My OKC 2025 ANA report - warning: post could get gale force windy!
ElmerFusterpuck
Posts: 4,805 ✭✭✭✭✭
Looks like lots of good reports being posted here, so figured I'd post mine. To those that predicted gloom and doom for this show, let's just say that forecast was as accurate as a snow prediction in OKC during August.
As is usual during our trips, me and my wife planned a vacation around this coin show. That meant looking for fun pub spots, visiting museums, finding a place to play bar trivia and so on. We stayed at the Wyndham Grand, which was a short walk to the convention center. It was a nice place to stay and we took advantage of the indoor pool. It was hard not to bump into somebody that was there for the coin show, be it a dealer or collector.
Now for the show stuff. The was the first time we've been to OKC, and we ended up liking our stay there, and the show itself was wonderful, the exhibits, the number of dealers, the convention center and so on. I went to the show each day from Tuesday thru Saturday. The first 3 days seemed pretty brisk, tailed off a little on Friday, but was surprised to see the long line to get in on Saturday. It's most likely because it's the only day most people could make it, Most dealers I talked to had a good to great show, and quite a few mentioned "better than expected." The exhibits and coin displays were really good too.
As for me personally, the show went way beyond expectations on day 1 due to a show purchase I was not expecting. First thing I did was submit 17 coins to GreatCollections for a future auction and pick up two tickets to the PCGS cocktail party.
As most of you know, my icon coin is my crazy toned PCGS XF-45 1822 bust half, which I won in a Heritage auction in late 2017. In that same auction, there was similarly toned PCGS AU-50 1818/7 bust half that I was also after. After the prices took off, I decided I'd just focus on the 1822, which I did win. Over the years, I did try to track it down and even made an offer to the owner that bought it, but all I got was radio silence. Fast forward to the OKC show, and one of my Instagram contacts pinged my and said he had something to show me. It turned out to be that 1818/7 bust half I've given up on! He did send a message a while back with a pic of that coin, but I assumed he was holding on to it for his collection. So below is my elusive dream fulfilled; it truly made the show a smashing success for me! I've also added the 1822 to show that it was the long lost twin.
If I had to go home at this point, it would have been OK. Of course I didn't do that, there was so much more to see! The second coin I ended up getting about an hour later was this stunning 1887 Seated Liberty half graded MS-64+ PL with a green CAC sticker. All that was good, but what got me was the cameo contrast and it was a date I needed for my set. So this one is now in my registry.
Won this stunning XF-45 CAC 1917-S obverse Walker from GC, so went back to their table to pick up that coin. I liked the look of this coin better than the VF-30 that I already had.
Found this Draped Bust dollar at David Perkins' table; he always has some of the best looking bust dollars out there. I always wanted a problem free mid grade circulated piece as type, and we all know there are not that many out there, even for the common dates. This 1799 in VF-30 CAC hit all the right buttons for me, so now it's in my collection.
I love toned Morgans and saw many at the show. But this one graded MS-64+ CAC jumped out at me due to the unusual toning pattern and the facts that it was an 1887-O date, not one you commonly find toned
This next one I bought from a YN who I made friends with from the last PCGS Vegas show. He's another rising star among the YN's, and believe me, they are out there in force and are also very knowledgeable. This is a toned 1970-S Kenned half graded PF-68 and has some of the colors of an oil slick.
Saw this raw (in a flip) toned 1994 Canadian silver 1 oz. maple leaf for just over double spot. AT? Not sure, but I really didn't care. Just loved the look of it!
And the last coin I bought as Saturday was winding down was this nicely toned 1995 silver eagle graded MS-68.
That wraps up the slab portion. I also bought some raw coins for my various bookshelf albums, and the best ones were a couple of nice AU Indian cents from Rick Snow @EagleEye, an 1864-L and an 1872,
Now some of my observations from the OKC show:
The number of YN's in the hobby appears to be be pretty strong. In fact, I hung out with quite a few of them over the week, including going to bar trivia, sharing coin and dealer stories. They didn't mind us "old folks" being around, they actually liked being around us. If the others out there are like these young folks, the future of the hobby is bright. The dealers that complain about "not enough new blood" need to get out more. Or maybe a personality adjustment is in order.
