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Dentuck’s March 2014 Baltimore Expo Report
Dentuck
Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭
Dentuck’s
March 2014
Baltimore Expo
REPORT
I’m no Charmy Harker, but I’ll make an attempt at an illustrated show report. Here are some photos and comments from a
whirlwind in-Thursday-out-Friday visit to the March 2014 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo.
Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. A fun view from the Hilton on West Pratt Street.
Visitors become more and more immersed in Baltimore baseball as they drive in from the airport. The stadium is just a
skip and a jump down from the local hotels and the convention center. Of course, this particular Whitman Expo had an
extra-close connection to baseball: the U.S. Mint debuted its National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins here this week.
“If you mint it, they will come.”
Coin collectors and baseball fans lined up for hours to get the limited-edition coins. Word spread that dealers on the bourse
were offering $600 above the issue price for the suite of three coins (gold $5, silver $1, and copper-nickel half dollar). Not a
bad profit for some time spent standing in line, although I imagine most of the buyers were adding to their own collections,
rather than looking for a quick flip.
Legendary Orioles player Brooks Robinson (career 1955 to 1977), the greatest defensive third-baseman in
Major League history. Winner of 16 Gold Glove awards; nicknamed “The Human Vacuum Cleaner”; elected to
the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.
A sports star and a gentleman, Mr. Robinson was at the show helping the U.S. Mint promote its new baseball coins.
I was honored to get my picture taken with him.
I heard that a 12-year-old boy had been at the show earlier; he got permission to go to school early to take a test,
so he could attend the Expo and meet his baseball hero in person. He worked on homework as he waited. After meeting
Mr. Robinson and having his picture taken, the young fan walked calmly out of the meet-and-greet area --- but when he
got into the hallway he let out his excitement, took off running, and jumped up and down.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative $5 gold coin.
U.S. Mint director of public affairs Tom Jurkowsky carefully removed one from its plastic capsule to show me.
The Baseball Hall of Fame silver dollar.
All three of the coins are minted with innovative technology that makes the obverse convex and the reverse concave.
The effect is that of the curved surface of a baseball, and the cupped palm of a ball glove.
The Baseball Hall of Fame half dollar in copper-nickel.
Rumor had it, on Friday morning, that the Mint’s show inventory was already sold out in gold, with only the silver dollar and
copper-nickel half dollar coins remaining. That didn’t stop collectors from lining up --- a “home run,” if you will, for the Mint.
The new Red Book, 2015 edition, also debuted at the Baltimore Expo.
Collectors and dealers were eager to get their copies of the latest Red Book, with retail values for thousands of coins, the
latest U.S. Mint data, updates on new coins and ongoing research, new photographs (all in full color), and more.
American Numismatic Association vice president Jeff Garrett at a Smithsonian Institution event highlighting new
developments for the National Numismatic Collection.
Plans include an extensive new gallery in a prominent location of the Museum, rotating displays, full-scale digital
image capture of the collection’s holdings, and more.
Toasting the Smithsonian.
Jeff Garrett (vice president of the ANA and a governor of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of History board),
Tom Jurkowsky (director of the U.S. Mint’s Public Affairs Office), Heather Sabharwal (U.S. Mint Public Relations and
Marketing), Chris Karstedt (vice president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries), Dave Bowers (chairman emeritus of Stack’s Bowers
and numismatic director of Whitman Publishing), Ellen Feingold (formerly of the British Museum, now a volunteer for the
Smithsonian and one of the contenders for curatorship of the National Numismatic Collection).
More photos to follow....
March 2014
Baltimore Expo
REPORT
I’m no Charmy Harker, but I’ll make an attempt at an illustrated show report. Here are some photos and comments from a
whirlwind in-Thursday-out-Friday visit to the March 2014 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo.
Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. A fun view from the Hilton on West Pratt Street.
Visitors become more and more immersed in Baltimore baseball as they drive in from the airport. The stadium is just a
skip and a jump down from the local hotels and the convention center. Of course, this particular Whitman Expo had an
extra-close connection to baseball: the U.S. Mint debuted its National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins here this week.
“If you mint it, they will come.”
Coin collectors and baseball fans lined up for hours to get the limited-edition coins. Word spread that dealers on the bourse
were offering $600 above the issue price for the suite of three coins (gold $5, silver $1, and copper-nickel half dollar). Not a
bad profit for some time spent standing in line, although I imagine most of the buyers were adding to their own collections,
rather than looking for a quick flip.
