So yeah, I just went to a coin show in Salt Lake City
BryceM
Posts: 11,854 ✭✭✭✭✭
Sooooo, the Salt Lake Show is going on as planned June 19th & 20th. I've been to the show once before a couple of years ago and was fortunate enough to meet up with @DRUNNER on that occasion. This time I just had a few minutes for a couple of quick trips around the room.
Attendance was pretty good. The dealers there seemed to be pretty happy with the amount of business they were conducting. Most of the tables were held by local guys but the good Col. Ellsworth from Butternut was there. I got to chat with him for a few minutes and oogle a really spectacular Ameri. Chain Cent and a couple of Wreath Cents. One of the wreath cents was pretty tempting, but those little suckers get expensive pretty quickly. I decided long ago to have one with all of the design elements visible (say VG10 or so) or not have one at all. He had a coin in AG03 that wasn't quite good enough and one in VF that was over-budget (but very nice).
The show organizers were encouraging masks at the door. I ended up with a free one by purchasing a few raffle tickets. Hand sanitizer was at almost every table and some of the dealers requested that you use it before touching their coins. Lots of those in attendance either forgot their masks or took them off shortly after arriving. Most of the dealers were wearing them. Mine stayed on and I bathed in the hand sanitizer a few times. 
I learned a few things that seemed important to remember. First, there are huge numbers of collectors who don't look at slabbed coins, ever. Maybe half of the dealers had either no slabbed coins or only a handful of them on display. The majority of the patrons were at tables like that. Second, there were tons of SEGS, IGC, ANACS, and other slabbed coins in cases..... way more than you'd see at Long Beach or the ANA shows. Also lots of inexpensive modern proofs, Apollo pucks, and similar. Third, less than 5% of the coins in NGC or PCGS holders had stickers. Fourth, apart from generic gold, 98% of the slabbed coins at the show were priced for less than $1,000 and the vast majority of them were in the $100-300 range. There were a TON of problem coins, some slabbed, some raw. Fifth, there were very few toners in anyone's cases and the few that I saw were pretty low-key. Finally, it was just nice to see people having fun with coins.
Of course having been there before I already knew all of these things, but it was fun to remember that the average participant here on the boards is NOT representative of the larger collector base. The majority of the folks there have probably never been to a national show or been a bidder in a major auction.
I came away feeling pretty darn fortunate to be able to collect the things I do. Any disposable income is quite a blessing, really. I also came away with a 1922 Peace dollar that I selected from a huge pile of MS64 OGH holders that a dealer had in one of his cases. In all, it was a fun way to spend a bit of time, but ultimately unproductive in filling the remaining holes in my type set. It appears that I've become rather fussy and picky in my tastes.
As for the COVID issue, I'd say the experience didn't really seem all that different than being in a grocery store or convenience store. Some folks were clearly being uber-careful and others completely clueless about any potential problems.... just people being people. A couple of the dealer tables were empty. Clearly it's going to be a while before things are "back to normal", at least through the rest of 2020 I'd think. I wanted to ask Col. Ellsworth about the actual possibility of a relocated summer ANA show, but he was on the phone when I swung back around.
Comments
Fussy and picky is good. The only way to collect. Maybe you should have bought that chain cent.
Thanks for the report, Bryce. Signs of what's to come.
Now let's see that '22 Peace.
Lance.
Interesting read while in the midst of the virus concern.
Interesting report
I personally would not attend a coin show that did not require masks to be worn. However, it does not surprise me that shows such as the one you describe are now starting to appear again.
It’s good to here that someone had the courage to hold a show. Our local club has had to cancel two of them. The room is too small to social distance, and a law suit would sink us. The cancellation of Summer FUN kind of set the stage.
When will people learn!
Courage is an interesting word choice. Stupidity, ignorance, recklessness and a few others seemed more appropriate to me.
Latin American Collection
Thank you for the interesting report.
When you read of a choir practice where 53 of the 64 people in attendance became infected and two died, then you have to wonder if coin shows will become super-spreader events. Masks are giving people a false sense of protection.
