@golden said:
Everyone be safe, have fun and post show reports.
I'll be sure to.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
If any dealers who will have a table at the show will PM me their table no., I might be able to come and talk for a little bit.
Especially considering f you have or know anyone who is selling junk silver.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
@PeakRarities said:
I’m at 409/509 if anyone wants to say high tomorrow, have some fun stuff from my collection for show and tell also.
I will stop by tomorrow.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
Shhhhh! Very quiet day today. Attendance seemed sparse to me with many of the attendees feeling the same way. Decent first day for me - I picked up 4 IHC’s, 3 toners & 1 unusual variety. Met some forumites, too, so all in all a good day! Back tomorrow for more! Took a few pics, none great:
Not the greatest pic of GC’s Big Three, but it was awesome to see them together!
Agree with @Copperindian —the Wednesday crowd was light, although the pics of that one very wide aisle make it look extra sparse. The good thing about it (from the collector perspective) is it enabled a leisurely, relaxed pace. I accomplished a good deal in a few hours, selling two coins and buying three.
No time for a full report or a coin photo shoot this evening, so here’s the first coin I bought, a common date Peace that was fairly priced in an OGH—she will tag along with a larger CAC submission to be dropped off on Friday.
@1madman said:
Nashvillesque is unfortunately the comprehensive show report for Wednesday
Surprised it didn't do better, given all the promotion and dealer enthusiasm. If it doesn't pick up tomorrow, maybe it means there is no room for a major show a mere month after the WFOM. They might have better luck next year in Rosemont, a month after OKC, assuming OKC is going to be a bust due to its location.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
Tampa show update: bourse seems to be a bit busier today & that’s good! Lots of buzz locally about the 1875 No S proof dime (hey what about the Eliasberg 1913 Nickel?). Oh yeah, there’s a 1943 Bronze Lincoln too. Expecting a good day….
There are 18 educational exhibits placed throughout the show. If you come, please be sure to pickup a copy of the Numismatic Educational Journey Guide at the Registration Desk.
Just an FYI when people say this show is slow it’s really slow. Yesterday when the bourse opened to the public there 30-40 people outside waiting to get in and today it was less than 30. The business is all dealer to dealer. I can’t imagine it being a good show for any dealer.
@Randoms said:
I'm waiting for the new inventory to hit the dealers sites I watch
I just got back home and let me tell you, dozens of dealers were very on edge. I've never seen a group of grown men so scared. There were very few customers, and when you throw what happened to the gold price in, it results in a bunch of dealers hurriedly shuffling gold around and letting the F word fly. There were even a couple that seemed like they were going to get into a fight. It was a wild show day. I'll post more in my report.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
Tampa show update: the good day didn’t materialize. Some dealers seemed to be more interested in buying than selling. Depleted inventories I would guess. Did a little more buying today, including a new area for me (thanks @abbyme24)!
Submitted 11 coins to CAC - we’ll see. I will update the outcome when I have it. Predicting 7/11 (that’s a whammy, right)?
“Owners of U.S. dimes may want to check their pockets and piggy banks, as one rare $0.10 coin is expected to bring in over half of a million dollars by the end of October, and it can be viewed in person in Tampa, Florida this week.”
Later on in the SAME article…
"They were both discovered in Proof Sets – so that is the key. They were never issued in regular coins found in change," Russell said. "The Proof Sets were sold by the U.S. Mint in 1975 and shipped to people all across the country. Still, many exist in sealed shipping boxes."
The show is extremely slow, I sold two coins and they were both to other dealers. The public simply isn’t here, Im starting to think that that perhaps the $15 admission (or $10, whatever it is) was actually not a good idea. The table fees weren’t cheap either, but just like starting a business, they should have expected to break even or take a loss on the first show. Costly tables and low attendance are is a perfect way to discourage anyone from coming back.
It’s a shame, because the show is set up well, the location is safe and there’s great food all around. Similar situation to Nashville, except the Nashville show was not set up as well as this one does.
There does appear to be a correction looming, but I’m not panicking. I sold several coins off of my website this week and the collectors I know are still buying.
