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Do you remember your first Long Beach Show?

OldEastsideOldEastside Posts: 4,602 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have to admit I got the idea from watching Dave Hall's Long Beach video
and he mentions his first Long Beach show in 1966 and that got me thinking
about my first LB show, it was in 1975 I think and I lived in Santa Barbara, CA
and I was'nt even 16 yet but I did have a learners permit and back then you
could drive a motorcycle by yourself with a learners permit and I did all the
way from Santa Barbara, on an old 305 Honda that was held together with
hose clamps, tie wraps and duct tape, I bought some rolls of BU nickels and a
few were in the plasic tubes and I straped them all in a bag on the back seat
of that old 305 Honda and went back home, the funny thing is the coins in the
plastic tubes vibrated so much they left a rim mark on the insides of the tubes.

So thats what I remember about my first Long Beach Show.

You?

Steve
Promote the Hobby

Comments

  • Bayard1908Bayard1908 Posts: 3,973 ✭✭✭✭
    Went in 1980 at the market peak, quite a frenzy of activity.
  • coinsarefuncoinsarefun Posts: 21,662 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The main thing that I can remember is bewilderment and thinking to myself,
    I have never seen so much gold in one place in all my life!

    I don't think it registered in my mind coins and prices. Many here say the best for beginners is
    to go to a show and I agree except a small show to start with as a large show will make your rain hurtimage


  • kruegerkrueger Posts: 799 ✭✭✭

    I attended my first Long beach show , at one of the three in 1964.
    I think I learned of it from the paper or a local coin dealer I visited regularly.
    I was 17 and my father took me . I've been attending ever since.
    Have only missed a handful, due mostly to bad weather, and college years.
    In those early days the show had a buzz on the bourse like no other show I have ever
    attended, and I have been at the fun shows and at least 20 ANA shows.
    Very exciting. It was always an event to look forward to!


    Krueger
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I do like it was yesterday. It was my first show. The first table I ever saw was Larry Shepherd's. It was right by the door. The next one was Mike Defalco's. I thought all the tables were going to be like that.

    MJ
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • WTCGWTCG Posts: 8,940 ✭✭✭
    I still have memories of that show, especially the really nasty cold I caught there.
    Follow me on Twitter @wtcgroup
    Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
  • OKbustchaserOKbustchaser Posts: 5,435 ✭✭✭✭✭

    June of 1989...my wife and I took time out from our honeymoon. Hey, I figured she might as well get used to it from the first.
    Just because I'm old doesn't mean I don't love to look at a pretty bust.
  • illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Most definitely. I had only been to a couple of local shows (25-30 dealers) beforehand and I thought those were awesome. One of the dealers at the smaller shows told me about the Long Beach shows and about Heritage auctions and being able to do lot viewing at Long Beach. I just remember being completely overwhelmed on how many people were there selling coins and on how many coins were all there in one room. Been back to just about every Long Beach show since!

    image
  • bidaskbidask Posts: 13,830 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1973

    First major auction as well.
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




  • mozinmozin Posts: 8,755 ✭✭✭
    I have no idea in what year I attended Long Beach for the first time. It impressed me to say the least. I was so amazed that I was actually afraid to spend any money on coins. The year was about 1980.
    I collect Capped Bust series by variety in PCGS AU/MS grades.
  • MowgliMowgli Posts: 1,219
    My first big show. Drove from Phoenix with wife and kids who spent their time at Disneyland. It was an arrangement we lived with for years. I remember going through seated material with Larry Briggs and bust halves with Sheridan Downey. It changed the way I collected because it was the beginning of establishing relationships with well known dealers (besides the two mentioned) who helped me to build my sets. I have not been there in 15 years since I moved to NC.
    In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.
  • CoinCastCoinCast Posts: 508 ✭✭✭
    I remember my first Santa Clara well, but not Long Beach. Kinda sad since it was only about 3 or 4 years ago.

    Numismatist @WitterCoin

  • etexmikeetexmike Posts: 6,794 ✭✭✭
    Not yet. image


    Mike
  • My first visit was in 1986. The show is in the same location but the facility has changed since then. I think there was a stamp section to the left of the entrance.

    I was there for an auction and don't recall much about the bourse. I don't recall that I bought a coin on the floor.

    I didn't get back again until about ten years ago. My memories of recent shows have wiped out much of the memory from my first Long Beach show.
  • cupronikcupronik Posts: 773 ✭✭✭
    June 1980.

    I met Jack Copeland of Royalty Coins there. He didn't know me from squat but apparently trusted this then 20 yr. old from Oregon to "run coins on the floor" for him and keep the difference.

    I still see Jack on the floor at Long Beach.

