Elvira Eliza Clain-Stefanelli

Elvira Eliza Clain-Stefanelli (1914–2001) was a distinguished numismatist and one of the most influential figures in shaping the National Numismatic Collection (NNC) at the Smithsonian Institution. Born in Bucharest, Romania, she earned her master’s degree in history from the University of Cernăuți before emigrating to the United States in 1951. Together with her husband, Vladimir, she transformed the Smithsonian’s coin collection from approximately 60,000 pieces in 1956 to more than 960,000, a remarkable feat that firmly established the NNC as a world-class resource. Appointed Executive Director of the NNC in 1983, Clain-Stefanelli led numerous important exhibitions, authored seminal works such as the comprehensive Numismatic Bibliography (1984), and served as a valued advisor to the U.S. Mint and the Department of the Treasury. A Holocaust survivor whose experiences included internment at Buchenwald during World War II, she remained committed to expanding and sharing numismatic knowledge throughout her life, a dedication honored by numerous awards and the creation of the Elvira Clain-Stefanelli Memorial Award for Achievement in Numismatics.