Heartland Coins was created by Dr. Wendell Leavitt in 1995 as a retail business & was registered with the Kansas Dept. of Revenue as Heartland Coin Exchange, which has continued uninterrupted until the present time.

From 1995 to 2008, Dr. Leavitt was a tenured full professor @ Wichita State University (WSU) while maintaining his business (Heartland Coins) as a vest pocket dealer (with KS sales tax ID) and coin collector (hobbyist).

From 1999 to 2008, Dr. Leavitt took courses and training from the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and received certification from the ANA in coin grading, advanced coin grading & problem coins ( certificates in 1999; 2003; 2005; 2008). Between 2004 & 2008, Dr. Leavitt continued his coin business (DBA Heartland Coins) and established himself as a professional numismatist.

After retiring from WSU as professor emeritus in 2008, Dr. Leavitt opened a retail coin shop (AKA Heartland Coins) @ 938 S. Oliver @ Parklane Shopping Center, Wichita KS, 67218.

In late 2009 and early 2010, Dr. Leavitt negotiated the sale of the coin shop and its inventory which was moved to 3351 N. Webb to a building owned by James Laubach. He created a new business at 3351 N. Webb known as Heartland Coin Gallery. Dr. Leavitt sold the controlling interest in the Heartland Coin Gallery to Mr. Laubach by letter of agreement dated Feb. 26, 2010, and Dr. Leavitt agreed to continue as the professional numismatist at the Heartland Coin Gallery after Mr. Laubach became the new owner of the Gallery in 2010.

Dr. Leavitt has continued as the legal owner of Heartland Coins(DBA), Wichita, KS 67218, and has continued doing business as an independent coin dealer and professional numismatist during this entire period (1995 to present). Dr. Leavitt left the Heartland Coin Gallery on Feb. 26, 2011 and has continued as a professional numismatist and coin dealer ( DBA-Heartland Coins) from his home in Wichita from 1995 until now.

On Sept. 1, 2011, Dr. Leavitt opened another retail coin shop (AKA Leavitt’s Heartland Coins) @ 956 S. Oliver @ Parklane Shopping Center. In early October 2011, Dr. Leavitt received a phone call from Mr. Laubach claiming that he owned "Heartland" and demanded that Dr. Leavitt change his business name to exclude the word Heartland. Dr. Leavitt negotiated a settlement with Mr. Laubach that if he took over the 2-year lease and other items of equipment in the coin shop, he would go out of business as Heartland Coins by the end of Dec. 2011.

I believe that Mr. Laubach’s intention is to shut down "Heartland Coins" as a business while continuing to operate the "Gallery". Thus, Dr. Leavitt has decided to change his DBA name to DOCS RARE COINS AND COIN APPRAISAL SERVICES, and to relinquish the name Heartland Coins to prevent any further confusion about who is Heartland. Dr. Leavitt is a coin collector, professional numismatist, and hobbyist who has had the good fortune to help many clients who want to collect and acquire coins for many different reasons. Many do this for the profit and many just enjoy the hobby (I’m with you). I will still be available to help and advise anyone with coin assets or interests who need professional assistance with the buying, appraising, or selling of coins, bullion and other related collectibles. I have been fortunate to meet many nice people from all walks of life through the coin collecting hobby and my coin business during the last 16+ years as Heartland Coins.