Baltimore-Whitman Summer Expo: June 19-21... Show Report Added (6/19)

lkenefic · June 17, 2025 1:07PM

I saw a short thread on this about a month ago... who's going? I'll be there probably Thursday afternoon... I'll have at least two Large Cent submissions for our host and I'll be looking around for some early copper or maybe an addition to the Box of 20...

https://expo.whitman.com/baltimore-summer-expo/

jonathanb · June 17, 2025 2:35PM

I'm aiming to go on Thursday. Does anyone have recommendations on parking? The convention center points me to spothero, but I don't know the area to tell if there are better or worse places to park.

Onastone · June 17, 2025 2:58PM

@Ikenefic & @jonathanb Please post photos!!!!

MsMorrisine · June 17, 2025 4:21PM

baltimore has typical pricey car garages in the area. you getting a hotel at the convention center?

lkenefic · June 17, 2025 4:39PM

@jonathanb said:
I'm aiming to go on Thursday. Does anyone have recommendations on parking? The convention center points me to spothero, but I don't know the area to tell if there are better or worse places to park.

I'm going to be visiting some former colleagues at UMB and parking at the Pratt St. Garage and walking down. There's also parking at Hilton and the Sheraton nearby. There's also parking one block north off of Lombard St. Hope this helps.

MsMorrisine · June 17, 2025 4:40PM

street parking is very very very difficult to find. i would not park north of lombard nor west past oriole park. i'd say don't park east of the aquarium, but that's a bit of a walk. there is a touch of street parking there.

if you're looking for easy to find eats, just hit the small mall buildings at the inner harboor. these are in the NW corner of the water. if you don't mind walking as far as the aquarium, try the semi-chain Philips Seafood for their maryland blue crab crabcakes

lkenefic · June 17, 2025 4:42PM

I'm talking about parking garages. Street parking is like hen's teeth...

Russell12 · June 17, 2025 4:46PM

@jonathanb said:
I'm aiming to go on Thursday. Does anyone have recommendations on parking? The convention center points me to spothero, but I don't know the area to tell if there are better or worse places to park.

I park at my daughters house, 10 minutes away. Her and my wife drop me off and they spend the day together.

MsMorrisine · June 17, 2025 5:27PM

@Russell12 said:
I park at my daughters house, 10 minutes away. Her and my wife drop me off and they spend the day together.

how big's your yard?

JimW · June 17, 2025 5:30PM

I usually attend but will prob skip this one, too many other things that need attention...

MsMorrisine · June 17, 2025 5:32PM

oh, and close in, there is a flyover walkway above the street level and the crosswalks

jdimmick · June 17, 2025 6:44PM

I park across the street from side door, its high, but quick walk into building from garage.

epc · June 17, 2025 7:05PM

I usually drive in Friday morning for the 9AM LSCC meeting. I rarely have trouble finding street parking nearby. Note that rates vary by location in the downtown area, and limit you to four hours at a time. But it's cheaper than most garages.

This time I'm planning to go Thursday at noon as well. Hopefully the mid-day parking isn't as bad as some have indicated! Thursday is a holiday this year, so whatever I find may not be typical.

lkenefic · June 18, 2025 11:13AM

Oh... that's right... Thursday is Juneteenth and MLK Blvd is typically closed between Pratt St. and Baltimore St.... might have to check on road closures in the downtown area...

PTVETTER · June 19, 2025 7:23AM

I would NEVER park on the street in Baltimore!!

MsMorrisine · June 19, 2025 10:14AM

we literally clean out the car before going and leave nothing in the car before parking

in the mid-90s we parked next to an suv. when we returned, the cops were there, there was a busted window and they were saying a cell phone was stolen

in the early 90s a roommates gf parked her van along the street at the national mall in dc. stolen: spare change in the console. this happened during the day

Boston parking garage next to TD center. spray painted car. cops smirking as police report taken. perhaps clen out the vehicle except for some low grit rubbing compound

logger7 · June 19, 2025 10:20AM

I used to park in the stadium area and walk over to the convention center. I haven't gone in years; it was a heck of a show back in the day.

Goldbully · June 19, 2025 10:49AM

For those with their own car, find the closest light rail station with parking. Plenty of parking at the Mt. Washington station.
Police always patrol the stations.
Take train southbound for21 minutes to Convention Center....$2.00 each way.....seniors $1.00 each way.

MsMorrisine · June 19, 2025 1:16PM

is there a northbound light rail?

