SH's FUN Show Report Part 1: Preparation

spacehayduke

Hi Folks,
I am going to give daily reports for the FUN Show this year. I have had positive feedback here on the boards when I have done this in the past because many of our members don't get to go. This first one is before the show. Nowadays, I have several days of preparation before I arrive. I am not a dealer, but I go to sell some coins, and from the collecting side, I spend alot of time so I am ready on the bourse. I get the week between Christmas and New Year off, so this week I have had time to get ready.

So what do I do to prepare? First, I go through my collection and see what I am willing to part with. As much as I enjoy and like all of the coins in my collection, I keep the collection fresh by selling some of them, because I know I will be buying more and I have given myself some limits on numbers and value. Right now, I am fully focused on bust quarters, and am going to slowly start on bust dollars (very slowly, need to learn first). So other parts of the collection have to go to accommodate the new additions. This is getting harder each year because there are some in other parts of the collection I just can't part with.

Some of the coins I would like to sell are PCGS, almost all of them CAC, and some are NGC, again almost all of them CAC. With the PCGS holdered coins, I just select the ones I want to sell and bring them with me. I spend some time going through price guides and auction records for each to make sure I know what their value is. In some cases I have contacted other collectors who are interested in these kinds of coins and see if they want to see them at the show. For others, I have my list of dealers to go to - you get to know what each dealer is buying and interested in if you go to a couple shows a year. The coins in NGC holders, even with CAC stickers, well, I have found that many collectors and dealers will not be interested in these, even when they are pq. So this year, I am bringing a few in NGC holdered coins to submit to PCGS for crossing. Those with CAC stickers, I am going to put in cross at the same grade, those without CAC stickers I will put in a grade lower. We will see how that works (or not). But that also means I have to make sure I have accurate images of the CACed ones in their NGC holders so that if they cross at the same grade, I can send them back to CAC with these images which will hopefully mean they get beaned again. So that is another task for this week - reimaging these coins. I will also be submitting a group of HTT's and a group of mercury dimes, all raw, separately to PCGS.

On the collection side I have been doing 3 things. First perusing Heritage auctions and getting ready for lot viewing when I hit Tampa on Wednesday. Auctions I am interested in start late Wednesday afternoon so I will be spending pretty much all of that afternoon at Ha lot viewing. Second, I have been going back through my bust quarter collection, making sure I have images of each, and making sure I have all of the information I need when I hit the bourse and at lot viewing. One can never stop learning and I find out something new each time I go back and review the current pieces in my collection. I have 53 of the 96 die varieties and my goal is to get at least 85 (those last 11 or so, some of them are going to be almost impossible unless I really open my pockets and they just happen to be available), so it gets harder each time and I need to be able to recognize the dies. There are also remarriages I want to keep a look out for. So with all of that in mind, I just can't get by with the die attribution pages I scanned from the bust quarter books. I need die state info as well, so I am going to have to bring those books with me and carry them around in my pack at the show, alas. Third, I have been discussing coins of interest with other folks here on the boards and elsewhere - things we want to see at the show - bids, quality of auction lots, things to look for on the bourse, etc. All 3 of these activities are key to getting the right coins to come home with these folks and I.

So going to a show is just great fun and gets busier every year and I definitely now need the prep time leading up to the show. But in addition to collection/selling focused activities, there is more to the show than just coins. It is about building friendships and connections which helps me enjoy numismatics more. But there are added bonuses to forging the friendships - the more you know folks at the show, the more things just happen to land in your collection. Just the way it is. So forging relationships with dealers and collectors and the 'tweeners like myself - I think it just happens better by going to shows. I generally only do 2 or 3 big shows a year, but again, the relationships established are priceless. Plus, the more coins I see in hand, the better numismatist I become. The more I have hands on discussions of coins with dealers and collectors at the show, the more my knowledge grows. So I hope this gives some of the collectors here that have not gone to a big show in a while, some renewed impetus to do so - please come and enjoy these shows, great folks, great coins, great learning.

To leave this first part of my report, below are a some pickups at past FUN shows. Looking for things like this next week.

Best, SH

2011 FUN

2013 FUN - this is the quarter that really got me convinced to focus on bust quarters.

2016 FUN

Catbert

What a great post SHD. I love the planning that you are doing to make the most of your show visit. I only wish I could be there to meet you.

bestday

thanks .....nice pics

DIMEMAN

Great thread. I have been preparing for FUN this week also. Still a lot to do and not much time. I like your Bust Quarters a lot. I collect the Capped Bust Dimes by JR number and only have a few to go. I have started on the Capped Bust Half Dimes by major varieties. I would love to meet with you if possible at FUN.

golden

Very nice pre-show report. Also some very nice coins.

jonruns

Super appreciate your efforts to post these reports!!! I really enjoy reading them!!!

Boosibri

Enjoy the show, wish I could go!

mvs7

Thanks for the report... pre-show prep is essential to both buying and selling, and it's nice to hear your thoughts on it.

Yorkshireman

Thanks for helping me get in the mood.
I love coin shows.

lkeigwin

I agree.

I will spend the next three days totally immersed in my coins. What deserves better (new grading), what I can live without (stuff I should sell), and what I want to win at auction.

It's all about preparation, like most things in life.

Good advice, SH!
Lance.

alohagary

Love your report and look forward to others

sparky64

I enjoyed your Pre-show report.
You set a high bar for collector preparation.

I recently thought that I would just 'wing it' at a small show. I ended up walking aimlessly in circles.
It was a disaster and a waste of time.
Never again.

Edit: for punctuation?.!

ricko

Great pre-show report. You are uniquely diligent in your preparation. Those are lovely coins you posted as well.... I look forward to your daily reports and what I am sure will be exciting acquisitions. Cheers, RickO

spacehayduke

@sparky64 said:
I enjoyed your Pre-show report.
You set a high bar for collector perparation?

I recently thought that I would just 'wing it' at a small show. I ended up walking aimlessly in circles.
It was a disaster and a waste of time.
Never again.

Thanks for the comments folks. For small shows, I don't prepare as much, but I still have a plan. For the big ones, this is where all things come together in numismatics, so more prep time.

Best, SH

spacehayduke

FYI to anyone going, I am going to put 'SH' in caps on my badge at FUN in the upper right hand corner and anyone who sees this (and me), please introduce yourself as I would love to meet you.

Best, SH

shorecoll

At a couple of ANA shows, I created my own separate name tag that said CU: Shorecoll in the biggest type that would fit in a standard badge holder.

JeffMTampa

It's great having the show in my backyard this year! My preparation to date has been getting an exhibit ready for Public Display- my AU Barber Half Set. I too plan on buying and selling, but I'll be spending a lot of time manning the BCCS (Barber Coin Collector Society) table.

spacehayduke

@JeffMTampa said:
It's great having the show in my backyard this year! My preparation to date has been getting an exhibit ready for Public Display- my AU Barber Half Set. I too plan on buying and selling, but I'll be spending a lot of time manning the BCCS (Barber Coin Collector Society) table.

Look forward to seeing your Barber half set Jeff! I will see you at the BCCS table......

Best, SH

JeffMTampa

Look forward to it!

Kyle

I always look forward to reading show reports, thanks for sharing!

1TwoBits

SH -

Great preparation. I do something similar for big shows, which helps, as you know. I really look forward to the reports, and getting an idea about what's going on at the show...particularly about the bust quarters.

1TwoBits