Lucien Birkler, †2025
Lucien Birkler lived the exact opposite of the American dream. Being was always more important to him than having, with enjoyment playing a central role. He did not measure a successful coin exchange by his profit, but by how often he had eaten excellently in pleasant company.
Lucien Birkler was a clever networker who often and always selflessly established important connections between people. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was one of the most prominent figures on the American coin scene. After that, he slowly withdrew from public life. A serious chronic illness robbed him of his mobility. But even half-blind and with two amputated feet, he was not prepared to give up his usual stand at the NYINC. It was only when he became bedridden that he was forced to give up this pleasure. Now, after a long illness, Lucien Birkler has passed away on December 22.
A missed career as a jazz musician and restaurant owner
It was more or less by chance that Lucien Birkler became a coin dealer. He had actually envisioned a completely different life for himself. He loved to talk about his successes as a jazz musician in his youth, before an operation on his cheek robbed him of his ability to play the cornet. Fact or fiction? In his always exciting anecdotes, Lucien Birkler did not distinguish too precisely between the two. He was a great entertainer who could make every evening special.
What is verifiable is that in 1971, Lucien Birkler opened the restaurant of his dreams in Washington, D.C., together with the future head chef of the Mayflower Hotel. It was called Chalet de la Paix, and its name said it all. Lucien wanted to transplant the tradition of Swiss hospitality to the New World. After all, his ancestors came from Switzerland, and he had relatives in Ticino. Moving between two worlds, he seemed very American to Europeans and very European to Americans. His idea was to bring both sides together and run a luxury restaurant with exquisite cuisine and exceptional service. But soon the financial side got out of hand. He sold his shares to a young French chef and concentrated on another passion, coin trading.
Birkler & Waddell
Since childhood, he had been interested in coins and their history, not US coins, but ancient coinage. These were becoming fashionable in the United States at the time. In 1971, the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC) was established as the first American coin exchange where only non-US and ancient coins could be traded. Lucien Birkler always proudly recounted that he had been involved in its founding. Decades later, he still held shares and never missed the annual board meeting.
In the late 1970s, Lucien Birkler joined forces with the young numismatist Edward Waddell to hold auctions of high-quality coins from antiquity and non-American countries. Four auctions were held under the Birkler & Waddell label between 1979 and 1982. Why did the partnership end? Lucien Birkler once said that he and Ed had different business goals: Ed Waddell wanted to make money; he himself just wanted to have fun. It speaks well for the two business partners that they remained friends even after the end of their joint venture.
Der große Netzwerker
Seitdem trieb Lucien Birkler sein numismatisches Geschäft am liebsten auf Münzbörsen, wo er möglichst viele Menschen traf und mit Ihnen reden konnte. Jeder kannte Lucien. Jeder ließ sich gerne von ihm zum Essen einladen. Lucien war großzügig, gab gerne und forderte selten.
Organisation und Pünktlichkeit waren allerdings nicht seine Sache. Ich erinnere mich an eine New York International – damals noch im World Trade Center. Er hatte vergessen, wem er versprochen hatte, den Tisch mit ihm zu teilen. So ballten sich fünf Münzhandlungen mit bis zu acht Personen hinter zwei Metern Ausstellungsfläche. Wobei man nicht vergessen sollte, dass sein langjähriger Partner Christian Blom über ein Körpervolumen verfügte, mit dem er allein den Raum hinter der Ausstellungsfläche hätte füllen können.
Lucien versuchte immer wieder, ins große Geschäft einzusteigen, ohne dabei auf einen grünen Zweig zu kommen. Etwa als er in den 1990er Jahren im Bostoner Swissotel eine Kopie der NYINC initiierte. Doch auch dieses Projekt scheiterte nach nur wenigen Veranstaltungen.
M&M Numismatics
Lucien Birkler considered it the proudest moment of his coin dealer career when his long-time friend Hans Voegtli made him managing director of the American branch of Basler Münzen & Medaillen AG. Lucien rented an impressive office in Washington and reserved an auction slot at NYINC.
In 1997, M&M Numismatics held its first auction at the World Trade Center. Just one year later, the auction was renamed The New York Sale and began working with partners. First with Baldwin’s and Italo Vecchi, then with many others. Today, Dmitry Markov remains the sole partner.
The bitter end
Lucien lived life to the fullest his entire life, without regard for his wallet or his health. Although he suffered from high blood sugar, he ate with enthusiasm—especially sweets. He paid a high price for this. His eyesight deteriorated until he went blind shortly before his death. Both of his feet had to be amputated up to the knee. And yet, every year at the New York International, he insisted on slowly making his way to his table with his walker, only to sit there for hours talking to his many numismatic acquaintances.
Only when he was no longer able to do so and became dependent on care did he stop coming to NYINC. He spent more than two years in a nursing home. Only a few loyal friends kept in touch with him. He passed away on December 22, 2025.
Lucien Birkler did not change the world of numismatics. He was nothing more and nothing less than a particularly endearing part of it. That is why his memory should not be forgotten.
Requiescat in Pace.
Text by Ursula Kampmann