Build it and they will come? I don't think so. It is too close to the ANA to try to have another major show. There are too many shows. Whitman needs to cut one Baltimore show. I do not think they will. CU needs to cut one of the Long Beach shows. I do not think they will.
The PAN show seems to be growing but it is too far for me. The MNS show is good and at a great location. The BRNA show is always sold out and is at a very nice venue. The CSNS show is on a comeback.
The Tampa show sounds like another Nashville.
Looking forward to the show reports!! It sounds like it was a good idea that just didn't take off. Maybe it was the close proximity in time to the ANA or the high admission fee?
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
@johnny010 said:
This is a new show right before election just after a very big show. I see no reason to panic.
To be fair, I had very high hopes for the show. Election Day and the ANA were known well beforehand. If they were expected to kill attendance, why would the promoters have scheduled it when they did?
"Panic" might be too strong a word, since the success of a coin show isn't a life or death matter. But I'll bet everyone involved, from the promoters to the dealers who took tables, are less than thrilled with the results.
Unless I lived within close proximity to Tampa I can’t imagine ever going there in the summer unless I was able to piggyback the show with a Tampa Bay Bucs football game vs the LA Rams or LA Chargers.
The good thing I found was that there were no lines for anything (not good for the dealers though)….submitting for grading to any of the services and the reps were ready to help get the paperwork done…and I even happened to stop by the Great Collections table and was excited to meet and chat with John Albanese and Ian Russell…who both offered great advice on two of my coins. Nice meeting the legends in this business….and everyone was very nice. Stopped and bought a beautiful 09s VDB from Charmy Harker the Penny Lady, and met Abby as well! Also nabbed a National Currency note from my hometown of Roswell, NM. Looking forward to the FLL show in April!
@skier07 said:
Unless I lived within close proximity to Tampa I can’t imagine ever going there in the summer unless I was able to piggyback the show with a Tampa Bay Bucs football game vs the LA Rams or LA Chargers.
That's easy to say, but there is more to it than that. FUN has no trouble attracting a crowd in Orlando in July.
To me, it just looks like the market is saturated, and there is no need, or demand, for more major shows. The folks behind this certainly know what they are doing, and Tampa is as attractive a location as anywhere, so I doubt they did anything wrong, other than believing "if we build it, they will come."
@skier07 said:
Unless I lived within close proximity to Tampa I can’t imagine ever going there in the summer unless I was able to piggyback the show with a Tampa Bay Bucs football game vs the LA Rams or LA Chargers.
That's easy to say, but there is more to it than that. FUN has no trouble attracting a crowd in Orlando in July.
To me, it just looks like the market is saturated, and there is no need, or demand, for more major shows. The folks behind this certainly know what they are doing, and Tampa is as attractive a location as anywhere, so I doubt they did anything wrong, other than believing "if we build it, they will come."
I think I must agree here. Larry Shepherd is no rookie and as I said, I love the way it’s set up. The room is spacious and the isles are wide, accessibility is a 10/10. With the hotel that I’m staying at, I take the elevator down from my room and it’s about 100 yards to the front door of the convention center. Another 50 yards to the room where the show is held, which is fantastic and unlike summer fun where you have to walk half a mile after you walk in the front door of the convention center.
@johnny010 said:
This is a new show right before election just after a very big show. I see no reason to panic.
To be fair, I had very high hopes for the show. Election Day and the ANA were known well beforehand. If they were expected to kill attendance, why would the promoters have scheduled it when they did?
"Panic" might be too strong a word, since the success of a coin show isn't a life or death matter. But I'll bet everyone involved, from the promoters to the dealers who took tables, are less than thrilled with the results.
Yes I agree with you. My thoughts around panic were in relation to the sentiment about the price of gold and grown men being scared.
Sounds like a great show effort that just needs better timing.
Doug Winter packed up today in the afternoon, he said this was perhaps the worst show he's ever attended, if not, top 3. Needless to say, his show report is sure to be a hoot!
I went on Wednesday and it was pretty dead, which I found rather surprising given the number of prominent dealers in attendance. As a collector, I have no complaints about the show aside from the $15 admission but I am willing to support a new show if it is necessary to help get it off the ground.
