PNNA Show Report - Friday, April 12

airplanenut

The PNNA show is a twice-yearly show just outside of Seattle. It's the biggest show in the Northwest, and it's close to home. Unfortunately I was sick today, so instead of going to work I went to the coin show

I used to go to the show for early bird hours, but in recent years dealer setup has been slow, so I'd spend a lot of those bonus 3 hours getting my steps in but not seeing much, and I'd still have to walk the show after it opened to the public. I opted to just go for regular hours today and arrived a few minutes after the show opened.

I spent a little over 3 hours at the show, walking the floor twice and chatting/catching up with a few dealers. As far as coins go, the selection was similar to past shows, with range of price levels including very inexpensive to some big ticket pieces, but a lot of coins in the $50-500 range, and a good mix of US and foreign material. I looked at a few pieces and bought a proof 1938 Jefferson nickel with bright neon target toning on the obverse--one of those coins that didn't fill a hole, but I like it. Attendance seemed pretty good, and as always seems to be the case, people were walking without looking and talking with their hands much too much for my comfort. I'm still recovering from not taking anyone out with my cart at Costco yesterday, and I'm proud to say the show continued my streak of non-contact events, although my terrible poker face may have shared my opinions with others.

The one unusual (for this show) thing I noticed was silver. Yes, there are usually a few dealers with mostly bullion, and a couple more that have a bar or two, but HOLY COW, I'd bet half the dealers in attendance had multiple 10+oz silver bars in their cases. I can't say how well it was selling, but I think anyone with silver in their inventory brought it along.

Among forumites, my usual conversation with @Lakesammman and @Bochiman didn't take place because they weren't there. As a result, the number of insults I levied or were levied at me was drastically lower than at past shows. I had a nice chat with @ThePennyLady before I headed out. When I got to her table someone was showing her a coin (which I didn't see) and in reference to something on it, she stated "it's not ugly, but it bothers me." I couldn't help but note that I think many people think the same about me.

After seeing the whole show twice and knowing I wasn't going to grab anything else, it was back home. Miraculously, I'm feeling 100% again, just in time for the weekend.

Bochiman

Thanks for the report and sorry to "disappoint" you, Jeremy
I'll try to make up for it next time.

For the silver bit, I'm guessing that a lot of those bars were put away the last couple of years due to pricing and many not wanting to "lose" money on them. With the recent uptick, I think they are wanting to try to sell while they can and break even or make a little bit.

Glad you found something to grab and looking forward to a pick.

PS...blame Lakesalmon for us not being there. I feel incomplete for setting up without him

golden

Thanks for your show report.

littlebear

Thanks for the report!

SurfinxHI

Nice report there Jeremy.

No old holders of note? Usually someone has a few!

CoinRaritiesOnline

Fun read!

DRUNNER

Great read Jeremy! I have lurked on your posts ever since the old 'auction' days when I bought a few of those US Flag slab holders!

I seem to also get uncharacteristically ill when shows start. Thank goodness I don't go to work and contaminate anyone . . . . I just go look at filthy lucre and get magically better !

Drunner

Dave99B

Great summary Jeremy. Tons of silver! Not only bars, but many bags of 90%.

I was only able to make it for about an hour on Friday, but I was able to snag another VF35 SLQ for my set (a 23-S from the nice folks at West Coast Coins).

Love the PNNA show.
Dave

Namvet69

Good use of a sick day! Thanks for your report. Peace Roy

golden

A day at a coin show is better than a day at work.

alohagary

Nice report

airplanenut

@SurfinxHI said:
Nice report there Jeremy.

No old holders of note? Usually someone has a few!

I saw a few doilies and a white label NGC, but they looked like they were in case are the dealer knew what he had, so nothing of interest for me. I’m not big on holders, but would be happy to cherry-pick one. If the dealer knows, I’m not one to pay up.

CircCam

A great time and modest but pleasant show for me. Both days were very steady as far as I could tell and while it wasn’t jam packed, there was a steady buzz going on and no crickets to be heard. I saw a lot of coins I hadn’t seen before at several tables and even though I didn’t buy much, this show felt a bit less stale overall in terms of dealer inventory than the last couple. Seeing more and more CACG slabs and some nicer coins popping up in them.

The dealers almost always being in the exact same spot at this show yields a peculiar sense of Deja Vu to it, but I’m a fan of normalcy where it can be found.

