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interested and amused by the stories of collectors like Häberlin, Niggeler, Nicolas and many others, companies
like Münzen und Medaillen AG Basel, F. Sternberg Zürich, Naville Ars Classica and others.
I often visited him and his wife in their Berlin apartment, filled with countless books, where I was always very
hospitably received. We looked at the coins, compared, discussed, rambled, drank wine, and rejoiced in each
other‘s company. Thus I learned that the fascination with coins had seized him in his earliest youth; for example,
his first piece was the Republican denarius of Piso (lot 3364) in only moderate quality, which he had acquired in
the 1950s as a high school student. This piece remained in his collection from the first day to the last – despite
the fact that he had once given it to me for resale on consignment with a few other pieces. Knowing the impor-
tance of the piece I had just acquired, I held it back and sure enough, one day I received an anxious call asking
if I still had this piece and when I answered in the affirmative, I heard great relief in his voice. The denarius was
then reintegrated into his collection.
After his retirement in 00 , he did not want to rest, but to dedicate himself to his collection with the accuracy
with which he had written his scientific articles in the decades before. Since he was now free of time constraints,
he visited me a few times in the Black Forest. Many and long conversations led us to develop a concept of how
he could best document his collection: Together we developed a form for the coins. Each piece was weighed,
measured and the die position determined, then the description with the respective circumscriptions was recor-
ded in detail, the mint lords, the mint and the dating were determined based on the respective literature. Pro-
venances were searched for and recorded after they were all carefully verified, as were the literature references.
He continued his research at the Numismatic Collection in Berlin. At home, in endless hours, the forms were
patiently and accurately entered into the computer by his wife.
May the coins evoke as much joy in their new owners as they do in the collector, and may the catalogue help to
increase the joy.“
Dr. Martina Dieterle, Schenkenzell

„Dr. Eckhard Plümacher was a loyal customer of our coin shop for almost four decades. During this long
period, he led many a historical-numismatic discussions on the field of ancient coinage with several generations
of numismatists in our house. We will never forget his visits to Düsseldorf, where he was able to indulge his
passion for smoking while sifting through antique treasures from time immemorial – as the only customer of the
Ritter company to this day.
His family connection to the Rhineland brought him to us again and again at regular intervals. His mischievous
and enigmatic humour will remain in our fond memories.
With Dr. Plümacher, the numismatic world has lost an enthusiastic and, above all, accomplished coin connois-
seur of the first order.“
Jürgen Kühnen, Düsseldorf

„Eckhard Plümacher worked 7 days between November 0 7 and January 0 0 in the library of the Numis-
matic Collection at the Bode Museum. The Protestant theologian and former library director of the Theological
Faculty of the Humboldt University not only acquired ancient coins, but also studied them intensively. He came
to the Numismatic Collection mostly to search for specific literature that he could not find in the libraries he was
otherwise familiar with. Before 0 7, he had visited the Numismatic Collection on and off, but for some time it
became his favourite place to work.
The study hall is open Tuesday through Friday from 0 a.m.- : 0 p.m. Eckhard Plümacher usually came in
the late morning and then worked intensively through his literature list. He paused his work for regular smo-
king breaks outside, which he enjoyed together with employees and other visitors. Although he worked quietly
and focused, he was nevertheless approachable and always turned his attention to his interlocutors. For all his
friendliness, he conveyed a clear set of values, which not only included an expectation of dedication to work
on the one hand, but also an understanding for weaknesses, as long as they were not associated with malice and
destruction. He developed an attachment to the Numismatic Collection, which he expressed, for example, by as-
king birthday guests on his 80th birthday to donate coin sponsorships to the Numismatic Collection instead of
gifts to him. With Eckhard Plümacher, the Numismatic Collection has lost a friend and supporter, and I myself
have lost a stimulating discussion partner. The coins he has collected should now again bring joy to other coin
collectors. That‘s the way he wanted it.“

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Weisser, Berlin