Ever get "shadowed" at a coin show?

topstuf

I did once (that I know of) Back in my "gold" days (almost all gold, foreign and US) I carried my stuff in 2 Dansco stockbooks that fit great in a briefcase. Also easy to shuffle to fill "sold" spots.

Was at a San Jose show and noticed a guy staying 2 cases away and to the left. (Jeez...sounds like JFK)

He didn't seem to be doing anything with the tables he was AT.

So I backed up on him and he moved back, too. Still 2 cases away and to the left. So I looked AT him. He moved across the aisle. Still not giving any attention to the cases in front of him but watching ME.

Suddenly I just ......HAD.... to stretch.

Stretching always seemed to reveal a bit of my shoulder holster. Just a BIT. (Yes, on carry permit)

I haven't seen anyone LEAVE a show so fast in my life.

Oh yeah......the stretch included my best STARE/evil GRIN combo I could muster.

note: San Jose cops are ATTENTIVE. I never failed to get "called over" at San Jose. They always seemed disgruntled to see the license. They seemed to be peeking in every jacket in the room. (which is GOOD)

nwcs

Nope, can't say that happened to me. Thankfully! I would have loved to see the look on that guys face, though!

1jester

I wonder why policemen tend to think that normal citizens shouldn't carry, as if only they should be allowed? Sometimes that gets on my nerves.

kranky

Not being shadowed, but at a show where I was working at a dealer's table I noticed a guy a couple aisles away who seemed to be watching the dealers instead of looking at coins. It was slow so I just watched him for a few minutes. He was watching the dealers but trying not to be obvious, and occasionally would turn around and just look around the room. After a couple minutes our eyes met and he could tell I was looking right at him, and he just made his way toward the exit.

I assumed he was looking to pocket something from a table.

Russ

<< <i>Ever get "shadowed" at a coin show? >>



Yep. For some reason, the security guards shadow me at every show I attend.

Russ, NCNE

CoinAddict

I have never been to a coin show. I went to visit my local coin shop on my Birthday, which was on the 4 of June. We got to talking and he told me a story about coin shows he had gone to. He told me about a guy that was walking around at one of the shows and every so often he would stop and a table and start looking at the different coins. While he was looking he would scratch different parts of his body. Well it turned out as he was scratching he was also pocketing coins to leave the show with. He had been watching the guy and they were able to get all of the coins back that he had stolen while he was doing all of his scratching about the floor.

LucyBop

Late Happy Birthday Kiddy-o!!!!!

NumisEd

I shadow MadMarty and EVERY coin show. Marty, I am the guy with the trenchcoat and dark glasses.

jbsteven

TBT shadows me at every show but I cannot seem to shake him off of me

pontiacinf

I had a guy trying ta see what I was doing at a PCGS table at the ana money show in NY last year. I just very loudly pointed out that what I was doing was none of his business...he took off very quick.

cacheman

Just once, at the show where I wore my thong....

CLASSICS

<< <i>

<< <i>Ever get "shadowed" at a coin show? >>



Yep. For some reason, the security guards shadow me at every show I attend.

Russ, NCNE >>

......................and for good reason too......words out you have been trying to corner the toned coin market.......

boiler78

Yeah. I managed to shake the dealer in the coin supplies area.

1jester

I know this topic has been touched on before, but how safe are coin shows exactly? I think I'd be wary of setting up a table with untold riches lying around. Things could get hectic and even if you're extremely alert, you still could get distracted. I know shows are for making money, meeting people, and having fun, but how much does the security issue weigh on the dealers? Or for that matter, the well-healed buyers?

Askari

Some of those shadowers might be the "unmarked" security. There are usually several at any decent show.

topstuf

The coin club I used to belong to was always griping about the COST of the club show. One guy did a TERRIFIC job of handling the show. But the other members got jealous that he made about $150 off of every show. (oh horrors)

Soooooooo..........they voted in another show chairman. He saved LOTS of money. Moved show from the Holiday Inn where EVERYBODY knew where it was to the Elks Lodge. (next to the railroad tracks, just 6 easy blocks east after the 4 U-turns at the burger stand)

and

he hired cheap SECURITY.

I showed up for the show with the store stock. Saw the guards. One with a .22 ..SINGLE ACTION...cowboy gun. The other with a little bitty .380 auto.

My habit was (when I traveled to shows with coins) to carry an M1 carbine with a 30 rd mag.

I went to the car and brought it back to the show. Mr. show chairman asked what I was doing and I told him I was taking it to the table OR leaving......his choice. I stayed.

The NIGHT security was ..........Mr. Show Chairman........with a shotgun. Oh it was SWELL!

Last show I did at their club show.

They saved money though. Saved even more in following years. Didn't have to print as many tickets.

NumisEd

topstuff, that's a great story. lol

Bear

I thought that the Shadow was the protector of good and the pursuer of evil.

The Shadow knows whose naughty and nice, so be nice for goodness sake.


Any how the bad guys dont know which of us dealers and collectors are packing heat.

They guess wrong and they get boom, boom.

barberlover

I took offense once at a show when a secutity gaurd staryted following me around the bourse floor without saying anything so i decided to start test him by asking to see a few coins and holding them
while looking at the coins, then suddenly turn around and practically catching this security guard tripping over his own feet to back off of me when he realized i caught him following me around.

This same security guard has seen me at other shows in the area, but won't follow me anymore, [to bad]
i always wanted free security when i went to a coin show!!!! LOL Les

1jester

Top, those are really nice stories!

haletj

You guys are scaring me. Guns? I don't know if I want to attend any shows anymore.

topstuf

NumisEd and 1jester. You probably don't want to even HEAR the one about the couple that came in the coin/pawnshop and asked if they could put on gorilla suits because they wanted to surprise someone in the bar next door.

I told them I.....DID....mind and NO ONE was putting on gorilla suits in my COIN shop.

So they proceeded to put them on.

So I proceeded to point my Beretta at them.

AND call the cops. And laugh like hell when the goofs actually saw REAL cops (who gave me some pretty good pertection at da shop). Guess they were legit.......if stooopid. Fools that they were, they didn't think I was actually calling the cops.

But they DIDN'T put gorilla suits on in the shop.

Pawnshops generate more stories than Sheherezade.

topstuf

haletj......You don't want to attend any coin shows where there AREN'T any guns.

1jester

More tales from the muzzle....