Charmy's September 2019 LONG BEACH SHOW REPORT w/lots of Pics (and update on hubby)!

ThePennyLady · September 9, 2019 4:32PM

Another Long Beach show has come and gone - and it seemed to happen so quickly! I always enjoy being at the Long Beach show and seeing all my friends and regular customers, as well as meeting new folks! Most people I spoke with about this show said it was slower than the usual September show. I know several usual east coast dealers weren't there, possibly due to the storms.

For me, Wednesday I did my usual buying, and Thursday was busy, but Friday was slow, then Saturday was surprisingly busy. Overall, it turned out to be a B+ show for me, both buying and selling. I know the expo folks work really hard to please both the dealers and the collectors. I'm sure it's not easy sometimes working with us dealers, trying to meet all our needs yet run the business of putting on a successful show, but they in my view they do a great job. And they also work hard at getting the public in the doors with special promotions, free passes to any collector wanting to attend the show, great door prizes, and a fun and entertaining treasure hunt for the kids.

Being a creature of habit, whenever I attend the Long Beach show, I enjoy going to the same restaurants as before (and usually with the same group of people), mostly because they have such good food. And this makes it a bit of a challenge to write a show report that doesn't look like past Long Beach show reports, but I'll try!

Me and my booth bud, Rich, arrived at the convention center as usual on Wednesday before set up, unloaded, and waited at the loading dock area to be let into the bourse floor.

While standing outside the open loading dock door, I noticed a big white tent in the middle of the bourse floor. We were told that there was a cosmetics convention that had taken up all the rooms upstairs so they had to juggle tables around on the floor and make room for Heritage lot viewing.

So while Rich waited with my cart at the door, dealers who wanted to do lot viewing were let in so I took advantage of the opportunity to do that instead of waiting outside. I saw my friend Matt who is a quality copper lover as well. I had wanted to see several pieces I noticed in the catalog - I was glad I took the opportunity to see the coins in hand, and it was nice to have a second pair of eyes look at the coins I was interested in as well.

During set up, I met with several vest pocket dealers and bought some great Pretty Pennies, including a nice 1856 Flying Eagle in PF61 that looks higher grade.

I'm planning to write an article on Penny Pocket Mirrors and my friend Alan Weinberg graciously agreed to let me pick his brain since he too is an avid collector of pocket mirrors and has a wealth of knowledge on most anything exonumia related! So we had a really nice chat, and he gave me a lot of useful information for my article.

After set was over, we went to our usual place for dinner, Cafe Piccolo's. Along with my foreign coin dealer friends Karl and Joanne Stephens, Ron Guth and Jeff Garrett joined Rich and I for dinner. Cafe Piccolos has a really nice casual atmosphere, with part of the restaurant outdoors. We've been going there for so long that the waiters know us and even know what we like to order!

We all brought wines and each one was very good.

Most of us had our usual goat cheese chicken dish which is excellent!

Thursday when I arrived at the show I took a few minutes to see the amazing Tyrant Collection.

And this is the Paterson Collection of Ancient coins that was on display at the GreatCollections table

The US Mint was set up at the show

Todd also stopped by to show me another rare glass Columbian Expo token he just bought. This one was in its original bezel and is beautiful!

The show on Thursday was really busy, and everyone I spoke with said that Thursday was their best day. Once the show opened, I didn't get away from the table until later in the day. I finally took some photos around the bourse later in the day.

My friend, Ryan Delane of Interfanatic Digital Marketing stopped by to say hi. He's building a new website for me and I'm really excited about it!

After the show on Thursday, due to some conflicts within our group, instead of going out to Naples Ribs with several other dealers, we went to King's Fish House just behind the convention center on Pine. They not only have amazing seafood, including the best macadamia nut crusted halibut, but they have FREE corkage!

Rich and I got there a little early, so we had a pre-dinner cocktail - they make an awesome lemon drop martini!

Everyone brought a bottle of wine to share, and there were some really great ones. The Grenache I brought seemed to be very popular as it was all gone by the end of dinner!

