Pittsburgh ANA show report

kranky

I was there all 3 days as one of the Host Club "ANA Ambassadors" from the PA Association of Numismatists. It was a blast just getting to answer questions from attendees, help to promote PAN, and chat with old and new friends. We were issued bright yellow shirts and attendees were informed to find a yellow shirt if they had questions while in the show. Talked to a few people who came based on the media ads for the show that said "find out what your old coins are worth" - but when they got in the show they found it overwhelming. So it was nice to be able to tell them what they had and go over options for selling. Didn't see anything spectacular from the public but there was extensive eye candy in the cases and in the ANA displays.

There were first-rate exhibits, always one of my favorite parts of a show. I admire the scholarship that goes into information included in the exhibits as well as the tenacity shown by many exhibitors to be able to collect enough of something to make a meaningful exhibit. Just when you think you've seen everything, here's an exhibit of postage stamp scrip notes from 1862 from Mass and Rhode Island. Never even heard of them and I don't care how big your checkbook is, you aren't simply making some calls to gather a bunch of those. It's not happening. You have to put in the time to find them. Exhibits on things like the Numismatic History of the Organ, Nursing Service Pins, Byzantine Coinage, even Swedish Plate money from the 1700's (that one voted best in show) - google that and you won't be surprised why it didn't have a long life - the largest example in the exhibit weighed 6.5 pounds. I had hoped FunwithMPL would have exhibited his matte proof Lincolns but it was not to be.

Aside from collector exhibits, the ANA exhibited a 1933 $10, an 1804 dollar, a 1913 Liberty nickel, a 1943 copper cent next to a 1944 steel cent, a nice selection of PA currency going back to the colonial era, and a selection of error currency from the Bebee collection. Oh my.

I know from seeing some other show reports there were board members there I didn't get to meet but I did see PTVETTER, Shortgapbob, vam44, Regulated (I count him as a local boy notwithstanding he only lived here until age 2) , and ThePennyLady. Most of the time at the PAN table was spent in the pleasant company of CoinZip (Alan) and his wife Patsy. Good people.

At a show that large you can't cite all the amazing coins you see - there are just too many. But one particular standout I had to mention was a 1794 half-dime that Bill Shamhart had in his case. I don't even remember the grade - maybe 65 or 66 - but I can't imagine how a coin of that era survived in that condition. Lustrous, just eye-popping. Also had a chance to chat with Bill for a bit when things were wrapping up on Friday - always a pleasure to talk with him, he's a straight shooter with a real desire to help people be better collectors. We would love to see him fit the PAN shows back into his schedule, as well as posting here again.

On the other hand, there was this memorable item at another table, a $5 Porthole note graded VF20 with this supplemental commentary from PCGS printed on the label under the grade: "washed - colors faded - repairs - masked stains - pieces added - design redrawn." I wondered if there was more to say, or did they just run out of space?

Pistareen (John Kraljevich) was nice enough to chat with me for a few minutes before the show was open to the public. I asked him about the challenges he encounters dealing with a stream of practically unique items, They all require research and rarely does one get the opportunity to re-use it in the future. His material is just off-the-charts different and fascinating. Just reading the item descriptions on his site is an education. One of those guys where you think "he's probably forgotten more about coins than I have ever learned."

Andy from Angel Dee's is another dealer I got to talk with before the show opened. The man has some great stories and they aren't all about coins and although he doesn't live in the area now, he still has that Western PA friendliness along with the dry sense of humor. He's still the Pride of the Mon Valley (a little inside joke). Andy, John K and Bill Shamhart are three of the smartest and most personable dealers I have met, and willing to help you learn something as well.

There was some discussion here in recent days about empty tables - I did see a couple, not many.

If there was a trend, it was gold. Enormous quantities of slabbed Saints. Seems like the supply line from Europe is just barreling along.

There was a number of complaints from the public that there was no supply dealer at the show. That's a mistake in my opinion. Most attendees just assumed there would be one (and there is always one at the Pittsburgh PAN shows). I heard from dealers they heard the same complaint. Come on, ANA, find a way to make it possible for a supply dealer to do these shows. You know you can't charge full price because a supply dealer can't make it work economically. Do what you have to do so a supply dealer can be at these shows. The public expects it. And while the convention center hall was pretty full, there would have been space available. Figure it out.

Most dealers I talked to on Saturday said they had either a good or a satisfactory show (one exception said it did not meet his expectations).

I bought a few widow's mites to give to friends - they have certainly gone way up since I picked some up about 10 years ago. I think I paid $5 each then for decent examples, ones of equal quality at the show were over $30. I had to settle for much lesser quality for giveaways. Appreciate the show reports from others already posted, love the various perspectives.

Hemispherical

@kranky Thanks for your elucidating show report.

golden

Thanks for your great report!

RichieURich

Great report, Kranky, thanks for posting it, and I would have attended this show if I still was in Pennsylvania.

TheRaven

The Maudy coin exhibit was my favorite of the bunch.

alohagary

Thanks for a great report

FunwithMPL

Hi Kranky,

Great report, perhaps I shall bring my Matt's to the summer 2020 ANA in Pittsburgh. So happy it was a good show.

                                                                                                                                                                                 Carl   

ricko

Great report, I appreciate the detail and commentary. Cheers, RickO

tommy44

Great report, thank you.

ThePennyLady

Thanks for the detailed report on your experience at the ANA show. It was great to see you and thanks for letting me take your picture for my show report, which I'm working on. I agree about there not being a supply dealer there. At almost every show, including several times at this show, I suggest to new collectors that they get the Red Book to help them with their roll searches, as well as Making the Grade to help them learn how to grade coins, and it was sad that they couldn't simply go and pick up those books at this show.

PTVETTER

I understand why the usual supply dealer did not show.
I believe the ANA may,( I stress may) or could have addressed the issue different.

keets

RE: Supply Dealer.

the ANA should make it possible for at least one major supply dealer to work shows like this, perhaps even going to the extreme of offering free attendance or some small, token fee.

Walkerfan

It seems silly not to have a supply dealer there. Many people look for supplies, at shows, and is part of the reason why some attend.

rln_14

Thanks for the report