I came away from the show with a strong sense that the pandemic-fueled rocket ride may just about be over.
But first, a word about the Great American Coin and Collectibles coin show that is taking place in Tampa. This is a brand new start-up September show. I spoke with a dealer who is active on the bourse yesterday and the comment was that this event is turning out to be a wholesale show. In other words, there is minimal retail attendance at the event. GFRC was approached to attend the event, but being September, the last thing I wished to do was to fly down to Tampa for roughly five days and be away from the autumn season in Maine. It was a good call as GFRC is mostly a retail dealer in support of its consignor base.
$15, with a 10% discount for military and veterans. $15 for flat-rate parking in the Convention Center garage, or you can pay by the hour.
I did the ‘pre admission’ online and it was $10 for the one day I attended. One guy I met said it was $25 for all four days…and Saturday was scheduled to be FREE admission if I remember correctly. Parking in the convention center parking lot next door was easy and painless (can be done online with Parking apps) or with the parking meters in the garage. I started in Ft. Lauderdale on a flight to Tampa at 0645…was in Tampa by 0800…rented a car for $18 (a new Toyota that was very nice) which was $28 all included…..and drove to the Convention Center 15 minutes away. There by 0845 and waited by the coffee shop till the doors opened. Easy to find the dealers and everyone was more than accommodating. CAC, ICG, PCGS, CACG, ANACS and a few others had NO lines, so submitting coins was actually a breeze, and the reps helped complete all the paperwork effortlessly and quickly. It was probably the easiest submitting I have ever done for crossovers, errors, and conservation. Great selection of coins/memorabilia and dealers had coins available for every price range. It was almost overwhelming how much is available, but that adds to the experience. I was kind of surprised that no one was looking at the 1913 Liberty nickel nor the No S proof dime…so taking a few snapshots wasn’t a problem. Dealers were happy to negotiate….and many told me they would rather earn my trust than try and take advantage of me to sell me a nice coin. Those are the dealers I will return to do business with. Most asked me what I was looking for and what my budget was so they didn’t bother going out of my price range…or if they did it was only within $100 or so in order to show me what an extra $100 could get me…and that was fine by me. I did my looking, picked up a few items, and headed out at 3:00 pm back to the airport. Returned the car, headed to the terminal and was back home by 7:30 pm…..a happy camper with my new purchases…and looking forward to the show in Ft. Lauderdale in April.
I went to the Tampa show. I guess I should call it the GACC show since Tampa is out (at least for now).
The dealer day seemed to be active and there were many tables (I did not count) lined up on both sides of a long room (it was actually several smaller conference rooms with the 'dividers' removed to form a longer room). Several dealers mentioned doing well there.
The show itself had a few smaller issues but this can sometimes be true with well established shows. However, it was basically setup like a typical larger show or should I say organized well. One thing that was interesting is that the auction houses/companies that normally are upfront and/or directly in front of the entrance were set back a half row or row. Larry had indicated that he thought a show should have dealers with collector coins upfront and that is the way it was.
Light bulbs - LED 13W (kind of the bottom end of 100W equivalent or just missed) and 5000k. All the same that I saw, except for those that had their own lights. The 5000k does give off a 'white' light that appears brighter.
As noted by others I saw the attendance by the public was minimal. There were times Wed and early Thur where some people were looking but overall it was slow and then sometimes dead. Talking to several others I got some similar responses but then a few okays and the rare 'did good'. One of these was a dealer with a lot of gold, both in slabs and raw. This is what they indicated was selling for them at the show. Strangely Friday was the best day for some and this with maybe only half a dozen people walking in at 10 AM when the doors opened to the public. Yes, more came in slowly at later times.
Also will note that the show advertised that there would be an annex with lower priced tables, material and free to get in. This did not happen. It was suppose to be in the rooms where the dealer day happened. Going up to security on Wed morning an elderly guy with a four wheel walker was looking for this. When we approached the area it was empty. I guess they moved them to the main show. And back the other way we went.
Something I found a little annoying was off and on they had different talks/talkers on a stage at the far side of the convention center. A microphone and speakers that could be heard through much of the convention center. I was told this was to get people into the show versus having these talkers in separate conference rooms outside the convention center.
