The worst coin show that I ever attended.

golden

I went to a very large coin show. When I got there most of the dealers were already gone. Some of the dealers that were still there did not have any coins in their cases and were just sitting around talking. After a little while I needed to go to the restroom. I looked and looked but could not find a restroom anywhere.! Then..........I woke up from the dream that I had last night.
I really need a coin fix! I have to go to a show soon.

airplanenut

I figured you just went to a national show on a Sunday until you mentioned the dream part...

ctf_error_coins

The way I look at it, I go to the largest coin show on earth everyday, it is awesome, they actually have coins that I am interested in and not table after table of Morgans.







I know where the bathroom is as well.















Of course I'm talking about ebay the most awesome coin show on earth 24/7

coppercoins

I had a dream that I went to a coin show once - the year was 1955, and stuff was selling SO cheap I drove myself nuts trying to figure out what to buy!

My "actual" first coin show experience was in 1997.

Walkerguy21D

<< <i>The worst coin show that I ever attended. >>


Was still better than the best day I ever had at work

johnny9434

there are 2 that i wish were a dream. i never went back to them and they have long sinse folded. just as well

bosco5041

The one I remember is , I drove 70 miles to a show and when I got to the room where the show was there was not a soul in the room. I was a week to early, the show wasn't until the next Sunday. I called myself an idiot and had breakfast and drove back home.

mrearlygold

Welcome to the future

BillJones

The worst show I've ever attended was run by a stamp dealer. About half the room was filled with stamp dealers and the rest were "coin" dealers. I put the word "coin" in parentheses because they were not long for this profession unless they changed their ways.

The biggest dealer in the room had a bunch of modern Proof coins he had cut out or cracked out of Proof sets holders, which he was trying sell as singles in 2X2 holders. He didn't have anything older than about 1960. The others had stuff you would find in Whitman folders.

At about 1 PM, which used to be the prime time for shows in those days (the 1970s), the stamp dealer set up an auction in the center of the room. It drew the attention of almost all of the people who were there. During the auction I heard stuff like "I've got a bid for 25 cents, do I hear 35 cents!" Even in the 1970s that was chicken feed. If I had been one of the dealers who had paid for a table to be there, I would have been "ready to urinate."

I left with a vow never to return to one of these "shows" and kept my word. It was a total waste of time, and if the Coin World listing were accurate this "regularly scheduled" show died a natural death.

BillJones

<< <i>Welcome to the future >>



Sorry, it is not "welcome to the future." It is what happens when you show up to a major show on the last few hours of the last day.

I could go into why dealers on the national circuit don't wish to waste their time on collectors who come on the last day of a show, but you probably know why. Tire kickers can drive a dealer crazy.

coinkat

I have this bad feeling I know what dealer you may be talking about...

Walkerfan

<< <i>

<< <i>The worst coin show that I ever attended. >>


Was still better than the best day I ever had at work >>

Kalookan

Worst coin show I ever attended? That's an easy one. January. Fargo, North Dakota. Fargo, yeah, let the jokes begin...

Planned for an overnight stay in Fargo, but still hoped to get home that night. Drove for three uneventful hours, then...
Horrendous blizzard started less than an hour before I arrived. Two hours later, all roads were impassable and were closed.
My two little children with me, but I managed to keep them amused. We were snowed in for 36 hours.
Motels were empty, no problem getting a room. Does that give you a clue about the coin show?

Oh, the coin show... Hardly a soul walking the floor. Virtually all the dealers stayed put at their booths. Literally there was nowhere to go if they weren't at their tables. Everybody else was smart and stayed home.

I came across a dealer who had one box of world coins among the many US coins and notes he brought to the show. There I came across an 1814 Russian rouble in very fine condition. I had no Russian coins in my collection and, at the time, only a passing interest. A very slow show obviously, the dealer sold me the piece for $12. That was the beginning of what has turned out to be a life-long fascination with collecting rare Russian coins. The one I bought at Fargo wasn't rare, just rarely seen on the Great Plains. I still collect other series, including US coins, but my excitement and devotion to Russian coins has never wavered in the 28 winters since that snowstorm. And I still have the rouble!

Worst coin show ever? For the dealers, no question. For me, it was a game-changer.

magikbilly

I figured it might be a dream - no admission

Eric

ricko

I have attended shows of varying quality and size. Some had great material, some had standard fare. I enjoyed them all... Cheers, RickO

cladking

The worst that I actually got to was one where there was a single coin dealer with
a limited stock in the middle of Beanie Baby, doll, and antique dealers. The worst
I went to was three states away and was a mislisting in the coin paper.

The best was Pittsburg in 1989.

WTCG

One that comes to mind happened many years ago. It was a very small show at the (now demolished) Cathedral Hill hotel in San Francisco. There weren't many dealers to begin with and attendance was practically zero. The admission fee was high and hardly any dealer had anything that wasn't meltworthy junk. Then at one dealer's table I asked to see a few of his raw Morgans and I was told he wouldn't be showing me any of his coins because he didn't think I could afford anything over $10. I angrily returned to the admission table in front of the room to demand my admission fee back. I explained to the guy in front what happened with one of his dealers and instead of promptly returning my money he proceeds to go into a long speech about how "everything happens for a reason" and how this was "God's plan for life" and how this is a "learning experience". I responded by telling him about the dark place he and his dealer associate can shove that "learning experience and plan for life".

That dealer is still around and he was set up at Baltimore. He thinks we're buddies but I don't forget incidents like that that easily.

The worst shows I've ever set up at was one that took place at the county fairgrounds. My table was directly under the vent. It sounded like an airport ramp and nothing that wasn't secured stayed in one place. At another show I showed up to my table and after finding out who I was set up next to I immediately turned around and walked out. I haven't been back to that show since.