Went to the GSNA Show in NJ - report, purchases
nesvt
Posts: 2,214
Went to the GSNA coin show in NJ today. Understand that I have only been to three coin shows. Anytime I see more than 20 coins in one case, it’s a big event for me. The brochure showed 60 dealers. Lots of US and foreign coins, currency, literature, supplies, tokens, and more. $3 admission (free to members).
They were having some serious problems with the lighting. Too much load on their circuits. The lights would go off in one row and on in another, off on the ceiling, then on at the tables, and repeat. Seemed to be straightened out by late afternoon.
Saw some amazing Morgan dollars. One dealer had a case full of beautiful PCGS MS65 and 66 DMPL coins. These coins are WAY out of my budget, but always nice to look at. He also had a mint state toned 1886-P that made my eyes to twitch. Wild bands of dark colors covering the obverse. I think it was MS64 and he was asking $1000. It was in a PCGS slab. With the prices I’ve seen on some toned Morgans, I don’t think he’ll have any problems. The neighboring case was filled with high grade PCGS slabbed commemorative half dollars. I usually stick with Morgan and Peace dollars, but it’s hard to keep away from some of those designs.
Most of dealers were very nice. I get the feeling that this VAM thing can be a bit annoying to them. I don’t park my butt for hours in front of a table and break out the microscope, but I got the feeling some do. Actually, one dealer told me that a VAMmer did pull a microscope out of his backpack while reviewing Morgans! A couple of dealers recognized me, knew I collected varieties, and pushed a few boxes my way. At another table, I mentioned I was looking for 21-D’s with large die cracks. “Ahhh… another VAM collector.”…. and then he drops a pile of lose coins in front of me to search. Nice folks.
I did have one odd experience. A dealer refused to let me look through a box of Morgan and Peace dollars. I saw a customer sitting down and looking through a box of dollars. When he was done, he pushed it back to the dealer and asked for another box. I walked over and asked if I could look at the box (the one the customer already searched).
“What are you looking for?”
“Morgan and Peace dollars.”
“What dates?”
“I collect different dates and mints”
“Well, what exactly are you looking for?”
“Just wanted to look through some Morgan dollars”
“I usually only let the dealers go through these. Sorry”.
“Okay. Thanks anyway”.
It seems to be getting harder to cherrypick any VAMs. Lots of slabbed coins were already attributed. Lots of raw coins were labeled with VAM numbers. I saw hundreds of those red “Top 100” stickers.
I asked five dealers what they thought about the new ANACS slabs. Four liked; one hated it. Asked the same dealers what they were paying for common US silver. Got the same answer from all… 8.5x face value.
Met a forum member before my search began. Needed some spending money, so I let go of some Mercury dimes and Washington quarters. Thanks KISHU1 ! It was nice meeting you.
I managed to control myself as I came across some low grade VAMs. Saw quite a few 1926-S VAM 4’s (dot on leaf), a couple 1886-P VAM 1B (gouge through initial M), two 1896-P VAM 19’s (8 in denticles), and several 1882-O O/S Morgans.
Picked up a few raw Morgans….
1921-D VAM 3A Streamer Wing
1884-P VAM 4 Small Dot
1921-D VAM 8A with the break over R in AMERICA
1921-P VAM 3B Pitted Reverse
1921-P VAM 3V die break in the first S of STATES
1921-D die fill – missing WE T
1903-S VAM 2 small S (this was already attributed)
They were having some serious problems with the lighting. Too much load on their circuits. The lights would go off in one row and on in another, off on the ceiling, then on at the tables, and repeat. Seemed to be straightened out by late afternoon.
Saw some amazing Morgan dollars. One dealer had a case full of beautiful PCGS MS65 and 66 DMPL coins. These coins are WAY out of my budget, but always nice to look at. He also had a mint state toned 1886-P that made my eyes to twitch. Wild bands of dark colors covering the obverse. I think it was MS64 and he was asking $1000. It was in a PCGS slab. With the prices I’ve seen on some toned Morgans, I don’t think he’ll have any problems. The neighboring case was filled with high grade PCGS slabbed commemorative half dollars. I usually stick with Morgan and Peace dollars, but it’s hard to keep away from some of those designs.
