"Adventures in Long Beach" or "Newbie goes for a ride"
DesertRat
Posts: 1,791 ✭
Well I went to Long Beach on Friday. This was my first ever visit to a coin show so I did not know what to expect. I arrived around 11am after the stress filled three-hour drive from my desert hideaway to the big city. The show was far larger than what I anticipated and I could tell from the minute I walked onto the floor that this could be a dangerous place 
. I had written down several people who had posted their booth numbers here so my first step was to proceed to those booths and meet and greet. First stop was Texas Bullion where I met Traci and Tonekiller and the gang. I'm sorry but my memory for peoples names is terrible but they were all great and kind to me (funny how remembered Traci though 
). They had some absolutely gorgeous coins! While there, Ron (numismatist?) stopped by as well as Knucklehead and his wife. I ventured on and met Mark Feld, Mike De Falco (hope I have those right) and eventually met up with Reece and Kyle for lunch (sorry we missed you Bear). I have to say I was extremely impressed with Kyle, that young man knows his stuff! I look for him to be the QDB of the future. Thank you for lunch Reece, that was very kind of you. After lunch I began to browse the floor and with so many tables full of bright (and some not so bright) shiny baubles I was having a great time. I never came across any rude dealers, in fact it was just the opposite and I found everyone I talked to, to be helpful and pleasant. I browsed through many raw coins just looking and enjoying them. If I saw something particularly spetacular I asked to look at it and was obliged by the dealers with no problems. I asked a lot of questions, got a lot of answers so it was a great learning experience. I went with the intention of not buying any coinage, telling myself that this was simply an expeditionary journey. However as I was looking through a bunch of errors I came across a nicely toned raw 1938-D buff D/D. I passed it up the first time then returned to it telling myself "this is a coin show after all" so I bought it. After walking around some more I ended up back at Traci's table and proudly showed off my only purchase. This is where Tonekiller politely told me it was a nice coin and proceeded to explain how the coin had been AT. Ok, live and learn I felt like a chump at first but it is still a pretty coin and an error so despite the fact that it is AT and I paid too much ($25) I decided to climb down from the balcony of the convention center and return to the show before I attracted a crowd (besides, the guy yelling "Jump! Jump! had an irritating voice )
I did buy two books while there; the PCGS coin grading and counterfeit detecting guide and Coppercoins new book, so some good came from it. I guess the one thing that impressed me the most was the sheer volume of coins available to choose from, oh and the 1927-D Saint on display. Was a neat thing to see a million dollar coin up close like that. The funniest thing I saw as I was looking around at tables was a dealer that had 10 or 12, 2x2 cardboard holders with coins in them and the holders were labelled in handwritten ink "PCGS" and a grade like 65 or 68 etc.. I'm surprised they had the hutspa to do that at a show with David Hall in attendance. Speaking of DH, I looked for him so he could autograph my book but alas could not find him and by this time it was 4:00pm on a Friday so I had to leave and endure another 3 hour drive in rush hour to get on home.
All-in-all I had a great time and really enjoyed meeting some of the board members. Next time I go I hope to be better educated and ready to make more informed purchases.
Edited to give Tonekiller his proper due by getting his handle right.
. I had written down several people who had posted their booth numbers here so my first step was to proceed to those booths and meet and greet. First stop was Texas Bullion where I met Traci and Tonekiller and the gang. I'm sorry but my memory for peoples names is terrible but they were all great and kind to me (funny how remembered Traci though ). They had some absolutely gorgeous coins! While there, Ron (numismatist?) stopped by as well as Knucklehead and his wife. I ventured on and met Mark Feld, Mike De Falco (hope I have those right) and eventually met up with Reece and Kyle for lunch (sorry we missed you Bear). I have to say I was extremely impressed with Kyle, that young man knows his stuff! I look for him to be the QDB of the future. Thank you for lunch Reece, that was very kind of you. After lunch I began to browse the floor and with so many tables full of bright (and some not so bright) shiny baubles I was having a great time. I never came across any rude dealers, in fact it was just the opposite and I found everyone I talked to, to be helpful and pleasant. I browsed through many raw coins just looking and enjoying them. If I saw something particularly spetacular I asked to look at it and was obliged by the dealers with no problems. I asked a lot of questions, got a lot of answers so it was a great learning experience. I went with the intention of not buying any coinage, telling myself that this was simply an expeditionary journey. However as I was looking through a bunch of errors I came across a nicely toned raw 1938-D buff D/D. I passed it up the first time then returned to it telling myself "this is a coin show after all" so I bought it. After walking around some more I ended up back at Traci's table and proudly showed off my only purchase. This is where Tonekiller politely told me it was a nice coin and proceeded to explain how the coin had been AT. Ok, live and learn I felt like a chump at first but it is still a pretty coin and an error so despite the fact that it is AT and I paid too much ($25) I decided to climb down from the balcony of the convention center and return to the show before I attracted a crowd (besides, the guy yelling "Jump! Jump! had an irritating voice )I did buy two books while there; the PCGS coin grading and counterfeit detecting guide and Coppercoins new book, so some good came from it. I guess the one thing that impressed me the most was the sheer volume of coins available to choose from, oh and the 1927-D Saint on display. Was a neat thing to see a million dollar coin up close like that. The funniest thing I saw as I was looking around at tables was a dealer that had 10 or 12, 2x2 cardboard holders with coins in them and the holders were labelled in handwritten ink "PCGS" and a grade like 65 or 68 etc.. I'm surprised they had the hutspa to do that at a show with David Hall in attendance. Speaking of DH, I looked for him so he could autograph my book but alas could not find him and by this time it was 4:00pm on a Friday so I had to leave and endure another 3 hour drive in rush hour to get on home.
All-in-all I had a great time and really enjoyed meeting some of the board members. Next time I go I hope to be better educated and ready to make more informed purchases.
Edited to give Tonekiller his proper due by getting his handle right.
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Comments
You did well with that buff and it does have a nice look to it......and the cost was nothing. My first screw up was $7000.
Good to meet you!
Bryan
Sounds like you had a very good day.
My OmniCoin Collection
My BankNoteBank Collection
Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
AAAAArgh!
I'm sorry! I told you I had a bad memory. But your coins are killer!!!
And the $25 is nothing...just my luck. Hey at least the Buff isn't counterfeit.
<< <i>Toneking? its tone killer!
Not to pile on, but had your Buffalo nickel been a true counterfeit and look good enough to pass as real, you'de have a collectible worth much more than $25.00!
Sounds like you had a terrific time though and enjoyed yourself visiting with others and viewing some great coins.
peacockcoins
Stuart
Collect 18th & 19th Century US Type Coins, Silver Dollars, $20 Gold Double Eagles and World Crowns & Talers with High Eye Appeal
"Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity"
<< <i>I passed it up the first time then returned to it >>
Thats funny that happens to you too. I saw a coin one time at the beggining of a show...and I didnt want to buy it because it was early on, but I was hooked. The entire day I thought about it, and went back to visit it 4 times, before finally buying it. The dealer thought I was a nut, becuase every time I said, "Ill be back". To this day, its one of my favorties....84 cc with pleasant bag toning in 63. I paid $240 for it, which was probably high, but I would do it again in a heart beat!
">"http://www.cashcrate.com/5663377"
Jerry