World's Best Coin Authority Ian Russell

GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED NUMISMATIST and veteran numismatic auctioneer Ian Russell was introduced to coins and collectibles when he was 14 years old and living in Sydney, Australia. He has graded and handled many of the greatest rarities in numismatics, including the record-breaking $12 million purchase of the world's most valuable silver coin: the unique Specimen 1794 Silver Dollar.

- 

Russell has made the list of top graders as he has graded the three most valuable coins ever submitted to PCGS, including the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle and a privately produced Casascius Bitcoin token — these two are currently valued at over $100 million!

As one of his many responsibilities at GreatCollections, the firm he co-founded in 2010, he oversees the raw coin and paper money submissions to PCGS, CAC and NGC. During 2024, GreatCollections has already spent over $3 million with these companies on grading fees.

In the decade before co-founding GreatCollections, he gained further valuable experience working as president of Teletrade, Inc. and chief operating officer of Bowers and Merena Auctions, at the time, two of the largest coin auction houses in North America.