In lieu of a FUN Report, how about a Grapevine report?
SurfinxHI
Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭✭✭
Howdy all,
Seems like some of the reporting on shows is getting pretty small these days, so I thought I'd try and type another one out while still fresh in my memory. The Grapevine show is a regional Texas show that has 5 occurences (I think) per year. I usually make the Christmas show and one other. This year it was the July show. I do this show as I have the in laws in the greater Dallas area, and it makes a great chance for the kiddos to see them for a few days (i.e. summer break).
So I packed up about 100 lbs of stuff and off to the show. Airport security is always fun, and a 45 lb backpack is a winner as well. The rollie does most of the work, but sheesh...after walking around three airports, my back was tired. And an overnight flight to boot....ugh. Makes for a jet lagged show. Left wednesday night, got into Dallas thursday morning, slept part of thursday afternoon, then food, some play, and crashed again until Friday morning.
Drove the 50 min to Grapevine, got in just in time to start loading in my gear and getting the table set. By the time I had the cases on the table (no stock) I already had two wholesale dealer friends ready to pick through the latest 3 months of accumulations. They both deal in different areas, so that is good! By the time I was done setting up, both had selected a bunch of material and it was off to the races with everyone else. I didn't really have much time to look around until about 145, then the public came in and it was a bit of a zoo. One of the best friday turnouts I have seen in 3-4 years. By the time the day ended at 530, I probably did about 25% more sales that normal for a friday (to exclude wholesale). That was nice. Friday dinner was Mexican, coin stories, and good fun. Got back to the casa about 830, exhausted. Was guaranteed to sleep good...
....until the jetlag kicked in. Tossed and turned till 1 am, had a conversation with the wifey till 2 (we were in the same boat), might have fallen asleep at 4, alarm at 7. Egads. Got up early, had to meet another client and board friend at his market before going to the show. Drove down, got a 5 min conversation with him (he's a busy one!) and out the preverbal door again. Made it to the show at 920 and noticed it was packed. I mean packed. I wasn't sure what was going on, as I thought it opened at 10 (whoops, it opened at 9...) and I was late! ha! Set up was 10 min easy, and by then folks were already asking to see stuff and prices. It wasn't 10 min after that that a gentleman and his wife showed me a nice raw saint gaudens and I thought he was asking for a buy price. Nope. Cleaned me out of raw 20s in 2 minutes, cash, of course. That was the start of a very busy saturday.
By the time saturday was complete, I bought 4 nice GSA dollars, several gold $2.5s, multiple other raw coins, and sold a ton of material. Given the shocking rise in silver on Friday, I wasn't surprised about the number of folks trying to cash in on that. I did by about $200 face of 90%, a kilo or two, and other silver, but I was leery about the pricing. Happily, the bullion was also selling well - the kilos went, as did some of the 90%, and just about all of my other loose bars and rounds disappeared at +2 or so. I wasn't trying to make bank, but some profit was nice to cover the table. On the coin side, beyond raw gold, CC dollar sold well (and were bought back, so to speak), and a lot of less desireable material went to companies that specialize in details materials. Also a blessing. Things I couldn't sell -- common morgans in ms 65 or better. Just didn't move. Better dates did have interest though.
By the time I was home saturday night, I was convinced the bed was in my future and it would treat me well....sure....by 1 am I might have been asleep. GRRRRR....Sunday was another early up and to the show again. The thing about this show is that when folks leave on Saturday, you can move tables--so I had upgraded to front row saturday late afternoon in between several friends. That also worked out well, b/c with about 60% of the bourse gone on Sunday, it is easier to get the limited sales to the public if you are closer to the front. Which is what happened a fair amount.
Other material that moved well for me -- random coins in the 2x2 folder that I have. These are anything from BU pennies to seated dimes in fine or even the occasional commem half. The book gets looked at a lot! I usually make $300-500 in sales from it and from a few single row boxes of pennies and dimes. This show was the same. Likely did closer to $800 from the book and boxes. It was a great way to get folks the coins they might want, or impulse purchases. Either way, I love it, and I think so do customers!
Purchases also included a very nice MS 62 seated dollar for a client (1871), several older raw $2.5s, a few indians $10s (but they also basically got flipped), another bunch of 90%, and about a roll of ms64 common morgans in NGC holders (I'll likely wholesale those out, but it you need one, hit me up!). Had a chance to sit and chat with @ElKevvo for an hour or so on Sunday (he's a great person, in person). We get a chance to catch up about every 6 months or so, and it is a great way to spend part of Sunday! My cases were feeling pretty picked over (except for the morgans) by sunday afternoon. Shot a few photos of them and I'll post one in BST in case you are interested. Also, this guy was advertising at the show. Heck of a way to do it. Given the pricing, I don't think he got a lot of action, but you have to admire his technique. Photo has been cropped to not give away identity, etc.
Anyway, there's the show update from my perspective, from texas.
Cheers,
Surf
Comments
Great Report... was great to see you! Sorry for the lack of time! Glad the show was great!
Safe travels
Thanks for the report!
WS
Sounds exhausting but also fun! Hopefully you can take some "time off" when you get back home to surf, sun & sand.
Click on this link to see my ebay listings.
Great report, sounds like things were booming!
Yes, it was quite busy. Nothing for me, but I had fun. Well, I did score a PD Sample from a dealer's $7 box, but that's not much.
You could feel the tension in the room over silver prices, with everyone either buying in hopes of Monday or selling in hopes of Monday.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
Superb report! I'll go over to the BST to look at your leftovers . . . . . . .
Drunner
Very cool read. Thank you. James.
Thanks!
Here's a few newp pickups from the show.
Surf
Love the report! A great feeling when a show is busy.
Thanks for a great report.
Glad the doily got a good home. He's had that for over two years, hoping to get top dollar (unfortunately, he knew what he had) along with two NGC White labels, the Regency $20 DE, and a couple of other rare old slabs. I will admit to "visiting" them several times.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
Great report!! Really enjoyed it. Neat idea of letting dealers move to
better tables late Saturday.
Thanks for the report!
Here's a few newp pickups from t> @BStrauss3 said:
I know the guy you are talking about. He was across from me with the regency DE. Not the same doily. Unless, of course, I missed another regency.
The one you are talking about — was it like an O mint? I thought it was a better date…priced north of $2k? Just trying to see if we are talking about same guy or not!
Yep and I guess there was another doily on the floor. As I said, FULL PRICE...
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
Always a good show. I covered it for ANACS for a number of years, but with my day job of 40-45 hrs. per week and this and other shows in DFW and Houston, I was working 3 out of 4 weekends a month at times and it was killing me. We now have a DFW/North TX rep who handles Grapevine, Cowtown and a few others up there. I still hit that show a couple times a year as a civilian with my buddy @shortnock, as his brother lives in Ft. Worth and we always have lunch with him before heading back to Austin.
@cmerlo1 We miss you Christian, but George is a worthy successor. He has continued offering up your trademark brand of Helpful snark and mildly bitting sarcasm. He had Frank H. sitting there on Saturday, offering "help", so the place was rocking. Should have had a cover charge.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
Thank you for the kind words! You'll be able to see me, George, Paul DeFelice, and John Roberts in OKC at the ANA next month.
Cool. Will come loaded for bear.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
A complete "You Are There" rundown. Thanks.