Born in Washington, D.C. Married to Patricia Bijur with three children. Graduate Cum Laude from Middlebury College in 1963 with masters degree from the University of Illinois in 1965. He taught at George Washington University and the University of North Carolina. He served with the Army Security Agency 1965 to 1968.

Carlson has had a number of numismatic positions:

Johns Hopkins University Garrett collection, curator, 1972-1976.

Paramount, cataloger, 1976-1977.

NASCA, director of research, 1978-1982.

Herbert Melnick, vice president in charge of research, 1982-

Stack's. 1991, retired 1992.

He has contributed articles to Bank Note Reporter, COINage Magazine, Coins Magazine, Coin World and The Numismatist. In 1987 he was appointed ANA Historian succeeding Hank Spangenberger. In 1991 he was succeeded by Michael Hodder.

He died in hospice in Lee, Massachusetts.

obit: NUM 4-01