Baltimore Coin Show - Summary

Zohar

I sought a way to compensate myself for missing the January NY International. Since living outside the US for the past year (left right after the 2018 NY International), I feel somewhat removed as I lack the day to day engagement with the market, dealers, auctions and collectors which the forums only partially allows for.

Day 1: Made my way by train from NYC yesterday early morning, still suffering from jet lag, with the Baltimore hotel room fortunately being available for check-in. Then straight to the convention center. I rush off to drop coins for imaging with Todd @blu62vette who is cheerful as always. I say hello to @EVillageProwler as we each start making the rounds to find something new. I say hi to Andy Lustig and John @CoinRaritiesOnline and meet up with Cathy @Stork who is truly the real deal - smart, funny and quite a dynamic and as pure of a collector I have met - possessing a keen eye for eclectic things. Busy day, selling some of my coins while finding a raised/etched Israeli "Specimen" 25 Pruta coin which I had been looking for.

As a general observation, dealer inventories were limited compared to what I have become used to. Not enough breadth or quality, @Atlascoin being the exception. I assume that the better material is immediately consigned to auction by most.

We wrap up the day with a very pleasant dinner with Andy Lustig and friends.

Day 2: Hit the ground running trying to meet people. Run into @coinkat who is always welcoming and friendly. Meet @Tibor and chat a bit, while trying to scout for Talers to add, yet ending up selling more coins on the way. This is the first show where I come out net positive cash flow wise - not very likely nor good. However, I did find a 1547 dated Luneburg Taler depicting a man/moon, which has always been a cool type (out of theme, yet interestig). I buy it and quickly take an image. It looks quite nice in hand (pardon the quick/dirty shot).

General vibe is a bit subdued at this show, however, we end the day with a very pleasant dinner with @Stork and @EVillageProwler and then seeing some of EVP's coins in hand. Great stuff as always.

Will wrap up tomorrow AM yet hope to come in for shows in the US and perhaps Europe in the near term.

worldcoinguy

Great report Z. Enjoy the time stateside. Good eye on the lunaberg taler - one of the true classic designs of all german state talers.

MrEureka

@worldcoinguy said:
Good eye on the lunaberg taler - one of the true classic designs of all german state talers.

If it weren't past my bedtime, I would have spent more than a minute trying to figure out which numismatist looks just like that man in the moon. I'll try harder tomorrow!

bidask

Thanks for the write up Zohar sounds like you had a good time.

SYRACUSIAN

__ I say hello to @EVillageProwler as we each start making the rounds to find something new. I say hi to Andy Lustig and John @CoinRaritiesOnline and meet up with Cathy @Stork who is truly the real deal - smart, funny and quite a dynamic and as pure of a collector I have met - possessing a keen eye for eclectic things. __

This is probably the nicest post I've read in various coin forums in a very long time. It made me think, how long I've been knowing several Darksiders, others closer, others not so close, some in person (met in shows), most of you not though. Still, for the older members here, we've been actually following each other's lives for a decade and a half, and getting to meet each other is a very special experience.

For my part, I promise that I'll be back to a US show as soon as possible, and when I do, I'll try to make arrangements in advance to meet more of you, among which, Cathy first and foremost if possible. Zohar's description sounds almost exactly as I picture her. On the plus side, Cathy is among the very few ladies in our hobby, with a spectacular advance in her coin knowledge and her photo skills, who could also give me an advice or two on raising my daughter.

asheland

Great report! Cool coins!