When did you attend your first ANA convention....

bidask

what is your greatest memory?

bidask

Mine was 1970 in St Louis at the Chase Park Plaza.....I met Eric Newman, bot a 1804 Quarter in fine for 300 and was intimidated with the auction.

Walmann

Boston 1973 with my grandfather. Remember going to a cookout on George's Island I believe it was ANA sponsored, was 12 years old at the time. Grandfather was a collector of all US gold series and commemorative s, I was collecting Franklins and Lincolns.

tightbudget

Last year in Baltimore. Not really any great memories, just came and left.

DaveG

1997 - New York

I had only been a collector again for three or four years, so the ANA was pretty overwhelming.

I stopped by Doug Winter's table and he spent 15 minutes or so explaining what "original" surfaces were and why they were important. It was shortly thereafter that I bought his first New Orleans gold book and got interested in O-mint coins.

MrEureka

1976 in NYC. I was 15. My two clearest memories were having my heart set on buying one of the aluminum $20 Libs in the Stack's auction. (I ended up looking, being underwhelmed with the coins, and not bidding.) I also remember falling in love with a gem white cameo 1870 Barber Seated Half Dollar pattern in silver in M.B. Simons' showcase. He wanted $800, which was way more than I imagined it was worth. I passed, but that was the coin that I probably should have bought. Actually, I don't think I bought anything at all at the show.

Julian

1966 Chicago. There are so many great memories from many years at the ANA conventions. These are still the grandest of all numismatic events!!

FilamCoins

2005 San Francisco. Flew 8,000 miles from Manila to attend. Great show and city!

ProofArtworkonCircs

1973 Boston

Tootawl

2003 Baltimore
I could not get over the number of dealers there.

kranky

1989 Pittsburgh. Met Walter Breen. Luckily for me common date MS65 Morgans were hundreds of dollars so my budget could only handle 3 MS64s (around $140 each). Having to settle for MS64 limited my losses.

firstmint

1975 in Los Angeles (at the airport).

I remember Jerry Cohen showing me the 1876-CC twenty cent piece that had been purchased the day before from the auction. He told me to look at the LIBERTY and see how it was doubled, and that was a characteristic of being genuine. When I asked how only the LIBERTY could be doubled and not the entire central portion, he just smiled and said he didn't know.

CaptHenway

1971 Washington, D.C. Flew down there for the day (my first flight! something like $36 round trip IIRC) and while there joined the ANA. My application was signed by Ed Fleischmann of Coin World and Adna Wilde.

agentjim007

1990 Seattle. I consigned to the B&M auction because they were putting a copy of the auction catalog in a time capsule to be opened in 100 years. All consignors names are listed in the first couple pages. I wanted someone to see my name in 100 years.

mgoodm3

Last spring in Portland. The most interesting part was meeting all sorts of people that I had only known online previously.

illini420

mine will be 2009 in Los Angeles can't wait!!!

krueger

In Los Angeles 1975, my first ANA convention. I remember seeing the high relief 1921 peace dollar in proof! It was an Incredible coin, I still remember it. If my memory serves me right is was $800. Nice BU morgans were $5 to $25.

Krueger

WTCG

The first World's Fair of Money I attended was the show in Philadelphia in 2000. At the time it was the farthest I had ever traveled for a coin show and it was the largest and busiest bourse floor I had ever seen. It was also the first time for many tasks I perform for granted nowadays: submitting coins for grading in person, viewing the exhibits, refining buying negotiation skills, etc. I believe that to this day that Philadelphia convention holds the record for the highest level of attendance for any ANA convention.

The first spring ANA National Money Show I ever attended was the one in 2001 in Salt Lake City. I would have attended the 1999 Sacramento convention but I was surprised by my Mom with a quick trip to New York City during that same weekend and consequently missed the show completely. For the Salt Lake City show I flew into town on Friday morning and flew out on the same night. One of the memories that I can still recall was when I walked over to the Marriott hotel on Friday evening to catch a taxicab to head back to the airport. Unbeknownst to me at the moment I took the last cab lined up at the hotel. Just as I closed the door of the cab I saw two men, obviously in a hurry, scurry towards the doorman saying they were in a hurry to get to the airport. One of the two men was Silvano DiGenova, who I didn't personally know at the time, but knew who he was because he was interviewed on that show on the Discovery Channel about the Mint. In my mind I thought "oh man, I just stranded the big timer who bought that million dollar gold coin!" I didn't know the other guy personally at the time either, but upon further review, it was Robert "Bobby" Hughes, who was working for Tangible Assets (Sil's company) at the time.

