Was Pittsburgh the worst ANA ever?

FunwithMPL · October 15, 2011 1:53AM

I have been on the phone talking to a few of my dealer buddy's and e-mailing to people at the show.

And no one is telling me anything good about the show from:

Poor attendance
Not so great Numismatic Theatre talks
To the high price of everthing being in downtown Pittsburgh

Does anyone agree or disagree

ajaan · October 15, 2011 2:00AM

I was at the show yesterday. I had no problem what so ever getting around the aisles.

curly · October 15, 2011 2:09AM

I had a wonderful time. See my trip report. Pittsburgh is hard to drive in though. We stayed out by the airport and the trafic was terrible! The crowds were small but isn't that the time to schmooze? I got tons of face time and loved every minute of it. I got a few glasses of wine also.

RYK · October 15, 2011 2:30AM

I think that going up against next week's St. Louis Silver Dollar show really hurt dealer and collector turnout.

EagleEye · October 15, 2011 2:38AM

A show is really what you make of it. If the aisles are full of people do you buy more? I think if a show is under-attended you should make use of it to your advantage. Better deals can be made, maybe some auction lots fall through the cracks. You can enjoy it at a slower pace.

ajaan · October 15, 2011 2:44AM

<< Better deals can be made, maybe some auction lots fall through the cracks. You can enjoy it at a slower pace. >>

I totally agree. As an attendee, I loved that it wasn't crowded. I had the best time there yesterday. I was able to talk to many of the dealers who are Forum members. I'm sure they would have rather spent their time dealing with customers, but I enjoyed meeting these guys and gal and shooting the bull with them.

PerryHall · October 15, 2011 3:02AM

Considering the state of the economy, I'm not the least bit surprised.

Elcontador · October 15, 2011 3:02AM

<< A show is really what you make of it. If the aisles are full of people do you buy more? I think if a show is under-attended you should make use of it to your advantage. Better deals can be made, maybe some auction lots fall through the cracks. You can enjoy it at a slower pace. >>

This. At the Los Angeles ANA, I was able to see more of the exhibits, speak with more dealers I knew, and actually bought a coin from Legend (because things were slow at the show, they had more time to talk / deal with me), all because of the low turnout.

blu62vette · October 15, 2011 3:47AM

High price of pittsburgh? If you got decent room this place was cheap. Food was very cheap compared to other places.

lunytune2 · October 15, 2011 4:47AM

<< Considering the state of the economy, I'm not the least bit surprised.

>>

I have been wanting to go all year .. even up till yesterday .... but with $137 dollars in my pocket and having admission and parking I decided I was dreaming . I watched Spongebob with the kids all day.

Unknown · October 15, 2011 5:03AM

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FunwithMPL · October 15, 2011 5:04AM

Now blu62vette I priced a room and what you call cheap is a little different than me. The PAN show were usually held out in Monroeville, PA. Rooms $100.00 a per night and convention parking free. Downtown Pittsburgh the ANA host rooms were over $200.00 per night in fact that is more than I paid out at Rosemont for the summer ANA show. I want to spend money on coins not on a room.

And about a slow show the dealers are the one who losses.

Lakesammman · October 15, 2011 5:17AM

You need to get a roommate. Boiler78 and I average $60/night (each) through Priceline, no matter the city.

jesbroken · October 15, 2011 5:40AM

It is amazing how forum members just do not want to down a coin show, as if it might spread and their be no more shows. If a show is slow, sobeit. If there are parking issues, motel/hotel issues or expenses above norm, lack of participation of dealers, and/or light consumer traffic or sales, then just "say so". I do not believe it will be a thorn in the side of the hobby. We all speak of truthfulness when dealing with coins, I would hope we wouldn't sugar coat every other issue. JMO
Jim

WTCG · October 15, 2011 5:53AM

Other ANA conventions have been a lot busier but this show by all means was absolutely not the worst ANA show ever. People should not declare a show the worst they have ever seen if they were not at the show themselves.

Does anybody remember the ANA Spring show in Jacksonville or Kansas City?

blu62vette · October 15, 2011 6:33AM

I think I paid 119 at the host hotel. I don't pay for high hotel rooms.

RYK · October 15, 2011 6:41AM

WTCG is wrong. Laura just called it the worst ever major coin show in her blog. Ouch!

Justacommeman · October 15, 2011 6:47AM

<< WTCG is wrong. Laura just called it the worst ever major coin show in her blog. Ouch! >>

Yes, ouch...........I thought it deserved it's own thread

MJ

blu62vette · October 15, 2011 6:50AM

<< WTCG is wrong. Laura just called it the worst ever major coin show in her blog. Ouch! >>

3 of us on the plane just read her report and her comments were spot on. PNG day was dead. Dealers had to work the floor to make the show work. Even I had to walk the floor to have some stuff to sell later.