Don't know about the next Fort Lauderdale GACC show. I say this because I don't know what people will actually do but in talking to several dealers on Friday and asking about Fort Lauderdale show I got about 2 out of 3 that said 'No' and maybe added an extra word to that. Another thing that came up in the discussions was Spring Break. Some saying that April 1 -4 of 2025 would be spring break time and Fort Lauderdale is a major spring break destination. 'Who wants to be there during that time', except spring breakers. I know nothing about this area and Spring Break time and if it would actually impact the convention center area. But that might not matter to some because they just don't want to take a chance and combined with the first show (Tampa) attendance.
The cover charge - I don't know how to word this but heard it from one rep and then others telling a similar thing. It was said and this is not a quote, that the cover charge was for the benefit of the dealers in that primarily 'true' collectors would pay to get in and those just looking around mostly not. That is more of the people attending would be buyers and not just perusing. My comment was but some of those just looking around could turn into 'true' collectors. (Sorry just using the term 'true' collector to try to distinguish from someone just looking and not meant to mean anything specific).
Show Schedules - I read one comment or more on how the 2025 ANA being on August 19 - 23 and the new GACC show being on Sept. 23 - 27 was putting two shows on top of each other. I chuckled a little on this one as they are a month apart (finish to start). For as long as I can recall the 'major' shows (Long Beach, Baltimore, FUN, ANA, CSNS) have had two shows inside of this one month time frame. Actually a month can be a decent amount of time between them. So I thought I would put together a list of these show for 2025 to show what I am indicating (hopefully no typos). Note: with the above there are 11 shows and the GACC adds 2 more. So they often wind up being within a month of each other and even a week.
2025
Jan 9 - 11 FUN
Feb 20 - 22 Long Beach
Feb 27 - March 1 ANA National Money Show
March 27 - 29 Baltimore
April 1 - 5 GACC show
April 23 - 26 CSNS
May - empty
June 19 - 21 Baltimore
June 26 - 28 Long Beach
July 10 -12 FUN summer
August 19 - 23 ANA
Sept 3 - 6 IMEX (does this count?)
Sept 23 - 27 GACC show
Oct 23 - 25 Long Beach (never recall it being this late, normally Sept)
Nov 6 - 8 Baltimore
I wouldn't think about attending a show with a $15 admission even though I know that's small potatoes considering the various expenses involved with going to a show.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
When I used to go to reptile shows there was almost always a cost to get in the door. I was always happy to pay a $10 or $20 entry fee and figured if there wasn't an admission cost then there probably wouldn't be a show. I like saving a buck as much as the next guy, still I can't help but wonder why many coin collectors seem to be put off by a low entry fee to attend a show.
@golden said:
Ft. Lauderdale in April at Spring break? Are you kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't wait for the show report pics of all the numismatists partying hard with the college kids at the Elbo Room after. If Charmy and Rick Snow aren't doing beer funnels from the second floor I'll be disappointed.
‘’Doug Winter packed up today in the afternoon, he said this was perhaps the worst show he's ever attended, if not, top 3. Needless to say, his show report is sure to be a hoot! ’
That is saying something!
Not wise to miss the Long Beach show as a dealer. Some of my greatest “scores” consistently have come out of Long Beach PCGS show grading. The show last week was no exception.
Just my 2 cents!
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@TrickleCharge said:
When I used to go to reptile shows there was almost always a cost to get in the door. I was always happy to pay a $10 or $20 entry fee and figured if there wasn't an admission cost then there probably wouldn't be a show. I like saving a buck as much as the next guy, still I can't help but wonder why many coin collectors seem to be put off by a low entry fee to attend a show.
People are funny when it comes to money. Of course we all prefer not paying for a show but it’s unrealistic thinking with everything being so expensive today. Not going to a show over $30 when you’re prepared to spend several hundred dollars or more makes very little sense to me.
We had a garage sale many years ago when we were moving. An older woman driving the most expensive Mercedes stopped at our house. There was a dish that she was interested in. She asked my wife how much it cost. My wife told her it was a dollar and she looked at it for ten minutes and asked my wife if she would accept fifty cents. My wife declined and she left.