    His hair was brown back thenimage
  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,709 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My first Long Beach show was as a
    collector, about 1969/70, or maybe a year
    earlier even.

    I went there with my girlfriend, who
    had some compassion for my hobby.
    She was blonde, beautiful, the whole package.

    As I'm walking up and down the aisles,
    I stopped at a Denver dealer's table,
    Vern Lowe, who had some very spectacular
    error coins (Denver Dealer, so no surprise
    at that time).

    As I'm looking at Vern's selection of 1964
    Double Struck and Off Center Kennedy's,
    I asked some prices......which were too high
    for a 20-year old UPS worker/college student;
    as I intensely looked at the coins, and said
    something like "Thanks, but I don't have that
    kind of money", he offered to trade a nice
    error coin for my girlfriend!

    Of course he was kidding (?), and we had
    a good laugh over it, but She never let me
    forget the fact that I did hesitate for a second
    or two after the offer was made!

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors
    for PCGS. A 49+-Year PNG Member...A full numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022
  • guitarwesguitarwes Posts: 9,236 ✭✭✭


    << <i>As I'm looking at Vern's selection of 1964
    Double Struck and Off Center Kennedy's,
    I asked some prices......which were too high
    for a 20-year old UPS worker/college student;
    as I intensely looked at the coins, and said
    something like "Thanks, but I don't have that
    kind of money", he offered to trade a nice
    error coin for my girlfriend!

    Of course he was kidding (?), and we had
    a good laugh over it, but She never let me
    forget the fact that I did hesitate for a second
    or two after the offer was made! >>



    Now that's funny. image
    @ Elite CNC Routing & Woodworks on Facebook. Check out my work.
    Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
  • DorkGirlDorkGirl Posts: 9,994 ✭✭✭


    << <i>My first Long Beach show was as a
    collector, about 1969/70, or maybe a year
    earlier even.

    I went there with my girlfriend, who
    had some compassion for my hobby.
    She was blonde, beautiful, the whole package.

    As I'm walking up and down the aisles,
    I stopped at a Denver dealer's table,
    Vern Lowe, who had some very spectacular
    error coins (Denver Dealer, so no surprise
    at that time).

    As I'm looking at Vern's selection of 1964
    Double Struck and Off Center Kennedy's,
    I asked some prices......which were too high
    for a 20-year old UPS worker/college student;
    as I intensely looked at the coins, and said
    something like "Thanks, but I don't have that
    kind of money", he offered to trade a nice
    error coin for my girlfriend!

    Of course he was kidding (?), and we had
    a good laugh over it, but She never let me
    forget the fact that I did hesitate for a second
    or two after the offer was made! >>



    Did you marry her?image
    Becky
  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,709 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No, I didn't......kept in touch over
    the decades a bit, but that's about it....
    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors
    for PCGS. A 49+-Year PNG Member...A full numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022
  • metalmeistermetalmeister Posts: 4,584 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I hope you married herimage
    My first L.B. show was in the mid 1990's where $20 libs were $400 ea by the bushel full.
    Should have mortgaged the houseimage
    email: [email protected]

    100% Positive BST transactions
  • nencoinnencoin Posts: 1,219 ✭✭✭✭
    Tom from our office has never lived outside of the state of Massachusetts. However, he has easily spent over a year of his life in Long Beach just because of the coin show. (So happens he's also missing his first ever Long Beach show next week.) I haven't been in the business nearly as long as Tom and even I've spent more than half a year in that town. Crazy.
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My first Long Beach show was also my only Long Beach show, June 2004.

    I had an 1807 half dollar that I couldn't find a match in Overton's 3rd, I posted it on here and Nysoto helped identify it and got the BHNC involved by forwarding pics and discussing. They couldn't find it in the book either and invited me to an in person inspection at the next big west coast show a few weeks later.

    I took it to Sheridan Downey's table at the show, and he, Henry Hilgard, Steve Herrman, our own Nysoto (Bill Nyberg), and a few other experts told me it was not only a new variety (marriage), but a new previously undescribed obverse die (12). It is characterized by a weak top of the R in Liberty (LIBEKTY) and a couple of die marks behind the head. It has Rev. B as in O.103 and 0.104

    Analysis of die state, edge, dentil count, etc. suggested that it may be among the last known draped bust halves struck, before changing to the capped bust design that same year.

    There is a long thread about it, made the cover of Coin World, and Bill wrote the cover story for the JRCS journal. Pretty exciting Long Beach show, tough to top so I haven't gone back..

