How do dealers transport their Inventory to Coin Shows (Via Flying) ?

HiBucky

Just curious how dealers ship their coins for a coin show that requires air travel.. Do you place inventory under seat or check it as a bag .. something I have been wondering about should i decide to do a out of state show...What a Rookie I am ..

Along

I carry it on the plane and bring my wife for the muscle.

PerryHall

I can't imagine any coin dealer "checking it as a bag."

Jimnight

Very carefully.

ricko

I would say those with large inventories drive to the show. I cannot imagine transporting display cases etc. on a plane. Cheers, RickO

1Bufffan

Most of the Larger Dealers send by Brinks or Loomis, smaller Dealers Drive depending on the distance, I guess a carry on is best for smaller Inventory more than that your guess is as good as mine. How would claim value? for any lost luggage which I would not put into claim baggage anyway.

BryceM

I'm sure most of them wouldn't tell you.

TurtleCat

I always wonder how collectors bring their new purchases home if not driving.

ricko

When I acquired coins on a business trip (Using air travel), I just carried them in my pocket or carry on... Never more than five or six coins as I recall. Cheers, RickO

BryceM

My response above was a bit on the snarky side, but the security aspects of traveling with valuables are important. I imagine that most of them drive, when possible, but some dealers on the national circuit clearly travel with their inventory. Many times they're at a show with a primary mission of buying & picking up inventory from the auctions. Many bring only a portion of their inventory. Probably most of them use dedicated carry-on luggage for this. I very much doubt any of them would ever be so naïve to check them as baggage.

For a big show like Winter FUN or Summer ANA, the big guys probably use Brinks or similar. I know of at least one who frequently ships stuff home via Express mail.

In short, there's probably no one way, but I guarantee they all think about the security aspects of this. Some don't do shows in areas where they can't concealed carry, etc.

As for collectors, I've had dealers ship coins to me after the show, I've carried them on my person at times, and I've done the little interview in the private room when TSA couldn't figure out what a box of 20 was on the x-ray machine. It's all part of the deal and robbery/theft is a recurring problem. Looking like a regular business traveler helps. Wearing a convention tag and a loupe around your neck when out and about in downtown Baltimore or Chicago is probably inviting trouble.

messydesk

I've seen Tom Reynolds hoist a heavy case into the overhead bin on a couple flights I was on. He doesn't know who I am, so I gave him space and didn't eagerly offer help. One advantage of having all raw material is space requirements.

FredWeinberg

Brinks - the cheapest, strongest, non-drinking employee I
can have handling my cases from office to bourse
flour, and back. No plane fares, no hotel rooms.