How many dealers for a good coin show?

nwcs

I don't have the money to travel everywhere, so the only coin show within 150 miles that I know of is here in Knoxville every month with about 10 dealers or so (unless it changed from the last time I went there). I've been reading on here for months about this show and that show and so one and it got me wondering. How many dealers are at these shows? How many does it take to have a good show for you? How far do you travel to go to a show?

kieferscoins

The best shows for me are over 30 tables. It allows a selection of dealers and the show is usually better run and more organized. 100 tables or more, I will travel about two hours by car, and I drive for 3 1/2 hours for Long Beach (500 tables?). National conventions, it is worth it to fly, as long as you can take off work, and afford the hotel/airline ticket.

Cameron Kiefer

michael

only takes one great coin dealer to make a great show even if he is the only one set up!!!!!!!!!
as you may not get any coins and might get some information and maybe not and maybe not even meet anyone but it is a fun to see someone who is great and that means with honesty and intergrity helping others coming in and then to see them grow into other advanced collectors and dealers or whatever and at the very least someone has fun! now that is a good coin show! and even if no one comes in the positive energy always does some help overall!!

the problem is that there are many huge coin shows with many not so great coin dealers

sincerely michael

nucklehead

I like the smaller shows,anywhere between 30-100 dealers is still a pretty good show for me.

RLinn

<< <i>only takes one great coin dealer to make a great show >>

Truer words were never spoken. A single dealer with the coin I want or the information I seek makes any show a success for me. Lots of tables are okay if you are just browsing, but then just browsing attendees helps to explain why some dealers leave early. Another point worth considering is that you don't have to get that elusive coin you seek at the show. If you can find and form a relationship with the right dealer that can find the coin for you, you will be paid back many times over as you and that dealer work together to build you collection.

truthteller

If you're selling, 75 tables helps tremendously. For buying, a 30 table show is nice. Over 100 tables, it can get intimidating.

TRUTH O' MATIC

michael

but in a real world not my fantasy world i have to agree with truth

sincerely michael

heavycopper

A 10 dealer show is extreemly small. I was at the Orlando show which had 75 tables and I thought that was small. I did have more luck at this show than at the FUN show. I bought nothing at the FUN show but attended some nice coin seminars. I was trying to buy a proof V-Nickel but their offers were too high. I was able to get the same coin off of heritage auctions for much less. At this smaller show, I was able to get some coins at fair prices. Some dealers still ask too much. Then I was able to talk to the dealers more since it was a smaller show. Plus, several of the dealers knew me since we are in the same coin club.

cointagious

probably the best people to ask this question of are the dealers that set up at the blue ridge show. they can attest to how a club mentality of making the show smaller (the club members thought that the full time dealers were too much competition) can send, what was a great show, into a tailspin. the bottom line is that the bigger the show, the better it is for everyone!

Geoman

I feel that anything 50+ tables is a big show. However, I live in northern MN where there are no shows, and I have to travel at least 150 miles to get to one. There is one show that is a monthly show 175 miles away. They usually have approximately 20 tables, and I have been to it twice. But it is the same 'ol stuff, with just local small-time dealers, that bring the same coins every month. For me, it is not worth it to travel 175 miles to this 20-table show.

On a side note, there are 2 "bigger" show in MN twice a year; once in March and one in October. Both shows have 80-100 tables. For me, this is a "Big" show, with many more dealers from all over the country bringing in more variety in coins. I will travel to both of them, as I consider them bigger shows.

coppercoins

My experience with this is that the smaller shows are often much better than the larger shows - the main reason is the amount of money they have to pay for the tables. If they are at the smaller shows and don't have to pay a mint for the tables, they are more inclined to take lower priced items and "bargain boxes". If the shows are larger, the national or regional flavor, they tend to only attract the dealers who have the high-end gold and silver, and often the Lincoln cents are left behind at the shop. I went to the ANA convention in Chicago back in 1999, and I swear I'll never go to another one, it was that bad...on the other hand, I look forward to the small local shows in the region that I often travel as many as six hours to attend.

Now...having said that, it's important to remember that what I do at shows and what other people do at shows will differ greatly, and being so, the taste in shows will differ greatly as well. If you're trying to fill a date set of PCGS MS65 $20 Liberty gold, your best bet isn't the small local shows. If, on the other hand, you like the bargain boxes and you like to dig for varieties the dealers didn't know they had (cherrypicking), then the local shows are best.

Overall, what size of a show is best? Depends on what you're after. How far will you travel to get to the shows that match your genre? Depends on how rare what you are looking for is, and whether or not a show in your area would attract the kind of dealer who has what you want. If not, you'll probably spend some time on the road.

jhar

I've enjoyed the couple of coin shows I've attended. They've both been 10 to 15 table affairs. If a show is put on in a professional manner and well organized I wouldn't think it would matter how many dealers are present.

joemon2

I like shows with 75 to 100 tables. It can be intimidating because of the wide variety of coins so you really have to narrow your search to a specific coin or at least a specific series. Coin shows with only 30 dealers can be just as good- depends on their inventory and what you're looking for. I went to the Chicago ANA show in 1999 and was amazed at the quality coins there. I thought I had died and went to coin heaven! Big show or little show- you never know if you'll find that "special" coin until you go. For me, the anticipation is half the fun of it.