The only Day 1 purchase for me was this exo piece as the design struck me (those who know me from these like @Bochiman and @Lakesammman will know why, though I flew solo this time around.)

On both days I sold some mostly CAC approved toned type and got fair prices for every coin without any need to shop them around the floor. Cash in hand on Day 2, I viewed every $10 Indian I could find as I have wanted one for a long time. I viewed lots of certified 61-63s, and all but one either had too many prominent/deep hits, looked lifeless or had unusual color. The one I liked was in a P62 holder but the dealer wanted 1700 for it, and I didn’t like it enough for that price tag.

Ultimately I came across a familiar dealer who pulled this out for me, priced at $115 over spot. It looked nicer to me than any of the examples referenced above, so I picked it up and called it a show.

nwcoast

Thanks for the report, and I’m glad you’re feeling better! ;-)
I was very much hoping to attend, but as is sometimes the case, other issues and obligations got in the way.
At least I wasn’t sick THIS time! Missed the last two shows due to illness’s.

CircCam

@airplanenut - Great report. My tired brain didn’t realize I was posting in your thread. Hopefully mine can just be considered supplementary detail

Which reminds me - maybe @2windy2fish will share the wicked half dime he picked up there. One of the cooler coins I saw.

kaz

thanks for the report, Jeremy. an enjoyable read!

124Spider

Thanks for the report!

I was particularly struck by your experience with the "early entry" being a disappointment. The only coin show I've ever been to was a PNNA show several years ago. I was all excited, and paid the $25 to get early entry. Only to find that no vendors were set up, and didn't bother until almost noon. So I wasted my money, which put a sour taste in my mouth for the show even once they got set up. I left sorely disappointed, and have not been to another show since.

CircCam

Early bird fee is now $50 too, I tend to get there early to beat traffic but I can’t justify the EB at that price for the same reasons mentioned.

BStrauss3

Sometimes EB are worth it - at least the vest pocket dealers think so.

I volunteered at last year's TNA and ended up selling EB badges at one point. I had to beat them off with a stick to even be able to log in the money - they were throwing it at me.

Bochiman

@124Spider said:
Thanks for the report!

I was particularly struck by your experience with the "early entry" being a disappointment. The only coin show I've ever been to was a PNNA show several years ago. I was all excited, and paid the $25 to get early entry. Only to find that no vendors were set up, and didn't bother until almost noon. So I wasted my money, which put a sour taste in my mouth for the show even once they got set up. I left sorely disappointed, and have not been to another show since.

To me, also having paid for early entry years ago, it isn't worth it for the normal collector. If you are vest pocket dealer, then it can be worth it to work your wares for selling to the dealers setting up.

airplanenut

@CircCam said:
Early bird fee is now $50 too, I tend to get there early to beat traffic but I can’t justify the EB at that price for the same reasons mentioned.

If you're referring to car traffic, that's not much of an issue for me based on where I'm coming from. That said, if you are referring to foot traffic, what I found was that the show was really busy when I arrived (just after the public opening), but maybe around 2 hours in it felt like there was more space. Maybe I acclimated, or maybe a lot of people really did come for just an hour or two right at the start.

@BStrauss3 said:
Sometimes EB are worth it - at least the vest pocket dealers think so.

I volunteered at last year's TNA and ended up selling EB badges at one point. I had to beat them off with a stick to even be able to log in the money - they were throwing it at me.

I was talking about this with Charmy, who noted that she does some good business (I think she specified on the buying side--filling holes in her inventory) during this time. I noted that the difference is if she (or someone in her position--a dealer or a collector with a specific coin in mind) goes to a dealer who isn't set up, she can ask to see something specific and it's efficient. Except for one very niche item that almost no one would have any example of, let alone the one I want, I'm going as a type collector and want what catches my eye. I wasn't looking for that nickel I bought, it just looked pretty when I saw it. If tables are set up, I can look around like anyone else. If not, best I can do is ask to look through all of a dealer's boxes, and I doubt they want to spend a lot of time watching me do that, so there goes a lot of the value in arriving early for me.

BStrauss3

Yep, Charmy was at TNA and had a bunch of people around her table during setup.

