Fredy Bühler-Zimmermann was a passionate collector of coins, medals and securities of the Swiss canton of Glarus. He wrote several numismatic books and was President of the Historical Society of the Canton of Glarus (HVG) for 10 years.
Virgil Brand gathered the largest private coin collection of all times. When he died in 1926 he left 368,000 items, a collection estimated at a staggering five million US$. The son of a German father made his fortune with the family’s brewery business in Chicago.
George Bauer was a passionate coin collector. He was elected 17th President of the American Numismatic Association and then became a professional numismatist. An authority on Greek and Roman coins and in the possession of a fabulous collection, he is little known in Europe.
Arthur Bally was born into a famous Swiss industrial family. His main passion was for Swiss coins but he clearly showed an interest for coins in general – not limiting himself to the best preserved examples or the most precious rarities. That became a problem after his death.
Clarence Bement collected not only coins – partly published in catalogues – but also books, prints, and minerals. His mineral collection consisted of over 12,500 specimens and was later given to the Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Leo Biaggi was a Swiss industrialist who formed an exceptional collection of ancient coins. His over 2,000 Roman gold coins are documented in a manuscript inventory. They were sold in the 70s. His “superb” Greek collection is less known.
Baron Bachofen von Echt (1830-1922) was an Austrian brewer and a coin collector. But he also collected paintings and formed an Ornithology Society. A portion of his numismatic collection was acquired by the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
