Central States show report

jbsteven

I arrived at 10:30 Friday morning and setup my table at the show. My opinion is that the show was fairly slow on general public foot traffic. Friday was a fair day but Saturday was horrible until a little after lunchtime for me. I sure was in a bad mood up until 1:00 pm as business was sllloooooowwwww. I got to meet numerous board members (please don't ask me to name all but trust me I remember everyones face) and show some of my coins to them. One thing that really bothered me about the show was saturday afternoon around 3:00 pm alot of the PNG delaer started to packup to leave. These dealers are located in one area of the floor and 95% of them were gone on Sunday. What kind of example is this to show? I had numerous collector comment on how alot of the professionals were gone. I stayed until closing on Sunday and waited at the airport for 4.5 hours for my flight. I did get to talk to the nicest guy in the coin business Coleman Foster at the airport, this is one nice guy and so is his wife.

Overall the show was ok for me. It could have been alot better had I been there for dealer day on Thursday (I won't ever miss another delaer day again). I will be going to TNA this weekend and expect to knock them dead!

Tonekiller

Told ya!


I had a long talk with the current ANA president about the empty tables Sat afternoon and we plan on finishing up at the TNA show. Sad sight Sat afternoon and Sunday.

TBT

IrishMike

The same thing happened in Indy at Central States. I drove down on a Friday, went to the show Saturday and a number of dealers were busy packing up to leave. I didn't even bother to go Sunday. I had several thousand in my pocket to spend and I ended up spending zero. I blew two nights worth of dough for the hotel, gas money and food money for nothing. If you can't do a major show on Thursday and Friday, it's simply not worth attending if you have to travel a distance. This is exactly the reason I didn't go to St Louis, I couldn't take Thursday or Friday off and a six hour drive would not have been worth it.

mdwoods

Hmm, you would think that Saturday would be a big day for the show. There must be a ton of people who had to work thru the week.
I was there most of the day Friday. I was very busy looking and visiting, but it wasn't really that crowded. Too bad, there were tons of great coins. Mark.

jadecoin

We stayed until the "bitter" end.

Actually, it was an outstanding show for us, and our best sale came within the last two hours of closing on Sunday.

- jc

stman

It's a shame most dealers pack up early on Saturday of a big show, let alone hardly any left on Sunday. As Many (notice I said many and not all) dealers have said on here.... they really don't go to these shows to deal with collectors, mainly for auctions and to buy fresh material from other dealers. For me that's fine as I don't see any difference in price at a show vs dealing with them after a show.... for nice material anyway.

I guess this is a fact of life these days. I've been to a lot of shows and I see it getting worse. They really don't want to mess with you at a show. But when said dealers get home.... then they want to be all nice nice have you go to their website and then want to mainly communicate by eMail.

I forget who had the idea for maybe smaller dealers to pay a small fee for the Sunday part of the show.
And then maybe the normal working person could get out and enjoy some of these shows.

Most serious collectors want to get out to the shows and see what's out there. It's also the best thing any collector (new or old) can do is get out there and see these coins and as many as possible. But with the internet these days IMO too many people are "wired" in so to speak and only want to do it through the net.

And also.... I agree it's nice to basically be able to go to web sites and it's kind of like visiting any coin shop in the world.

But it doesn't replace seeing a "Buffet" of coins in person.

AbesNeighbor

JB it was a pleasure meeting you on Friday. Mad Marty and I both made the rounds that day.

I will add that all of the dealers that I had an occaision to talk to were very courteous and anxious to show me their wares. I don't think I have ever seen so many beautiful coins in one place in my life.

I submitted one coin for a re-grade / up-grade and have my fingers crossed.

Dan

Android

I too was shocked at the amount of dealers, particularly the PNG side of the room, that left so early on Saturday. I was quite surprised at the lack of a crowd on the days I was there, Friday and Saturday. Many of the dealers who came down from my part of the world had MISERABLE sales. These guys are primarily retail, collector oriented, and they were dismayed at the lack of public attendance. One even mentioned that the show wasn't advertised at all in the St. Louis area.

I found some great coins and was pleased with the over all variety of really nice material. I met several forum members including Nic, TBT, Jbstevens and MrEureka. I kept missing Julian and am dissapointed I didn't get to meet him, but look forward to next time. I had dinner with JB and TBT on Saturday night. Both are great guys, and I'll look forward to seeing them both at upcoming shows.

Andy

greghansen

Thanks to everyone who posted show reports here and at their websites. I especially enjoy reading the reports from dealers who set up at the show. It gives all of us a feel for the evolving market even when we can't be there in person. Thanks again to all!

