The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) is accepting nominations for the Alan Kreuzer Memorial Award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the fight against against counterfeit coins, paper money, and/or fake third-party encapsulation holders.
"The Alan Kreuzer Memorial Award recognizes the anti-counterfeiting efforts of collectors, dealers, law enforcement agents or others who are diligently trying to protect the numismatic marketplace," said ACEF President John Albanese.
"Previous recipients have included individuals who helped catch counterfeiters or identified suspects selling fakes, or significantly helped combat counterfeiting by generously donating to the foundation," noted Albanese.
Named in honor of the late Alan "Al" Kreuzer, a Castro Valley, California, coin dealer, the award highlights his efforts in exposing counterfeit third-party certification holders and fake insert labels. Following his passing in 2016, his daughter, Chandra, donated $50,000 to help establish the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force, now part of ACEF’s mission.
Nominations for the 2025 Alan Kreuzer Memorial Award are open until March 31. To submit a nomination, visit the ACEF’s website or email info@acefonline.org. Submissions must include the nominee’s full name, title, business affiliation, contact information, and a brief explanation of why they should be considered for the award.
ACEF continues to support collectors and dealers through initiatives like its directory of 239 vetted Trusted Experts, which helps users locate reputable professionals within 50 miles of their location. The organization also offers a service at major coin shows to apply COPY marks to counterfeit coins, ensuring compliance with the Hobby Protection Act while helping identify fakes and make them legal to own.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation operates solely on donations. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, contributions to ACEF are tax-deductible. Supporters can donate by completing the online donation form.
I’ve seen a few pictures of counterfeit slab in news stories and coin blogs. I’ve never seen one live. I’m always interested in characteristics in detecting them so as not to get stung.
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