ColonialCoinUnion · October 15, 2011 7:10AM

Our experience was pretty good overall.

dragon · October 15, 2011 7:12AM

<< A show is really what you make of it. If the aisles are full of people do you buy more? I think if a show is under-attended you should make use of it to your advantage. Better deals can be made, maybe some auction lots fall through the cracks. You can enjoy it at a slower pace. >>

I agree 100%. There's nothing I like better than a poorly attended show. One thing I can't stand is when I'm very interested to see something in a dealers case (and probably buy it) and some guy is sitting making small talk, wasting time, and has no intention of buying or selling anything while I have money burning a hole in my pocket

WTCG · October 15, 2011 8:23AM

<< WTCG is wrong. Laura just called it the worst ever major coin show in her blog. Ouch! >>

You missed the second part. Laura wants you this Sunday to show up to Heinz Field wearing a dress with an embroidered Jax Jaguars logo on the back side...

This ANA convention wasn't a great show but it wasn't the worst ever.

RYK · October 15, 2011 8:28AM

<< 

<< WTCG is wrong. Laura just called it the worst ever major coin show in her blog. Ouch! >>

You missed the second part. Laura wants you this Sunday to show up to Heinz Field wearing a dress with an embroidered Jax Jaguars logo on the back side... >>

Haha! Never!

Bear · October 15, 2011 9:34AM

History shows that when the coin industry has its periodic die out,

no one is able to predict its happening date. Things just stop, suddenly.

I do not think that we are there yet, but if this keeps up, we may be getting

mighty close. Cash is king, trades are not. Regardless of how tight TPG grading

becomes, serious collectors want more coin for their money. What may have

been acceptable 6-12 months ago, is no longer acceptable today. Be careful

out there folks, we are sledding on thin ice right now.

ScarsdaleCoin · October 15, 2011 9:55AM

"Does anybody remember the ANA Spring show in Jacksonville or Kansas City?"

I have horror memories of Jacksonville.... the empty downtown and my last deal of the show as I was packing up... buying a $50 bag of wheaties cheap.... then selling them even cheaper since I did not want to carry them... LOL

CoinCrazyPA · October 15, 2011 10:08AM

Per Laura, A RECORD SETTING SHOW!

Huh? Thats right, it has to hold the record for the WORST EVER major coin show (and probably the WORST Westin Hotel in the chain)

golden · October 15, 2011 10:15AM

I did not go to Pittsburgh. I decided to take a vacation and go to Florida.I have attended every ANA summer show since 1970.The WORST was 2009 in Los Angeles!

BillJones · October 15, 2011 10:20AM

It all depends upon whether or not the dealers bring stuff that I want at prices that are fair. I could go to a show and be the only customer in the place, and if a dealer had a 1796 No Stars quarter eagle that I liked at a fair price, I'd make both of our shows!

Bear · October 15, 2011 10:24AM

The worst ever, the best ect, ect. One must always be careful of using absolutes

unless they only apply to yourself. Clearly, the Show was less then expected and

while I am sure that a number of dealers did fairly well, dealers are starting to

to put pencil to paper to calculate which shows are cost effective to attend in the future.

MrEureka · October 15, 2011 10:30AM

My take on the show was that the crowd was thinner than expected but reasonably active. Coins sold easily enough, but there was so little fresh material in the room that enthusiasm and profits were in very short supply. Yes, this has been the trend for a while, but this show took it to a new level.

BTW, the last ANA convention in Pittsburgh - 2004, IIRC - was a great show. So whatever went wrong this week, I would not blame the location.

blu62vette · October 15, 2011 10:35AM

<< I did not go to Pittsburgh. I decided to take a vacation and go to Florida.I have attended every ANA summer show since 1970.The WORST was 2009 in Los Angeles! >>

That was a great show for me. Just shows from one table to the next all the experiences are vastly different.

BillJones · October 15, 2011 10:42AM

I am sure there have been worse "mid year" or "little ANA" shows. Many years ago the ANA would hold these things and lose money at every one. It got so bad that the local club I belonged to refused to buy a patron ad because we got sick and tired of the red ink at every show they held. Why should an organization waste members' dues on a show that loses money all the time? Finally ANA turned it around, but since I'm no fan of the ANA I don't care very much.

There has never been one of these small ANA shows held in an area where I lived, and I lived in the Boston area for over 20 years, and have now lived in Florida for eight years. It's not like I've been living in the boon docks. So far as I'm concerned FUN has it all over the ANA.

shorecoll · October 15, 2011 11:10AM

I spoke to a couple of dealers who said they were exhausted and just didn't go...I don't think the market is dead, there just have been too many shows. It goes in cycles, eventually they'll kill and eat the golden goose then a new cycle will start. I amazed that the mega-auctions haven't exhausted the market.

