ANA Report (belated)
burdell
Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
I have not attended a show for 3+ years since attending 9 consecutive Winter FUN, 2 ANA shows and a Whitman. I was ready for ANA Pittsburgh.
I made the 5-hour trip straight to the convention center for lot viewing on Monday. There were maybe 3 other people looking at lots. Perfect! I had all the time in the world. I even had a nice chat with Stacks employee Garret who was supervising, and he helped me with a couple questions I had. It was so much better than the times I viewed lots shoulder to shoulder with other people and waited for specific boxes.
Tuesday morning, I viewed HA lots and went back to Stacks to see the Fairmont eagles again. I prefer the Fairmont eagles over 95% of the other eagles I have viewed over the years.
When the doors opened at 1230, I spoke with Stack's Christine Karstedt at length. She is delightful. There were a couple of notable dealer absences, apparently due to travel difficulties. The overall floor traffic was light when compared to Winter FUN.
Wednesday was going to be a big day. I sold 7 eagles. Snagged a CACG sample slab in the large crowd at their table. Going around the floor, I bumped into an impromptu meeting in front of Paradime Coins with @justindan, @johnny010, @DeplorableDan and 2 others (who I missed their names). We talked gold eagles and tied up the front of Paradime's table which dealers usually hate, but hey all were having fun! Simply fine people all around. Met @MrEureka who kindly gave me some advice about upgrading my plebeian way of storing and presenting my collection. Floor traffic was light again, but there were noticeably more younger people (under 40) in front of and behind tables than other shows I've attended.
Later, I proceeded to step out of my comfort zone and participate in a live auction in person. Stacks was auctioning the latest group of Fairmont gold.
Over the years, I have gradually progressed from placing bids (with a max) before the live session, to bidding live online. I usually have all my homework on targeted lots spread out in front of me and my computer with no distractions so I can totally focus on trying to hit the button at the right time. It seems like a videogame, and I don't play videogames so it's tough!
I was surprised only a few people were there. I had not seen this particular auctioneer handling a Fairmont eagle session before. He seemed to be going fast. Could I follow the action? When I raised my hand the first time to bid, I believed he recognized a newbie with the deer in the headlights look and slowed down a bit thankfully! I won 4 lots. I stretched for a couple and got a couple for what I expected. The experience was exciting but too stressful! I am glad I did it once.
From now on, I'm going to bid live from the comfort of home!
I asked DW years several years how many people collect SF eagles. He said 10 to 30. I asked him earlier today and he said double that. I have posted on this forum my belief that the Fairmont eagles are expanding the collector base.
I picked up my 4 lots on Thursday morning at Stacks. It's nice not waiting the 2 weeks for mail delivery. Encountered and stopped for another meeting in front of Paradime Coin's table! Super guys. Hit the road for a smooth ride home with a smile on my face!
Sorry for the late report. Sometimes life gets in the way of my hobby!
Comments
Congratulations on your wins!
Nice report. Sweet pickups!
Congrats on your Fairmont Eagles!
Beautiful coins👍
Edited to add: Great write up on Pittsburgh as well, really enjoyed.
Congrats on your wins, that looks like a very nice group of gold eagles.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
It was great to meet you. Your knowledge is deep. We appreciated you showing us your collection.
@burdell
Would love to see your entire collection in one thread with updates you’ve made along the way and coins you’re still hunting. Very rare set from what I can tell.
Congrats on picking up some nice pieces.
Edited to add: Thanks also for the show report.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
Great show report, thank you for posting it! You acquired a very nice group of Eagles!
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Congrats!!! Great looking coins. I was an underbidder on one of your new coins.
Agree that the overall quality of the Fairmont hoard is very high.
There’s no compelling reason to be physically at an auction. Pre internet you could see who and what your competition was doing. Only downside to bidding from home is losing your internet signal or getting distracted and missing a lot.
Congrats on the great group, and great meeting you.
Shannon
ParadimeCoins.com PCGS NGC CAC InventorySign up for our exclusive NEWPs mailing list - Subscribe
I was one of the other guys you met at Paradime’s table. It was nice meeting you and you have some fantastic eagles!!
Successful transactions with: Lakesammman, jimineez1, Flackthat, PerryHall, bidask, bccox, TwistedArrow1962, free_spirit, alexerca, scooter25, FHC, tnspro, mcarney1173, moursund, and SurfinxHI (6 times)
Great report that @ricko would have absolutely loved!
Dave
Thanks for your report.
Thanks for your report. Congrats on the new pickups.
Great set of Fairmont eagles - I particularly like the 1866.
Nice report - you should post more often!
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
Wonderful wins.
Nice coins!
Latin American Collection
Nice report and dirty gold!
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
Good summary. I took notice of the auction where it was stated surprised at how few showed up and then next time would do it from home. In another show thread it was mentioned that it was nice to have an auction at the ANA show and why not more. I commented and summarized that auction attendance had dwindled due to reliable online bidding and many now preferred bidding online.
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
Oh man ... great DOG's (Dirty Old Gold's), and nice report too!
Wish I would have known who you were so I could say Hi too.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
Great report. The Fairmont coins are very nice. I was hoping to come away with a few but that didn’t happen.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$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
nice report, but what about the food?
Thanks to all for your very nice comments.
@johnny010 - I will post my Fairmont gold "family" in another thread. Future plans, goals are uncertain. I will paraphrase what one astute collector said - sometimes the opportunity to buy the right coin is rarer than the coin itself. My primary interest is the eagles of the first SF Mint, although I sometimes stray from that!
@skier07 - I have made mistakes when bidding live from home! I have missed a couple of targeted lots. I even bought a lot by mistake with the lone live bid. Prayed for someone to bid higher. Nope! I'm an idiot. It was a very nice coin and a good price. Sold it for $150 loss. I must improve my focus next time!
@ParadimeCoins - Thank you Shannon for letting us congregate at your table! Great time! Hope the show was good for you.
@Dscoin - Sorry to not mention you. Hard to get everyone's forum name. I'm sure I missed some other people. My pleasure meeting you!
@Dave99B - RIP @ricko. I miss him. He would give me an LOL!!
@breakdown - Me? Post more often? I can barely keep up just reading selective post each day!
The 1866 is a purposeful stray from my primary collecting focus. Here is some info as of August 15:
@lilolme - Agree. It is an internet world! I sometimes struggle with it. It is not uncommon for me to ask the nearest teenager to help me when I get stuck!
@pursuitofliberty - There will be another opportunity in the future, I'm sure!
@tcollects - Food? LOL! I really don't give food a thought at big shows. I'm too excited! When I left the show, I stopped at Jimmmy johns each day when I realized I was hungry about a half block away!
nice coins and congrats and thank you for sharing your show report.