Neil Shafer was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 24, 1933. He married Edith Oelsner on June 7, 1964. They had two sons and a daughter. Received B.A. from Arizona State College in 1955. Shafer served in the US Air Force 1955 to 1959 and played in the Air Force Symphony. He served as assistant conductor of the Racine Symphony Orchestra 1963 to 1972. Employed with Western Publishing Co. Inc. 1962 to 1975 as numismatic editor and senior editor 1976 to 1981. Author of countless publications and recipient of many awards including the following: author of A Guide Book of Modern United States Currency in 1965. Author of Let's Collect Paper Money in 1976. Received the Nathan Gold Memorial Award in 1967. Later he was associate editor of the Whitman Numismatic Journal 1964-1968. Coauthor with R. A. Mitchell of the Standard Catalog of Depression Scrip of the United States published in 1985. Author of Banknotes, Scrip and Paper Ephemera of Milwaukee in 1990. In 1990 he received the ANA Medal of Merit. For many years he penned the “Paper Money News and Views” column to the BNR. Contributed “Paper Views” to Numismatic News after January 30, 1996.
He was named a Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador in 1992. He received the ANA Medal of Merit in 1990, Adult Advisor of the Year in 1993 and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. In 2008 he was inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the IBNS Hall of Fame in 2010 and the SPMC Hall of Fame in 2018，entered into rest Oct. 6th,2023.
He was named a Numismatic News Numismatic Ambassador in 1992. He received the ANA Medal of Merit in 1990, Adult Advisor of the Year in 1993 and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. In 2008 he was inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the IBNS Hall of Fame in 2010 and the SPMC Hall of Fame in 2018，entered into rest Oct. 6th,2023.