Michael Fuljenz, an NRA Golden Ring of Freedom member from Beaumont, TX, has been named the 2023 recipient of the highest honor bestowed by the Congressionally chartered American Numismatic Association (ANA). The non-profit organization of coin collecting enthusiasts was founded in 1891, and its membership role of 27,000 makes it the largest of its kind in the United States.
Fuljenz, a prominent rare coin and precious-metals dealer, received the prestigious 2023 Chester L. Krause Distinguished Service Award at the World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, PA on Aug. 11.The award is the “highest honor conferred by the ANA” and “given in recognition of the numerous years of outstanding, dedicated service to numismatics.”
“No recognition like this happens without the tremendous support of many others in the American Numismatic Association, in the hobby and profession, and my wonderful family,” said Fujenz, who is known as America’s Gold Expert. “I sincerely thank all those who have helped me help others.”
ANA’s 2023 Philanthropy Award also went to Fuljenz. In 2021, he was named Dealer of the Year and three years later he received the organization’s Medal of Merit.
A cover story in the August 2023 issue of The Numismatist—ANA’s monthly magazine—about the award states: “Crime fighter Mike Fuljenz is as much an advocate for the Golden Rule as he is for all things related to precious metals...His unflagging efforts to eradicate numismatic crime, campaign for collectors’ rights, provide fiduciary support for educational programs, and spread the joy of the hobby are a testament to his upstanding character.”
Fuljenz co-sponsored the NRA Foundation banquet for many years and currently co-sponsors the prayer breakfast. He’s shared his wealth of knowledge as a featured speaker at NRA Freedom First Financial Seminars and is a benefactor for the Eddie Eagle GunSafe program.
In addition to the two recent awards from the ANA, at the World’s Fair of Money Fuljenz also received prestigious honors from the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG), an organization founded in 1968 and composed of top editors, writers and content producers in the coin collecting community worldwide. His reference work, “Type Two Double Eagles 1866-1876, a Numismatic History and Analysis,” was named best investment book, and he received the NLG’s 2023 Best Column Award.
