Fayette County

Coin collecting is on the rise. And the editor of its bible lives in Lexington

By Brian Simms
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways

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  • Coin collecting gains traction among Gen Z and Millennials via online marketplaces.
  • Jeff Garrett is Senior Editor of the Red Book and one of the nation’s top experts in coins
  • Discovery of the 2023 Great Kentucky Hoard made international headlines.

Coin collecting, a hobby once considered something for an older generation, is evolving and becoming more popular with Gen Z and Millennials thanks to online marketplaces and a renewed interest in tangible assets.

And one of the nation’s top experts lives in Lexington.

Jeff Garrett, who founded Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries in 1984 in Lexington, is the editor of “the bible of coins” and sought-after for advice from many, including the Smithsonian.

“We’re low-key for security reasons,” said Garrett from his Nicholasville Road business, which, combined with his Sarasota, Fla., shop, does about $25 million annually in coin sales.

From more than 40 years, Garrett has been involved in every aspect of the coin business and promoting numismatics as a growing hobby.

Since 2019 Garrett has been the senior editor for the world’s best-selling, annual price guide and reference for U.S. coins. Collectors and dealers from all over the world use “A Guide Book of United States Coins,” commonly called the “Red Book,” for detailed information on coin values, history, specifications and high-resolution photos.

“It’s basically the bible of coins, is what they call it,” said Garret. “So being the editor of it now is really a high profile job that I’m really proud to be involved with. Because what makes the book really great is, if you start coin collecting, that’s something you want. Total beginners want it. But then, experts like me, I’ve got one within arm’s reach.”

Jeff Garrett, considered one of the nation’s top experts in US coinage, holds a copy of “A Guide Book of United States Coins,” Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in his office at Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries in Lexington, Ky. Commonly called the “Red Book,” the annual reference guide for coin collectors is in its 79th edition with Garrett being the Senior Editor since 2019.
Jeff Garrett, considered one of the nation’s top experts in US coinage, holds a copy of “A Guide Book of United States Coins,” Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in his office at Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries in Lexington, Ky. Commonly called the “Red Book,” the annual reference guide for coin collectors is in its 79th edition with Garrett being the Senior Editor since 2019. Brian Simms bsimms@herald-leader.com

As an expert dealer, Garrett is diversified, buying and selling everything from ancient coins to world coins. But American gold coins is what he is known for, and that’s why he most recently made international headlines.

The ‘Great Kentucky Hoard’: Civil War coins found in corn field

It started with an email — something Garrett says is “an exercise in patience,” since he receives about 30 a day from people wanting to know if their coin is valuable or their inherited collection is worth anything.

But this email lead to something “you couldn’t even make it up,” Garrett said.

In 2023, more than 800 rare gold and silver coins dating to the Civil War era were found in a Kentucky cornfield. Called the “Great Kentucky Hoard,” the discovery included $1, $10 and $20 gold coins, including rare 1863 Double Eagles. The identity of the man who unearthed the coins has not been publicly divulged, nor has the location of his find, but Garrett helped him prepare the collection for sale.

Four gold coins from the “Great Kentucky Hoard,” a multi-million-dollar, 800-plus coin collection that Jeff Garrett helped sort, authenticate and sell in 2023. All but eight of the Civil War-era coins were purchased online at GovMint.com.
Four gold coins from the “Great Kentucky Hoard,” a multi-million-dollar, 800-plus coin collection that Jeff Garrett helped sort, authenticate and sell in 2023. All but eight of the Civil War-era coins were purchased online at GovMint.com. Brian Simms bsimms@herald-leader.com
Jeff Garrett, considered one of the nation’s top experts in U.S. coinage, is surrounded in his office in 2023 at Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries in Lexington, Ky., by coins from the “Great Kentucky Hoard.” Garrett helped the person who made the discovery for six months before selling the coins. Every day, Garrett fields calls and emails from many of the nation’s largest coin dealers, publishers, museums and novices in the hobby. “If you do inherit something, make sure you do your homework,” Garrett said. “Find out what you have. Someone might have spent decades building a collection. Don’t go selling it the next day. Try to put close to the effort they did into putting it together when you go to sell it. You don’t want to leave money on the table.”
Jeff Garrett, considered one of the nation’s top experts in U.S. coinage, is surrounded in his office in 2023 at Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries in Lexington, Ky., by coins from the “Great Kentucky Hoard.” Garrett helped the person who made the discovery for six months before selling the coins. Every day, Garrett fields calls and emails from many of the nation’s largest coin dealers, publishers, museums and novices in the hobby. “If you do inherit something, make sure you do your homework,” Garrett said. “Find out what you have. Someone might have spent decades building a collection. Don’t go selling it the next day. Try to put close to the effort they did into putting it together when you go to sell it. You don’t want to leave money on the table.” Provided

