin and Ivy still co-direct Heritage Auction Galleries, of Dallas, Texas, which advertises itself as the world's largest rare coin company and third largest auction house (2009 sales of about $650 million).
A profile on Halperin appeared in Forbes in 2004,[3] to which Halperin posted an annotated (clarified and/or corrected in footnotes) version on Heritage's website.[4]
Halperin also endows The James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, which supports health and education-related charities.
He has been married to his wife Gayle since 1984 and they have two sons, David (born 1991) and Michael (born 1995).
[edit] References
- ^ PC Magazine Survey
- ^ PCGS.com article by Halperin discussing NERCF
- ^ Christopher Helman, Top Drawer
- ^ Halperin, Jim What Forbes Didn't Tell You
[edit] External links
- James L. Halperin autobiography
- The Truth Machine: free download
- The First Immortal: free download
- How to Grade U.S. Coins
- 2004 Forbes Top Drawer, Anotated
- The Collector's Handbook
 |
This article about a United States writer of non-fiction is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 |
This coin-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 |
This article about an American businessperson born in the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
