I guess that’s a reflection of inflation, but it sounds like too much for me.
If you are collector, there is not much for you to see, at least at FUN. The day is mostly dealers trading among themselves running through boxes. If you are there to spend less than $20,000, that’s “chump change.”
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
Yes, the fee was outrageous, but i just lumped it into my overall show expense, which i considered a vacation anyhow. Gas for 700 miles each way, hotel for two nights food expense all for about $1,000, including the early bird pass. On Tuesday for dealer days, when there was maybe 20 collectors in the showroom, it felt like a bargain. I had complete access to every dealer that i wanted to see, had no competition from collectors and was able to get some good buys. To top it off I bought some precious metals when spot was down for the day and basically covered the early bird expense as gold and silver rallied the next two days. So yeah it was expensive, particularly when considering it was provided gratis from PCGS, but in hindsight it worked out really well.
How does this $200 early bird entry fee compare to other large coin shows such a FUN, Baltimore, etc? It seems high to me.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
FWIW, in addition to dealer day access on Tuesday afternoon, the early bird fee also allowed a badge holder access to get in to the bourse 1 hour early each day too (so 9AM entry vs. 10AM entry).
In one year back in the late 50’s, I graduated from dipping pennies from circulation in vinegar to make them bright and scotchtaping them to shirt cardboard in one year to collecting 1793 large cents by variety.
Of course, that’s when coins were alot cheaper. And specific knowledge of rarity was hard to come by.
So, back then, local coin shows with NO admission charge were prolific. That’s where I learned alot.
Hands on. Alot of peasants back then became, decades later, worldclass numismatists.
Now it is hard, prices so high - even MS69 red 1994 pennies !
@Russell12 said:
is it typical for early birders to find ALL dealers set up?
Not at FUN, but it might be different elsewhere. Most of the cases are empty with all of the slabs are in boxes.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
@Russell12 said:
is it typical for early birders to find ALL dealers set up?
I would say about 2/3rds of the dealers were set up for business On Tuesday. By early Wednesday morning the balance were set up except for a couple of dealers like Legend and Witter who only came to the show to buy and brought no coins. Some of the dealers manned their table, but had all the slabs in boxes. In those cases i Just asked the dealers if they had anything I was interested in and they were all very responsive. Overall the dealers were very friendly and accommodating.
Comments
Ouch
Super personalized autographs by this mascot and cool man maybe?
I guess that’s a reflection of inflation, but it sounds like too much for me.
If you are collector, there is not much for you to see, at least at FUN. The day is mostly dealers trading among themselves running through boxes. If you are there to spend less than $20,000, that’s “chump change.”
I thought Long Beach was dead.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
To quote Mark Twain….Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.
Yes, the fee was outrageous, but i just lumped it into my overall show expense, which i considered a vacation anyhow. Gas for 700 miles each way, hotel for two nights food expense all for about $1,000, including the early bird pass. On Tuesday for dealer days, when there was maybe 20 collectors in the showroom, it felt like a bargain. I had complete access to every dealer that i wanted to see, had no competition from collectors and was able to get some good buys. To top it off I bought some precious metals when spot was down for the day and basically covered the early bird expense as gold and silver rallied the next two days. So yeah it was expensive, particularly when considering it was provided gratis from PCGS, but in hindsight it worked out really well.
Omg, a Datsun. I haven't seen one of them in a while now, I like
How does this $200 early bird entry fee compare to other large coin shows such a FUN, Baltimore, etc? It seems high to me.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Baltimore Whitman show on March 5 - 7.....Early Bird is $100.
Whitman Link
FWIW, in addition to dealer day access on Tuesday afternoon, the early bird fee also allowed a badge holder access to get in to the bourse 1 hour early each day too (so 9AM entry vs. 10AM entry).
The one I “built” in the ‘70s. Traded it in on a 280Z.
Comb to the left? Naw.
Comb to the right? Naw.
Comb with bangs? Ahhhh. . . just right.
The hobby of kings. Peasants not wanted.
Poor value IMHO. FUN perhaps.
To be fair, peasants don't typically buy the kinds of coins early birders are hoping to find. No need for them to get there early.
We were all “ peasants “ once in this hobby.
In one year back in the late 50’s, I graduated from dipping pennies from circulation in vinegar to make them bright and scotchtaping them to shirt cardboard in one year to collecting 1793 large cents by variety.
Of course, that’s when coins were alot cheaper. And specific knowledge of rarity was hard to come by.
So, back then, local coin shows with NO admission charge were prolific. That’s where I learned alot.
Hands on. Alot of peasants back then became, decades later, worldclass numismatists.
Now it is hard, prices so high - even MS69 red 1994 pennies !
is it typical for early birders to find ALL dealers set up?
Not at FUN, but it might be different elsewhere. Most of the cases are empty with all of the slabs are in boxes.
I would say about 2/3rds of the dealers were set up for business On Tuesday. By early Wednesday morning the balance were set up except for a couple of dealers like Legend and Witter who only came to the show to buy and brought no coins. Some of the dealers manned their table, but had all the slabs in boxes. In those cases i Just asked the dealers if they had anything I was interested in and they were all very responsive. Overall the dealers were very friendly and accommodating.
But if I want to make sure I can get my 1881-S Morgan in XF...
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.