Walkerguy21D

I guess it was the '94 ANA in Detroit. Greatest memories - seeing the display from The Mint (Jay Parrino) - specimen proof large cents from 1793, etc. The other great memory was meeting QD Bowers and having him sign my copy of Adventures with Rare Coins.

HoledandCreative

1963 Denver -- Huge show and only had Saturday to attend. Hurried around and made it to all of the tables (I thought). Don't remember much other than walking out and discovering there was another room of bourse tables that I hadn't seen at all. My jaw hit the floor. I don't remember buying anything, just being in awe of all the wonderful coins present. Bill Mertes had his roll of 1878 $3 gold pieces.

Nic

1972-New Orleans. I was 14. Long car ride from Iowa with a dealer who didn't stop talking. I wore a new leisure suit as I thought it would help me look older and be taken seriously .... I overdressed. Sold everything that I brought though don't remember any newps.

K

7over8

1976 New York

RYK

2004 ANA in Pittsburgh

The highlights included TDN's Liberty Seated Dollar set on display, a complete set of $3's on display (Jewell Collection in exhibit area), and the Duquesne Collection of Liberty $20's on display. I met TDN at the Legend table, and also I met David Hall, who was giving grading opinions at the PCGS booth. It also marked the only time I attended a coin show with both my father and my son, and the first time I attended a Steelers game at Heinz Field with my father and my son (albeit preseason). I do not believe I made any significant transactions, but it was a very enjoyable visit.

Barry

2000 Philadelphia

Mar327

2004 in Pittsburgh was my first and only ANA, and that's when I joined the ANA. Can't remember anything specific that was special - to me it was ALL special; I spent 2 days wondering around looking at everything, taking pictures of things like a tourist! The number of tables was mind-boggling, I felt like a kid at Christmas. Can't remember what I bought, but am sure I spent some money.

Any idea when it will go to Pittsburgh again?

coinkat

Philadelphia- can't remember the year- 1998 or 1999?

foodude

1989 Pittsburgh ANA. The "Dexter" 1804 dollar was on display. Every 20 minutes or so, the would turn the big holder the coin was in so you could see the other side.

FredWeinberg

1968 = San Diego

BillyKingsley

2010. Boston. 13 months and I am already looking forward to it. It's fairly close to me, about 5 hours drive. I will also probably visit Cape Cod while I am there, because I really need any excuse I can get to go there. Although, perhaps not as I don't particularly wish to sit for hours waiting for the chance to cross the bridge.

Halfsense

I attended my first ANA convention in 1977 in Atlanta, and have only missed two summer conventions since then.

My busiest ANA convention was 2000 in Philadelphia when the Philadelphia Inquirer put the SS Central America treasure exhibit on the front cover of the paper's Friday "weekend" section of things to do. There were about 25,000 visitors at that show as the public poured in to see the Ship of Gold exhibit.

The most amazing ANA convention was 2003 in Baltimore when I was in the first group (Paul Montgomery, John Dannreuther, Mark Borckardt and Beith Deisher) to personally and privately see the Walton specimen 1913 Liberty Head nickel when George Walton's heirs brought it to the show. It had been off the hobby radar for 41 years, stored as a family keepsake in a strong box on the floor of a closet in Virginia after Walton's sister was incorrectly told after his death that the coin was a fake.

-donn-

coinkat

Oops... I though the question was most memorable...

First was Long Beach and I believe that was 1976 or 78

GoldenEyeNumismatics

2004 Pittsburgh.

291fifth

1984, Detroit. Saw R.S. Yeoman.

ksteelheader

Baltimore and getting to photograph all five 1913 nickels together.