Most of dealers were very nice. I get the feeling that this VAM thing can be a bit annoying to them. I don’t park my butt for hours in front of a table and break out the microscope, but I got the feeling some do. Actually, one dealer told me that a VAMmer did pull a microscope out of his backpack while reviewing Morgans! A couple of dealers recognized me, knew I collected varieties, and pushed a few boxes my way. At another table, I mentioned I was looking for 21-D’s with large die cracks. “Ahhh… another VAM collector.”…. and then he drops a pile of lose coins in front of me to search. Nice folks.
I did have one odd experience. A dealer refused to let me look through a box of Morgan and Peace dollars. I saw a customer sitting down and looking through a box of dollars. When he was done, he pushed it back to the dealer and asked for another box. I walked over and asked if I could look at the box (the one the customer already searched).
“What are you looking for?”
“Morgan and Peace dollars.”
“What dates?”
“I collect different dates and mints”
“Well, what exactly are you looking for?”
“Just wanted to look through some Morgan dollars”
“I usually only let the dealers go through these. Sorry”.
“Okay. Thanks anyway”.
It seems to be getting harder to cherrypick any VAMs. Lots of slabbed coins were already attributed. Lots of raw coins were labeled with VAM numbers. I saw hundreds of those red “Top 100” stickers.
I asked five dealers what they thought about the new ANACS slabs. Four liked; one hated it. Asked the same dealers what they were paying for common US silver. Got the same answer from all… 8.5x face value.
Met a forum member before my search began. Needed some spending money, so I let go of some Mercury dimes and Washington quarters. Thanks KISHU1 ! It was nice meeting you.
I managed to control myself as I came across some low grade VAMs. Saw quite a few 1926-S VAM 4’s (dot on leaf), a couple 1886-P VAM 1B (gouge through initial M), two 1896-P VAM 19’s (8 in denticles), and several 1882-O O/S Morgans.
Picked up a few raw Morgans….
1921-D VAM 3A Streamer Wing
1884-P VAM 4 Small Dot
1921-D VAM 8A with the break over R in AMERICA
1921-P VAM 3B Pitted Reverse
1921-P VAM 3V die break in the first S of STATES
1921-D die fill – missing WE T
1903-S VAM 2 small S (this was already attributed)
0
Comments
Thanks for sharing yours.
peacockcoins
by the way, do you know the hours of the show?
<< <i>do you know the hours of the show? >>
Friday 10am - 7pm : Bourse open to public
Friday 6pm : Auction by New World Rarities
Saturday
10am - 4pm : Bourse open to public
10am : YN program
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
It sounds like you had fun. I'm looking forward to going on Saturday.
Check out the Southern Gold Society
Thanx for sharing.
Herb
Glad you liked my Morgan Dollars and DMPLs. Those DMPLs are my little babies, even though my wife would like to put them all up for adoption. Anyone who comes by on Saturday, please stop and say hello.
By the way, that toned dollar is MS-66, not 64.
Jim
Rainbow Stars
NSDR - Life Member
SSDC - Life Member
ANA - Pay As I Go Member
Thanks nesvt for the silver and nice meeting fellow board members.
You must have missed this post.
Check out the Southern Gold Society
Jim
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
<< <i>Yes, I still own it, but its at the show right now. If I still have it tomorrow, I'll be happy to send you a picture.
Jim >>
Please send me a pic as well.Thanks
Thanks for sharing yours.
<< <i>Hello Norm,
Glad you liked my Morgan Dollars and DMPLs. Those DMPLs are my little babies, even though my wife would like to put them all up for adoption. Anyone who comes by on Saturday, please stop and say hello.
By the way, that toned dollar is MS-66, not 64.
Jim >>
Jim,
Sorry about the 64 -> 66 confusion. I'm sure you understand how a coin-show-virgin like myself can be overwhelmed! I could have looked at those coins all day. I've seen some nice coins before, but never such a large group of stunning Morgans in one place. Thanks again for being so friendly and thanks for letting me check out a few of those beauties!
Rainbow Stars
<< <i>jimp, would you happen to have a picture of that toned Morgan, do you still own it?????? >>
Yes, I still own it. I take lousy pictures (actually it's my wife, but she works cheap.) If you still want to see a picture, go to the ANR website. It's from the Prescott Auction, Lot 737.
Rainbow Stars