Last weekend Rosemont coin show.

carl

A little late but I thoght I'd say a little about the Rosemont, Il coin show in case anyone cares. To start I think the walk from the parking lot to the place really wore me out. Once inside I went into shock as to the size of the place. I live about 5 miles from the convention center and that was the first time I ever went there. Wow, is that place big and so was the coin show. I've never been to a coin show where there were over 500 dealers and from all over the country. Had to kid a few about my strenuous trip of about 5 miles when their banner said things like Texas. I met some forum members for the first time and they were all really friendly people. Thanks again to tables 338/438, 128 and 319 for being so friendly. Sorry I didn't buy anything from you. I spent from about 10 AM to about 1PM there on Friday and probably never saw everything because there was just to much stuff there. A dealer friend of mine was there somewhere but the place was just ot big so we never met. One dealer noticed I was kind of limping so he told me to sit down at his place and rest and just shoot the breeze. I ended up spending about a thousand dollars and never did get what I originally went there for which was a 55DD Lincoln and there were lots of them there but all out of my price range. As a general statement as to prices they were what appeared to be all rather high and one dealer said that was to make up for the trip there and the price of a table. Considering the temperature outside, the air conditioning was great and I really hated to leave. One more thing that did surprize me was that the person selling books didn't have either the first or second coppercoins books and said he didn't know of them either. He did have lots of Whitman and Dansco albums and for the first time I see why Dansco is becoming the biggy. That person also told me he thinks Whitman albums are made in China and the quality is now really poor. All in all the show was really worth the time and still can't believe so many dealers travel that far for a coin show.

XpipedreamR

Thanks for the report, Carl. I was there at the same time as you. Too bad I didn't run into you. Or maybe I DID run into you. You wouldn't happen to be the gentleman I knocked over, would you?

Coinosaurus

Yeah. The walk from the parking lot to the show floor is interminable. And if you forget exactly where you parked, you will be there a LONG time.

PerryHall

Carl---Great show report. Thanks for sharing.

darktone

I think the walk is nice after driving a hundred miles to get there. Watching the planes from the parking ramp is fun too. The walk is only five minutes. mike

bushmaster8

And how about Melissa in her pretty white skirt?

Now that is worth the subtropical walk from the parking garage! She really knows her stuff too, works the floor like no coin-woman I have ever seen! (Not that I was watching her...)

carl

Oh yeah just one more thing. There were a lot of YN's there which really surprized me but then again schools out for most so kind of a great way for dad's to take their kids somewhere really cool. And XpdpedreameR, no you didn't bump into me. I was the guy limping around with the black camera type bag over the shoulder. I did here quite a few people mention someone named Marty and sure wondered who that was since his name came up so much. Great show and can't wait till next years show there.

messydesk

I was at the show on Friday. As for location, it's not quite as good as similar or larger sized shows I've attended in Milwaukee, St. Louis, Long Beach, Baltimore, Denver, Cleveland, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Columbus, Atlanta, and just about anywhere else I may have forgotten. The hot walk from the $11 parking lot conveniently pinned between the I-90 and I-294 parking lots in a "you can't get there from here" fashion just added insult to injury for me. Thankfully, I didn't need to eat, because the only choices within a few miles are convention center food or hotel food.

Once at the show, however, I was fine. I picked up some 1878 VAMs for myself, and some for future TBD buyers. I got to see the Pittman 1845 gold proof set (anyone have an extra $700,000 burning a hole in their pocket?), and Brandon Kelley was nice about letting me ogle at some killer stuff in hand rather than through glass.

There's a new convention center being built in Schaumburg, which seems plenty big for the Mid America show, and more conveniently located. Coin widows can spend the day at Woodfield Mall or Ikea, and there are actually plenty of restaurants within sight of the convention center. OK, maybe I'm biased about the Schaumburg site because it's closer to home for me, but does anyone else hate Rosemont as a location?

tmot99

I really don't have a problem with Rosemont. The walk really isn't that bad if you go outside. If you take the walkway from the parking garage, it's 3 times longer. Besides, the walk outside takes me past Doubletree where they make the best known chocolate chip cookies.

The Schaumburg location is closer for me too, but either one is fine. IMO

IrishMike

I have a kid who lives in Downers Grove. I get enough of that crappy drive from N. Indiana and I can't to drive anywhere near Rosemont or the airport so I say away from that show.