Born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. Graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in 1929. Married May Bell Krumbhaur January 23, 1936. They had four children. Served in the U. S. Naval Reserve in WW II in Washington, D. C. 1942 to 1944. He was discharged with the rank of lieutenant commander.

Employed as assistant to the president of Penn Mutual Life Insurance in 1931. Rose to assistant treasurer in 1934, treasurer in 1938, second vice president in 1941, vice president in 1953. Financial Vice President for Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company from 1959 to 1964. He served on the boards of several banks and railroads.

Starr was a collector as early as 1929 when he attended the Henry Chapman sale of the Eaton Collection. In 1945 Starr bought the Newcomb collection of late date large cents for $5350. At the time it was reported that the buyer was an unknown "Mr. Jones" from Philadelphia. He also bought coins from the Hines collection from Numismatic Gallery. Duplicates from the two collections were sold in the ANA sale of 1949.

Starr died in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He was somewhat of a mystery during his life and requested there be no publicity of his death. The Numismatist listed his death in the June 1971 membership report but did not publish an obituary.

The Starr collection was tied up in probate for years after his death. In 1984 his large cent collection was sold at auction by Stack's. Part I was sold June 13-14, 1984. Part II was December 4, 1984. Stack's offered more Starr coins strong in early proof coins in their "Philadelphia Estate" sale October 20-22, 1992.

bio: NCAB 57

profile: NUM 105 Sep 92 p. 1258-1262