Dr. Michael Fuljenz received a medal at the World's Fair of Money for his decades of anti-counterfeiting work.
Photo credit: Donn Pearlman

(Denver, Colorado) August 7, 2017 – Rare coin and precious metals expert Dr. Michael Fuljenz, President of Universal Coin & Bullion of Beaumont, Texas (www.UniversalCoin.com), received an important national award at the recent World’s Fair of Money® for his decades of anti-counterfeiting efforts. 

The Industry Council for Tangible Assets (www.ICTAonline.org) presented him with the Al Kreuzer Memorial Award medal for “outstanding contributions in the efforts to combat counterfeit coins and currency.”

Fuljenz is a long-time member of the ICTA Board of Directors and a member of their recently-formed Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force. Since the 1980’s he has taught many counterfeit detection and rare coin authentication seminars for collectors, dealers and law enforcement officers.

“I am proud and honored to receive this award, and look forward to additional work with ICTA and other organizations to combat counterfeits and educate the public about the needs to buy and sell rare coins and precious metal bullion coins only with reputable, knowledgeable dealers, such as members of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG),” said Fuljenz.

Fuljenz is a member of the PNG’s Accredited Precious Metals Dealer program that requires all members to adhere to a strict code of ethics in the buying and selling of gold, silver and other bullion products. He now has won major awards from the four top organizations in the rare coin hobby and profession: the American Numismatic Association (ANA), Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG), Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets.

A strong consumer advocate, he received the prestigious PNG Sol Kaplan Award in 2016 in part for assisting an 84-year man recover the $84,000 he had paid to two unscrupulous dealers who sold him counterfeit American Eagle gold coins. Earlier, Fuljenz assisted a group of New Orleans physicians recover $750,000 after they unsuspectingly purchased counterfeit coins from a local attorney.

Summing up the rare coin marketplace during the American Numismatic Association 2017 World’s Fair of Money in Denver, Colorado, August 1 – 5, he commented:

“Really nice coins and important coins were in short supply, and highly desired by leading dealers and collectors at the show. These types of coins often brought impressive prices at auctions this week.   The United States Mint had long lines of customers wanting to buy their new products. The U.S. Treasury Department exhibits by the United States Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are always popular and educational.”

In addition to receiving an award at the World’s Fair of Money, Fuljenz presented two of them. As 2016 recipient of “The Ribbit,” an important honor presented annually by the NLG for outstanding service to the hobby, he presented the 2017 award to David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service.  “David is one of the top professional leaders of the hobby who certainly deserves recognition for all he has done to promote numismatic education,” explained Fuljenz.

As sponsor of the ANA’s top honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award, Fuljenz co-presented it with ANA President Jeff Garrett to Brian Fanton of Iowa. “Brian surprised me at the ceremony by telling me he recalled how much he enjoyed taking one of my ANA coin grading seminars back in the 1980’s,” said Fuljenz.

Known as America’s Gold Expert®, Universal Coin & Bullion President Dr. Michael Fuljenz has won more than 60 prestigious national and regional awards and honors for his consumer education and protection work in rare coins and precious metals. His weekly Metals Market Report is available free at www.UniversalCoin.com.