Numismatic Innovators with
Dr. Donald Kagin Podcast
Discover the captivating backstories of the visionaries who reshaped the rare coin market. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the industry’s biggest legends to analyze the brilliant ideas, critical mistakes, and definitive successes that drove modern numismatic innovation. New episodes drop on the first Thursday of every month. Check back a month before each broadcast to read the upcoming guest’s biography and submit your own questions via our online form.
Episode 1: A Conversation with David Hall of PCGS
David Hall entered professional numismatics in 1966, became a full-time rare coin dealer in 1972, and has operated David Hall Rare Coins since 1977. Recognized as one of the most innovative figures in numismatics, Hall helped transform the coin hobby into a full-fledged industry.
He is best known as the driving force behind the certified coin grading revolution. In 1985, Hall co-founded the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) alongside a group of fellow dealers and experts, serving as its first president when operations launched in February 1986. Under his leadership, PCGS pioneered third-party authentication, single numerical grading on the Sheldon Scale, and the tamper-evident plastic coin “slab”. PCGS also introduced an online coin set registry, allowing collectors to input serial numbers to rank and compare their collections.
Beyond PCGS, Hall began publishing his monthly rare coin newsletter, David Hall’s Inside View, in January 1979 and has been a major dealer in top-tier coins for over three decades. His latest venture is Coin Market Qualified (CMQ), a partnership with Greg Roberts and Stack’s Bowers that verifies certified coin grades with a market-standard sticker.
Hall’s industry impact has earned him prestigious honors: he was dubbed “the man who changed the rare coin market forever” by Numismatic News in 1996, named one of the top “Numismatists of the Century” by COINage in 1999, and awarded the American Numismatic Association Presidential Award in 1999. Inducted into the PCGS CoinFacts Hall of Fame in 2012, he continues to channel his trading expertise into David Hall Rare Coins in Santa Ana, California.
Meet Your Host:
Dr. Donald Kagin
Donald H. Kagin, Ph.D. is a premier numismatic authority and innovator, holding the nation’s first B.A. and doctorate degrees in numismatics. An expert in pioneer gold coins, U.S. currency, and numismatic rarities, Kagin has authored five award-winning books, most recently, America’s Golden Age: Private & Pioneer Gold Coins of the United States 1786-1862. He is a frequent contributor to major hobby and financial publications and has lectured nationwide, led educational seminars and forums, and appeared on platforms ranging from Good Morning America, The History Channel, and
the National Geographic Channel.
Don has also served four ANA board terms, including Vice President of the American Numismatic Association, and successfully engineered the congressional coin bill that raised over $4.75 million to renovate the historic Old San Francisco Mint.
Today, Don continues to push the numismatic envelope, most recently establishing Kagin’s Digital, which offered fractional shares of iconic numismatic coins and currency.
