Coin Show Report - Baltimore, MD
DaveG
Posts: 3,535 ✭
As others have no doubt mentioned, the 50%-larger Baltimore show is HUGE! It's almost impossible to cover every table in less than four or five hours. It's an endurance contest! For those of you who went to the 2003 Baltimore ANA, the show now occupies the same amount of floor space, and while about 1/6th of the ANA floor space was educational exhibits, 100% of the same floor space is devoted to dealers. (I overheard three or four dealers favorably comparing Baltimore to Long Beach.)
I got there before it opened this morning and there was a big crowd waiting to get in. I hit the floor and started looking for some southern gold. C- and D-mint gold was all over the place, but most of it had been dipped. O-mint gold was less common (and less common that it had been in 12/05, when it was less common than 3/05, which was less common 12/04, etc.)
Just before lunch, CharlotteDude found me and showed me his 1798 half eagle. Wow! nicer than the picture in his thread and a circa-late 1989 PCGS slab! Very, very nice! TomB and I encouraged him not to resubmit, as he'd lose the old slab. We said that the coin would sell on its own merits, regardless of the grade on the slab!
I also ran into and had nice chats with TomB and EVP (who hasn't been on the boards much recently) and was briefly introduced to michael.
Next, I had lunch with Longacre, who managed (I don't know how) to get to the show without being assaulted, robbed or raped. (I think he got home alive, too.)
I also met Tassa and Cameron Keifer (who very kindly gave me an ICG sample - 2006 "return to Monticello" nickel). A really banged up coin, by the way. Now I know why the folks who ordered them from the Mint were complaining about the quality of the coins.
I also had a nice chat with njcoincrank, who had his usual "killer" material with him!
I was suffering a bit from information overload, so I forgot to go back to get a Seated Dollar from Dick Osburn, but, since I didn't like any of the gold that I could afford, I did manage to pick up two English shillings (1723 and 1739) and an 1883-O Morgan in MS-63 (in a late-1989 slab - PCGS 2.5, I think) and, my big purchase of the day: a very, very nice dark gray, 1806 pointed 6, no stem, half dollar in NGC-40. Its reverse is rotated about 15 degrees, and aside from a bit of a light strike on the reverse, is really nice. It's my first Draped Bust coin!
To sum up: it was a crowded - and really huge - show, nice material was hard to find, I talked to a lot of people and had a lot of fun!
I got there before it opened this morning and there was a big crowd waiting to get in. I hit the floor and started looking for some southern gold. C- and D-mint gold was all over the place, but most of it had been dipped. O-mint gold was less common (and less common that it had been in 12/05, when it was less common than 3/05, which was less common 12/04, etc.)
Just before lunch, CharlotteDude found me and showed me his 1798 half eagle. Wow! nicer than the picture in his thread and a circa-late 1989 PCGS slab! Very, very nice! TomB and I encouraged him not to resubmit, as he'd lose the old slab. We said that the coin would sell on its own merits, regardless of the grade on the slab!
I also ran into and had nice chats with TomB and EVP (who hasn't been on the boards much recently) and was briefly introduced to michael.
Next, I had lunch with Longacre, who managed (I don't know how) to get to the show without being assaulted, robbed or raped. (I think he got home alive, too.)
I also met Tassa and Cameron Keifer (who very kindly gave me an ICG sample - 2006 "return to Monticello" nickel). A really banged up coin, by the way. Now I know why the folks who ordered them from the Mint were complaining about the quality of the coins.
I also had a nice chat with njcoincrank, who had his usual "killer" material with him!
I was suffering a bit from information overload, so I forgot to go back to get a Seated Dollar from Dick Osburn, but, since I didn't like any of the gold that I could afford, I did manage to pick up two English shillings (1723 and 1739) and an 1883-O Morgan in MS-63 (in a late-1989 slab - PCGS 2.5, I think) and, my big purchase of the day: a very, very nice dark gray, 1806 pointed 6, no stem, half dollar in NGC-40. Its reverse is rotated about 15 degrees, and aside from a bit of a light strike on the reverse, is really nice. It's my first Draped Bust coin!
To sum up: it was a crowded - and really huge - show, nice material was hard to find, I talked to a lot of people and had a lot of fun!
Check out the Southern Gold Society
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Comments
Sorry to have missed you all, as well.
I'm home now, but perhaps we'll see each other at the December show!
Check out the Southern Gold Society
Get to bed, you need your beauty sleep and have a busy day tomorrow (today).
I had lunch with Longacre, who managed (I don't know how) to get to the show without being assaulted, robbed or raped. (I think he got home alive, too.)
I can confirm that he made it to the airport without event. We will just have to see if he posts over the weekend or on Monday to confirm for certain that he made it home unscathed. (I did not hear of any plane crashes in the Northeast yesterday).
O-mint gold was less common (and less common that it had been in 12/05, when it was less common than 3/05, which was less common 12/04, etc.)