If I’m going to spend a couple hundred dollars I can do that at home. Then I can spend that time I would have spent at the show doing something else.
If you’re a big spender of course $15 isn’t going to matter. If you budget $500-1000 a show and 10% of that is spent on parking, entrance, etc… You will probably budget your time and money elsewhere
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I'll be sure to.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
If any dealers who will have a table at the show will PM me their table no., I might be able to come and talk for a little bit.
Especially considering f you have or know anyone who is selling junk silver.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
Not a complete list, unfortunately. We signed up over two months ago and are not listed in the directory.
I’m at 409/509 if anyone wants to say high tomorrow, have some fun stuff from my collection for show and tell also.
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I will stop by tomorrow.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
Quick Tampa show report:
Shhhhh! Very quiet day today. Attendance seemed sparse to me with many of the attendees feeling the same way. Decent first day for me - I picked up 4 IHC’s, 3 toners & 1 unusual variety. Met some forumites, too, so all in all a good day! Back tomorrow for more! Took a few pics, none great:
Not the greatest pic of GC’s Big Three, but it was awesome to see them together!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Agree with @Copperindian —the Wednesday crowd was light, although the pics of that one very wide aisle make it look extra sparse. The good thing about it (from the collector perspective) is it enabled a leisurely, relaxed pace. I accomplished a good deal in a few hours, selling two coins and buying three.
No time for a full report or a coin photo shoot this evening, so here’s the first coin I bought, a common date Peace that was fairly priced in an OGH—she will tag along with a larger CAC submission to be dropped off on Friday.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Nashvillesque is unfortunately the comprehensive show report for Wednesday
Surprised it didn't do better, given all the promotion and dealer enthusiasm. If it doesn't pick up tomorrow, maybe it means there is no room for a major show a mere month after the WFOM. They might have better luck next year in Rosemont, a month after OKC, assuming OKC is going to be a bust due to its location.
I heard the Nashville comparison from more than a few attendees today. Spot on!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
About to leave. I'm pretty excited!
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/rare-dime-expected-fetch-over-500k
Tampa show update: bourse seems to be a bit busier today & that’s good! Lots of buzz locally about the 1875 No S proof dime (hey what about the Eliasberg 1913 Nickel?). Oh yeah, there’s a 1943 Bronze Lincoln too. Expecting a good day….
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
There are 18 educational exhibits placed throughout the show. If you come, please be sure to pickup a copy of the Numismatic Educational Journey Guide at the Registration Desk.
Just an FYI when people say this show is slow it’s really slow. Yesterday when the bourse opened to the public there 30-40 people outside waiting to get in and today it was less than 30. The business is all dealer to dealer. I can’t imagine it being a good show for any dealer.
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I'm waiting for the new inventory to hit the dealers sites I watch
I just got back home and let me tell you, dozens of dealers were very on edge. I've never seen a group of grown men so scared. There were very few customers, and when you throw what happened to the gold price in, it results in a bunch of dealers hurriedly shuffling gold around and letting the F word fly. There were even a couple that seemed like they were going to get into a fight. It was a wild show day. I'll post more in my report.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
Tampa show update: the good day didn’t materialize. Some dealers seemed to be more interested in buying than selling. Depleted inventories I would guess. Did a little more buying today, including a new area for me (thanks @abbyme24)!
Submitted 11 coins to CAC - we’ll see. I will update the outcome when I have it. Predicting 7/11 (that’s a whammy, right)?
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
This is a new show right before election just after a very big show. I see no reason to panic.
Don't know if anyone saw this. On the back of linns stamp weekly magazine was a coupon for W-Fri free admission to this show. Savings of $45.
What is the cost for admission per day?
The writer is a true imbecile…
First line of the article-
“Owners of U.S. dimes may want to check their pockets and piggy banks, as one rare $0.10 coin is expected to bring in over half of a million dollars by the end of October, and it can be viewed in person in Tampa, Florida this week.”
