Our History
Donald Brigandi was a just a teenager when Brigandi Coin Company opened officially for business in 1959, but he’d already spent the better part of his life gearing up for its launch. At age 10, he started his own coin collection, soon setting up a trading mart in the family basement. By 13, he was making a steady profit by buying and selling from one dealer to another and making lucrative deals at coin exhibits and shows. When his father, Anthony, left his career at a pharmaceutical company and signed the Brigandi Coin Company partnership papers, Donald was still listed as an “infant,” legal language for anyone under 21.
Click here to meet Donald and the rest of the Brigandi's
Brigandi Coin Company grossed $69,000 in its first year of operation out of the family basement, and almost doubled its profits in the second year. It took just three years for Donald and Anthony to open a bustling store in New York City, where the business has flourished for more than 50 years.
Now led by Donald, his two brothers, Robert and John, and his nephew, Chris, Brigandi Coin Company has expanded its business from coins and currency to gold and silver bullion, vintage sports memorabilia and autographs. From our modest start, we are immensely proud to be recognized today as the nation’s preeminent coins and collectibles dealer.
Time Line
1957
Donald Brigandi, Age 10, starts attending local coin shows, buying and selling coins. It seems he understands how to make money trading in coins. His father takes notice and lends him money.
1959
By 1959, Donald and his father Anthony open up a mail order business in their Queens, N.Y Basement selling coins.
1963
By Late-1963, The Donald E. Brigandi Company coin business becomes so successful that the pair open up a retail coin shop in Midtown Manhattan’s 44th street. Anthony leaves his job of 25 years with the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company, while Donald shuttles to Manhattan after his high school classes end for the day.
1964
By 1964 “Don” Brigandi is a nationally recognized expert in U.S Rare Coins. The NY Daily News publishes an article about his nascent career and business. Don is even featured on the popular nationally televised game show “To Tell the Truth”. He, along with two imposters tried to stump the panel of 4 as to who the “Youngest Coin Dealer in America” was. Of course it was Don, Age 17 at the time.
1966-1968
By the late 1960s Brigandi father and son entered the silver precious metals business. The US Government actually backed much of its dollars with silver bullion. These dollars were known as “Silver Certificates,” and they could be redeemed at each of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks for actual silver Bullion (based on the current price of silver). The Brigandis thus began offering a premium on each dollar for their redemption. Once purchased, the dollars were then redeemed for the bullion at the NY Federal Reserve Bank. Lines formed around the block of West 44th Street, that is until June of 1968 when the Federal Government decided it was time to stop their silver redemption plan and ceased to back their dollars with silver (as they had done with gold in 1933).
Note: But the Brigandi’s were not done with precious metals however. By the late-1960s they began purchasing silver bullion, as well as pre-1964 U.S. silver coins. This business blossomed by the 1970s and the Brigandi Coin Company became famous as traders, making a market daily in the physical silver metal, even offering their product in Italy.
1971
Brother Robert joins the Brigandi Coin Company after college graduation and a degree in economics.
January 1st 1975
The U.S. makes holding gold legal once again for its citizens, and the Brigandis begin making their daily market in physical gold bullion, as well as coins.
Needless to say, the 1970s were filled with extremely active gold and silver trading, culminating in the “Hunt Brothers” attempt to corner the silver market.
1982
A third brother, John, Joins the Brigandi Coin Company after briefly practicing law in NYC. Anthony’s three children now are joined in the family business.
1985
John begins buying and selling rare sports cards and vintage baseball memorabilia. By the 1990s the Brigandi Coin Company emerges as one of the largest sports memorabilia companies in the country, dealing in only the finest quality available in the marketplace.
Donald Brigandi, Age 10, starts attending local coin shows, buying and selling coins. It seems he understands how to make money trading in coins. His father takes notice and lends him money.
1959
By 1959, Donald and his father Anthony open up a mail order business in their Queens, N.Y Basement selling coins.
1963
By Late-1963, The Donald E. Brigandi Company coin business becomes so successful that the pair open up a retail coin shop in Midtown Manhattan’s 44th street. Anthony leaves his job of 25 years with the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company, while Donald shuttles to Manhattan after his high school classes end for the day.
1964
By 1964 “Don” Brigandi is a nationally recognized expert in U.S Rare Coins. The NY Daily News publishes an article about his nascent career and business. Don is even featured on the popular nationally televised game show “To Tell the Truth”. He, along with two imposters tried to stump the panel of 4 as to who the “Youngest Coin Dealer in America” was. Of course it was Don, Age 17 at the time.
1966-1968
By the late 1960s Brigandi father and son entered the silver precious metals business. The US Government actually backed much of its dollars with silver bullion. These dollars were known as “Silver Certificates,” and they could be redeemed at each of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks for actual silver Bullion (based on the current price of silver). The Brigandis thus began offering a premium on each dollar for their redemption. Once purchased, the dollars were then redeemed for the bullion at the NY Federal Reserve Bank. Lines formed around the block of West 44th Street, that is until June of 1968 when the Federal Government decided it was time to stop their silver redemption plan and ceased to back their dollars with silver (as they had done with gold in 1933).
Note: But the Brigandi’s were not done with precious metals however. By the late-1960s they began purchasing silver bullion, as well as pre-1964 U.S. silver coins. This business blossomed by the 1970s and the Brigandi Coin Company became famous as traders, making a market daily in the physical silver metal, even offering their product in Italy.
1971
Brother Robert joins the Brigandi Coin Company after college graduation and a degree in economics.
January 1st 1975
The U.S. makes holding gold legal once again for its citizens, and the Brigandis begin making their daily market in physical gold bullion, as well as coins.
Needless to say, the 1970s were filled with extremely active gold and silver trading, culminating in the “Hunt Brothers” attempt to corner the silver market.
1982
A third brother, John, Joins the Brigandi Coin Company after briefly practicing law in NYC. Anthony’s three children now are joined in the family business.
1985
John begins buying and selling rare sports cards and vintage baseball memorabilia. By the 1990s the Brigandi Coin Company emerges as one of the largest sports memorabilia companies in the country, dealing in only the finest quality available in the marketplace.
Our first store (1963-1980) located at 103 West 45th Street
The Patriarch, Anthony Brigandi, at our first store on 45th Street.
Anthony & John Brigandi from the mid-1970s
The Patriarch, Anthony Brigandi
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Brigandi Coin Company 60 West 44th Street New York, NY 10036 Tel: 212-869-5350 Fax: 212-869-5359 info@brigandicoin.com |
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Copyright © 2013
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