“He basically won the lottery, and he wanted me to help him figure out how to cash the lottery ticket,” said Garrett. “And so we spent the next six months getting the coins conserved and researched and priced and end up selling for a couple million dollars.”

Work with Smithsonian and local coin club

Garrett has authored several books on coins, including the popular “100 Greatest U.S. Coins,” which is in its 6th edition. He also played a key role in fundraising, conservation and research in getting rare coins back on display at the Smithsonian’s National Numismatic Collection at the National Museum of American History. It houses one of the world’s largest collections, with 1.6 million pieces.

“That’s probably the most impactful thing that I’ve ever been involved in,” said Garrett, who served on the board of The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History for 10 years.

Jeff Garrett with a copy of his book, “100 Greatest U.S. Coins.” Garrett said as with most things, supply and demand dictate the market. But with coins, Garrett said there is a third factor in determining value: “Good stories really make the big difference. In the mega coin, the ones that are worth a lot of money, they have really good stories attached to them.”
Jeff Garrett with a copy of his book, “100 Greatest U.S. Coins.” Garrett said as with most things, supply and demand dictate the market. But with coins, Garrett said there is a third factor in determining value: “Good stories really make the big difference. In the mega coin, the ones that are worth a lot of money, they have really good stories attached to them.” Brian Simms bsimms@herald-leader.com

But Garrett said he is just as proud of the work he has done locally. In 1994, he founded the Bluegrass Coin Club, which meets monthly for anyone with an interest in numismatics.

Seventeen years ago, a 10-year-old Lexington boy named Maxwell Gregory joined. Today, Gregory said is grateful for the mentorship.

“Jeff definitely gave me a big head start in the coin world,” said Gregory, who started his own coin dealership company when he graduated high school. “Jeff is all about coins. Jeff definitely lives coins. Anything to help the interests of the coin world, Jeff is all about.”

At a recent November meeting of the Bluegrass Coin Club, Garrett said they had about 70 in attendance, about double what it was two years ago.

“I don’t have to work, because every day is having fun. I enjoy the discovery,” said Jeff Garrett, considered one of the nation’s top experts in U.S. coinage who helped sort, authenticate, and sell the “Great Kentucky Hoard,” shown here. Garrett has bought and sold nearly every U.S. coin ever issued. “I’ve been blessed. I've been involved with a lot of really big coin transactions over the last 50 years that I've been doing coins, and I've had a lot of really great coins.”
“I don’t have to work, because every day is having fun. I enjoy the discovery,” said Jeff Garrett, considered one of the nation’s top experts in U.S. coinage who helped sort, authenticate, and sell the “Great Kentucky Hoard,” shown here. Garrett has bought and sold nearly every U.S. coin ever issued. “I’ve been blessed. I've been involved with a lot of really big coin transactions over the last 50 years that I've been doing coins, and I've had a lot of really great coins.” Provided

Why Millennials and Gen Z are into coin collecting

Coin collecting’s rise in popularity started during COVID, Garrett said. Collectibles were all the rage.

“People sat at home, nothing to do, got money from the government, and went online and bought stuff,” said Garrett.

Millennials and Gen Z have led the latest push into coin collecting. Some view it as an investment, and many like being able to hold physical items in an ever-increasing digital world. Others are driven to collect because of nostalgia and childhood memories.

Both Garrett and Gregory said the coin market has adapted since the days of in-person auctions. Social media, live-stream shopping apps and marketplaces like Whatnot or eBay Live combine entertainment with e-commerce.

“All these streaming websites have definitely re-ignited a lot of interest I think. And they do it in ways that make it fun and interesting,” Gregory said. “There are probably more young people right now in the hobby than I’ve seen since the ‘70s and ‘80s, and social media has been a big part of it.”

This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 5:00 AM.

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