Born in Richmond, Virginia. Nephew of Jacob I. Cohen and brother of Jacob and Joshua. Moved to Baltimore in 1808. Never married. In the banking business with J. I. Cohen Jr. & Bros. He served during the war of 1812 at Fort McHenry. He retired in 1829. He was given the title Colonel by the Governor in 1836.

He was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in the 1840's. He served in the Army during the war with Mexico in the 1840's. Cohen travelled extensively including the first U.S. expedition up the Nile. He was vice president of the Hebrew Benevolent Association. He served as director of the Firemen's Insurance Company.

Cohen discovered a large quantity of Virginia halfpennies in the 1870's. They may have been in a keg or similar quantity. He sold them gradually to avoid depressing the market. His heirs dumped the final 2200 pieces on the market in 1929 at a few cents each. It depressed the market for Virginia halfpennies but probably should not be blamed for depressing the stock market.

Uncle of Edward Cohen. He received a class I 1804 dollar from his nephew. It was purchased by Henry Sewell Adams for $325. Cohen went blind about 1875 and had to give up the study of numismatics. He died in Baltimore.

His collection was sold at auction by Bangs, Merwin & Co. October 25-29, 1875. In the catalog, the 1804 dollar was "guaranteed to be genuine." profile: Jewish Notables in America 1776-1865 (in ABA)

bio: NUM 104 Oct 1991 pp 1580-1583, 1663-1667

obit: AJN 14 Oct 1879 page 54