About the Authors

James L. Halperin is Heritage's co-founder, and "may be the greatest coin mind of all time," according to David Hall, founder and CEO of the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). Halperin's 1986 book, "How to Grade U.S. Coins," set the core standards for the major coin grading services. Earlier, he designed the first mainframe computer system used in numismatics, in 1975, which quickly catapulted his fledgling coin company to the top of the industry. In 1983, he merged businesses with Steve Ivy to form Heritage. A surprising percentage of the successful coin dealers in America have learned their craft working under Jim at one time or another. A life member and former Governor of the American Numismatic Association, Jim is also a member of the Professional Numismatists Guild.

In 2001, Jim spearheaded Heritage's auction foray into comic books and popular culture, the success of which encouraged Heritage's expansion into numerous other categories of collectibles.

Since marrying in 1984, Jim and his wife Gayle have collected early 20th century American paintings (especially Maxfield Parrish), sculpture (especially Harriett Frishmuth), posters (especially Mucha) and art glass, EC and MAD comic books, comic art (especially EC artists, plus Robert Crumb, Frank Frazetta and Simon Bisley), 1960s fanzines, movie lobby cards, American and colonial currency, numismatic medals, among other tangents. He is now designing a web site to display the collection online. Jim also wrote two internationally best-selling science fiction novels in 1995 and 1996, then used all the royalties to endow a multi-million-dollar health education foundation.

Gregory J. Rohan is the President of Heritage with direct responsibility for all corporate functions involving rare coins. A numismatic prodigy who ran a successful rare coin business while still in high school, Greg has bought and sold millions of dollars in rare coins, including many famous rarities such as the 1804 silver dollar. He was instrumental in Heritage's Guinness World Record purchase of the Trompeter Collection for $15,177,000. With over three decades in the numismatic industry, Greg is intimately familiar with the handling of rare coins in estates and trusts, particularly where timing and taxation is an issue. He holds memberships in the Professional Numismatists Guild, the American Numismatic Association, YPO, and many other numismatic and professional organizations.

In 2003, he was appointed to a three-year term on the Small Business Advisory Board at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Greg and his wife Lysa have collected early 20th century silver, American Indian textiles, movie posters, rare wine, and contemporary glass by Dale Chihuly.