Ward D. Smith (2016)

Elected to the IBNS Hall of Fame in the Pioneer Category is deceased member Ward D. Smith from California. He was a very early and eminent researcher and collector of Chinese paper money.

He was always generous in sharing his vast wealth of knowledge in this complex and extensive field of numismatics. His well-known book, Chinese Paper Money, written in conjunction with Brian Matravers, remains one of the leading references in the study of Chinese banknotes.

Ward Smith’s seminal research was published in 1970. Forty years later it is still one of the primary resources, particularly for English speaking collectors, of Chinese paper money. Much of his research information has never been incorporated into mainstream catalogs, so even today collectors use the Smith-Matravers (S-M) catalog number to identify elusive Chinese banknotes. In this modern age of internet research, digital scans and rapid communication it is amazing that anyone can remain so relevant in the hobby almost a half century after his book was published. Annually the best IBNS Journal article related to Chinese banknotes is most fittingly titled the Ward D. Smith Award.