This is the macadamia nut crusted halibut that I have each time I go there!

Getting together for these dinners after a long day at the show is something we all look forward to. It gives us a chance to get to know each other, find out about how our families are doing, talk about how the day went, how the coin market is going in our specialties, etc. It is one of my favorite aspects about attending shows!

Fridays are usually slower than Thursdays, and this Friday was typical. I had lots of bursts of business, then it would quiet down and be slow for a while. So I had a little more time to walk around the bourse, hunt for coins, and take a few more photos. This is Alan Weinberg's jaw dropping Brasher Doubloon that was on display.

I also viewed the stunning Rollo Fox Collection of $20 Saint-Gaudens gold coins that were on display at the Heritage table

The PCGS folks working hard as usual!

NGC folks working just as hard!

Ted from San Diego also always seem to be very busy at every show I see him.

There there is Todd and his dad Roger - I think he has more fun than he actually works! ;-)

My dear friends Joe Wargo and Art McBride - two of the nicest, kindest dealers out there!

A very good friend (and customer), Buck, is working on a couple of booklets about his personal collections and I recently helped edit one of them, so he brought me these two very good bottles of wine as a thank you.

Forum member Michael/RockyMountainProspector stopped by to say hi

That night Rich and I went across the street to PF Changs, our favorite Chinese restaurant. The harbor area where there are several restaurants, is really nice, and the evening was warm with a slight breeze - It was an absolutely beautiful evening!

This is the view from the harbor across the street to the convention center

Rich and I just sat at the bar and had a nice grouping of appetizers. And PF Changs makes the best Mai Tais!

The next day Saturday we arrived at the show early (Rich and I carpool since we're both from Orange County) so we could get submissions ready for PCGS, take my Conder tokens to NGC, collect checks from dealers, write checks to other dealers, etc. before the public was let in. Surprisingly, we were very busy most of the day Saturday, all the way until about 2pm. I was sincerely shocked at how much business I did that Saturday - it was great!

But soon it was time to pack up, load up, and head home. My hubby was at our Havasu home checking on things after the monsoon they recently had, but of course I had Penny waiting for me when I got home - she's such a sweet affectionate kitty!

That's it for now! Next up: Buena Park Show in October, then the PNNA Portland, Baltimore, and Las Vegas Palace Station shows in November.

golden · September 9, 2019 4:54PM

Thanks for another great report.

tommy44 · September 9, 2019 5:03PM

Another great report a usual, thanks for posting.

Mark · September 9, 2019 5:08PM

I don't know why I do it, but every time I see one of your reports I open it and even though I know I will wind up hurting myself because I am smile so much at the great time you are sharing with us!! More seriously, thanks--this report was your usual 11 on a scale of 1 to 10!

coinhack · September 9, 2019 5:18PM

Hi, Charmy. It was a great show and it was nice seeing you there.

johnny9434 · September 9, 2019 5:40PM

Cool report and I love the Dublin that was there. Wtg

johnny9434 · September 9, 2019 5:41PM

Brasher dubloon

ricko · September 9, 2019 5:50PM

Great show report Charmy.... the pictures seemed exceptionally clear and well defined.... New camera?... Nice wines too... I always enjoy the Heitz Cellar Cabernet...Thanks for the show report... Cheers, RickO

EagleEye · September 9, 2019 6:12PM

Another great report. Missed you at Naples's Ribs.

kaz · September 9, 2019 6:20PM

Thanks for another great report!

Purfrock · September 9, 2019 9:07PM

Thanks, Charmy

alohagary · September 9, 2019 9:57PM

Great report as usual

OldIndianNutKase · September 9, 2019 10:07PM

I especially love your Long Beach reports as I helped my grandfather in his meat market which was just a few blocks from where is now the Long Beach Convention Center. Seems like a lifetime ago, but i also remember some very excellent coin shops on Pacific Avenue. And I still have most of the coins that I bought in Long Beach over 50 years ago in their very original dealer packaging. I will never submit them for grading as I love the dealer grading on their "slabs".