Later on in the SAME article…
"They were both discovered in Proof Sets – so that is the key. They were never issued in regular coins found in change," Russell said. "The Proof Sets were sold by the U.S. Mint in 1975 and shipped to people all across the country. Still, many exist in sealed shipping boxes."
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The show is extremely slow, I sold two coins and they were both to other dealers. The public simply isn’t here, Im starting to think that that perhaps the $15 admission (or $10, whatever it is) was actually not a good idea. The table fees weren’t cheap either, but just like starting a business, they should have expected to break even or take a loss on the first show. Costly tables and low attendance are is a perfect way to discourage anyone from coming back.
It’s a shame, because the show is set up well, the location is safe and there’s great food all around. Similar situation to Nashville, except the Nashville show was not set up as well as this one does.
There does appear to be a correction looming, but I’m not panicking. I sold several coins off of my website this week and the collectors I know are still buying.
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Build it and they will come? I don't think so. It is too close to the ANA to try to have another major show. There are too many shows. Whitman needs to cut one Baltimore show. I do not think they will. CU needs to cut one of the Long Beach shows. I do not think they will.
The PAN show seems to be growing but it is too far for me. The MNS show is good and at a great location. The BRNA show is always sold out and is at a very nice venue. The CSNS show is on a comeback.
The Tampa show sounds like another Nashville.
Looking forward to the show reports!! It sounds like it was a good idea that just didn't take off. Maybe it was the close proximity in time to the ANA or the high admission fee?
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
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https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
To be fair, I had very high hopes for the show. Election Day and the ANA were known well beforehand. If they were expected to kill attendance, why would the promoters have scheduled it when they did?
"Panic" might be too strong a word, since the success of a coin show isn't a life or death matter. But I'll bet everyone involved, from the promoters to the dealers who took tables, are less than thrilled with the results.
Unless I lived within close proximity to Tampa I can’t imagine ever going there in the summer unless I was able to piggyback the show with a Tampa Bay Bucs football game vs the LA Rams or LA Chargers.
Here’s a bourse shot from today. This only shows about half of the floor (or less)…it’s a sizable show.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Yikes!
The good thing I found was that there were no lines for anything (not good for the dealers though)….submitting for grading to any of the services and the reps were ready to help get the paperwork done…and I even happened to stop by the Great Collections table and was excited to meet and chat with John Albanese and Ian Russell…who both offered great advice on two of my coins. Nice meeting the legends in this business….and everyone was very nice. Stopped and bought a beautiful 09s VDB from Charmy Harker the Penny Lady, and met Abby as well! Also nabbed a National Currency note from my hometown of Roswell, NM. Looking forward to the FLL show in April!
That's easy to say, but there is more to it than that. FUN has no trouble attracting a crowd in Orlando in July.
To me, it just looks like the market is saturated, and there is no need, or demand, for more major shows. The folks behind this certainly know what they are doing, and Tampa is as attractive a location as anywhere, so I doubt they did anything wrong, other than believing "if we build it, they will come."
I see my good friend David Kahn in this photo. I don't ever remember seeing no customers at his table.
I think I must agree here. Larry Shepherd is no rookie and as I said, I love the way it’s set up. The room is spacious and the isles are wide, accessibility is a 10/10. With the hotel that I’m staying at, I take the elevator down from my room and it’s about 100 yards to the front door of the convention center. Another 50 yards to the room where the show is held, which is fantastic and unlike summer fun where you have to walk half a mile after you walk in the front door of the convention center.
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Yes I agree with you. My thoughts around panic were in relation to the sentiment about the price of gold and grown men being scared.
Sounds like a great show effort that just needs better timing.
Doug Winter packed up today in the afternoon, he said this was perhaps the worst show he's ever attended, if not, top 3. Needless to say, his show report is sure to be a hoot!
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Maybe it's a good time to go back to this thread
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1095880/current-market-conditions-how-are-things-looking-from-where-you-are-seated#latest
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
I feel fortunate to> @MICHAELDIXON said:
$15, with a 10% discount for military and veterans. $15 for flat-rate parking in the Convention Center garage, or you can pay by the hour.
I went on Wednesday and it was pretty dead, which I found rather surprising given the number of prominent dealers in attendance. As a collector, I have no complaints about the show aside from the $15 admission but I am willing to support a new show if it is necessary to help get it off the ground.
