About the LA Coin Guy.

Meet Our Host Jimmy (James) Gerstel

LA Based Expert Numismatist and Jeweler.

With over forty years of experience in the numismatic world, Rare Collectibles TV host James Gerstel has become a respected figure in the coin community. From working at his family’s business as a teenager to opening a coin store of his own that has lasted for over 20 years, James has gained an immense wealth of numismatic knowledge and expertise. His experience does not stop with selling coins, however, James’ passion for numismatics has even led to him designing his own coins.

To this day, James still remembers how he acquired his first coin. “It was a 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar,” he explained, “that’s the coin that started it all for me. It was given to me by my grandfather’s best friend, Tommy, who was probably a coin dealer and I didn’t even know it.” This coin has maintained its personal and numismatic importance so much that James put it simply as “the one coin [he] would never give up.”

At just seventeen years old, James began working at his family’s jewelry business where he dealt with diamonds and precious metals. During this period of time, James’ father was able to facilitate a massive trade of diamonds for numismatic coinage. James considers this to be another event that led to his eventual forty-year career in numismatics.

After working at his family’s store, James became acquainted with Abner Kreisberg, a coin dealer famous for facilitating the F.C.C. Boyd collection, one of the largest collections of U.S. pattern and colonial coins to ever be assembled. These many connections with expert coin dealers deepened James’ knowledge as a burgeoning numismatist. Eventually, in 1996, James had gained enough experience to open his own coin shop in Los Angeles.

In 2004, James began his television career as a shopping network host. Eventually, this experience would pave the way for him to collaborate with Rick Tomaska and Jack McNamara on Rick’s U.S. Coin Show at Rare Collectibles TV. “I never thought I’d get an appreciation for Franklin Half Dollars until I heard Rick talk about them,” James said thoughtfully.

James’ passion for coins is much deeper than their collectible value. “One of the things I’ve been lucky enough to have experienced in my career is the designing process and what it takes to make a coin. When you understand the genius behind the designing of coins, then you want to own and collect every type of coin,” James elaborated.

When pressed further about his designing experience, James proudly began, “The most memorable coin to me is the one I designed, the 2014 Panda Coin for the 60th Anniversary of Florida United Numismatists Inc. The obverse and reverse designs that I submitted to the China Mint were accepted and struck in 5oz gold, 5oz silver, and 1oz silver coins. It was truly a life-changing experience for me.”

Although James primarily deals in American numismatics, his interests and knowledge stretch far beyond coins struck in the United States. He credits his experience in designing for this eclectic taste in coins. When asked the most interesting coin in his collection, James replied, “it would have to be the oldest coin that I own, a Shekel of Tyre, a biblical issue from Herod the Great.”

While James collects every coin he can get his hands on, he recommends that collectors keep an eye out for the Silver Peace Dollar. “The Peace Dollar is one of the most undervalued Silver Dollars. It’s a short series and the only Silver Dollar struck in High Relief,” James advised. Further passing knowledge on to new collectors, James gave the following advice: “Read the book before you buy the coin, but don’t sacrifice quality for price. Search for quality above everything else, because that’s what other people look for.”

James enjoys sharing the historic and educational aspects of collecting coins with his viewers. Rare Collectibles TV showcases James Gerstel’s numismatic expertise nightly on television and on RareCollectiblesTV.com. If you have any burning numismatic questions to ask our hosts James, Rick, or Jack, be sure to email newsletter@rarecollectiblestv.com for a chance to be featured in our “Ask a Numismatist” column.

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