Licenses for Coin Shows

jhar

In the shadow of recent events regarding the Coin Show Fiasco here in Dothan, AL I have a question for those here who have been involved in setting up coin show in various towns. Do you usually have to pay a License fee/tax/etc to hold the show? Does this fee cover any particular individual business license fee the dealer might ordinarily have to pay if he tried to sell on his own in the town in question?

jbsteven

never happened to me so far.

Tootawl

MichaelDixon knows about this stuff. You might want to send him a PM.

291fifth

Some cities in my area used to have such laws. Whether they are still in effect I don't know because no shows are held there anymore. About 21 years ago I had to go to a local council meeting to get permission to hold a local club show in Clawson, MI. No fee was involved but it was a hassle. I'm not aware of any shows having been held in that town in many, many years.

BillJones

The promoters whom I know tell me that they go to the powers at be BEFORE the shows are held and find out what the licensing fees are. If the town or locality is a "real pain in the butt," they go elsewhere. But usually the idea situation is that the promoter pays the fees the town and includes them in their show expenses. To the extent that the bouse table fees reflect expenses, that's how it's paid. Some towns want fees from every itinerate vendor, but if they are smart, they are happy with the fees that the promoter pays.

Most of the major show problems have been from sales tax collectors. Some years ago the sales tax bozos badly damaged the Garden State show in New Jersey, and some years before that the heavy handed clowns in "Taxachusetts" did similar damage to the Bay State Show.

Fragmentum

jhar,
Your questions need to be posed directly to the taxing officials in the location you wish to conduct the show. Get the tax/license fees in writing PRIOR to committing to the enterprise. Try to negotiate a flat fee/flat rate and get that in writing as well.
Bill's advice is solid.

numobri

My coin club puts on a yearly coin show, I run it,and all I pay for is the rent for the city run civic center.

The city did ask about the taxes,I told them it was the dealers responcabilty.

After ten years of this,every think is OK.

JadeRareCoin

Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges.... What movie is that quote from?

I had to obtain a 30 day temp permit from the Comptroller of Maryland for the Baltimore ANA last year. That's what they use to collect sales tax. Same thing for Kentucky. That's why I love Michigan and Illinois; no sales tax on rare coins/currency.

jhar

I'm beginning to realize why some area's have lots of shows, while others have few!!

BTW

Jade, Wasn't that from "Blazing Saddles"???

Tootawl

It's wasn't Blazing Saddles. It was from a serious western. I can't remember the movie but the earliest that someone else used it was an episode of the Monkees.
They did use in Blazing Saddles but it did not originate there.

JadeRareCoin

YES! That's it! Blazing Saddles. I couldn't remember, but I think about that line sometimes.

flaminio

<< <i>YES! That's it! Blazing Saddles. I couldn't remember, but I think about that line sometimes. >>



Blazing Saddles, yes -- but Brooks ripped it from "Treasure of Sierra Madre".

jhar

Not to take this too off topic...

"Blazing Saddles" parodyed the line from another movie. I wan to say that the movie was "Fist Full Of Dollars" but I'm not sure.

edited to add...

I'm too slow!! I didn't think "Fist Full of Dollars" was right!! Thanks Flaminio!! That would have bothered me the rest of the day.

Tootawl

Weird Al also used it in his movie but changed it a little. There was a character who had a pet show who had some pets delivered including some badgers.
Badgers? Badgers!! We don't need no stinkin' badgers!

MICHAELDIXON

I've put on shows in Kentucky, WV, Hawaii and Maryland. Each place is different and requirements are different. My suggestion is to go directly to the licensing department at the city hall where you are planning to hold the show and ask them for their requirements. Some states require the dealer to purchase a Transient Vendor's License which costs around $30 and is good for up to a year. In my contracts, I have this: "#5. Dealers are responsible for any and all excise, sales, state or personal taxes, which may occur from the sale of their merchandise." This clears me, the promoter, from being responsible for each dealer's licenses and tax reporting.
.
I've found that if you have somebody, who is perceived to be unethical, named on your show fliers, such as an auctioneer or major buyer, you will be hounded by the state and local tax people. It happened at my first show in Maryland and when I departed company with the person, I called the tax office and let them know. Since then I've had no problems.