Goldbully · June 19, 2025 2:15PM

@MsMorrisine said:
is there a northbound light rail?

Yes, I never use it. It starts at BWI airport/Glen Burnie.

lkenefic · June 19, 2025 4:48PM

@Goldbully said:

@MsMorrisine said:
is there a northbound light rail?

Yes, I never use it. It starts at BWI airport/Glen Burnie.

...and there's a Northbound stop in a residential area in Linthicum too...

lkenefic · June 19, 2025 5:20PM

Hello Everyone... I just wanted to get in a brief show report. I got to the Convention Center around 12:30. I parked in a garage just west of The Hilton and Marriott hotels at Pratt/Penn. It's maybe a 3-5 minute walk to the Convention Center and right next to UMB-SOM campus. I went straight to the PCGS submission line... I used up my four vouchers and it took about 30-40 minutes total. Here was the line when I got there... having more places to sit and fill out forms would be helpful:

At that point, I went in search of a few things... 1- Raw 1913-D Type II and 1917-S Buffalo Nickels to complete an album I started last year. 2- Raw 1869 IHC... low end album coin. Done... and Done... Then Early Copper. I was really hoping to find a straight graded (VG8 to F12) 1839/6 to complete the second volume of my Large Cent albums. It's the last coin for that part of the set. I don't think I saw ANY at this show... in ANY grade. Along the way... I stopped at Tom Reynolds table hoping to do a little trading. As usual, he has the high end material... though no 1839/6!!... He also has a lot of nice Type. I ended up selling a coin to Tom. Col Ellsworth had the most 1793's I've ever seen in one sitting... 21 in total... Oh, and 4? I think, 1799's... wow... just no 1839/6! CVM was not set up at his usual spot and I don't think I saw him in the Program either... maybe they just didn't make this show. I was also looking for a few other Type pieces to finish off sets but this show was pretty sparse for Fugio Cents and 1795 Halves. There were a few $3 Gold Princesses there and I was going to go back for one for at least a "best price", but it was getting late and a lot of dealers were clearing out.... I check the time and it was 5:30... no wonder! All in all, a pretty good show for me. I finished off one set... and... I have a lead on a nice 1839/6... fingers crossed!

Here's what the show looked like after I got there and finished my submissions... probably around 1:30...

Goldbully · June 19, 2025 5:39PM

@lkenefic said:
Hello Everyone... I just wanted to get in a brief show report. I got to the Convention Center around 12:30. I parked in a garage just west of The Hilton and Marriott hotels at Pratt/Penn. It's maybe a 3-5 minute walk to the Convention Center and right next to UMB-SOM campus. I went straight to the PCGS submission line... I used up my four vouchers and it took about 30-40 minutes total. Here was the line when I got there... having more places to sit and fill out forms would be helpful:

Thanks for your show report with pics.

I agree with you about the seating.

When the gold FH coins were on sale last fall, PCGS had lots of table and chairs for the overflow crowd.....and they were all taken. They also had PCGS employees working those tables to pre-screen and advise the submitters.

MsMorrisine · June 19, 2025 6:20PM

looks slow

LeeBone · June 19, 2025 6:25PM

I looked for myself in your photos, but I didn’t see me 😬

The summer show is always a little slower, it’s no secret.

I did pick up a nice upgrade for my Morgan Dollar Set though. 🙂

pruebas · June 19, 2025 6:31PM

@lkenefic said:
I'm talking about parking garages. Street parking is like hen's teeth...

Be mindful of opening hours, especially if you park away from the convention center / Oriole Park area.

Once I was assisting behind the table. When I went to get my car from the garage (on Sunday), I found out they were closed on Sunday. Another night at the hotel….

lilolme · June 21, 2025 6:33AM

Thanks for the summary report. I think @lkenefic photos kind of sum up what I saw as far as crowd. Some areas semi-busy and others not so. I had not been to a summer Baltimore in several years but it appeared to me to be similar to the other two Baltimore shows in that it had shrunk a little more (slowly). But not sure if this was a normal summer Baltimore in terms of tables and/or occupancy.

Another item was the announcement prior to the show that the November Baltimore show would have a PNG day on Wednesday. Bad news as far as my thinking goes. Why? Because the past Baltimore shows have possibly the best dealer day on Wednesday. It is in the convention center but upstairs with two small rooms and the dealers all together along the left, right and back walls (U shape). An open public area just outside with plenty of tables and chairs where people can gather to just talk or do more 'deals'. Stacks is right next door for lot viewing. Seems to usually get good attendance and appear busy at the tables.

