Long Beach Show

wondercoin

Hi everyone. Haven't been able to join in much on the boards due the show going on. Here are my impressions and points of interest (to me at least):

1. There was a fairly large crowd of collectors out today, the first day of the show. Plenty of "modern" coins available ranging from tons of silver and gold Commems, Wash quarters, Jeff. nickels, Lincolns, Franklins. But, if you are looking for "pop 1" type coins, forget it, they are mostly sold privately these days. Only chance to really find any are at auction and not much need to attend the show to do that these days. Whenever any "super dooper" coin is offered that I saw, it was priced "to the moon". I was able to buy (4) more PCGS Goodacres that were slabbed today, including (3) MS68 coins.

2. The classic coins ranging in price to hundreds of thousands of dollars were available and showcased. Freshly graded PCGS-MS68 pop 1 classic Commems were also available if you had $50,000/coin in your checkbook. One of which was the first Arkansas ever graded MS68 and was a 1939(d) as well, one of the lowest mintages in the series!! I really didn't see the grading services all too busy.

3. I was approached by a number of friends of Bill Spears, the Morgan Dollar dealer that passed away last week. I suggested PCGS do a fundraiser for Bill's family with a limited edition coin set. The idea is being presented at PCGS today. I would donate my time to assist in running the fundraiser if the idea get approved at PCGS.

4. My personal purchases so far following day one of the show: (a) (3) MS PCGS Washington Quarters; (b) A pop 2/0 pretty NGC-MS68 New Rochelle Commem I picked up for Registrycoin; (c) an 1865 Two Cent piece grading PCGS-MS67RD (pop 3/0 for the entire series!) and the (4) Goodacres I mentioned above (who said buying classics and moderns don't mix). I also won Cladmaker's pop 2/0 1945(p) Nickel in PCGS-MS67FS today, but I didn't have to leave the house to do that!


5. The dealer that I went with that spent the entire day searching for original rolls found next to nothing. 26 original rolls of 1984(d) Lincolns were the highlight. Dividing his expenses from flying across the country, etc, so far he is into each roll $50/roll.

Anyone else have any experiences at the show today to share? Wondercoin.

braddick

Mitch- I'm getting the impression it's a mixed bag this time around. Will you be joining a few of us at noon over by the snack bar area? I'd love to chat with you a bit.

I do take it though for coins like the PCGS MS66 1976 Ike (Type I), this show is not the place to find one!

wondercoin

Pat: I don't think I will be going back until Saturday.

No, rare date Ikes were not abundant at the show.

I did run into Coingame 2000 and we spent 10 or 15 minutes debating the "tulip" thing. I had asked him if he would ever issue a "consumer alert" for the outrageous prices people were paying for color classic coins these days (he also called the prices paid at the Benson sale "whacko" on the other board). He basically said "no". We had fun debating whether a raw beautiful (colored) 1942 proof set at $20,000 was any more or less justified than a $1000 GA State quarter in PCGS-MS67. Wondercoin.

braddick

How ironic. It used to be no Ikes or high grade Kennedies were at Long Beach because no self respecting Dealer would carry them. Now they are not there because Dealers can't hang on to them!

dbldie55

Mitch, is that Arkansas the coin you mentioned on the US forum? Also, if the services were not to busy, maybe they can take the spare time to give me that upgrade on the Proof Liberty Nickel I sent in last week. I am still waiting for that.

Flash

Its great that so many of us were at the show on Thursday, but where were you?? Why didn't we all meet up as a group? I saw Strat, Jom, Knuckelhead and Datentype.. and thats it! When I heard a page for Mitch I went running up to the info table to see if I could meet him, but nooooo.. he never showed. I also heard a page for Ira Stein and did the same thing, but he never showed either. We need to plan better the next time around.

wondercoin

Flash: If I missed a page, it was because I was at the restaurant waiting for Datentype who never showed!! I had a table waiting for Datentype and I thought we had a plan to meet at 11:30 a.m. Telecoin was waiting with me to meet Datentype. I guess Datentype was with you, looking for me! Yes, better organization and planning is a must! Wondercoin

braddick

I just returned and had a great time at this show! I didn't buy much- but didn't need too. It was a sincere pleasure meeting up with about a half dozen forum members at noon and then about an hour later meeting up with a member who showed me his "A" box of wonderfully toned Morgans and type! Each coin was dazzling on its own merits. The grouping together was unheard of.

Dealers had a chance to chit-chat a bit more than usual today and seemed to be in the mood to do so.

Oh, I saw that MS68 Monster Cleveland and let me tell you: That is without a doubt the best Commemorative I've ever seen. It absolutely deserved the price it received and subsequently sold for. Captivating. If we ever run another Thread where we list our choice of one single coin- I will instantly know what to pick.

Overall, a great show from a Collector's point of view.

Also: My wife and I actually purchased a cigar label! No, I'm not branching out into another collectible, but this one was fun and will look good matted and framed.

cosmicdebris

All you left coast guys have all the fun ....

Datentype

Having read all of the responses on this thread, I agree the best coins are normally sold privately. Also, as far as original rolls, they are not lugged around on airplanes due to the weight involved. Some people drive them out but they are snapped up by other dealers before the show opens.

To me, it's a great place to pick up contacts and reinforce the reason I do not travel and sell retail to the public - it's boring! My theory is, these guys make just enough $ to stay out of the house/shackles of marriage, which is even more boring in some cases.

Anyway, I'm heading down to the show again Saturday if anyone wants to meet in the afternoon, say 2:30 or 3:00?

Mark