Battlefield Coin Show Sept 10-12 update
MICHAELDIXON
Posts: 6,592 ✭✭✭✭✭
The National Battlefield Coin Show™ in Gettysburg was held this weekend. The dealer to dealer transactions on Thursday were phenomenal. After lunch, the torrential downpour of rain started and the roof developed several leaks. Several as in 8 leaks. We were moving garbage cans and buckets to catch the water. The leaks were embarrassing to me, as the promoter. I apologized to one dealer and his response was: "No worry, I'll just move my table over and keep selling!" He did just that and returned his contract for 2016 with full payment. One dealer who came to Gettysburg and not Tinley Park, said he was glad he came to Gettysburg. He as dancing Friday evening after the show because he made one sale for $29k. It was amazing the amount of money that changed hands.
Friday had collector attendance through the door of 403. This number was down from what I expected, but sales were being made.
Saturday started out with great attendance, but died whenever the torrential downpour of rain started. I received several calls wanting to know how to purchase their commemorative coffee mugs and coins since they were not coming to the show due to the rain. One gentleman came in and told me that his friend was not coming, as the rain forced him to turn around and go back to Harrisburg. Several collectors stated their friends were not attending due to the rain. I have not tallied the number of collectors for Saturday.
The show was not good for all dealers. 95% had a great show with the other 5%, in my opinion, not engaging the customers. One dealer told me he had expenses of $1,100 and sold $550 and would not return. Unfortunately, every time I looked in his area or walked past his table, he had his back to the public. Several dealers told me they could leave Thursday and would have had a great show. I received an email tonight from a small dealer that he wanted the same table next year and would be sending his contract next week since this was the best show he has had in several years.
Collectors who attended were happy with their purchases. I walked the floor and talked with both dealers and collectors to find out their opinions, which are very important. The feedback they gave, for the most part, will be taken into consideration and changes implemented.
Security was tight. There were no thefts I heard of during the show. One Columbian gentleman was escorted from the premises because he went out the back door and propped the door open. He had walked the floor, got on his cell phone, and went outside, propping the door open. A dealer followed him out and asked what he was doing with his response being: " No habla English." The gentlemen who escorted him out was fluent in Spanish. There was no other incidents.
The number of attendees were disappointing, but we spent over $13k in marketing and advertising. Weather cannot be predicted 5 years in advance whenever we schedule the show, so we have to live with it.
To all those who attended, we say: Thank you! We invite you to The 2016 National Battlefield Coin Show™ in Gettysburg, PA on September 16-17. 2016. Please place it on your schedule and plan to attend.
Mike Dixon
=============
No edits made
Friday had collector attendance through the door of 403. This number was down from what I expected, but sales were being made.
Saturday started out with great attendance, but died whenever the torrential downpour of rain started. I received several calls wanting to know how to purchase their commemorative coffee mugs and coins since they were not coming to the show due to the rain. One gentleman came in and told me that his friend was not coming, as the rain forced him to turn around and go back to Harrisburg. Several collectors stated their friends were not attending due to the rain. I have not tallied the number of collectors for Saturday.
The show was not good for all dealers. 95% had a great show with the other 5%, in my opinion, not engaging the customers. One dealer told me he had expenses of $1,100 and sold $550 and would not return. Unfortunately, every time I looked in his area or walked past his table, he had his back to the public. Several dealers told me they could leave Thursday and would have had a great show. I received an email tonight from a small dealer that he wanted the same table next year and would be sending his contract next week since this was the best show he has had in several years.
Collectors who attended were happy with their purchases. I walked the floor and talked with both dealers and collectors to find out their opinions, which are very important. The feedback they gave, for the most part, will be taken into consideration and changes implemented.
Security was tight. There were no thefts I heard of during the show. One Columbian gentleman was escorted from the premises because he went out the back door and propped the door open. He had walked the floor, got on his cell phone, and went outside, propping the door open. A dealer followed him out and asked what he was doing with his response being: " No habla English." The gentlemen who escorted him out was fluent in Spanish. There was no other incidents.
The number of attendees were disappointing, but we spent over $13k in marketing and advertising. Weather cannot be predicted 5 years in advance whenever we schedule the show, so we have to live with it.
To all those who attended, we say: Thank you! We invite you to The 2016 National Battlefield Coin Show™ in Gettysburg, PA on September 16-17. 2016. Please place it on your schedule and plan to attend.
