MSNS Show Report [with World Coin newp]

Boosibri

Saturday was my third MSNS show held outside of Detroit, on Black Friday. The show always seems to be a great collectors show with a full boarse and hopefully some money changing hands. The reason for this being generally a good collectors show I hypothesize is due to the strong middle class of baby boomers in the Detroit suburbs. While Detroit has a pretty negative perception, the suburbs of Detroit are some of the richest area of the country and a strong middle class exists in Michigan which often times is overshadowed by the negative publicity surrounding the city center.

I drove the hour south the Macomb Community College after spending Thanksgiving at my wife's families place near Flint. Pulling into the parking lot right about the time the door opened, I was initially surprised at how full the parking lot was. I made my way across the aisles and found several really nice coins and surprisingly a few nice pieces of gold, including not one, not two, but three 1801 $10's, the nicest by far being Dave Wnuck's AU55, I also found a very nice 1800 $5 AU58 CAC with Jim McGuigan which I really liked, and a very nice 1862 AU58 $10 at the Stacks table.

The amount of collector material on the floor was very strong as one might expect and I find going to coin shows a bit distracting from my normally very focused buying habits. Case in point, I came across a very nice 1909-O 25c in VF35 and found myself negotiating to buy the coin. I own two Barbers, both in low grade and have no general interest in Barber type, why am I about to spend $1,500 on this coin?

I did get a chance to talk with Forum members Dave Wnuck, Paul Mundt (Commoncents05) and Glenn Holsonbake (Ponyexpress). Great guys and very nice to catch up with everyone.

While I did not buy any gold, I did buy a very very very nice world coin which seemingly has become a second area of interest for me. While Spanish colonials have become a focus, I couldn't pass up this 1873-A Hercule France 5 Fr. One local dealer had a really great set of coins which probably made up a portion of his personal collection. This coin along with an 1938 South Africa Shilling in P68 OGH and a thousand year old Bohemia coin with great toning made up his world coin offerings. This 5 Fr coin was a no brainer for me!

All in all a good day at the MSNS show and I look forward to attending again next year and hopefully seeing a few more forum members.

EVillageProwler

Tres magnifique!

harasha

I have dabbled in US coins, on occasion. I do like the Barber series; possibly my favorite.

coinkat

Wonderful example- terrific look

Thanks for writing up a show report. Looks as if it was a great show

STLNATS

Very nice 5 franc piece with lovely color which developed, I assume, over the last century and a half. What's especially fun and remarkable is that the same basic design was recycled over the years. While admittedly not as striking as your coin, the big, more recent 10 francs almost always deserve a double take. Congrats!

ajaan

You can never go wrong with a beautiful hunk of 19th C. silver.

bidask

Beautiful toning !

nicholasz219

Nice coin and great report!

stash

I was at the show today, dead as a door today, no potter, he's really sick right now, coneca table was also dead as a door, nothing like last years show, michigan isn't doing very well, most of the middle class has left this place, don't kid your self, place is like a ghost town !!!!

TIF2

That is a lovely obverse scene!

Boosibri

<< <i>I was at the show today, dead as a door today, no potter, he's really sick right now, coneca table was also dead as a door, nothing like last years show, michigan isn't doing very well, most of the middle class has left this place, don't kid your self, place is like a ghost town !!!! >>



did you go an hour before the doors closed? Every other report was that the show was quite strong.

Your comment on the area and state is completely untrue. There is a huge middle class in the Detroit suburbs. Obviously you have a different underlying issue.

stash

I'm only comparing last years show, to this years show, no dealers were complaining last years, and lots were complaining this year, you have to remember, theses dealer pay to be there, also pay for the casing their coins are in, some even spend 3 days in a motel, which also cost money, good for the buyers, but, bad for the dealers, you have to look at both sides of the fence !!!

Zohar

I hear most shows have become dealer to dealer business. Collectors do not go to shows as much. The ANA was not heavily attended I hear.

stash

They even have laws now, that a dealing, can not send a buyers for help, to another dealer, the buyer has to find the dealer on their own, what is that !!!!!

coinkat

Stash- What are you saying here?

stash

It seems like the internet, is the way of the further for coins, as theses shows, will soon be a thing in the past !!!!

coinkat

I just do not see it that way. Coin shows offer all the things that the internet does not.

-Looking at the coin in hand before purchasing
-Looking at inventories of dealers and finding something special
-Speaking live and in person with dealers and other collectors
-Gaining perspective from examining as many coins as you care to examine in hand and at no cost.

Coin shows may not come with instructions but one doesn't instructions to roll up the sleeves and look for what is important to you or even discover what the hobby really has to offer.

coinkat

I have found some of the nicest coins I own at coin shows when I so happen to stumble across them by chance.

JCMhouston

Very nice pickup.

stash

Don't get me wrong, I love going to coin shows, talking to everyone, looking at the exhibits, and coins too, but you have to look at the dealers point of view, and everything I talked about in this thread, I just see shows being a thing of the past, not to many young people there either !

Zohar

You should come to the NY show and see some traffic. Perhaps the regional shows are taking more of a hit depending on the clientele.
The economy definitely makes people think twice about plane/hotel costs as well.
If auction house sales are indicative, the market is broad.

stash

This was the first time ever, for any show, I had to show picture ID to get in !!!

Zohar

Enjoy!

EVillageProwler

<< <i>This was the first time ever, for any show, I had to show picture ID to get in !!! >>



Maybe I'm stupid, but what is the big deal with having to show a picture ID? I think there are other shows that require this too.

Tibor

I would be thrilled to have a show of this size 1-2 hours drive of
my home. While I buy 90%+ from the net I enjoy talking to several
of the attending dealers at any show. Only a small percentage of
their inventory is ever available on the net. Give me a show where
Allen Berman, Glenn Schinke, and Dr. Gordon Singer are set up
and I'm in "high cotton". These are 3 of my favorites to talk with.

Is the aforementioned Potter, Ken Potter? I did not realize he was in
bad health.

Sad to say it may be several years before Detroit and its suburbs
become positive topics.

stash

Mr. Potter, or Ken Potter, cancer is back, please pray for him !!!!