I am considering organizing a coin show in my area and need your opinions

jbsteven

I am considering organizing a annual or semi annual coin show in my area (Houston) and would like some input from anyone who has been involved in starting or running a coin show on what to do. I am aware of some things that would be needed such as place to hold the show and cost, security, advertising, cases and tables for rent and so on. I assume I would need to find a location that could hold 50-60 dealers (leaving room for growth). Please give me your ideas and experiences.

thanks

MadMarty

The old Astrodome would be cool!

LucyBop

You could hire the HepKitty to promote the event and be a greeter at the door... I'll sell those raffle tickets!

keets

key jb

i'm in the proccess of doing this same thing in conjunction with 3 local clubs. i just got done sending an update to one of the members who will be on the organizing committee. there's a similar thread back a few days that i started trying to solicit assistance in the same manner as you. it apparently fell on deaf ears and met a slow death.

perhaps we can PM and share our progress??

al h.

jbsteven

keets:

I probably would not be much of a help to you at the moment as I am just starting to think about doing it. I will probably kick it around and maybe check into a place to hold the show before I really get serious. If you want to send me some things you have found out that would be great. We have some shows coming up soon and I will be able to ask around at those for some help.

We only have 3 shows a year in the whole Houston area and I believe we could use at least one or two more a year.

Kim

My respectful suggestion would be to not overlook your local college and universities as possible venues. Most have open spaces and gyms large enough to accomadate a crowd, and they tend to be more affordable than hotels. Not all schools rent space, but many do.

jbsteven

kim:

thank you it is now on the list.

BillJones

It's really hard to make an infrequent show a success. It's even harder if you do not have a numismatic organization behind you like a club. Years ago I ran a few shows for a club in New Jersey. I had a core of dealers from the club to fill my bourse and was able to get others because they knew that core would be there. There was also a core of customers from the club, and the club also supplied some workers.

If you do run a show, you have got to advertise the as much as you can in publications that count. That includes the Coin Word and Numismatic News, show calendars and local papers and magazines. You have got to get bodies in the door, and even more important you have got to get BUYERS to show up. If your first show is a bomb, chances you will be unable to run another. Shows take a dealer's time and money, and they don't want to waste either of those on a dead show where they sell very little and lose money.

That's why I started this piece with comment that infrequent shows have a lot of trouble working. The best small shows (e.g. 25 to 60 tables) that I know of are held EVERY MONTH at the SAME SUNDAY at the SAME LOCATION. Collectors can be creatures of habit, and if they get used to going to a show at the same time of the month, that can give you a customer base, which is essential to your success.

kranky

If there are only three shows a year there, why not talk to the organizers of those shows to see why they don't do them more often?

jbsteven

kranky:

good idea but I like the idea of having my own show.