BillJones

1976 New York City

I bought a 1909 original Proof set with an Indian cent in it, and 1800 Bolender-20 Bust Dollar that was the plate coin in the Bolender book, this discovery specimen and the finest known for what was then an R-7 variety. Boy those were the days when even the medium size collector could afford some great stuff.

I still have 1800 dollar, an it's tied for the finest known for the variety. I sold the Proof set many years ago and used the proceeds for the down payment on my first house.

MrHalfDime

My first ANA was in 1993, in Baltimore, where I first met Jules Reiver, Russ Logan, John McCloskey, Alan Lovejoy, William Subjack, David Davis, and many other numismatic luminaries. Since that time I have only missed a couple of ANA conventions, one in 2005 in San Francisco due to open heart surgery, and now the upcoming LA ANA due to Obamanomics - the stimulus has not trickled all the way down to me yet.

dizzyfoxx

SF '05 ....Very memorable show!

19Lyds

2006 and the greatest memory was in just being in the same room as 10 1933 Double Eagles and 2 1913 Liberty Nickels.

Lakesammman

Portland in '98 - had a great time. Should have bought more patterns - there were some cool ones there.

CaptHenway

<< <i>Baltimore and getting to photograph all five 1913 nickels together. >>



I do remember that exhibit. The ANA Curator let me come back with him and the exhibit into the security room at the end of the show while he took it apart, and he gave me five minutes to play with the coins before he returned them to their owners.
TD

oreville

1973 Boston.

I was like a deer in headlights. Simply awesome. I thought Boston was the capital of the coin world.

I was 19 years old and getting around the country by myself was really "cool."

stinkinlincoln

Mine was several years ago, right after starting my journey in numismatics. I was only reading books on coins at the time and figured why not just go to Baltimore.

I only bought one coin and maybe 5 books. The coin was an error(s) coin, a Jefferson with 5 errors. Got it for under $15. Yea, I ripped the dealer.
I got to meet several experts and authors, even got 2 books autographed by QDB. Yea, Longrace is not alone in his stalker like ways of QDB.

I still have that 5 cent error too. Raw in all its ripped glory.


One of the best Ive ever been too.

airplanenut

2003 in Baltimore when I was 16. There were a few highlights:

-I met Mark Feld, and he showed me a beautifully matched set of toned 3CN proofs (for sale at $49k)
-I took first in the PCGS YN Essay contest
-I bought my first coin for over $100

bidask

In 1970 at the ANA in St Louis, I also hustled coins on the bourse for none other than Harry Forman.

I was a teenager.

I sold coins for him and brought him a few deals ( he had all the money)

I think I recall him paying me $50 dollars for the day.

OchoReales

1977 Atlanta. I purchased two of the key dates I needed for my Indian Cent collection that I started two years before. Judy Cahn from Bowers and Ruddy sold me the 1872 in (then XF) for $105 and I puchased my 1864 L for $85 (also XF then) from another dealer. If I still had the two coins today, they would grade AU50 and AU53. I was 15 and attanded the YN lunch, sitting next to Lee Minshull who, if memory serves, was the YN of the year. We went to Stone Mountain and it was a blast!

coinut1799

1993: Baltimore.
I met Larry Shepherd and Andy Kimmel at that show, and started a long friendship with them. Lots of highlights over the years, including seeing "Ben Franklin" in Philly in 2000, a few years after meeting him in Charleston, S.C. My best, and saddest memory was meeting Stan Hatanaka in Atlanta in 2001. He died way too young.

Tassa

2004 Pittsburgh ANA.

<-----------Purchased this coin there.

coppercoins

1999, Chicago. My best experience was at Pittsburgh, 2004. That's when I self-published my first book and got quite a response there selling it.

PTVETTER

1898 in Pittsburgh, went with my girlfriend at the time, now my wife.

seateddime

1982 -

messydesk

First one I went to was Chicago in 1991. Looked at tons of stuff, and I think I bought the 1942-P Proof war nickel in the proof set I posted a couple days ago there. I asked someone at PCGS (dunno who) if they were going to designate cameo on proof coinage, and they said there was no demand for it, so they weren't. I also went to a presentation on computer grading that Compugrade put on. Pretty good sized audience and a rather interesting, in-depth technical presentation, but a few of us started shooting holes in their product as presented.