Numismatics Archives List

Numismatist (b. 9/5/1930* d. 4/27-28/1993*)

Born in San Antonio, Texas; possibly as James Douglas Headrick; abandoned and adopted. (*It is likely that Breen could not confirm his birthdate.) He entered the Air Force in 1946. (*In P-W he stated that he used a phony birth certificate to join the Air Force.) He suffered a beating and was left for dead with loss of memory in December 1946. He spent time in various Veterans Administration hospitals and other treatment facilities.

In 1950 Breen met Wayte Raymond who hired him to do numismatic research in the National Archives. In 1952 after 18 months study and competency examinations he received an A.B. from Johns Hopkins University. He conducted the "Cent Collectors' Forum" as a regular feature in The Numismatist beginning in January 1957.

He enrolled in graduate school in Berkeley in September 1960. Breen married Marion Zimmer Bradley [MZB] February 14, 1964. (She died 9/28/1999.) They had a son and a daughter. He received his M.A. degree in 1966. In 1963 he joined Don Taxay to form the Institute of Numismatic Authenticators.

Breen and MZB are considered founding members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) and credited with naming the group about 1966.

Breen was a student of languages including Classical Greek, Latin, French, German, Italian, Spanish as well as his native English. He was also a student of classical music and science fiction literature.

Breen dressed like a "hippy" who refused to grow up. At coin shows he appeared wearing open sandals, flower print shorts and colorful tie dyed tee shirts. [Pete Smith, American Numismatic Biographies]