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San Antonio 02/23/13 coin show report
ElmerFusterpuck
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It's been awhile since I've done a write-up of our local shows, si I thought why not now? These 1 day shows are sponsored by one or the other of our coin clubs. We're kind of lucky in that we get 4 of these a year, so it makes for a nice diversion on that given Saturday.
This first show of 2013 was held in a new venue; anyone who attended these shows in the past remembers them in the Live Oak Civic Center. While that facility was OK for the coin shows, it's been showing its age and was a throwback to the musty shows of the 1970's. The new venue was at the Norris Conference center at Wonderland Mall. Let me say that was a welcome change of location! The surroundings were far nicer, there was more space in the show, and even the chairs were far nicer. It did make you realize how shabby the Live Oak location really was. OK, enough about that. The show itself seemed fairly well attended, with a steady stream of traffic. The dealers I talked to seemed to like the new place and said they were having a good show. I did have to leave one table where one dealer was going way overboard with his political views, apparently others were doing the same. I mentioned to the others I've been hearing that kind of nonsense for over 30 years and enough was enough. Plus, he really didn't have anything I was looking for. Most of the dealers were still the regulars you see at every show, so you knew were the cleaned, AT, overgraded or overpriced stuff was. One dealer's display was full of NNC holders and not much else, to me that is someone who probably doesn't care too much about customers or the future of the hobby, since he was pricing them at full PCGS price guide retail. I did see a raw blazing red half cent graded MS-64 RD, but closer inspection showed that coin was whizzed big time. At first glance, it actually looked like a red blazer. I almost said something to the dealer about that coin, but ended up passing. I wasn't really sure what to do, but this kind of doctoring is not good for the hobby. I was happy that .900 Fine Coins was there in attendance, definitely one of my favorite places to get stuff. It helped remove the bitter taste of seeing all those NNC holders.
This is one of the few shows I bought no slabbed material, it all was raw and cheap. To me that's still loads of fun, it shouldn't matter whether it's third party graded or raw. Overall, I had a blast for a few hours, that's what this hobby is all about. Below is a sampling of what I got:
A nice large cent for my 7070 from .900 Fine Coins:
A nicely toned (but weakly struck) 1953-S nickel. Couldn't go wrong for a buck:
I mostly collect US, but I couldn't pass up this 1953 British large cent. I really like this reddish sunset color and the darker edges, along with the nice luster. If a coin is attractive, it's fair game no matter what the nationality. Some guys would say the same about women too:
This first show of 2013 was held in a new venue; anyone who attended these shows in the past remembers them in the Live Oak Civic Center. While that facility was OK for the coin shows, it's been showing its age and was a throwback to the musty shows of the 1970's. The new venue was at the Norris Conference center at Wonderland Mall. Let me say that was a welcome change of location! The surroundings were far nicer, there was more space in the show, and even the chairs were far nicer. It did make you realize how shabby the Live Oak location really was. OK, enough about that. The show itself seemed fairly well attended, with a steady stream of traffic. The dealers I talked to seemed to like the new place and said they were having a good show. I did have to leave one table where one dealer was going way overboard with his political views, apparently others were doing the same. I mentioned to the others I've been hearing that kind of nonsense for over 30 years and enough was enough. Plus, he really didn't have anything I was looking for. Most of the dealers were still the regulars you see at every show, so you knew were the cleaned, AT, overgraded or overpriced stuff was. One dealer's display was full of NNC holders and not much else, to me that is someone who probably doesn't care too much about customers or the future of the hobby, since he was pricing them at full PCGS price guide retail. I did see a raw blazing red half cent graded MS-64 RD, but closer inspection showed that coin was whizzed big time. At first glance, it actually looked like a red blazer. I almost said something to the dealer about that coin, but ended up passing. I wasn't really sure what to do, but this kind of doctoring is not good for the hobby. I was happy that .900 Fine Coins was there in attendance, definitely one of my favorite places to get stuff. It helped remove the bitter taste of seeing all those NNC holders.
