(L2024)

Born in Syracuse, New York. Graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, in 1956. Married Marilyn Briggs July 14, 1956. They have a son and a daughter. She died May 24, 2025. Served in the Navy. Employed as sales manager for Nestle Foods 1959 to 1996.

He was named a Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador in 1982. Fivaz received the ANA Medal of Merit in 1984 and 1989. He served on the ANA board of governors 1985 to 1989. Received Glenn Smedley Memorial Award in 1991. He is a past president of the Numismatic Error Collectors of America. In 1988 he was inducted into the CONECA Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Rittenhouse Society. Received Farran Zerbe Memorial Award in 1995. Named ANA Numismatist of the Year in 2001. Inducted into the ANA Numismatic Hall of Fame in 2002. He served on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee 2004 to 2009.

Fivaz was a contributor to A Guide Book of United States Coins and other references. Co-author with J. T. Stanton of The Cherrypickers' Guide to Rare Die Varieties issued in 1990. He has given numerous educational presentations to local and state organizations as well as at the F.U.N. shows and ANA summer seminars.

In 2021 he was on the Coin World list of The Most Influential People in Numismatics 1960-2020. He made the list again in 2022 and 2024.

bio by correspondence, 1991, profile WWH:NN 1/3/1995