Rank these Coin Shows - Which ones would be the best to go to this year?
keyman64
Posts: 15,519 ✭✭✭✭✭
I live in Florida so I always make the drive over to Winter FUN and Summer FUN. Those are a given.
I am spoiled with the large and great FUN shows so I am looking for other great large shows with lots of dealers to improve my odds at finding things I am looking for. Auction lot viewing can also be entertaining. I have plenty of vacation time to hit a few shows but which are the best ones to go to. For those that attend a number of these shows, how do they compare to the size of Winter FUN? Anything else that makes a coin show a must-attend in your book?
I frequently hear people say they will make it to _____ coin show one day but then they say stuff like this year after year after year. I do not want to be like that. I'd like to make it to a couple out of state shows, taking into consideration the cost of airfare, hotel for a night or two, etc. Thoughts, feelings, lack there of, ready set go...
Shows coming up, as noted in the PCGS Calendar:
March 2-4 ANA National Money Show, Phoenix, AZ
March 15-18 Whitman, Baltimore, MD
April 27-29 Central States, Schaumburg, IL
June 8-10 Whitman, Baltimore, MD
June 21-24 Long Beach Expo, Long Beach, CA
July 13-15 Summer FUN, Orlando, FL - I will be there
August 7-12 ANA World's Fair of Money, Pittsburgh, PA
September 7-9 Long Beach Expo, Long Beach, CA
November 9-11 Whitman, Baltimore, MD
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
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Nice idea for a thread, as a fellow Floridian I will always be at FUN but I would definitely like to attempt to make it to a few others out of state. Looking forward to seeing what the other top tier shows are
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Im going to try to make the Bay State coin show July 28-29 in Massachusetts. Come up to Boston you will enjoy the visit.
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ANA Phx, best one for sure. And as a bonus you can take in a spring trainning game or two while in town.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Bigger than ANA in August? Anyone have a general count of the number of dealers at each of these shows?
Need some of the dealers that make it to multiple large shows to chime in here.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Central States is a big show and attracts many dealers given its central location. Go to their website to take more of it in.
Winter Whitman in Baltimore is another favorite and will be slightly less than CS dealer wise.
Both shows are worthies IMO that will have the level of inventory you seek.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
https://numismaticnews.net/us-coins/central-states-plans-three-newareas-for-2023-expanded-convention
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
https://expo.whitman.com/baltimore-winter-expo/
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
I highly recommend all three Whitman shows. ANA summer is another if held
in Rosemont/Chicago. Restaurants and lodging are FAIRLY priced. I've never
been to a Long Beach show. 35 years ago it was a must attend, I'm not sure
now. I used to go to Central States back in the 80's. Haven't been since. So to
answer your question, any of the Whitman shows would be best.
The Nashville Tennessee show in October has me intrigued this year. Looking forward to more details about it
Say what? Link please.
BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.
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http://imex.show
https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/international-money-exposition-scheduled-for-nashville-in-october
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wwmUMvhy-lY - Pink Me And Bobby McGee
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https://youtube.com/watch?v=D0FPxuQv2ns - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Maybe I'm Amazed
RLJ 1958 - 2023
It’s about time…..
BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.
As a Floridian, like you I’ve only been to FUN in Orlando. But from what I’ve read, the shows with large numbers of dealers are the Central States show (but Chicago frightens me), and the ANA Worlds Fair of Money. The Whitman shows in Baltimore frighten me too. Call me a scaredy-cat, that’s OK. I can take it.
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
@keyman64
As fas as the shows you noted here is an opinion.
The only show comparable with the winter FUN is the summer ANA.
The winter/spring ANA is similar to summer FUN and a junior show compared to its companion show. There appears to be a HA signature auction the following week so expect lot viewing. PCGS is not doing on site grading but submission only.
The Baltimore and Long Beach show are similar but I think as coin only goes that Baltimore is a little ahead. For both of these shows the summer one is smaller. At the Baltimore / Whitman website you can see that the summer Baltimore is hall A and B while the other two are A, B and C. Long Beach has an associated HA auction and Baltimore Stacks but both the following week now so lot viewing for. Considering Florida location and flying across country and time zone changes for Long Beach versus maybe an 1 1/2 hour flight to Baltimore. Note - I heard at last Baltimore that it was the last on site grading for PCGS and the current PCGS show schedule is showing submission only and no on site grading for all 3 Baltimore shows.
The CSNS has been building up some over the past few years after it had slowly sank some over time. A nick name for it is coin camp because the hotel is not downtown and somewhat remotely located, the show is in the hotel CC, many dealers and collectors stay at the hotel and some have some meals there. There is a HA signature auction associated with the show (lot viewing) with auction the following week and Legend has a live auction at the show.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wwmUMvhy-lY - Pink Me And Bobby McGee
.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=D0FPxuQv2ns - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Maybe I'm Amazed
RLJ 1958 - 2023
I’m probably in the minority but I wouldn’t spend a lot of time or money traveling to a coin show thinking I’m going to find a specific kind of coin. I’m a niche collector and I think I’ve bought one or two coins in ten years going to local Southern California coin shows. I do enjoy going to shows but it’s more for socializing.