I can also confirm that O-mint gold is considerably less available on the ground. Even the common date coins, which I would regularly see at shows a couple of years ago, are all but invisible on the bourse and even less visible at auctions. There is almost nothing in the Heritage Spring ANA sale (but lots of Dahlonega!).
Overheard while at a dealer's table: Another dealer comes up and asks "Do you have any 1974 proof sets?" The reply was "No. Why do you want them?" The answer was: "We have an order for 200 sets from someone."
I was also told by a dealer that ANACS was now offering to regrade and reslab coins in their old holders for $5. If they downgrade the coin in that process, they'll offer financial compensation to the owner. Sounds like they want to get their "overgraded" coins off the market and really improve their market position!
Check out the Southern Gold Society
from what i heard from mark and joe.. the only two i talked to..
was that half eagles were selling quickly if they were rare and
nice looking.
Really wish I could have made it this time, sounds like there were a ton of members there.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
<< <i>Oh, I forgot to put this in my original post:
Overheard while at a dealer's table: Another dealer comes up and asks "Do you have any 1974 proof sets?" The reply was "No. Why do you want them?" The answer was: "We have an order for 200 sets from someone."
>>
I think there is a dealer on these forums looking for them.
You should the buys on the FACTS dealer network from places like SilverTowne. Hundreds of sets of dozens of dates needed at a time.
<< <i>Oh, I forgot to put this in my original post:
Overheard while at a dealer's table: Another dealer comes up and asks "Do you have any 1974 proof sets?" The reply was "No. Why do you want them?" The answer was: "We have an order for 200 sets from someone."
I was also told by a dealer that ANACS was now offering to regrade and reslab coins in their old holders for $5. If they downgrade the coin in that process, they'll offer financial compensation to the owner. Sounds like they want to get their "overgraded" coins off the market and really improve their market position! >>
I heard of this.
200 1974 proof sets is still not a big deal to assemble. A few phone calss should be able to put these together
if you're willing to pay ask+. Ten years ago you could buy this many at the average big show. Twenty years ago
you could find a few individual dealers who could sell you this many at a big show.
Keep in mind that almost everytime a lot of these sets are assembled they are destroyed. Now days this is a
little less true since there is finally a retail market and they could be destined for it.
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
<< <i>For those that are worried, I did make it home in one piece. >>
Congratulations!
Maybe you should have been paying more attention instead of reading your latest Bowers book.
Check out the Southern Gold Society
That's it? No show report? I was expecting The Mother of All Show Reports™.
PCGS OGH $65
NGC $40
after lookng at the 2 coins when I got home , I dont care for the PCGS at all, and am surprised at the grade. Find both the grading and prices difference's interesting...I always thought the OGH's were graded a little more tightly, and its the softest 64 I have ever seen,...If it were raw I would have givin it a 62/3? but what do I know?....it was worth the mistake to get the 2 coins side by side for reference...
all in all a good time was had ....Julian was great and has his table is right at the entry...also Gary at Island Coins had all his incredible Toned Morgans and is quite pleasent to chat with. A majority of dealers were nice, but there are a few old grumpy ones for sure....
Also kudos to Baltimore itself, havent been in about 10 years and the whole inner Harbor area is really nice now
So many of the older holders have been picked over, that it's no surprise finding many dogs around in old holders today.....
<< <i> For those that are worried, I did make it home in one piece.
That's it? No show report? I was expecting The Mother of All Show Reports?.
I will try to work on the MOASR soon!
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
After that I found a Gobrecht engraved medal (the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Assocation) at Tony Terranova's table. Further research when I got home indicated the dies were prepared in 1837, which wasn't noted in Julian book on mint medals. Google.books is amazing.
Got to chat with Dave Bowers for an extended period in the afternoon when the show died down. There is virtually nothing that he can't discuss fluently off the top of his head. He asked me to copy edit one of his upcoming books, which was pretty scary - if the standard authorities are counting on me, we're all in a lot of trouble
After dinner at Shula's (I'm STILL full) the ultimate lurker (tm) sold me a very cool 1860 quarter in NGC MS61.
The extra space on the floor rocks, and there were some good dealers in the new section.
Setup day was slow for most dealers, but Friday was much better with more activity happening. During setup on Thursday many dealers reported the lack of "buzz" that was taking place. Saturday attendance was okay, but could have been much better.
Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
you walk onto the largest coin show that i have ever heard
of and some people may actually yawn after viewing it.
what i mean is, when i walk into a comic book store.. i feel the
same way. i have read the majority of books worth reading.
what is new is not new to me. i recognize the artists and writers.
i know their styles and etc...
i have read every comic i have ever gotten my hands on and i find
i have to go back in time to the 1940-50s to even find new material.
the average comic book store simply carries trinkets and "widget"
comic books that work for the newbies and general populace.
yup. i have a feeling that some of you may only get excited about
a handful of coins out of 100,000 on the floor.
that must drive some old timers crazy.
thankfully i am still new to this hobby. targeted but new.