WTCG · October 15, 2011 4:56PM

<< 

<< I did not go to Pittsburgh. I decided to take a vacation and go to Florida.I have attended every ANA summer show since 1970.The WORST was 2009 in Los Angeles! >>

That was a great show for me. Just shows from one table to the next all the experiences are vastly different. >>

A lot of people didn't like the Los Angeles ANA but for me that was one of my better ANA shows.

RYK · October 16, 2011 12:44AM

It looks like CRO had a good show in the 'Burgh.

RichieURich · October 16, 2011 6:59AM

We did quite well at the Pittsburgh ANA. We met quite a few new customers and potential new customers, and our sales were quite a bit more than we expected.

So, the Pittsburgh ANA wasn't even close to the worst ANA ever, from our standpoint.

JonMN34 · October 16, 2011 7:41AM

While the crowd at times seemed thin, I had an excellent show.

I didn't buy or sell a single coin, but then I'm a currency guy

I was slammed with people nearly the entire show, if it was a little slow that was fine as I could talk longer with those interested in the hobby.

The company I'm with as far as I saw was selling coin left and right, many dealers filling out their inventories.

Got to meet several forum members, and had a great dinner at Church Brew Works. Still can't believe Tootawl threw food at Kranky...

Tootawl · October 16, 2011 7:47AM

<< While the crowd at times seemed thin, I had an excellent show.

I didn't buy or sell a single coin, but then I'm a currency guy

I was slammed with people nearly the entire show, if it was a little slow that was fine as I could talk longer with those interested in the hobby.

The company I'm with as far as I saw was selling coin left and right, many dealers filling out their inventories.

Got to meet several forum members, and had a great dinner at Church Brew Works. Still can't believe Tootawl threw food at Kranky... >>

You threw at me first! I was just returning fire! About Kranky, my hand slipped ... yeah ... that's it. My hand slipped.

Tootawl · October 16, 2011 11:09AM

Even though the traffic was lighter here, the worst ANA shows I've been to was either San Francisco or L.A.

walkerman · October 16, 2011 7:55PM

Don't know why but this was one of our best ANA Money Shows ever. We had a great set up day (even selling a nice PCGS 1883CC ms 66 dmpl CAC Morgan to Laura). With several other wholesale sales we came close to making our "nut". Thursday was even better, selling several 4 and 5 figure type coins. Friday we sold some high end Walkers and some more Morgans and type. Saturday we came up with a solid goose egg. Boorrring! We had the same inventory at Philadelphia and had only a mediocre show. Go figure. I guess it's somewhat like a dating service. When the dealers inventory matches several want lists --- Bingo!--- we have romance. We would be very happy to have every show we attend end up with similar results. Dave W

David J Weygant Rare Coins www.djwcoin.com

ColonialCoinUnion · October 16, 2011 8:49PM

<< I spoke to a couple of dealers who said they were exhausted and just didn't go...I don't think the market is dead, there just have been too many shows. >>

I completely reject this argument.

We do every major, national show, which this year so far has been a total of 11 (and that includes the EAC show which a lot of major dealers skipped). So, in 9.5 months, 11 shows is too many? And we only have two more on the schedule before year end, with one of those being the Boston Show which again is skipped by most major dealers.

Now I know some people will say they attend the PCGS Vegas shows, but a lot of those same dealers have been skipping Long Beach of late, and not going to EAC or Boston.

So, most major dealers are not doing more than 1 show a month on average, which hardly seems like overload to me.

Pistareen · October 16, 2011 10:33PM

Definitely not the worst ANA ever -- that honor belongs distinctly to LA for the summer show. For midwinters, Kansas City ranks up there, as does the 1994 New Orleans show where, oddly, few of the dealers seemed to show up until after noon ...

Was it slow? Yes. But I support Pittsburgh as a show location and will go every time the ANA throws an event there.

I'm sure there will be a Kraljeblog all about it this week.

TwoSides2aCoin · October 16, 2011 11:22PM

Wasn't there. Can't say ! The Moon Show in Minnesota was fun. Too short and not enough mula for coins... but fun. I did sell two four figure coins and bought 2 three figure coins (if the dealer gets CAC stickers on those 2, he'll do much better), but I wanted to do five figures worth of business.... so I missed my goal because I hold out for more than the grey sheet sometimes

I can only blame myself for not being more generous, I suppose.... but it's a tug o war and guys won't stretch for coins, they'll bend you over for them.

Next week is Omaha's Annual Show. Please PM me if you're coming. I can show you the sights and sounds of this little old town in fly over country.

Was Pittsburgh the worst ANA ever?

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