Born in Charleston, West Virginia. Served in the Army during WW II. He studied at the National Conservatory of Music in Paris and graduated in 1951. He performed in the opera in Europe including the Paris Opera Company. Married Delores Keenan. They had one daughter.

As an actor Ahwash appeared in the Broadway production of Infidel Caesar 1962 to 1963. He appeared in two movies, Requiem for a Heavyweight and Girl in the Country.

He began collecting coins at age nine. Founder and first president of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club. He was a columnist with "Kam's Korner" for Coin World and co-editor of The Gobrecht Journal. Author of Encyclopedia of United States Liberty Seated Dimes in 1977. Five hundred copies were printed. It was reprinted in 1981.

Selections from the Awash collection were included in the Kagin's auction February 2-4, 1984.

He died in Philadelphia.

In 2008 he was inducted into the LSCC Hall of Fame.

Profile CW 5/4/1977; obit: CW 5/18/1983; NN 5/14/1983 DOB:SSDI