When I was 12, my father taught me to cut out coins on a Looney dollar from Canada. We lived on Beaver Island, Lake Michigans northern most inhabited island, and he cut them out with a small saw and blade and sold them on leather cords as pendants to the tourists. Cutting coins was the last thing I wanted to be doing at 12. Hanging out with friends, fishing, sailing, and camping were about the only things on my mind. I always loved making jewelry however and learned a lot about beadwork and different kinds of jewelry making techniques here and there. In 1998, "as a joke", I cut out a Canadian Nickel, the Beaver, soldered a Tie Tack post to the reverse side and placed it on eBay for $2. I never dreamed that it would sell or even get any interest. As the week went on, it slowly drew interest and I was beside myself. In the last two days of the auction, I watched as this simple Cut-Out nickel was being bid higher 50 cents at a time one bidder at a time. The final price was $54. Turns out a couple of students from MIT, their mascot was a Beaver, had found this and were battling each other for it to wear to class, which they wore ties to quite regularly. That was followed rather suddenly by requests for more, an award from a scholarship committee, and other frats and colleges wanting different coins with their mascot's. The statehood quarter released in 1999 gave me a new canvas to practice my art. It turned my hobby into a passion. As the internet and other retail opportunities responded, my passion became an obsession.

In July 2007, when the construction industry collapsed, my wife encouraged me to try making that obsession a career. During the following months I had the opportunity to try new ideas, build on old ideas and really enjoy what I love, coin cutting. It didn't take long to fall in love with working at home and being Mr. Mom. My now 6 year old son, Jacob, has been cutting since he was 20 months old simply because he "wants to be just like dad". I have built him his own little workbench next to mine, given him all the tools he needs, and even taught him proper safety habits. Since the creation of my original "Numismatic Jigsaw Puzzles" in May 2008, I must say I have never been happier. I still operate my business with "ol school" business ethics and practices, make each piece the best I can, keep my art affordable, and stand behind all my work.

I now cut over 200 coins, finishing them into over 2000 different items. I have now sold in 29 different countries, every state in the US, and am always adding and looking for retail distributors. I still manage to do all my own website design and I try to create the personal touch businesses today have lost. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments that may help. Please check back often as I am always adding new coins and products to my inventory.

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