Enhancing Coin Shows - Including ANA in Oklahoma
EastonCollection
Posts: 1,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
HI All -
So here is the scoop, I have been going to coin shows since the 1970s. I love every minute of each show. It seems to me that the local shows are very well attended but the bigger shows collectors attendance is decreasing over the years.
I feel that show sponsors of larger shows (including ANA) cater to the dealers because the sponsors want the big, middle and small dealers to attend. That's good revenue for the sponsors. The sponsors offer many services to them including high security.
I hear alot of dealers complain that the collector attendance is low. I get that compliant but collectors, investors and YNs have to spend up to $3k to attend if travel is involved. So collectors that buy coins online say to me, why attend a show when they can buy the coins online.
I would like to change this trend and suggest to the show sponsors what they can offer to collectors, investors and YN to make it worth attending coin show that involve travel. Some of my suggestions are:
1- offering coin photography to collectors at shows,
2- Knowledge contests like coin grading, identifying die marriages or provenances.
3- Offer free dealer tables to YN under the age of 19
4-Displaying awesome exhibits - i.e. Tyrannt Collection
5- Educational classes for Investors, collectors and YN -
6- Dealers being nice to YN and less experienced collectors.
7- Bring back auctions to the show
I have so many more to add but I would like to hear your suggestions. Please list them below-
Comments
Those are solid ideas and some of those are available already.
1) There are people who will do photos for you at a show (at a cost of course)
2) PCGS and NGC have had grading contests at the bigger shows
3) This has not happened although some shows have tried budget areas to varying degrees of success
4) There are displays at the bigger shows and a section where collectors put together their own displays (that later are judged, including by the public, for a chance to win prizes)
5) There are all sorts of meetings organized by clubs and others during shows (grading, investing, varieties, etc)
6) It is hard to make everyone be nice but there are some dealers that are helpful and give freebies to young kids
7) Some shows did drop auctions but still have auction viewing (which is a benefit as one can see the coins before bidding online)
You do know this is a COIN forum, right? 😆
Good Ideas!
4-Displaying awesome exhibits - i.e. Tyrannt Collection
Easton, this is a very good suggestion but I wanted to pass along an experience I have had. While now retired to South Carolina, I'm a native New Yorker that has put together the largest collection of Serial #1 New York State National Bank Notes currently known (120 and counting). This is something I would love to exhibit, particularly in the New York City area, but there are no appropriate venues with all the major shows gone. So, I reached out to the Buffalo Numismatic Association and the Rochester Numismatic Association about putting on an exhibit with me paying the insurance and Brinks to ship everything up there (I mean, we are talking high six-figures in value here). I was met with absolutely ZERO interest. So, with all the New York tourists and retirees down there, I'm doing the exhibit at January's FUN show (the FUN folks welcomed me with open arms)- close to 30 cases of #1 NY notes and other rarities.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
Hi @2ndCharter - Its interesting that the sponsors at the FUN show welcomed you. The FUN show is extremely well attended and the FUN sponsors try to make the YN, investors and collectors feel important and welcomed. They cater to us folks. The other sponsors cater to the dealers and not the collectors (IMHO) so the collectors don't show up and then the dealer compliant about lack of attendance. I am glad that you are exhibiting your very cool notes.
Bottom line - Collectors will show up if the collectors feel that they are getting good value showing up for show. Hence the point of my thread......