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Indiana...........Pennsylvania, that is, show report!!

keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
I went along with the local guy to help behind the table and after a few wrong turns we made it to the show sight at about 9 AM. Sheesh, it was half way to Baltimore somewhere in the mountains!! I'm kinda glad I'm a flat-lander and my truck is really grateful. Hauling half a ton of coins up and down those hills sucked, big time. On the bright side, the load was quite a bit lighter on the return trip!!image

We got things set-up in time for the doors to swing open at ten and the crowd was quite strong till just before 1 o'clock when it slacked off and remained light for the rest of the first day. Sunday was the usual light day from the start, we pulled up stakes at about one and were on the road by 1:45. That church crowd never showed up after the services.

Overall the show was good for most of the dealers holding down the 30-or-so-tables though I did hear some grumbling that there were more lookers than buyers. Saturday morning had some of the overflow from Baltimore on their way home stopping in for a look-see and a few of the regular "supply the HSN" dealers were roaming around. Collectors seemed to be working from lists and filling holes in folders with VG-XF coins. What they were buying, in no particular order:
Kennedy Half-Dollars.
Franklin and Walker Half Dollars in all grades.
Jefferson Nickels.
Lincoln Cents.
mid-1800's Type.

Key date Mercs and Walkers along with slabbed IHC's and Large Cents were coins sought but not anything we had with us. There were also quite a few request for State Quarters and Mint/Proof sets, silver rounds and junk silver. Just seemed like there was a collector looking for pretty much the whole realm of coinage. My pal has binders that he keeps stocked up with singles for most popular series and it always amazes me how collectors will sit and flip through them for their hole fillers. Lots of times it gives us a chance to talk to them while they search and gives us leads as to what they want which otherwise would have gone unspoken. Has anyone else ever noticed how many collectors are tight-lipped like that??

We had one dealer come along with us to walk the floor buying. He has a little hoard of 1914 Barber Half-Dollars that he added to yesterday with about six coins in the VF-XF range. He also bought four rare-----i think not-----3-leggers in fine. Four of them at a small show like this!!! He showed me a guy in the crowd that he bought some 1999 Silver Proof Sets from. The guy bought 500 of them at issue and has been selling them off as the price goes up. Seems like he was quite smart since it's bid at over $200 now. Another expensive modern Set that will probably drive the antis nuts was the 1996? Prestige that I saw change hands for well over $300!!! WOWZER!!!!!!!

I had time to walk the floor both days and didn't really see much of interest. Just about no attractively toned coins, the usual smattering of white commems and a few nice Proof coins from the early 1900's to the present. As is common, the Morgan Bullion seemed to rule the day with collectors even asking for circs at our table. My lone purchases were 1977 and 1978 Ike Dollars taht look like lock MS65-66 and a wonderful medal, an HK-452 which is bronze and struck in very high relief. the reverse has a particularly stunning depiction of Liberty astride Pegasus floating above the clouds. Struck for the 1926 Sesquicentennial, the image seems quite fitting. I'll post a picture when I fire up the camera.

I did mange to see members kranky and Vam44 on the floor. Always nice to see members who are willing to acknowledge me!!image

Al H.image

Comments

  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,631 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Great report. Thanks.
    Tempus fugit.
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,323 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Your comment on the dealer who is buying 1914 Barbers is interesting. It appears to me that many dealers and collectors have been buying up all of the low mintage Barbers that appear. The real problem, in the future, is that these rare dates may not be nearly as rare as the mintages suggest. Survival rates may have been much higher than is assumed.
    All glory is fleeting.
  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    the same guy likes 1915-6 Barber Halfs and 1936-D and 1939-S Washingtons. he's pretty good about buying what he sees as keys, or at least tougher dates in some series.

    al h.image

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