This is one of the few shows I bought no slabbed material, it all was raw and cheap. To me that's still loads of fun, it shouldn't matter whether it's third party graded or raw. Overall, I had a blast for a few hours, that's what this hobby is all about. Below is a sampling of what I got:
A nice large cent for my 7070 from .900 Fine Coins:
A nicely toned (but weakly struck) 1953-S nickel. Couldn't go wrong for a buck:
I mostly collect US, but I couldn't pass up this 1953 British large cent. I really like this reddish sunset color and the darker edges, along with the nice luster. If a coin is attractive, it's fair game no matter what the nationality. Some guys would say the same about women too:
10-4,
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Edited to add:
I didn't hear any political conversation, but the dealer next to Tim Hargis went on a tear about how ANACS can't grade coins (I don't think he realized Tim was the finalizer there for years), and how he hates slabs because they ruined the hobby. He'd gotten a bunch of hairlined commems back in problem holders and apparently thought they should have straight graded. Tim offered to look at them, and he confirmed they had been cleaned, as did I when I was asked.
I did hear someone go on a rant about playing the slab game and how he didn't need slabs and so on and so on. Not sure if it was the same person, but to each his own. Those are probably the same people that can't be told that their coins really are harshly cleaned in stead of MS-65. I could have told him that I've bought raw coins for $1 and turned them into graded 66's and 67's, but he probably would have told me his scrubbed coins have even higher grades. Still can't figure out how Jackie's Coins stay in business, their prices are simply insane high.
Note to dealers at all shows: *STOP* using PVC flips and pages for your inventory!!! You are ruining your coins, green just sisn't beautiful here. It doesn't cost much more for mylar or Sa-flips, jeez!
10-4,
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Edited for spelling.
<< <i>cmerlo1, I forgot about the lighting, it was bad in spots. That seems like something that could be fixed. There's no reason why parts of the show should be dimmer than others.
I did hear someone go on a rant about playing the slab game and how he didn't need slabs and so on and so on. Not sure if it was the same person, but to each his own. Those are probably the same people that can't be told that their coins really are harshly cleaned in stead of MS-65. I could have told him that I've bought raw coins for $1 and turned them into graded 66's and 67's, but he probably would have told me his scrubbed coins have even higher grades. Still can't figure out how Jackie's Coins stay in business, their prices are simply insane high.
Note to dealers at all shows: *STOP* using PVC flips and pages for your inventory!!! You are ruining your coins, green just sisn't beautiful here. It doesn't cost much more for mylar or Sa-flips, jeez! >>
Sounds like the same guy. The holders on several of the commems said 'MS-60 Details' and he was pissed because he felt they should have been graded higher than MS-60. Tim and I both tried to explain to him how details grading worked, but he was too stubborn to listen. Any time I hear a dealer rant about hating slabs, I assume it's because they no longer have as many opportunities to screw people on both buy and sell transactions, unless their raw inventory says otherwise.
I remember a Round Rock show where Jackie's Coins had a whole case of PCGS slabbed Ike dollars. One of them was a '71-D RDV-006, PCGS 65 (they didn't recognize the variety). I asked for a price, and he pulled out 'Coin Prices' magazine and quoted me the price there, which was way more than the coin was worth even with the variety. He also has a lot of cleaned stuff where the cleaning isnt noted, and the price is full retail for a non-cleaned example. It's funny you brought him up, because I drove down with a couple of friends and we had a discussion about that exact subject.
<< <i>I wonder if the dealer with all the NNC slabs does the Belaire show here in Houston. Last couple time I've gone there was a dealer with his whole inventory in NNC slabs with all priced at high retail.
Edited for spelling. >>
I'm pretty sure I know who you're talking about. IIRC, he's got a 1909-VDB NNC MS-67 Red, and a lot of proof moderns.