CSNS - Because it’s local and I have enjoyed the show and made a few nice purchases along with meeting
some neat people and seeing some nice coins and collections.
ANA WFOM- Same reasons as above but would require air travel to PIT, with this show being in August
and our first time in Pittsburg it would be fun checking out some new sights.
Side note: I would probably never attend FUN because I have no faith in current air travel anywhere near that week in and out of ORD due to weather and post holiday travel.
An up-and-comer the last few years. Haven't gone but heard and read nice things about this show.
Even the big shows ? LOTS more inventory there than at local or even regional shows.
Bay State Coin Show is the East Coast's foremost coin show as well as the oldest commercial COIN show in the U.S.A.! Bay State was named one of the TOP 10 COIN SHOWS IN THE U.S.A. by "Coinage Magazine." Bay State has run every single year since the first show in 1964.
At the typical Bay State Coin Show, dealers are in attendance from Ireland, Canada, Michigan, Washington, Ohio, Alabama, Colorado, Minnesota, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Nebraska, Florida, Virginia, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM
It seem like coin show attendance and size has reversed to the upside following the pandemic. Before 2020, alot of the local shows were fading or gone....the regionsals were downsizing...and even some of the biggies saw drops in dealer and retail attendance.
Either it's pent-up demand after 2-3 years of nobody going to show OR we've added lots of new keyboard collectors the last few years. Either way, let's see how long it lasts.
The ANA, Baltimore and Long Beach always get great show reports.... Those would be my recommendation based on years of reading reports here on the forum. If you go, be sure to write a report. Cheers, RickO
As @lilolme posted previously, “The only show comparable with the winter FUN is the summer ANA.”
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying this will be the biggest show of the year, just the best!
(imo). Phx in spring is like Florida in Jan without the Disney crowds to deal with. It is difficult to say how big this show will be, it has been over 20 years since there was a national show in Phx. However, with all the CA people that have left CA and moved to Phx I have the feeling that the collector base has grown significantly over the past few years.
And again there are lots of things besides the show to enjoy, the beautiful (not humid) 80 degree weather should be a welcome break for those that have dealt with the cold icy freeze of the east coast. I just checked the cactus league schedule and I see around 25 spring training games from Thursday to Sunday of that week. Tons of great hiking trails and with an hour(ish) drive one can visit one of the most scenic towns in the USA, Sedona.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Thank you all for the replies. Great Feedback. Based on the feedback here, messages from a couple people not active on the forums, reading a little bit on what you all have posted and checking some general flight costs...here is what I am thinking.
April 27-29 Central States, Schaumburg, IL (2 days off work, 1 hotel night)
July 13-15 Summer FUN, Orlando, FL - I will be there (2 days off work)
August 7-12 ANA World's Fair of Money, Pittsburgh, PA (3 days off work, 2 hotel nights)
October 26-29 IMEX, Nashville, TN (2 days off work, 1 hotel night)
November 9-11 Whitman, Baltimore, MD (thinking right now, this might be the one left off the narrowed list)
The Bay State show seems nice but flights are on the expensive side, just like Long Beach and Phoenix. With so many options, those are out. The Nashville show will be inexpensive to get to and has me very interested. For most of these, I can get on a 5-6am flight the day the show starts and get to the show for the open. Then the second full day of the show and fly out around 7-8PM. This makes it one hotel night and two full days at the shows. My initial thought for ANA would be to take it in for an extra day.
@coinbuf I would really like to go to Arizona! Combining the trip with my photography interests would be neat but I just can't see myself doing that, I will have to think about it though. Most of the trips would be nearly 100% coin show related and not take extra time for sightseeing etc. I might have to rethink this for a couple shows, not sure.
As to others that have mentioned niche collecting and not being able to find things, even at large shows...I totally get that. I went to Winter FUN and found ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to buy. Winter FUN is no small show so this is saying something. I had a great time and made a few decent contacts. One contact might lead to something...the next month or so will tell.
I have a lot to think about and might just take it one month at a time. Thanks everyone!
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
If you have never been you should consider a PCGS members only show - although not 'big in size' by number of dealers present, the quality is rather high and the crowd size low.
Your venue choice could also depend on what type of things you are looking for.