ThePennyLady

So I told Jeremy @airplanenut that I no longer do show reports for the smaller shows I attend because my reports tend to be redundant with the same faces, places and coins to talk about. However, I promised him I would take a few photos of this show, especially from the air, and post them on his thread, so here goes!

flying from OC to Seattle

photos from Friday around the bourse floor

chatting with Jeremy @airplanenut

Daryl @2windy2fish who knows I collect encased pennies gave me this Lincoln cent in an old cardboard encasement

I had just acquired a neat set of Indian and Lincoln cent varieties and and key dates in the old small white "Soap Box" ANACS holders so I displayed them all together in my case

Two of the wines I brought - both Caymus and Cakebread have wonderful cabs

As many of you know, whenever I do the Tukwila show I stay with my brother Paul and his new wife Lori who don't live too far. They belong to the Chateau St. Michelle winery so after the show on Friday, we went there for some wine tasting and listening to whoever is performing in the winery. This is my brother photobombing my photo!

Me and Lori

My new purchases from the show

On Saturday night after the show, we went to a wonderful restaurant called The Cliffs which is up on the hill over looking the ocean - such a beautiful view including Mt. Ranier!

The view of Mt. Ranier from the airplane on the way home!

Coming into the OC Airport - some of you may have heard that one of the two historic WWII blimp hangers which were made of wood burned down a few months ago. It was very tragic - this is a view of the platform where the burned hanger used to be (to the left), as well as the remaining hanger (to the right)

Let me say in closing that, aside from the great time I have visiting with Paul and Lori, the Tukwila show is one of the friendliest and fun shows I set up at. All the folks who help put it together are amazing and do whatever it takes to make this a successful and enjoyable show for the dealers, as well as the collectors. They even provide a concierge lounge for the dealers filled with coffee, water, fruit, yogurt, bagels, and many other snacks where we can go throughout the day. Also, this particular show was one of my most successful recent shows, with several of my key date coins selling, and many of my high end red Lincolns going to new homes. I look forward to the next show in October!

golden

Looks like a nice show.

spacehayduke

Thanks for the reports APN and Charmy.

RobertScotLover

Charmy,
I like your reports with photos, makes me feel that I went too, keep them coming please

BLUEJAYWAY

@ThePennyLady said:
So I told Jeremy @airplanenut that I no longer do show reports for the smaller shows I attend because my reports tend to be redundant with the same faces, places and coins to talk about. However, I promised him I would take a few photos of this show, especially from the air, and post them on his thread, so here goes!

flying from OC to Seattle

photos from Friday around the bourse floor

chatting with Jeremy @airplanenut

Daryl @2windy2fish who knows I collect encased pennies gave me this Lincoln cent in an old cardboard encasement

I had just acquired a neat set of Indian and Lincoln cent varieties and and key dates in the old small white "Soap Box" ANACS holders so I displayed them all together in my case

Two of the wines I brought - both Caymus and Cakebread have wonderful cabs

As many of you know, whenever I do the Tukwila show I stay with my brother Paul and his new wife Lori who don't live too far. They belong to the Chateau St. Michelle winery so after the show on Friday, we went there for some wine tasting and listening to whoever is performing in the winery. This is my brother photobombing my photo!

Me and Lori

My new purchases from the show

On Saturday night after the show, we went to a wonderful restaurant called The Cliffs which is up on the hill over looking the ocean - such a beautiful view including Mt. Ranier!

The view of Mt. Ranier from the airplane on the way home!

Coming into the OC Airport - some of you may have heard that one of the two historic WWII blimp hangers which were made of wood burned down a few months ago. It was very tragic - this is a view of the platform where the burned hanger used to be (to the left), as well as the remaining hanger (to the right)

Let me say in closing that, aside from the great time I have visiting with Paul and Lori, the Tukwila show is one of the friendliest and fun shows I set up at. All the folks who help put it together are amazing and do whatever it takes to make this a successful and enjoyable show for the dealers, as well as the collectors. They even provide a concierge lounge for the dealers filled with coffee, water, fruit, yogurt, bagels, and many other snacks where we can go throughout the day. Also, this particular show was one of my most successful recent shows, with several of my key date coins selling, and many of my high end red Lincolns going to new homes. I look forward to the next show in October!

Still like enjoy your recaps however short they may be. Liked the Mt. Rainer,blimp site photos as well.

yosclimber

@ThePennyLady said:
So I told Jeremy @airplanenut that I no longer do show reports for the smaller shows I attend because my reports tend to be redundant with the same faces, places and coins to talk about. However, I promised him I would take a few photos of this show, especially from the air, and post them on his thread, so here goes!

flying from OC to Seattle

FYI, this is Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Yosemite National Park, where San Francisco and San Mateo counties get their drinking water.