So a PNG day will cost $100 to get in (unless a PNG member then $0). Those that want a table will get their normal show table at $350 extra cost for that Wednesday. So dealers will be scattered around the bourse. Not sure about impact of $100 to get in. In the past the PNG days at other locations have been met with a great variance of opinions on them (good to the worse bad). There was some additional talk but will wait and see where this goes. Hopefully this move will not hurt the Baltimore show.

Another thing I noticed was that the area, but I am particularly noting at night, had more 'life' to it. Gave a better feel to being out at dinner. Perhaps the area is slowly coming back from the Covid downfall. I know this won't impact those who just won't go to this area (or Baltimore) and I am not suggesting that they do if it is not in their comfort zone.

Russell12 · June 21, 2025 11:53AM

Well, you got a couple of pictures of me, but not of me buying my 1909-S VDB!

JimW · June 21, 2025 12:05PM

Sparse Fugio - must be Pierre Fricke was not there 🙂

ScarsdaleCoin · June 21, 2025 12:42PM

Must have been a hungry crowd as we gave away all our candy by early Fri morning

Walkerguy21D · June 21, 2025 1:20PM

@ScarsdaleCoin said:
Must have been a hungry crowd as we gave away all our candy by early Fri morning

Needed energy for the long walks back to the various parking sites….

Leo, thanks for posting your show report and personal experiences.

ad4400 · June 21, 2025 5:25PM

I attended on the 19th as well. Also made bee line for PCGS to take advantage of vouchers, but was second in line so no wait to speak of. It was the first Baltimore show and many years so it was great to see familiar faces like Colonel Ellsworth and Angel Dee’s. I was primary looking for items for my raw type set. Happily unloaded an ANACS graded Pilgram I was not happy with and replaced it with A much more original PCGS coin. Also picked up low-grade raw draped bust cent. Final piece of business was dropping off a consignment at great collection.

My impression of the show was that I had a feel of a regional show instead of a summer Baltimore show. Smaller floor space than the fall in spring shows was always given, but there were many empty tables on Thursday afternoon. A complete walk of the floor and the drop off activities took less than two hours.

My other impression is that there seem to be lots of new blood in the collector base. I base this on the questions being asked at the PCGS submission table, questions clearly new buyers were asking dealers and what they were buying. Also saw younger buyers and dealers talking about their social media handles and exchanging information that way. Also a number of younger faces behind the dealer tables .

It was a great afternoon doing an activity that I have missed for a long time.

BLUEJAYWAY · June 21, 2025 7:45PM

@ad4400 said:
I attended on the 19th as well. Also made bee line for PCGS to take advantage of vouchers, but was second in line so no wait to speak of. It was the first Baltimore show and many years so it was great to see familiar faces like Colonel Ellsworth and Angel Dee’s. I was primary looking for items for my raw type set. Happily unloaded an ANACS graded Pilgram I was not happy with and replaced it with A much more original PCGS coin. Also picked up low-grade raw draped bust cent. Final piece of business was dropping off a consignment at great collection.

My impression of the show was that I had a feel of a regional show instead of a summer Baltimore show. Smaller floor space than the fall in spring shows was always given, but there were many empty tables on Thursday afternoon. A complete walk of the floor and the drop off activities took less than two hours.

My other impression is that there seem to be lots of new blood in the collector base. I base this on the questions being asked at the PCGS submission table, questions clearly new buyers were asking dealers and what they were buying. Also saw younger buyers and dealers talking about their social media handles and exchanging information that way. Also a number of younger faces behind the dealer tables .

It was a great afternoon doing an activity that I have missed for a long time.

The new blood you spoke of is welcomed AND needed for the hobby/business to grow .

7Jaguars · June 21, 2025 9:04PM

Ummm, I dragged my son in on Thursday and didn’t see any other kids but glad others had a different experience.
I dropped a boatload of really rare foreign sat our hosts and not much wait as I was pretty much there as they were open.
Son was bored to tears so had to leave shortly after.

Baltimore-Whitman Summer Expo: June 19-21... Show Report Added (6/19)

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Baltimore-Whitman Summer Expo: June 19-21... ***Show Report Added (6/19)***

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Baltimore-Whitman Summer Expo: June 19-21... Show Report Added (6/19)