    NGC slabbed it discovery coin and I still have it. It is now O.115 R7+ with 4 currently known, census N20 Disc, P20 Peterson, P12, Gen (the Mohawk hoard coin)

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • renomedphysrenomedphys Posts: 3,477 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The thing I remember most was the sense of bewilderment staring into Tom Reynolds' cases of early copper. I had never seen anything like it. I had no idea any of those coins could possibly come like that.
  • EagleEyeEagleEye Posts: 7,676 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I started going to Long Beach in 1987. Missed one in February 1997 when my son was born.

    The convention center was in the old configuration which was a square hall which includes most of the present neighboring hall and we entered from what is now considered the rear of the present hall.

    PCGS was new and there were meetings on how sight-unseen trading should work.

    UNIGOLD had baskets of fruit at their table and "friendship" banquets on Friday evening.

    Long Beach was mostly a boarded-up economic disaster with homeless people everywhere.
    Rick Snow, Eagle Eye Rare Coins, Inc.Check out my new web site:
  • 1975...don't eat the hotdogs!
    PM me if you are looking for U.S. auction catalogs
  • 19Lyds19Lyds Posts: 26,470 ✭✭✭✭
    I remember my 1st LB Show.

    I walked away with a Prototype Eisenhower Dollar ($10), a 1974 Mint Set with a DDO Kennedy which graded at MS64 ($5), a 1941-D Jefferson which graded at MS66FS ($10) and a 1941-S Jefferson which graded at MS66FS ($10)
    I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.



    The name is LEE!
  • swhuckswhuck Posts: 546 ✭✭✭
    I'm pretty sure it was February 1993. I was in Anaheim working a computer show, and it wrapped up for the day early enough so that I could head to the show for a couple of hours. Given the size of the show, it was rushed. I don't remember any significant purchases -- maybe a common date half cent in VF or something similar. I've been back a few times since, but Heritage has never sent me to one.

    Sincerely,

    Stewart Huckaby
    mailto:[email protected]
    ------------------------------------------
    Heritage Auctions
    Heritage Auctions

    2801 W. Airport Freeway

    Dallas, Texas 75261

    Phone: 1-800-US-COINS, x1355
    Heritage Auctions
  • FlashFlash Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭
    I had collected coins as a kid, but had been out of it for at least 25 years. A co-worker was going to the show in Long Beach to look for shipwreck coins, which he collected. He didn't want to go alone so I told him I would go and help drive. I've been hooked every since. Haven't missed the last 38 shows, and won't miss this one either.

    I'm sure many others here have been to quite a few more than that. How many Long Beach shows have you been to?
    Matt
  • ColorfulcoinsColorfulcoins Posts: 3,360 ✭✭✭
    Fall 2001........was living in the mid West and happened to be in CA for business so spent a good part of my day on Saturday there.....really ignited some fires that had been smoldering for 25 years......and haven't looked back since (and now its only a 30 min drive to get there).
    Craig
    If I had it my way, stupidity would be painful!
  • Never been to one, but it's on my bucket list...
  • BochimanBochiman Posts: 25,283 ✭✭✭✭✭
    2006. Did FUN 2005.
    Decided that FUN was quite interesting so I would do Long Beach (and, nice weather never hurts). Took the wife and kid and let them do Disney while I do the 30+ minutes to the show.
    Took them to the show on the last day of the show as I didn't want to be slowed down the first few days.

    After FUN, it was a huge letdown. I took ~$3000 in cash and had big eyes. Things were so overpriced or just weren't there for what I was collecting at the time, that I ended up spending $15.
    I remember that very well as I was said about it as I had high hopes.

    I do remember Val Webb had a booth that he didn't sit at but it had $1000 in original bank wrapped rolls of Franklins. I saw some very cool end roll toners. Me, and another guy, had him paged as we were interested in some of them, but when Val got there, he said they were for sale as a group only. Since (a) I was still new to collecting, (b) I didn't collect Franklins at the time and just wanted some cool toners, and (c) I wasn't someone who sold coins back then, just bought them, I passed. Hindsight being what it is, I would have made out like a bandit just due to the silver value increase. Oh well.
    The only other memorable thing about that show was meeting Mark Feld in person.

    I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment

  • thisnamztakenthisnamztaken Posts: 4,101 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My first LB show was back in the late 1970's. It was at "The L.B. Arena" in those days. I was into paper money as well as coins, and I remember I bought a small sized FRN star note in about XF for about $30.00 and didn't realize how scarce it was at the time. Sold it 6-7 years ago on eBay for $400. image Also met and got on the late Chuck O'Donnell's mailing list. He would send us a CU $1.00 FRN for $1.25 or so, every time a new block came out. A great guy!
    I never thought that growing old would happen so fast.
    - Jim

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