The best hamburger place in Long Beach and in all of California is Russell's which is about 5-6 miles North of the convention center on Atlantic Avenue. But I do not recall that their wine selection is existant........

OINK

RockyMtnProspector · September 10, 2019 12:33AM

Great report and my privilege to meet you!

ThePennyLady · September 10, 2019 11:55AM

Thank you everyone, it was great meeting/seeing new and familiar faces!

Mark, you're always so kind with your compliments, and I'm so glad you enjoy my reports - you'll definitely have to try and make a show one of these times and join us for a night out!

Ricko, we did have some exceptionally good wines this time around (no new camera, but thanks for the compliment!).

OINK, we'll have to give Russell's a try next time!

Dave99B · September 10, 2019 5:28PM

Thanks for the wonderful report Charmy. Always a fun read!

Dave

Desert Moon · September 10, 2019 5:51PM

Thanks for the show report Charmy! Missin' going to shows......

Best, SH

ldhair · September 11, 2019 4:37AM

Thanks Charmy. Fun report.

Tomthecoinguy · September 11, 2019 5:09AM

Charmy, great show report as always.

When you mentioned your husband at the end, it reminded me of that terrible accident a few years back. Did he have any serious long term affects from that? Was he able to go back racing again?

ThePennyLady · September 11, 2019 7:47AM

Tomthecoinguy, thank you for asking. It's amazing that at every show, even after three years, I still get asked how my hubby is doing. This community truly amazes me and warms my heart at the compassion and thoughtfulness you all have.

Lou is doing great now. He is not in any pain but does have some limitations. Since he ended up having C-1 and C-2 fused together it means he can no longer turn his head much or bend his neck - he has to turn his shoulders to see to the right/left and bend from the waist to look down. Even though he could have retired after the accident, six months later he went back to work as a lineman for Southern California Edison and was still able to do his job. My hubby is one tough, strong, stubborn man! He was adamant about not leaving his job of almost 35 years by going out on medical leave. He wanted to be an example for all those young-uns about what in means to have integrity and work ethic. So he went to work every day, and did his job as if nothing had happened for the next year. THEN he retired!

But he did have to retire from driving the race car which was really hard for him (I, on the other hand, was very relieved). It took him a while to get passed the fact that his dream of racing in various offroad races around Mexico and the western U.S. when he retired was over. However, Lou has always had a passion for mechanics, and has collected and worked on vintage cars and motorcycles ever since I've known him. The year before the accident, he had been "souping up" his race car, putting thousands of dollars in it to make it the best it could be. Even though that old stout race car with the double rollbar saved his life, most of the car was beyond repair and had to be left on the side of that mountain near La Paz, Mexico.

But soon Lou was asked to help one of his racing friends by pitting and chasing for them (which means driving to and waiting at various spots along the race course, changing tires, refueling, helping with any mechanical problems, etc.). He even helped his friend the very next year at the same race in Mexico where he crashed. Soon some of his buddies at Wilson Racing (a well known and highly successful/wealthy offroad race team) asked him to help their team as well. I saw the light in his eyes and the joy in his attitude whenever he talked about being a member of the Wilson team! He is now regularly pitting and chasing for Wilson and his friend's team throughout Mexico about 4-5 times a year and LOVES it. Plus in between races and in between my shows, he helps me take care of our 2-year old grandson which is more exhausting than racing and running around at coin shows!

Tomthecoinguy · September 11, 2019 10:43AM

Wow, thanks for the update!

This is inspirational, I am so happy that even though he could not a drive race car anymore, he found a way to continue his passion.

asheland · September 11, 2019 10:51AM

Great report as always!

skier07 · September 11, 2019 11:33AM

Great report and glad your husband is doing well. He is an inspiration to the millennials.

BestGerman · September 12, 2019 8:19AM

Charmy, thanks for another great show report, as always. I love the picture of Lou and your grandson eating the ice cream right out of the container -- the best and only way to eat ice cream!