Legendary Orioles player Brooks Robinson (career 1955 to 1977), the greatest defensive third-baseman in
Major League history. Winner of 16 Gold Glove awards; nicknamed “The Human Vacuum Cleaner”; elected to
the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.
A sports star and a gentleman, Mr. Robinson was at the show helping the U.S. Mint promote its new baseball coins.
I was honored to get my picture taken with him.
I heard that a 12-year-old boy had been at the show earlier; he got permission to go to school early to take a test,
so he could attend the Expo and meet his baseball hero in person. He worked on homework as he waited. After meeting
Mr. Robinson and having his picture taken, the young fan walked calmly out of the meet-and-greet area --- but when he
got into the hallway he let out his excitement, took off running, and jumped up and down.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative $5 gold coin.
U.S. Mint director of public affairs Tom Jurkowsky carefully removed one from its plastic capsule to show me.
The Baseball Hall of Fame silver dollar.
All three of the coins are minted with innovative technology that makes the obverse convex and the reverse concave.
The effect is that of the curved surface of a baseball, and the cupped palm of a ball glove.
The Baseball Hall of Fame half dollar in copper-nickel.
Rumor had it, on Friday morning, that the Mint’s show inventory was already sold out in gold, with only the silver dollar and
copper-nickel half dollar coins remaining. That didn’t stop collectors from lining up --- a “home run,” if you will, for the Mint.
The new Red Book, 2015 edition, also debuted at the Baltimore Expo.
Collectors and dealers were eager to get their copies of the latest Red Book, with retail values for thousands of coins, the
latest U.S. Mint data, updates on new coins and ongoing research, new photographs (all in full color), and more.
American Numismatic Association vice president Jeff Garrett at a Smithsonian Institution event highlighting new
developments for the National Numismatic Collection.
Plans include an extensive new gallery in a prominent location of the Museum, rotating displays, full-scale digital
image capture of the collection’s holdings, and more.
Toasting the Smithsonian.
Jeff Garrett (vice president of the ANA and a governor of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of History board),
Tom Jurkowsky (director of the U.S. Mint’s Public Affairs Office), Heather Sabharwal (U.S. Mint Public Relations and
Marketing), Chris Karstedt (vice president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries), Dave Bowers (chairman emeritus of Stack’s Bowers
and numismatic director of Whitman Publishing), Ellen Feingold (formerly of the British Museum, now a volunteer for the
Smithsonian and one of the contenders for curatorship of the National Numismatic Collection).
More photos to follow....
0
Comments
Looking forward to getting my HOF coins.
Sugar magnolia blossoms blooming, heads all empty and I don't care ...
Brooks is the best......he will sign an autograph for anyone that asks.
Thanks.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
Thanks for the report.
I only wish that I could have been there.
[What? No pictures of wine bottles?]
Frank
BHNC #203
ttt
Complete Set of Chopmarked Trade Dollars
Carson City Silver Dollars Complete 1870-1893http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=2722"
Supporters of the National Numismatic Collection
Ellen Feingold, Jeff Garrett, Karen Lee (National Numismatic Collection, Smithsonian),
Q. David Bowers, Christine Karstedt, and Tom Jurkowsky.
David Crenshaw, chief operating officer of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets.
This is Crenshaw’s first Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo as a “civilian,” having
been the show’s general manager for years. Did that stop dealers from asking him where
to find an extra table lamp? Probably not. David now serves the hobby as COO of ICTA,
the organization that fights for fairness in legislation that affects coin and bullion collectors,
dealers, and investors, and educates the community in pertinent laws, regulations, and
other important matters.
Moy and Burdette.
The 38th director of the U.S. Mint, Edmund Moy, was on hand to talk to collectors, autograph
copies of his book, American Gold and Platinum Eagles, and give two presentations—one
(Friday) on investing in gold and platinum, and the other (Saturday) a behind-the-scenes look
at the U.S. Mint and personal and professional memories of his time as director, from 2006
to 2011.
We discussed his book, which is doing quite well in sales, as well as a book I’m working on
about the Mint’s “non–American Eagle” bullion products (American Arts gold medallions, First
Spouse gold coins, America the Beautiful five-ounce silver bullion coins, etc.).
