Civil War Token Society Governor Jud Petrie writes:

Former Coin World staff writer Eric J. von Klinger died Aug. 22 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

He was 66 years old.

Born Oct. 8, 1946, in Wilmington, Ohio, Mr. von Klinger was the son of World War II veteran Joseph von Klinger, a pharmacist and lawyer, and Louise Valla von Klinger Kircher, a homemaker, both of whom preceded him in death.

Mr. von Klinger, an expert and researcher in error coins, authored the Collectors' Clearinghouse and Readers Ask columns during much of his six years on staff, from early 2002 to mid-2008.

Prior to joining Coin World, Mr. von Klinger served in writing and editing positions at daily newspapers in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virginia. He was also a veteran numismatic journalist. From 1993 to 1996 he served as an associate editor for Numismatic News and as a writer for Coins magazine.

While growing up in Wilmington, Ohio, he got his first exposure to numismatics.When the Lincoln, Lincoln Memorial cent was first released in 1959, Mr. von Klinger's seventh-grade science teacher brought a roll of the newly minted coins to the classroom, giving a cent to each student. An intrigued von Klinger remembered that his father had a bag of old coins, and he began examining those coins, beginning a lifelong hobby.

His interests grew to encompass nearly every area of United States coins, early American coppers and tokens, as well as world coins.

Mr. von Klinger was a charter subscriber to Coin World, which was first published in April 1960.

Mr. von Klinger earned a bachelor's degree in English from Miami University of Ohio, where he also pursued graduate studies in English.

He was a member of the American Numismatic Association, Civil War Token Society, and Token and Medal Society.

He is survived by two nephews, Mike (Jenny) Smuland and Matt (Phyllis) Smuland, and former wife Shawnee (Mark) Culbertson.

A private graveside service was held at Sugar Grove Cemetery in Wilmington, Ohio.