6 ▁by ▁President ▁Ly nd on ▁Johnson , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Cit iz ens ▁Comm emor ative ▁Co in ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee . ▁He ▁has ▁received ▁numerous ▁awards ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁his ▁service ▁and ▁dedic ation ▁to ▁num ism at ics , ▁including ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Num ism atic ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame , ▁The ▁American ▁Num ism atic ▁Association ▁Medal ▁of ▁Mer it , ▁and ▁the ▁Far ran ▁Z er be ▁Memorial ▁Award ▁( joint ly ▁awarded ▁to ▁both ▁him ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Bert ). ▁ ▁B ress ett ▁first ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁co ins ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁when ▁his ▁neighbor ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁coin ▁each ▁from ▁China ▁and ▁Belg ium . ▁He ▁began ▁collect ing ▁co ins ▁in ▁earnest ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁cl erk ▁in ▁a ▁gro c ery ▁store ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁through ▁high ▁school . ▁B ress ett ▁attended ▁D ress er ▁Business ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁later ▁studied ▁graph ic ▁arts ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁American ▁Num ism atic ▁Association ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁attended ▁their ▁convention ▁in ▁Boston ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁B ress ett ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁printer ▁and ▁compos itor ▁for ▁S entin el ▁Publishing ▁Company . ▁ ▁B ress ett ▁began ▁free - l ance ▁editor ial ▁work ▁on ▁Red ▁Book