Attractive, properly graded coins in a popular series don't last long on the floor. There was many a table where I saw a nice coin (but not in a series I was collecting) in a case, then came around again only to see it gone. I saw that especially for CAC bust and seated dollars.
Cases that looked like an F-5 tornado tore through the coins saw far less traffic than the ones that had the coins neatly laid out and easily visible to customers. There might be a super nice coin lying below the rubble, but I don't have the patience to shovel through all that. I usually pass tables like this.
I would like to see this show to return to OKC in the future. Maybe even a PCGS member show?
We found plenty of things to do around OKC, including taking a canal boat ride, eating at the various local establishments and visiting the the OKC National Memorial Museum and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. We also found a wonderful BBQ establishment next door called Hank's. We even got to meet the owner who was super friendly and we wished him continued success. That smoked turkey leg there was the bomb!
I'm not a social butterfly, but I believe I socialized with more people than at any shows in the past. I ran into quite a few forum members, including @dperkins, @Desert Moon, @drddm, @jacrispies, @pursuitofliberty and others I'm sure I've missed. Also met quite a few more of the Instagram crowd in person, including one collector who happened to be deaf, along with being an artist who loved to paint/draw coins in various mediums. He wanted to do a painting of my 1818/7 bust half, which I look forward to seeing.
Overall, it was a great show for me, sounds like it was great for others here. You have now reached the end of the post.
10-4,
Erik
My registry sets
Comments
Nice report! Glad you found your white rainbow whale.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
It looks like you had quite the show! I’m glad to hear it was so enjoyable.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Thanks for your report Erik! Did you show me the 18/7 at Sheridan's table, or was that the person you bought it from?
Handing it to my reverse up was a great play!
I copied part of your post as I agree wholeheartedly.
We (us 50+ folk) need to help encourage them as best we can. They're out there, and they appreciate us if we take the time to appreciate them.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
Great report and congrats on the pick ups.
Each report gets me that much more excited about the Great American Coin Show in Chicago in a month.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
Very nice report. You picked up some terrific coins! I love the look of the 1799 dollar and of course the 1822 half is amazing!
Great report and pictures, thanks!
Nice finds and thanks for the interesting report!
Great report, sounds like you had a blast, and found some great NEWPS!
Thanks for posting the show report. I also stayed at the Wyndham Grand so I’m sure we crossed paths a few times.
First, on the show observations. I’m 100% in agreement on the stacked slabs in the display cases. Sometimes five or six high. As much as I wonder what jewels are buried, I don’t have the energy to look through every stack. I also appreciate the dealers who take the time to put prices on the front of the slabs. While I realize it’s not always practical, it saves everyone a lot of time.
But I really wanted to comment on your observations about the city itself. As much as people complained about the show location this year, I found OKC to be a very welcoming and interesting city. The streets were clean, the people were friendly and there was some great art deco architecture. My brother-in-law and I explored the neighborhoods, took in the Museum with the Ansel Adams and Chiluly Glass exhibit, had dinner on the canal and drinks in the vault at the renovated First National Bank building and last but not least, strolled through the sobering Murrah Federal Building bombing site. I know I would certainly return to OKC with zero reservations.
Here are just a few of the highlights:
Tim
Of course I forgot to tag you! This getting old part kinda sucks at times. So many 'liberty' tags to choose from. So I went back and added your tag in the post. I figured I'd start with the boring side first!
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
Beautiful newps !
Great show report and great newps! The only problem with the Bust halves is that it will be very difficult to find additional coins to match the quality of these two you now have! Congrats also on the 1887 Seated half, one of my favorite coins in that set. I believe one of the keys to your success is that if you see a coin you really want, you buy it right then, rather than hem and haw until someone else buys it.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
I could see the excitement in your eyes when you stopped by to show me the 1818/7!! What a cool story come to fruition and a happy ending. I am stoked you were able to score THE coin. Thanks for sharing the journey with us, and it was good to see you again!
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33. Young fellow suffering from Bust Half fever.
BHNC #AN-10
JRCS #1606
Beautiful coins!
God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️