Report from Santa Clara Show
DesertLizard
Posts: 702 ✭
Already alot of people / dealers here. My dealer buddy got me a pass and I now get to help / observe.
Looks smaller than LB in Sept. but also looks like alot more "serious" dealers and fewer dealers selling Proof Sets of Siberia or Elvis Mint Sets.
I spent 4 hours looking at box after box of slabs up for auction over the next 3 days. A great education, and a must must for any serious collector. You will never buy online again!
My observation:
-a shortage of nice PCGS coins
-many many nice NGC coins
-way overgraded and i mean way overgraded NGC and PCGS slabs, take a look at lot 7329 an 1857 MS65 NGC, it actually looks good online and in the catalog but it is not even MS60 I would say. Or look at lot 7318 a 1854-o half MS64, it has a chunk of the coin falling off underneath the "O" in dollar. Online you can sell a slight mark, well that's a piece of the coin that fell off. If you are at the show look, I would to see someone else's feedback.
-collectors and dealers sure are a cranky bunch! Already witnessed one shouting match between two fueding dealers [nothing serious], it ended as quickly as it started.
Auction ends late tonight but I will post more tomorrow AM and PM details. Sorry no pix allowed.
BTW, Friday, first 500 visitors get a doggie bag of coins from ??
Looks smaller than LB in Sept. but also looks like alot more "serious" dealers and fewer dealers selling Proof Sets of Siberia or Elvis Mint Sets.
I spent 4 hours looking at box after box of slabs up for auction over the next 3 days. A great education, and a must must for any serious collector. You will never buy online again!
My observation:
-a shortage of nice PCGS coins
-many many nice NGC coins
-way overgraded and i mean way overgraded NGC and PCGS slabs, take a look at lot 7329 an 1857 MS65 NGC, it actually looks good online and in the catalog but it is not even MS60 I would say. Or look at lot 7318 a 1854-o half MS64, it has a chunk of the coin falling off underneath the "O" in dollar. Online you can sell a slight mark, well that's a piece of the coin that fell off. If you are at the show look, I would to see someone else's feedback.
-collectors and dealers sure are a cranky bunch! Already witnessed one shouting match between two fueding dealers [nothing serious], it ended as quickly as it started.
Auction ends late tonight but I will post more tomorrow AM and PM details. Sorry no pix allowed.
BTW, Friday, first 500 visitors get a doggie bag of coins from ??
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Comments
I will be swinging by tomorrow morning and can't wait!!
William S. Burroughs, Cities of the Red Night
Cameron Kiefer
Obscurum per obscurius
The room is crowded today and there is a lot of activity. People seem to be buying everything from inexpensive cents to PR Gold (yes, we sold a PR 66 D CAM $20 Lib here).
Its great to see how much this show has evolved.
Oh yeah, the coins in the Heritage sale went bizerk! We tried hard to buy that incredible 1888 5C PCGS MS66 (it had THE wildest colors we've ever seen. We were the underbidders , the coin sold to a dealer representing someone for $19,000.00+ the juice! WOW! Plus, there were a whole lot of other really nice coins that brought huge money.
Between the show and the auction, we see hard proof the market is incredibly active and advancing!
Will try to do another report later. And I must self promote-make sure to check Legends NEWPS late Monday, we didn't buy a lot, but boy did we buy some killer coins (anyone need a drop dead MONSTER ultra black and white 50C 1909 PCGS PR65Cam?)!
Laura Sperber
lsperber1@hotmail.com
Cameron Kiefer
Its still me!
Laura Sperber
lsperbre1@hotmail.com
Picked up a few coins for my humble collection...Fun time.
I DID buy the 1883 MS67 and many of the other MS66's (not the 1889). I feel Ms 65's and MS66's are dirt cheap."
Laura: The $21,850 WAS INSANE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT TOOK FOR ME TO OUTBID YOU!!
Congrats.
Tip: if you collect what's not "hot" you will have no competition in these auctions. Untoned non pop top Morgans are going begging. Even high end Walkers were begging for bidders. I picked up a bunch for way below gray.
Surprisingly the show is not too crowded like LB or Baltimore shows. Tomorrow the crowds may materialize.
More tonight if I can stay up and let everyone know what sold and what was cold!
1. Auction lots were below average - IMO dealers were dumping leftovers and looking for fresh material. You definitely didn't want to be bidding in this one w/o seeing the coins. Heritage is going to make a fortune on "restocking" fees once the winners see their coins! Also, alot of coins simply didn't meet reserve.
2. There was a real shortage of properly graded coins - maybe they "turned" in the holder?? The 1860 MS67 turned into a weak 65...
3. I make notes in the margins of my catalog - never used the term b u t t ugly before but, it's there now! I won't mention the coin in case you bought it!
4. Angel Dee was as surely as ever...most everyone else at least said "hello".
5. Bought a great 1900 PCGS 66R IHC - it was at a booth that majored in spoons, political buttons, Mexican rolls and the like - don't ask me what it was doing there! Great price too....it will replace the one currently in my set.
6. No one wanted to inventory my coins (expensive varieties).....good thing I still like them!
7. After the show we drank beer and talked coins until midnight - I still have a headache! Won't tell you my companions so as to protect the guilty.
All in all, a decent time.
I liked the 1913 Liberty Nickel. It looks just like any other high grade proof nickel. Of course I've never seen one with that date before
Cameron Kiefer
I picked up some really nice, toned Buffalos: a 1913-S Type 1 (this one was not really toned, but had a great strike), an 1925-S "slider" with a little planchet flaw on the reverse, a 1929 with terrific multicolor red/orange/green/gold obverse toning, a 1934 with orange bulls-eye toning and a gray-blue center, and a 1936-S with some nice lavender and light blue in the fields. I think this show is going to only improve over time.
I got a chance to speak with Carl, and I think I recognized Laura, and was going to say hello, but she was ripping through a box of slabs and the auction catalogue and I didn't want to interrupt!
William S. Burroughs, Cities of the Red Night
What was up with the dealer yelling for police around 12:00? They detained a man for a few minutes and then escorted him out. The whole bourse stopped and stared.
Cameron Kiefer
<< <i>What was up with the dealer yelling for police around 12:00? They detained a man for a few minutes and then escorted him out. The whole bourse stopped and stared.
Cameron Kiefer >>
Hey, that was me they escorted out!!!! Did the guy look drunk, toothless and homeless?...yea that be me
Just kidding, but I find it amasing that in a way people are strangers on the board. Go to the same show and maybe pass each other, or even possibly talk to each other and never know if they are from the board here or not.
TRUTH