December 11, 1931 – October 12, 2024
It is with great sadness I say goodbye to a dear friend, Richard Eliasberg. For nearly 30 years we have had convivial dinners in Baltimore at our favorite restaurant, The Prime Rib. Sometimes we would invite friends and family, and everyone always had a marvelous time. Once a summer he would come to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire for his annual lobster roll and to catch up with Dave Bowers and me. I have always said that what I most appreciate about my job is the relationships I have built over the years, and my friendship with Richard has truly enhanced my life.
Richard lived a life of kindness, treating everyone he met with respect. He supported many Baltimore organizations and charities with his time and other contributions. He was a faithful steward of his father’s incredible collection, dedicated to preserving his numismatic legacy. And that hair! I would recognize him across a crowded room just by seeing those thick, wavy locks.
Dave and I were just reminiscing about walking through that vault door featured on the cover of Life Magazine and using white gloves to remove the red wax seals on the display cases from the Smithsonian exhibit. It was amazing to see these treasures in hand for the first time after they had been locked away for decades. It was a highlight of my career in numismatics.
Richard had a consummate business mind and ethic mixed with a fabulous sense of humor and a passion to leave this world a better place. He will be sorely missed.