I have heard there can be about 20+ dealers, a number of vest pocket dealers and grading is available. Depending upon the company, I have heard it can be a fun time. If I knew someone that was going to be there with the exact material I was looking for, it could make sense. Since I do not gamble, that would be a very long flight to take a chance for coins. Having been to Winter FUN and not finding anything to buy, I will likely stick to the larger shows to improve my chances.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
you still have not mentioned what the 'exact material' you are looking for -
books of high grade dimes you can look through to find unattributed top pop varieties?
Baltimore and the ANA.
I will do so for him
Think high grade, colorful, all there Mercs! 
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
I think you can best answer the question. What are you looking to accomplish by attending the show?
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
My signature gives a hint but if you want to look through some of what I have…
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/toned-coins/keyman64s-toned-mercury-dimes/13270
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Baltimore Fall
Central States, great venue. Not as big as ANA but worth the trip. They are trying hard to improve it IMO.
ANA Chicago don't like the venue though. But still going.
You’re gonna have a tough time all year if this is true. That show was basically about as good as it gets regarding material.
If east coast shows are dry for what you’re looking for, the answer is west coast shows (Long Beach). There are many/most dealers there that never set up at east coast events, which provide a fresh set of inventory.
The Phoenix show will most likely be a joke (as most every spring ANA show has been for decades).
Long Beach not what it once was even short time ago. just attended. ( have been since 1964) as a young teenager
Large card section. more Jewlry dealers. No NGC attendance anymore disappointing.
Anacs Not taking submittals. Confusion again with check in. folks there trying but not trained.
Had Earlybird privilege as a Platinum Member and Registry member and They could not give me the right badge as they were not aware of that even though I gave them My Authorization email from PCGS. The Guards kept stopping me from early entry I get tired of arguing with them. Three shows in a row now same thing UGH!
PCGS Please FIX THIS!.
On the better side. the addition of the theater presentations on Friday was a winner.
Expert reviews is another good thing. Nice wide aisles and banner marked. Dealer overhead table signage was hokey hand written and some hard to read.
Easy choices for me.
Central States
Summer FUN
August ANA WFOM
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
ANA WFoM
CSNS
Ranking coin shows? Copied from the first two comments from a thread on the Long Beach show:
"Long Beach not quite what it once was even short time ago. "
"I found last week's Long Beach Show to be the best I attended in quite awhile."
So- how does one rank this show?
I've been twice to the Whitman Shows in Baltimore and had no problem(some years ago, though). I met and made a couple of truly great friends there. Ron Pope for 10 years was a coin comrade and I truly miss him.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Through personal experiences only.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
As noted, I’m a scaredy-cat. I heard that the neighborhood is not as safe as I’m comfortable with. In life, there are no guarantees. In the safest of places, crime can happen. I’m just playing the odds. I will no longer go to NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Portland. Separately, I believe that nothing good happens after midnight. If I’m staying in a hotel, I’ll be in my room before midnight. Otherwise, maybe I’ll turn into a pumpkin, lol.
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
I think the majority consensus would be easier to interpret as a poll, since the opinions do vary quite a bit. I suppose someone who frequents a ton of shows could be better qualified to answer the question objectively, also. For instance, I thought this past winter fun show was great, but that’s the only major show I’ve visited, so what the heck do I know?
Here was Seth Chandler’s report
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoQX3pfgxl4/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
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I'm only familiar with Central States and The ANA WFOM. They each are huge shows. I'd suggest considering air fare and any room costs, that might be the deciding factor. If you come to Chicago I might break down and spring for lunch.
Other than your gimmes, Central States and ANA WFOM.
Central States will be interesting this year in part because of a reimagining of the bourse to accommodate both wholesale dealers who want to leave by Friday and local "third Sunday Holiday Inn show" dealers that can't afford to take a table normally.
ANA WFOM and Winter FUN are the two biggest shows each year, in a class of their own.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
The Central States show is in a safe Northwest suburb of Chicago- about 20 miles northwest of downtown-in Schaumburg. O'hare airport is basically in the suburbs too-also northwest of Chicago. So for CS there is no need to go anywhere near downtown, so it is very safe.
The trick is getting from the airport to Schaumburg.
Easier than getting from LAX to the Long Beach show or BWI to the Baltimore show.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Based on the recommendations in this thread, I’m going to schedule a trip for the central states show, and the ANA wfom when it comes time. Thanks everyone!
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CSNS only because it's about a 40 minute drive from me.
CSNS is the one for me in 2023. Looking forward to 2024 Chicago World Fair of Money. It’s in a great location.
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$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
My shows on a list of personal desires:
1. Either Long Beach Show. As a teenager I worked in my grandfather's meat shop only a few blocks from the Long Beach Convention Center (which I do not recall as existing at that time). And visiting a few coins shops on North Pacific Avenue.
2. FUN Winter Show
3. ANA Phoenix
4. Any Legend Regency "show" anytime. I like the small show format....always. Can do everything in one day and PCGS and Legend are Great Hosts.
OINK