St. Louis (MNS) Coin Show and Auction report, 07/22/06 (updated, 7/23/06)
RYK
Posts: 35,799 ✭✭✭✭✭
Today, I finally made it to the MNS show and auction! If you recall, yesterday's show close early due to power outages, and the auction was postponed until this afternoon.
First, the show report. In one word: dead. It was the slowest coin show I ever attended. My Saturday mid-afternoon, half of the tables were unattended. The St. Louis power outages, which as affected hundreds of thousands of businesses and residents probably kept some dealers and collectors away. The out-of-town dealers were chaffing at the bit to leave. If you saw a coin at a table and figured you would get back to it later, there was a decent chance that you would not get back to it.
I did find an extremely nice, original AU Charlotte half eagle at a very attractive price and scarfed it up. I also have my eye on a rare Dahlonega gold dollar that I might return to buy when I bring the kids tomorrow.
I spent a lot of time with a friend who is an advanced beginner collector, working on a Dansco 7070 type set, with gold. We bought six or eight pieces for his type set including a very attractive 1903-O eagle (where did he get the idea to buy a NO gold coin...I wonder) and a fabulous bust quarter from James Garcia/EarlyUS.com (former Jade partner). He was hell-bent on buying a seated dollar for the type set, but everything we saw (in any grade/price up to about $1500) was crap.
The highlight of any St. Louis coin show is to see the cool stuff at James' table. I even made a mercy purchase
from James (two actually) for my standing quarter album (below). I also ran into Jaywalker at the show; he managed to do some damage yesterday before the power went out.
Now for the auction report. I was prepared to bid on six to eight gold coins, which I had previously viewed in the store. I won the following two:
I have little (read: no) live auction bidding experience, and after winning the second coin, I sort of spaced out, was crunching numbers, and contemplating my navel, while totally missing the last lot that I intended to bid. It was a beautifully original 1860-C XF-40, and it slipped away for way too little (my max was about 25% higher than the hammer price
). The lesson for me next time is to try to stay focused. 
Overall, auction prices for the gold lots I followed were pretty strong. I only won two of six lots that I actively bid.
This was another coin I really wanted, but was outbid (after my cut bid):
I wish I had bid more.
SLQ:
First, the show report. In one word: dead. It was the slowest coin show I ever attended. My Saturday mid-afternoon, half of the tables were unattended. The St. Louis power outages, which as affected hundreds of thousands of businesses and residents probably kept some dealers and collectors away. The out-of-town dealers were chaffing at the bit to leave. If you saw a coin at a table and figured you would get back to it later, there was a decent chance that you would not get back to it.
I did find an extremely nice, original AU Charlotte half eagle at a very attractive price and scarfed it up. I also have my eye on a rare Dahlonega gold dollar that I might return to buy when I bring the kids tomorrow.
I spent a lot of time with a friend who is an advanced beginner collector, working on a Dansco 7070 type set, with gold. We bought six or eight pieces for his type set including a very attractive 1903-O eagle (where did he get the idea to buy a NO gold coin...I wonder) and a fabulous bust quarter from James Garcia/EarlyUS.com (former Jade partner). He was hell-bent on buying a seated dollar for the type set, but everything we saw (in any grade/price up to about $1500) was crap.
The highlight of any St. Louis coin show is to see the cool stuff at James' table. I even made a mercy purchase
from James (two actually) for my standing quarter album (below). I also ran into Jaywalker at the show; he managed to do some damage yesterday before the power went out.Now for the auction report. I was prepared to bid on six to eight gold coins, which I had previously viewed in the store. I won the following two:
I have little (read: no) live auction bidding experience, and after winning the second coin, I sort of spaced out, was crunching numbers, and contemplating my navel, while totally missing the last lot that I intended to bid. It was a beautifully original 1860-C XF-40, and it slipped away for way too little (my max was about 25% higher than the hammer price
). The lesson for me next time is to try to stay focused. Overall, auction prices for the gold lots I followed were pretty strong. I only won two of six lots that I actively bid. This was another coin I really wanted, but was outbid (after my cut bid):
I wish I had bid more.
SLQ:
0
Comments
Russ, NCNE
Sorry to hear that you missed the 60-C.
If the dealers are chafing at the bit to leave, are you sure that the Dahlonega dollar will be there tomorrow?
Check out the Southern Gold Society
Nice report. I like your 1853 $5. I had thought of returning to StL for the auction, since my mail bid experience with Scotsman has not been good. Hearing news of the storms has made me glad I didn't go.
KJ
It must have been really strange being at the show with the effects of a power outage
thinning the ranks of dealers and the public.
I really like the SLQ and the too bad on the QE. It looks really nice!
Congrats on the purchases!
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 spoke with mark from Scotsman, and they were very pleased with the auction results. A 1909-O $5 NGC AU-55 hammered at $10k! The bust halves and type coins were reported to be very strong. I complimented Mark on their much-improved photography and very professional auction service.
Russ, NCNE
That's a good one.
Russ, NCNE
Nice coins - the kids have good eyes!
Check out the Southern Gold Society
Tom Reynolds, the early copper specialist, had his usual stunning display of early copper. In the past, I have likened his display to that in a Godiva chocolate shop. He seems to be carrying an increasing amout of type coins when he travels to show and had a really lovely rainbow toned WA seated dime. It would be a great Dansco type set coin, if you are looking for something like that.
Parking was $5 each day. For this area of the country in this part of the town, that is predatory and offensive.
The team at Scotsman is really hard-working, fair, and ethical. While they do not have the resources of Heritage and ANR, they seem to learn from the Big Boys and do the best they can to put on a high quality auction. If you attend their auction expecting a lot of rips, you will be disappointed. Enough dealers and collectors know that they offer some high quality coins that it is very difficult for these coins to fall through the cracks (unless more bidders like me space out
I spent some time yesterday looking at generic gold in PCGS rattlers and old green holders. Not only were there no upgrades, much of the stuff I saw did not look like it would make the same grade today.
<< <i>If you attend their auction expecting a lot of rips, you will be disappointed. >>
Well, that blows.
Russ, NCNE
<< <i><< If you attend their auction expecting a lot of rips, you will be disappointed. >> >>
<< <i>Well, that blows. >>
If this makes you feel better, there was at least one: LINK