There is someone on these boards who, despite
his vast and valuable contributions, appears to have never received a nomination - a situation I would like to rectify.
His website - hosted here on
FORVM - is a wonderful source of information for beginning collectors (and more experienced ones as well!). But he doesn't merely explain terminology (although he does that beautifully) - he frequently poses questions to which there are no "right" or "wrong" answers but which force
his readers to consider what collecting criteria are most important to them personally - questions which are instrumental in developing their own collecting philosophies. And he makes people with an appreciation of
history and beauty feel like they too can participate in the "hobby of kings" - regardless of their
budget levels. Plus, he's a really
good writer (I needed a box of tissues when I read
his entry "The
Coin Show - Ten Years Later").
His many contributions to this board are always incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. And although I have never sent him a PM,
his kindness always makes me feel like I COULD. (I know that sounds stupid, but I am very shy, and in awe of so many of you here, so it is meaningful to me...)
Add to all this the fact that he is personally responsible for the fact that many of our coin photos look like ...ACTUAL COINS!
I therefore nominate
Doug Smith for Member of the Year.