Commems and Early Type
Great!! A coin show report. At last. Thank you @BryceM ....Interesting comments as well....recalling my show experiences in the PNW, I would agree about raw coins being more prominent than slabs - on most tables. Except for the large shows. Glad you found a coin for your collection - and being fussy/picky is the nature of a good collector who understands his coins. Cheers, RickO
That choir was a worst case scenario. No distancing or masks and everyone singing. A bourse allows for distancing. And minimal singing or shouting. [Not that it is risk free.]
I've seen dealers singing, shouting and dancing.
Sometimes before making the sale and sometimes just after.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
Outstanding report and observations on all subjects.
Thank you.
I also have noticed at small shows the number of dealers with no slabs and how busy they are.
"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. We voted to cancel our late July coastal SC show earlier this week. Too much risk. Local cops said we could hire them, but they had to stay outside of the building unless there was an active crime. Insurance agent could sell us event insurance, but it doesn’t cover covid and we don’t want the added expense of covid insurance (assuming it is available). Our older membership was not ecstatic about working the show and possibly getting exposed (even if we had masks and sanitizer). Several dealers have already said no. The event space said yes, but no refunds unless the government declares another state of emergency.
Too much safety and financial risk for us. We are an older crowd.
I suggested we make up for it at the end of the year with the best ever member holiday party.
Indian Head $10 Gold Date Set Album
Good to hear a report on how we are moving forward. Thanks for posting your experience.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
It would be great if someone had the resources to track everyone at a show like this one, to see how many are sick, hospitalized, or dead after 30 days. I'm not being facetious; it would put an end to the speculation that this is a low risk situation.
Leaning over a case with others or a dealer who is 3 feet away or passing by others in the aisle is not my idea of distancing.
Commems and Early Type
we have a show coming up at the end of August in Victoria, British Columbia -Canada.
at this time it looks good to take place. I sure hope so.
H
Even if a show requires masks it potentially can get very ugly if someone decides to take theirs off in the middle of the show. The show organizer and security don’t want to be in a confrontational situation that can escalate rapidly out of control. Supermarkets in my area all have a mask policy but if someone takes theirs off while shopping management is instructed to do nothing and leave the customer alone.
I just got back from a walk around the neighborhood. While on Woodward Avenue (the same Woodward Avenue of Dream Cruise fame) I came across a classic car gathering. The attendees, from my observation of the cars presented, were very upscale types. Few were either wearing masks or keeping social distance. It is more than just coin collectors who are into taking chances these days.
Not smart.
Agree, but an outdoor event is completely different than an indoor event.
Texans hate being told what to do, lots of grumbling when seat belts were required. Bottom line, there is no real downside to wearing a mask and it may save some lives, so why not just do it for Pete's sake?
I really really miss setting up and attending shows.
If any were around here I would go.
I am 6 minutes away from the venue. I did not attend.
Bryce's coin thoughts were perfect and I certainly agree. Picky is good . . . . lots of guys have retreads around here from SEGS, ICG, etc. Fine. No problems. Not many stickers here ever. I remember when CAC first started showing up and I brought a few to sell . . having one of the two old hands at that show denigrate them and wonder why anyone would do it . . . or buy them. (Of course . . when he got to look through my 'sell' box he took all four of the CAC coins I had.)
But . . . I think everyone here knows the driving factor of why this show materialized. Same as our nation's perspective. While Utah's cases are spiking and skyrocketing (we are one of the 14 states showing severe ramping up) . . . we are holding coin shows. The nation is the same. We are "tired" of social distancing and dealing with this situation. Just like my high school kids . . . same attention span. The result of what happens to us is immaterial.
Drunner
Maybe I am just jaded a bit . . .
The Florence, OR show (mid-August) just cancelled last week. They had looked at the same precautions (in August) that SLC initiated here. Just could not justify the risk . . . or get assurances no lawsuit would not knock out the show promoter(s). I was bummed . . . . it is a fun show and really the only show I have set up at other than SLC in the last 15 years . . .
Like DH says . . . . enjoy your coins. I surely do . . .
Drunner
Thanks for all the replies guys. The mix of comments for and against holding a show was expected. I have really mixed feelings about all of this. Like everyone else in the country, the correct course of action isn't so easy to see. Hopes that we'd see a sudden disappearance with warm weather or a quick vaccine haven't materialized. States that got hit hard at first are generally seeing a huge downward trend. States initially spared are seeing a resurgence. Devilish little virus, this one.