I came away from the show with a strong sense that the pandemic-fueled rocket ride may just about be over.
From Gerry Fortin’s blog this morning:
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I did the ‘pre admission’ online and it was $10 for the one day I attended. One guy I met said it was $25 for all four days…and Saturday was scheduled to be FREE admission if I remember correctly. Parking in the convention center parking lot next door was easy and painless (can be done online with Parking apps) or with the parking meters in the garage. I started in Ft. Lauderdale on a flight to Tampa at 0645…was in Tampa by 0800…rented a car for $18 (a new Toyota that was very nice) which was $28 all included…..and drove to the Convention Center 15 minutes away. There by 0845 and waited by the coffee shop till the doors opened. Easy to find the dealers and everyone was more than accommodating. CAC, ICG, PCGS, CACG, ANACS and a few others had NO lines, so submitting coins was actually a breeze, and the reps helped complete all the paperwork effortlessly and quickly. It was probably the easiest submitting I have ever done for crossovers, errors, and conservation. Great selection of coins/memorabilia and dealers had coins available for every price range. It was almost overwhelming how much is available, but that adds to the experience. I was kind of surprised that no one was looking at the 1913 Liberty nickel nor the No S proof dime…so taking a few snapshots wasn’t a problem. Dealers were happy to negotiate….and many told me they would rather earn my trust than try and take advantage of me to sell me a nice coin. Those are the dealers I will return to do business with. Most asked me what I was looking for and what my budget was so they didn’t bother going out of my price range…or if they did it was only within $100 or so in order to show me what an extra $100 could get me…and that was fine by me. I did my looking, picked up a few items, and headed out at 3:00 pm back to the airport. Returned the car, headed to the terminal and was back home by 7:30 pm…..a happy camper with my new purchases…and looking forward to the show in Ft. Lauderdale in April.
I went to the Tampa show. I guess I should call it the GACC show since Tampa is out (at least for now).
The dealer day seemed to be active and there were many tables (I did not count) lined up on both sides of a long room (it was actually several smaller conference rooms with the 'dividers' removed to form a longer room). Several dealers mentioned doing well there.
The show itself had a few smaller issues but this can sometimes be true with well established shows. However, it was basically setup like a typical larger show or should I say organized well. One thing that was interesting is that the auction houses/companies that normally are upfront and/or directly in front of the entrance were set back a half row or row. Larry had indicated that he thought a show should have dealers with collector coins upfront and that is the way it was.
Light bulbs - LED 13W (kind of the bottom end of 100W equivalent or just missed) and 5000k. All the same that I saw, except for those that had their own lights. The 5000k does give off a 'white' light that appears brighter.
As noted by others I saw the attendance by the public was minimal. There were times Wed and early Thur where some people were looking but overall it was slow and then sometimes dead. Talking to several others I got some similar responses but then a few okays and the rare 'did good'. One of these was a dealer with a lot of gold, both in slabs and raw. This is what they indicated was selling for them at the show. Strangely Friday was the best day for some and this with maybe only half a dozen people walking in at 10 AM when the doors opened to the public. Yes, more came in slowly at later times.
Also will note that the show advertised that there would be an annex with lower priced tables, material and free to get in. This did not happen. It was suppose to be in the rooms where the dealer day happened. Going up to security on Wed morning an elderly guy with a four wheel walker was looking for this. When we approached the area it was empty. I guess they moved them to the main show. And back the other way we went.
Something I found a little annoying was off and on they had different talks/talkers on a stage at the far side of the convention center. A microphone and speakers that could be heard through much of the convention center. I was told this was to get people into the show versus having these talkers in separate conference rooms outside the convention center.
Don't know about the next Fort Lauderdale GACC show. I say this because I don't know what people will actually do but in talking to several dealers on Friday and asking about Fort Lauderdale show I got about 2 out of 3 that said 'No' and maybe added an extra word to that. Another thing that came up in the discussions was Spring Break. Some saying that April 1 -4 of 2025 would be spring break time and Fort Lauderdale is a major spring break destination. 'Who wants to be there during that time', except spring breakers. I know nothing about this area and Spring Break time and if it would actually impact the convention center area. But that might not matter to some because they just don't want to take a chance and combined with the first show (Tampa) attendance.