Whitman author Roger W. Burdette stopped by the Whitman booth to say hello and talk
about ongoing research and various book projects. He served on the CCAC (Citizens Coinage
Advisory Committee, which advises the Treasury Department on numismatic designs) during
Moy’s tenure as Mint director.
At the Whitman Publishing Booth.
Ed Moy talks about the new 2015 Red Book with Whitman Publishing president Mary Counts Burleson.
Don Kagin and Ed Moy.
At the Whitman booth Ed Moy caught up with Don Kagin of Tiburon, California. We went over to
Kagin’s booth to examine the famous gold coins of the recently discovered Saddle Ridge Hoard.
The Saddle Ridge Hoard gold coins.
Don Kagin gives Ed Moy a personal guided tour of some of the hoard’s golden treasure.
Enter to Win!
Giveaways at the Whitman Publishing booth.
Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
<< <i>Oh oh...Charms is gonna get really jealous! >>
Amanda will not be jealous......come to think of it, either will Charmy.
<< <i>Thanks for the great report. You did well highlighting some valuable contributors to our hobby.
But Charmy does give us a restaurant tour which is sometime better than the coins........ >>
Yes, Charmy does an amazing restaurant-and-nightclub tour!
I've been actively attending ANA and Expo conventions for the past ten years. This is the first one
where I felt under the weather. I was getting over a cold, and found myself up at 4 a.m. to fly into
Baltimore instead of getting some R&R! So my down-time consisted of antihistamine-induced slumber
in my hotel room, instead of taking full advantage of the Inner Harbor's sights and delights.
I did enjoy one very good meal, at Sullivan's, down the street and around the corner from the
convention center. Their special Thursday night was delicious; I had a plate of three small steak filets.
One had peppercorns and caramelized onions, one had goat cheese, and one had a garlic-butter
sauce. Plus family-style sides of mashed potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, various seafood
appetizers, and more, and a very good merlot (yes, merlot!) selected by longtime Red Book
contributor Casey Noxon.
Others attending dinner included Jeff Garrett, Dave Bowers, Mary Burleson, and various Smithsonian
and U.S. Mint officers and staff. Conversation was fascinating, ranging from bitcoins to military history
and Western Americana, the wines of the Finger Lakes, the nature of money, the future of coins in
the United States, some of the amazing treasures deep in the archives of the National Numismatic
Collection, old vinyl rock-n-roll records, music festivals, bluegrass banjo, ongoing book projects
in the numismatic-publishing world, the Saddle Ridge hoard, and more.
Normally I would have topped dinner off with a chocolaty dessert, and maybe a digestif of the Bailey's
or Gewürztraminer variety, but my cold medicine said it was time to call it a night around 10 o'clock.
I tried to spend as much time as I could on the bourse on Friday, and talk to as many collectors and
other visitors as possible. That's one of my favorite parts of coin conventions. (I've been a collector
since I was seven years old.) We talk about book ideas, bounce ideas around, ask and answer questions
about publishing, we talk about Whitman books and the hobby in general; it's a lot of fun. I chatted with
Len Augsburger (Coinosaurus) for a few minutes about various Liberty Seated and Smithsonian
themes. Mike Fuljenz stopped by for a bit. I saw one of my students from the ANA Summer Seminar
last year, and we said hello but didn't have a chance to catch up before I left for the airport.
It was a short trip for me --- in Thursday, out Friday. Sorry I didn't see more forum members during
that brief window, but hopefully we'll catch up next time!
https://thepennylady.com/
Nice report...Thank you
Was hoping to make the show...hoping to make the fall show
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
<< <i>Great report. I can't see the pics for some reason, though. >>
The Man™ has erected a firewall for redaction purposes.
Actually, they're hosted at TinyPic.com ... maybe your corporate
IT-security goons have deemed their servers to be off limits?
<< <i>
<< <i>Great report. I can't see the pics for some reason, though. >>
The Man™ has erected a firewall for redaction purposes.
Actually, they're hosted at TinyPic.com ... maybe your corporate
IT-security goons have deemed their servers to be off limits? >>
I need to check. The Man blocks all access to auction sites, too. Ebay I can handle. My beloved QDB's StacksBowers site, however, makes Longacre's blood boil.
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Or........one or two great videos!
OINK