Lakesammman

So many were leaving Sat. PM, I thought the show was over. You mean to say it was open Sunday??

ohbaby

Ah, the wonderful life of a coin dealer!

Anyone wanting to be a dealer should reread this post 10x. It is hard work and not all glamour like many occupations I guess.

wondercoin

I enjoyed saying hello again to JB and glancing at the neat toned material in his cases

I will tell you this - I got to St Louis on Tuesday night and worked my butt off through Saturday morning, primarily viewing the Heritage sale and attending several sessions live. Throw in a couple of dinners with fellow collectors and a few dealers, and I hardly had time to even call back home to speak to the family. Got back to CA on Saturday evening and spent all day Sunday filling orders and dealing with emails.

WHEN YOU THROW INTO THE MIX THE OBLIGATION TO MAN A TABLE FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS, LET ME BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU HOW INCREDIBLY GRUELING THE WHOLE THING IS. I would not have agreed to work a table at that show had it been offered to me for free. Frankly, I don't know how some of the dealers like Laura, Dave and Andy even do it and I tip my hat to them!

At Long Beach later this month there are no less than 3 major auctions to attend even before dealing with the show itself. What some collectors do not understand is that these auctions are mostly pre-show and start 3 days before the show even opens to the public!!! Lot viewing is often done 2 days before that!! So, on day one of the show, a dealer who specializes in purchasing material from the auctions often has been in the host city for upwards of 6 -7 days already!! Is it any wonder these dealers want to get out of town the 3rd day into the show (Sat) and get home to their families.

I find handling the auctions so time consuming that it is nearly impossible for me to handle the auctions in an appropriate manner and take a table. For this reason, I recently told my table partner at Long Beach, Rick Kay, that other than making cameo appearances, I would not be on hand at the table for any extended periods of time. I admit, I just don't have the stamina to spend 7 days and nights in the auctions and work the table as well. Again, I tip my hats to the "table warrior" dealers and frankly suggest that the shows cut off Sundays in order to not dissapoint the public, but also to take into consideration the reality of what it takes to be a coin dealer these days.

Wondercoin

joejeweler

Sad to hear all the reasons "why" the dealers think it ok to pack up saturday and not show at all sunday. I work a 7 day a week schedule in my job.......been doing it a long time. I don't bother even trying to get to a distant show........as my "best" day to attempt it would be on a sunday since the jewelry store is quietest then. 1st sunday of the month is the day of our local coin show in Albany, NY.....and i attend every month except july/august when the show is closed. Were i to know the major shows would have a reasonable attendence on a sunday.......i'd at least attend once in awhile.......possibly often!

I've heard all the excuses/reasons why so many dealers bail......but there are solutions to the problems. For instance......a major dealer should not attend without enough relief help available! If a dealer could take part of a day off, maybe even a whole day on the slower show days, and have an associate cover on those days........said dealership could still cover ALL the days without undue fatigue.....and not disappoint the buying public.

Catching a plane on sunday has been stated as a problem in the past for some dealers on connecting flights.........not much can be done here except maybe stay over another night and fly home on monday. These shows aren't EVERY week, after all!

And really......this IS how you full time dealers make your living....right? What am i missing? A job is supposed to feel like work, and a good days work rewarded by some extra dough. A tired body is just a free bonus. Believe me.....i know!

Try bench jewelry repair with almost constant mental and physical effort required. I don't make any money if i just sit.....only if i'm productive. I get paid by the job so while the sales help get a break during slow times.......i keep busy to get paid.

I feel like a machine sometimes, but you get used to it.........
the dealers staying on saturday and sunday would also, after awhile..............NICE!

dorkkarl

i was present thurs. thru saturday afternoon, & thought the attendance was very good overall, though not spectacular, especially by comparison to the regualar spring & fall shows that used to be held at henry-8th. i found good deals to be very available, although finding nice early material was a prob'm. even dick osburn's inventory was thin. on a scale of 1-10, i'd call the show a 6

K S

DIMEMAN

I was there Thursday and Friday and have to agree with dorkkarl, it was about a 6.

I did enjoy meeting JB and wish I could have met other forum members.

Jon

jadecoin

Traffic was sporadic throughout the four days, but there were times when literally a dozen customers might be crowded around our table. Sunday traffic was very thin as expected. We find it is always beneficial to stay until close. As I mentioned earlier, our best sale of the show occurred around lunchtime on Sunday. That is why we usually do not leave early!

Thursday night was very active at times, but that was mostly wholesale traffic. Friday was light the whole day. Saturday seemed much better, and was our best day cumulative.

- j c c