My Friday at Long Beach
TommyType
Posts: 4,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
I don't really have much to report! I was there from about 10:45am to maybe 2:00pm, and it was pretty quiet in the aisles for most of that time. Don't know if that is indicative of the show, or the market, since last Long Beach was slow on Friday, and most reported a pretty good show overall.
Mini-Rant: I do hate the fact that I have to make special arrangements to go on Friday, though! Last time I was there on Saturday, it was like moving day at the college dorms....everyone packing up! It's a nasty cycle. Dealers pack, so collectors don't show up, so more dealers pack, fewer collectors, etc., etc.
Anyway, I didn't have any specific objectives since I'm still in the process of consolidating and focusing my collection a little bit. (20 lots closing Sunday on Great Collections....Everyone go bid on something! 
)
But, as usual I know the holes in my type set, Walker set, Busties, 2 cent, 3 cent, commems, etc. like the back of my hand, so I just browsed looking for coins that caught my attention.
I finally got bitten by my habit of "taking notes, and going back later". I saw a really nice 1930 MS-64+FH SLQ at a nice price that I added to my list....and unlike usual, it was gone when I returned. Oh, well. Can't win them all.
But the same dealer had a rather sharp Sesquicentennial commem in MS-64 that I did buy upon my return. I really like the "deep dish" look of this coin, for some reason. The relief isn't great, but the curvature from the rim down to the field is oddly pleasing. I looked at a pair of MS-64's at another table, that included some nice pastel colors....but they also had some distracting spotting, and a 2X+ color premium attached to them. I tend to not pay extra for color...call me crazy.
My other big purchase was an 1838 reeded edge Bust Half in XF-45. It has a nice natural patina, as opposed to the spotty or artificially white you often see. I've been looking for this date for awhile, not because it's required for my type set...I have an 1837 and an 1839 which fill the requirement. But 1838 is on my list of "Birthday Year Sets" list, as 1963 - 125 years. (Yes, I have weird corners in my collection). Just need 1838 half dime, and bust quarter for the full year type set.
The "negotiation" was a little goofy on this one. I thought the initial price tag was fair, actually, but one ALWAYS asks for their "best price", right? So, I did. The response was, "what do you want to offer?"...with a little wink. I was about to knock of $10 as a reasonable counter, but instead my mouth disconnected from my brain, and I said, "Well, I usually just pay what is asked!" (Then, of course, I felt stupid). Well, he doubled the price in jest, and then went to his reference material. He ended up knocking off $25 from the initial price. So I'll claim a victory for my "disconnected brain negotiation technique."
Then, to close things out, I bought a couple of Dansco albums for SBA's and Sac's. Collecting from pocket change is still fun, and now that my usual lunch-room vending machines are spitting out mini-dollars, it will be fun to see how complete I can get the albums at $1 per coin, delivered. 
Unintentionally amusing:
- Young dealer, (late 20's), pacing back and forth in front of his table complaining to his partner behind the table. "I only talked to Gary for, like, 5 minutes, and he ran off. The guy has no patience! Something is always distracting him! Screw it...I'm going to go find him again." And he ran off.
I smiled at his partner, and he just shrugged. Dude needs a mirror, I think.
Good day at the Beach. I'll have to keep that in mind as I work on Sunday to make up for it!
Comments
Nice, down-to-earth report. Thanks.
- Jim
Thanks for the report.... I have lost a couple of coins through the 'I'll just look around a bit and come back' routine..... I learned that if I like it, get it right away....and I do not recall ever finding one I liked better as I walked the bourse. Cheers, RickO
Thanks for the report, glad you picked up a couple of coins. Those Sequi halves tone in interesting ways, mine is a deep rose color. and of course the one that got away, just keeps you thirsty for more!
Very nice report. Thanks.
Nice report.