A friend called yesterday to share what is happening to his family. A bunch of them got together from all over the US a week or two ago to celebrate his birthday. Now several members of his extended family are sick and his son-in-law who is in his 30 was hospitalized today.
It is really, really hard to know how to minimize the damage. People suffer when they're sick, they suffer when they don't have a job, and they suffer when there isn't anything fun to do. Life is precious above all, but actually living life as opposed to hiding in caves is also precious. We each see it a little differently and each of us is vulnerable in different ways. These sorts of things bring out the best (which is never reported) and the worst (which is on the news constantly) in people.
I'm the sort of guy that enjoys wandering around the wilds of Africa and flying in WWII fighters for fun, but I realize everyone isn't wired the same. If I was older or unhealthy, I'd have probably stayed home. There was one older guy at the show on portable oxygen. Evidently he loves his hobby.
@lkeigwin, Here's the one that jumped in my bag. There's a whole lot of coin here for $45.
Courage? All you need is one lawsuit, and the club treasury is gone. They might even go after the club officers. We have more tort lawyers down here per person than probably any other state. They certainly run more ads on TV.
The plaintiffs can open the case for $0 money down; the club has to pay an attorney from the get-go.
Bill . . . . . . .
Precisely. This is a litigious society.
I value personal choice. I am happy those who chose to go had the chance . . . but I hope history does not condemn those who just couldn't stand another few weeks watching those horrid "B" movies on Netflix . . . . . .
Drunner
Would need legislation similar to that passed by LA to consider a show IMO. Businesses are taking this sort of risk, but they're fighting for survival. Not the same. If you're in FL, TX, CA or perhaps any state, there are loads of hungry plaintiff attorneys who aren't as busy handling auto claims since there are fewer ambulances to chase these days.
Dream on ...
Thank you Bryce for posting your show report. It is a personal choice. Absolutely. I love your new Peace dollar!
I have no immediate plans to intentionally undo my effort and self-discipline.
I don’t feel entitled to expecting the 80% to behave any differently than they currently are.
And I am certainly a risk taker in other areas of my life. Mostly athletic. Which is a tiny percentage of the people. Outliers are oddities!
Thanks for the report. Interesting times we live in now. Could be the new normal.
Thanks for the report. Sounds like you had fun. That Peace Dollar in the OGH is pretty cool. Very conservatively graded in a vintage slab. I'd have bought it, too!!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
Great report, thank you for taking the time to write it up.
Great looking 22.
My club had to cancel shows as well here in California. We still have meetings remotely and then post it on youtube.
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
its been found that there is a very small chance of catching anything outside. Im glad they had this show. If you dont want to go stay home.
Your consideration of both sides of the corona issue and overall even keeled discussion on the subject is nothing short of commendable. Civil discussion is in large part missing in this day and age. Thank you!
Bryce, thanks for sharing and seeing both sides of this. If I was still single and in my thirties, I'd probably put on a mask, carry sanitizer, and go. I'd still be working at my office, not my home. But I'm older, my wife considers herself to be at risk, and I'd never forgive myself if I got the virus and gave it to her. So no coin shows or vacations (that's a hard one for me, because I wanted to go to Chilean Patagonia and hang out with the penguins) for awhile.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
My boss lives next door to a big FL tort lawyer, he just sent 50 lawyers to open an office in Chicago to sue businesses who re-open.
NYC hired 3000 contact tracers to follow up on cases, and the average response is...go fish, I'm not telling you anything.
Lovely world we live in.
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Exactly. That's why he must be destroyed immediately.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
Ummmm................
If in reference to my post, please note the smiley.
It's just a sarcastic observation from having seen reasonable comments elsewhere around the internet being attacked from all sides.
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In regards to coin shows and the majority of collectors, I think the following paragraph from your first post is a perspective worth keeping in mind.
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"Of course having been there before I already knew all of these things, but it was fun to remember that the average participant here on the boards is NOT representative of the larger collector base. The majority of the folks there have probably never been to a national show or been a bidder in a major auction."
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"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
Sorry, but the Internet is where sarcasm went to die.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")