Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS) has announced three new inductees into the PCGS CoinFacts Coin Dealer Hall of Fame, an honor it has awarded annually since 2010. The 2026 class includes Jeff Garrett, founder of Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries; Laura Sperber, co-founder of Legend Numismatics and auction pioneer; and Lee Minshull, a wholesale market maker and philanthropic entrepreneur.
PCGS recognizes individuals in the Hall of Fame for sustained contributions to the numismatic profession. With this year’s additions, the roster continues to expand its list of influential dealers who have shaped the modern rare coin marketplace.
PCGS Leadership Comments on the 2026 Inductees
PCGS President Stephanie Sabin emphasized the collective impact of the three inductees on today’s numismatic landscape.
“It’s hard to imagine the modern numismatic marketplace without the likes of Jeff Garrett, Laura Sperber, and Lee Minshull,” Sabin said. “Jeff, Laura, and Lee all play significant roles in shaping the culture and dynamics of the numismatic industry today.”
Sabin highlighted Garrett’s role in building one of the nation’s leading rare coin firms, as well as his extensive educational contributions through numismatic publishing. She also noted Sperber’s rise as a business leader at a time when few women owned and operated numismatic firms, crediting her with redefining auction standards and quality benchmarks. Regarding Minshull, Sabin cited his broad wholesale influence and the market-moving impact of his bidsheets and promotional campaigns across multiple collecting categories.
Jeff Garrett: Dealer, Author, and Numismatic Educator
Born in Kentucky in 1958, Jeff Garrett began collecting coins as a child and attended his first American Numismatic Association (ANA) Convention in 1974 at the age of 16. He later founded Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries, which grew into a nationally recognized firm.
Garrett has earned a reputation as a “dealer’s dealer” and serves as an authoritative voice within the hobby. His career includes extensive service to organized numismatics and sustained educational outreach.
He has authored, coauthored, or edited numerous numismatic reference works. These include 100 Greatest U.S. Coins and Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins 1795–1933, the latter written with Ron Guth. In addition, Garrett serves as senior editor of A Guide Book of United States Coins, commonly known as The Red Book, which is revised annually.
Garrett has handled and authenticated some of the rarest known U.S. coins. He has also worked with the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where he serves on the museum’s board of advisors. His leadership roles include serving as president of both the American Numismatic Association and the Professional Numismatists Guild. In Kentucky, he founded the Bluegrass Coin Club to support regional collectors and dealers.
Laura Sperber: Auction Pioneer and Advocate for Quality
Laura Sperber began her full-time professional numismatic career in 1978. Over the following decades, she became a familiar presence on bourse floors across the United States.
In 1986, Sperber co-founded Legend Numismatics with George Huang and Bruce Morelan. Together, they built the firm into one of the most successful numismatic dealerships of its era. Sperber’s reputation for strict quality standards attracted elite collectors, many of whom later appeared in the PCGS Set Registry Hall of Fame.
Among the collections she helped assemble are the Bust and Trade Dollar collections of Bruce Morelan, the Bob R. Simpson Collection, the Shalor Collection of commemorative coins, and the Coronet Collection of Mint State Morgan Dollars.
Her focus on elite material led her to establish Legend Rare Coin Auctions, a boutique auction firm that operated from 2012 through 2023. The firm specialized in small-volume sales with high-quality, marquee lots. During her career, Sperber also emerged as an influential voice within the hobby, advocating against coin doctoring and calling for modernization within the coin show circuit.
Lee Minshull: Wholesale Market Maker and Philanthropist
Lee Minshull entered the numismatic trade at an early age, beginning his career as a coin dealer in 1973 when he was 14 years old. Born in 1959, he was part of a notable cohort of dealers from that year, including fellow inductee Laura Sperber.
During the 1970s silver boom, Minshull wholesaled bags of silver dollars acquired from banks, generating $20,000 in profits. In 1977, the American Numismatic Association named him Young Numismatist of the Year. By the time he graduated from high school, Minshull operated as a full-time mail-order dealer.
He later joined Steve Ivy Rare Coins, where he advanced from cataloger to head of the wholesale division. He subsequently worked with Kevin Lipton, another PCGS CoinFacts Coin Dealer Hall of Fame inductee.
Minshull eventually founded Lee Minshull Rare Coins, now known as Minshull Trading. The firm operates internationally and conducts transactions at market-making volume.
Following the September 11 attacks, Minshull played a central role in marketing coins recovered from Bank of Nova Scotia vaults located beneath the World Trade Center. He is responsible for seven-figure donations to the World Trade Center Memorial Fund resulting from that effort.
His philanthropic contributions also include more than 40 years of support for The Red Book and the annual sponsorship of the ANA’s Young Numismatist of the Year award, which he has funded with a gold coin each year for the past two decades.
Minshull continues to pursue new ventures within the hobby. He is currently a partner in VaultBox, a coin mystery box product, and is involved in the launch of Lone Star Coins and Gold Notes, state-authorized numismatic products issued in partnership with the State of Texas.
Continuing the Legacy of the PCGS CoinFacts Coin Dealer Hall of Fame
The PCGS CoinFacts Coin Dealer Hall of Fame honors dealers whose careers reflect long-term impact, professional integrity, and service to the numismatic community. The induction of Jeff Garrett, Laura Sperber, and Lee Minshull further expands that legacy.
Additional information about these and other Hall of Fame inductees is available through PCGS CoinFacts.