Mike Dixon
=============
No edits made
Fall National Battlefield Coin Show is September 11-12, 2025 at the Eisenhower Hotel Ballroom, Gettysburg, PA. WWW.AmericasCoinShows.com
0
Comments
Coin Club Benefit auctions ..... View the Lots
The advertised dealer count was misleading - "space for 600" translated to about 60 in attendance. Some of the dealers listed were not at the show.
Attendance was so low on Thursday that early birds were reportedly let in for free.
All that said, pretty much any coin show is better than no show. There was a reasonable selection of generic gold, I came away with a $10 Indian in PCGS AU58.
Gettysburg is well worth visiting if you haven't been. Don't come here just for the show, and you won't be disappointed.
Latin American Collection
Some of the positives, It’s a coin show. Looking at coins in person and purchasing some beats online buying any day. There is easy parking and its easy to get in and out of the building. I found the dealers were pleasant to work with. The show is in a historic area with easy access to the battle grounds and monuments. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in town to keep everyone happy when you’re through with the show.
Some of the negatives, the show is roughly 4 miles outside the populated area so there is no walking to the show unless you stay at the Eisenhower. I don’t know the history of the Expo building but it appears to have gone through its heyday in the very early 80’s and is lacking in modernization. Maybe floor maps could be handed out when you sign in, I looked for one dealer’s table in particular and failed to locate it. When I arrived they told me the person who designed one of the state quarters was speaking. I don’t know if this was in a separate meeting area because I failed to locate this as well. I am surprised you didn’t take advantage of having the name and address of people who attend and mail a card out inviting them back to the show when the time comes.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
The website will be corrected to include more information.
On Thursday, the public was admitted at noon with no charge. This was due to one of the advertisements saying the show opened Thursday to the public. This was my fault, as I did not proof the advertisement prior to it being inserted. It appeared differently than what I submitted and I was not aware of it until the public started coming to the show.
Floor maps with dealer tables and a listing of dealers were available at the table next to registration where the large floor map and dealer names were located. They were available for the taking and hundreds were taken by attendees. This table was arranged on Wednesday night and stayed up through the end of the show Saturday.
Lou Buckley, the designer of the Colorado quarter was there at 3pm on Friday. As the sign on the registration table stated, and I put out to those who registered, he would be beside the ANACS table at 3pm. Prior to his presentation, I made several announcements over the PA system and made the announcement on the floor myself.
We sent out over 5,000 direct mail cards about the show. Unless somebody circumvented the registration table, we got their name and address or name and e-mail address for our mailing lists.
Three dealers who had committed to the show did not attend due to various reasons. After receiving the phone calls on Wednesday night, it was too late to update our printed information. Our final print information was printed Tuesday night, so their names appeared. We ended up with 130 dealer tables and 71 dealers. I agree it was confusing with "Over 600 dealer tables available" and it will not appear again.
This was the second Gettysburg show and we will continue to refine everything. No show is ever perfect and everybody will never be satisfied, but we will keep working on it.
Check out my iPhone app SlabReader!
I certainly hope to have a table next year. Keep up the good work, Mike!
...Tom
LRC Numismatics eBay listings:
http://stores.ebay.com/lrcnumismatics
I thought the show was nice again but to me it looked smaller then last year but who knows. I can say one thing, bullion premiums were way high and dealers would not budge at all. Some of the silver I looked at was 5-10 bucks more then I could purchase online from JM and such and they include free shipping. Since premiums were so high I dident buy nothing at the show but spent in online when I got home. I know dealers have overhead but why should I pay more for the same thing.
<< <i>MICHEALDIXON I would like to say thank you for taking the time and effort to promote a show of any type. I have promoted 50 table sports card and memorabilia shows in the past and there is a ton of work that goes into it that John Q Public doesn't even think about. The building issue is not your fault and hopefully the venue manager can make it right with you before the next show. Weather is a problem with any event and it stinks when it happens on show day. No show dealers happen too, just part of it. There are always a few dealers that you will never make happy no matter what. They are complainers by nature. Glad to hear many were happy with the weekend. I had to work this weekend otherwise I would have come up for the weekend. Hope to make it next year. >>
+1
I like this post very much , because it speaks a lot of truths ..
I wish this show was a little closer to me, but unfortunately it's a little too far a ride