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MidAmerica Coin Expo Show Report

Strong market shows in MidAmerica results
By Debbie Bradley, NN

Dealer to dealer sales were the key to success at the MidAmerica Coin Expo held July 10-13 in Schaumburg, Ill.

“It’s the best coin show I’ve ever done as far as sales, and I’ve been doing shows since 1968,” said Jerry Koepp of Coins, Stamps ‘n’ Stuff of Des Moines, Iowa.

“Dealer to dealer was very strong the first day, but the collector base came in on the last two days,” he said.

He saw his regulars and some new people.

“The second day of the show I was busy all day,” Koepp said. People were interested in pennies, dollars, gold, proof sets and mint sets.

“No one ticker item was better than others,” Koepp said.

And a good market helps sales.

“The market in general is very good and very solid,” said Dick Quitmeyer, president of Yellow River Rare Coins of Minneapolis. “It’s probably the best coin market we’ve had in many years.”

Common coins are doing well, but the coins with eye appeal are really soaring, Quitmeyer said.

“Coins that are really nice and really rare, throw the retail price sheets away,” he said. Especially at auctions, the nicer coins are going for multiples of what they were estimated to bring, Quitmeyer said.

Certified Asset Management of Wilmington, Del., had a very good show, reported purchaser Charlie Browne, noting that most of its transactions are dealer to dealer.

“We sold some good, expensive coins, mostly gold, at $20,000 to $50,000,” Browne said.

People were particularly fond of CAC material, early American gold, silver dollars and type coins, he said.

“If you have a diverse inventory you can sell coins. If you are sitting with stale material then you probably sat there and probably sank rather than swam,” Browne said.

Richard Mantia of Mastro Auctions, Burr Ridge, Ill., said the company picked up a large consignment and a high-end client at the show.

““I expected it to not be a good show because ANA is just around the corner, but I was wrong. This show was very much a success,” Mantia said.

Those attending the show seemed serious about doing business, said show manager Kevin Foley.

“The key to having a commercially successful event both for the booth holders and visiting participants without booths is to attract people with a serious interest in the field,” Foley said.

When booth holders and attendees were checking merchandise into the security room on Wednesday before the show opened, Foley said he heard them talking about deals they had already done in their rooms or deals they were setting up to conduct later with each other.

The people who were at the show were there to do business,” he said.
This year’s show was at a new location in Schaumburg and on a different weekend than the traditional last weekend of June. Foley said the show will return to Schaumburg next year but will return to its former schedule and will be held June 26-28.

Comments

  • IrishMikeIrishMike Posts: 7,737 ✭✭✭
    Given the current economic conditions and the cost of gas, not surprised that the folks that attended were there to do business. CAC coins sold well, heh that will generate some negative comments. image
  • percybpercyb Posts: 3,333 ✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for the summary report. It's good to know how others reacted to the show. My take was that it was slow, but as you point out, plenty of business and sales were conducted.
    "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world." PBShelley
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,698 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Why don't the dealers just go back to having the "Bull 100" shows and forget about the retail traffic? They could probably do the show in one day and be on their way.
    All glory is fleeting.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,733 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for the report.
    tempus fugit extra philosophiam.
  • ColonialCoinUnionColonialCoinUnion Posts: 10,087 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Why don't the dealers just go back to having the "Bull 100" shows and forget about the retail traffic? They could probably do the show in one day and be on their way. >>



    For what it's worth, we did a lot of retail business at this show and like it just the way it is.

    But there are other shows which are dealer only and we usually skip 'em.
  • Thanks for the report...
    -Rome is Burning

    image
  • CalGoldCalGold Posts: 2,608 ✭✭
    Translation: Those dealers who had acquired blue chip material from clients for sale at the show were able to sell it to other dealers to fill want lists from their high net worth clients before the show opened to the public. After that, members of the general public were allowed in, but all that was available for them were the unwanted dregs, so nothing else sold.

    CG
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good report.... the reports of a bear market seem to be in error.... Cheers, RickO
  • There is something not logical about calling this a Coin Expo Show, based on the report. I mean, expo does denote a public exhibition. It might be better to call such a gathering of eagles a Coin Dealer Buy/Sell/Carry Show. Respectfully, John Curlis
  • GoldbullyGoldbully Posts: 17,941 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for the report Coinboy.

    "People were particularly fond of CAC material, early American gold, silver dollars and type coins, he said." image
  • segojasegoja Posts: 6,141 ✭✭✭✭
    I think I was at a different show.

    There was no public to speak of at the show. Almost the entire day Thrusday-Saturday you could roll a bowling ball down the main alley and if it hit everyone in the aisle you still would not have enough pins for a strike. Many dealers left early....like Friday AM it was so bad.

    Recall who owns this show....NN, so no wonder they gave it a glowing report.

    Yes a few dealers had some good business, but I can tell you many were disappointed.

    My guess the lack of advertising had something to do with the low public attendance.

    Maybe the economy and the new venue contributed.
    JMSCoins Website Link


    Ike Specialist

    Finest Toned Ike I've Ever Seen, been looking since 1986

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  • Fond of..... and "... Dealer to Dealer sale were the key to success..."imageback at ya..imageWithRespect And Without Malice, John Curlis
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231


    << <i>I think I was at a different show.

    There was no public to speak of at the show. Almost the entire day Thrusday-Saturday you could roll a bowling ball down the main alley and if it hit everyone in the aisle you still would not have enough pins for a strike. Many dealers left early....like Friday AM it was so bad.

    Recall who owns this show....NN, so no wonder they gave it a glowing report.

    Yes a few dealers had some good business, but I can tell you many were disappointed.

    My guess the lack of advertising had something to do with the low public attendance.

    Maybe the economy and the new venue contributed. >>




    I was there Saturday from 10am till about 11:30 with percyb, and these comments are dead on. It was like six flags great america on a cold, rainy tuesday.

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