The cover charge - I don't know how to word this but heard it from one rep and then others telling a similar thing. It was said and this is not a quote, that the cover charge was for the benefit of the dealers in that primarily 'true' collectors would pay to get in and those just looking around mostly not. That is more of the people attending would be buyers and not just perusing. My comment was but some of those just looking around could turn into 'true' collectors. (Sorry just using the term 'true' collector to try to distinguish from someone just looking and not meant to mean anything specific).
Show Schedules - I read one comment or more on how the 2025 ANA being on August 19 - 23 and the new GACC show being on Sept. 23 - 27 was putting two shows on top of each other. I chuckled a little on this one as they are a month apart (finish to start). For as long as I can recall the 'major' shows (Long Beach, Baltimore, FUN, ANA, CSNS) have had two shows inside of this one month time frame. Actually a month can be a decent amount of time between them. So I thought I would put together a list of these show for 2025 to show what I am indicating (hopefully no typos). Note: with the above there are 11 shows and the GACC adds 2 more. So they often wind up being within a month of each other and even a week.
2025
Jan 9 - 11 FUN
Feb 20 - 22 Long Beach
Feb 27 - March 1 ANA National Money Show
March 27 - 29 Baltimore
April 1 - 5 GACC show
April 23 - 26 CSNS
May - empty
June 19 - 21 Baltimore
June 26 - 28 Long Beach
July 10 -12 FUN summer
August 19 - 23 ANA
Sept 3 - 6 IMEX (does this count?)
Sept 23 - 27 GACC show
Oct 23 - 25 Long Beach (never recall it being this late, normally Sept)
Nov 6 - 8 Baltimore
Dec - empty
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_KWVk0XeB9o - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Piece Of My Heart
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https://youtube.com/watch?v=D0FPxuQv2ns - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Maybe I'm Amazed
RLJ 1958 - 2023
I wouldn't think about attending a show with a $15 admission even though I know that's small potatoes considering the various expenses involved with going to a show.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
When I used to go to reptile shows there was almost always a cost to get in the door. I was always happy to pay a $10 or $20 entry fee and figured if there wasn't an admission cost then there probably wouldn't be a show. I like saving a buck as much as the next guy, still I can't help but wonder why many coin collectors seem to be put off by a low entry fee to attend a show.
Ft. Lauderdale in April at Spring break? Are you kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't wait for the show report pics of all the numismatists partying hard with the college kids at the Elbo Room after. If Charmy and Rick Snow aren't doing beer funnels from the second floor I'll be disappointed.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
‘’Doug Winter packed up today in the afternoon, he said this was perhaps the worst show he's ever attended, if not, top 3. Needless to say, his show report is sure to be a hoot!
’
That is saying something!
Not wise to miss the Long Beach show as a dealer. Some of my greatest “scores” consistently have come out of Long Beach PCGS show grading. The show last week was no exception.
Just my 2 cents!
Wondercoin.
People are funny when it comes to money. Of course we all prefer not paying for a show but it’s unrealistic thinking with everything being so expensive today. Not going to a show over $30 when you’re prepared to spend several hundred dollars or more makes very little sense to me.
We had a garage sale many years ago when we were moving. An older woman driving the most expensive Mercedes stopped at our house. There was a dish that she was interested in. She asked my wife how much it cost. My wife told her it was a dollar and she looked at it for ten minutes and asked my wife if she would accept fifty cents. My wife declined and she left.
If I’m going to spend a couple hundred dollars I can do that at home. Then I can spend that time I would have spent at the show doing something else.
If you’re a big spender of course $15 isn’t going to matter. If you budget $500-1000 a show and 10% of that is spent on parking, entrance, etc… You will probably budget your time and money elsewhere
This reminded me of some of the people a the show as they had a similar reaction and statement.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_KWVk0XeB9o - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Piece Of My Heart
.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=D0FPxuQv2ns - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Maybe I'm Amazed
RLJ 1958 - 2023