Edgar Adams

For the member of the Michigan House of Representatives, see Edgar J. Adams.

Edgar Holmes Adams (April 7, 1868 – May 5, 1940) was an American competition diver and swimmer, numismatic scholar, author, coin collector and dealer.^[1][2]

Edgar Adams

Adams diving in the plunge for distance at the 1904 Olympics.
Personal information
Full name	Edgar Holmes Adams
National team	United States
Born	(1868-04-07)April 7, 1868 Pennsylvania
Died	May 5, 1940(1940-05-05) (aged 72) Bayville, New York
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, diving
Club	New York Athletic Club
Medal record Men's swimming Representing the United States Olympic Games 1904 St. Louis Plunge for distance

Swimming

He represented the United States at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, where he won a silver medal in the men's plunge for distance event, finishing behind compatriot William Dickey.^[3] Competing in the swimming events at the 1904 Summer Olympics, he finished fourth in the 220-yard freestyle, 880-yard freestyle, and the 4×50-yard freestyle relay. He also competed in the one-mile freestyle but did not finish the race.

Numismatics

Adams was a prolific numismatic author who coauthored, with William H. Woodin United States Pattern, Trial, and Experimental Pieces, but is probably best known for the reference volume Private Gold Coinages of California, 1849-1855: Its History and Its Issues, originally published serially (1911-1912) in the American Journal of Numismatics.^[4]

He wrote a numismatics column for the New York Sun. From 1912 to 1915 he served as editor of the American Numismatic Association journal The Numismatist.^[5]

He was inducted into the Numismatic Hall of Fame in 1969.

Publications by Adams

• Adams' Official Premium List of United States Private and Territorial Gold Coins Indicated by Prices Brought at Public Coin Sales. New York: Willett Press, 1909.
• The State Assay Office of California. 1850. (Private Gold Coinage I). New York: American Numismatic Society, 1911.
• Private Gold Coinage of California, 1849-55, Its History and Its Issues. New York, Edgar H. Adams, 1913.
• United States Pattern, Trial and Experimental Pieces: Being a List of the Pattern, Trial and Experimental Pieces Which Have Been Issued By the United States Mint from 1792 Up to the Present Time. New York, American Numismatic Society, 1913.
• United States Store Cards. New York: E.H. Adams and W. Raymond, 1920.

References

1. "Encyclopedic Dictionary of Numismatic Biographies:ADAMS, EDGAR HOLMES". NUMISMATIC MALL. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
2. "Edgar Adams". Olympedia. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
3. "Diving at the 1904 St. Louis Summer Games: Men's plunge for distance". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
4. "Edgar H. Adams of the Numismatic Hall of Fame". Stack's, LLC. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
5. Smith, Pete. "Edgar Holmes Adams". Newman Numismatic Portal. Retrieved August 26, 2016.

External links

• Edgar Adams biography and Olympic results at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
• Biography of Edgar Adams from Encyclopedic Dictionary of Numismatic Biographies
• Newman Numismatic Portal
• Edgar Adams at Olympedia