How to ruin a coin show....

bushmaster8 · February 22, 2008 11:20PM

There is a small local monthly show in Chicagoland known as the Lemont show. Recently the venue was moved to a church "gymnasium" style large room.
Great in the respect that there is now tons of elbow room. But...

One of my pet peeves is shows that are lit up by overhead mercury vapor lights. Yeeeuchh! Now all the coins look fabulously lustrous, extra colorful, and the marks are hard to see!

This is one show I doubt I will be attending any more. At least, if I do go, I will stick to buying only slabs.

No matter how hard I try to shield raw coins from the Hg-lights, I am unhappy with my purchases when I get home to better lighting conditions.

jdillane · February 22, 2008 11:28PM

Or, you could install overhead mercury vapor lights at home and enjoy your collection's enhanced luster and color!!!

edited the spelling gaffe.

ElKevvo · February 22, 2008 11:31PM

you could install overhead mercury vapor lights at home and enjoy your collection's enhanced luster and color!!!

LOL! I usually squint and that hides a lot of the marks...never thought about enhancing the lighting but that would also help my collection look better to me!

K

RegistryCoin · February 22, 2008 11:33PM

Go there to sell???

direwolf1972 · February 22, 2008 11:42PM

<< Or, you could install overhead mercury vapor lights at home and enjoy your collection's enhanced luster and color!!!

edited the spelling gaffe. >>

planetsteve · February 22, 2008 11:47PM

<< Or, you could install overhead mercury vapor lights at home and enjoy your collection's enhanced luster and color!!!

>>

If you can't beat 'em join 'em!

Are the incandescent-bulb desk lamps you see at every table at shows provided by the show's sponsor?

Is it too wierd for buyers to bring their own battery-powered lights? LEDs, incandescents and maybe various fluorescents would be options, and I wonder if OTT lights could be battery powered.

coindeuce · February 23, 2008 1:40AM

<< 

<< Or, you could install overhead mercury vapor lights at home and enjoy your collection's enhanced luster and color!!!

>>

If you can't beat 'em join 'em!

Are the incandescent-bulb desk lamps you see at every table at shows provided by the show's sponsor?

Is it too wierd for buyers to bring their own battery-powered lights? LEDs, incandescents and maybe various fluorescents would be options, and I wonder if OTT lights could be battery powered. >>

The manufacturer of OTT lights does have a model available with a rechargable battery pack. And those church "gymnasium" lights are more likely sodium vapor rather than mercury vapor.

NumisOxide · February 23, 2008 1:52AM

<< Go there to sell???

>>

Not a bad idea.

TwoSides2aCoin · February 23, 2008 1:52AM

If you showed up with Marty's rubber chicken and this :

You'd have a lot more fun.

Rollerman · February 23, 2008 2:23AM

I know exactly what you're saying - have gotten home later and then asked myself, what did I see in this coin.....then I remembered the lights. Guess there's no way around it other than being very careful, or skip that show altogether.
Pete

doh · February 23, 2008 2:36AM

That Lemont show has been terrible for quite some time IMHO. I stopped going a couple years ago. It was so tiny and I NEVER saw anything new...

BBN · February 23, 2008 2:44AM

Well the first problem you have is naming the show after this guy. Afterall, "junk" is his life and that's all he deals in

j/k

Lemont, IL. I know

roadrunner · February 23, 2008 4:40AM

If you know the seller ask to take the coins to another table that does have a decent light. There are also ways to shield the overhead lighting interference. I have the same problem at the White Plains show in the Westchester County Center. But the solution there is that the outer row of tables have standard lighting over them with the interior lighting shielded by a balcony. My worst auction gaffe of all time was poor lighting in a huge hall during a an ANA auction. That one cost me signficant money as all the coins were raw. Once back in my hotel room with the lots I realized my mistake. At least the slabs of today limit your downside to low end money vice 1 or 2 grade lower money.

roadrunner

tahoe98 · February 23, 2008 5:37AM

that has to be frustrating...

dizzyfoxx · February 23, 2008 5:47AM

Go there with the flu...

YaHa · February 23, 2008 7:12AM

For me to rent a scooter and push the wrong button and take out 5 or 6 tables. Who would be liable? Although I flipped the cart, the damn thing malfuctioned. So who would be liable? That would really mess up a coin show huh.

57loaded · February 23, 2008 7:15AM

even with your loupe?

tmot99 · February 23, 2008 7:40AM

I didn't realize it had moved. I don't go often, but I would have gone to the same old place.

And when I go, I go to socialize, not really buy coins. There just isn't much there.

percyb · February 23, 2008 8:12AM

<< Go there to sell???

>>

or both!

ozzyfan269 · February 23, 2008 8:46AM

I went there once about 10 years ago. I was less than impressed.

MadMarty · February 23, 2008 9:06AM

I know the feeling. It makes proofs look really nice! You get them home and wonder,

<< Why the hell did I buy these!!!! >>

dorancoins · February 23, 2008 9:15AM

<< That Lemont show has been terrible for quite some time IMHO. I stopped going a couple years ago. It was so tiny and I NEVER saw anything new... >>

I have not been to Lemont since relocating to Central IL. I heard of the relocating of the show from the flyers and also from the person who runs the show. In fact, I remember when the show started in the very cramp and very dingy VFW hall in 1995 because I had a table there. And my luck there was not good. I tried at the park building and again, no luck there. I was planning on going to the Will County Coin Club show tommorrow (2/24/2008) but the flu has me down for the count.

I heard that Elgin Coin Club will be having a Spring show in the latter part of April. I will be in Chicago but for CICF (darksider show).

WTCG · February 23, 2008 9:40AM

Contact the people who put on and operate the San Jose Coin Show in January. They're the experts in the subject because they've done exactly that.

dorancoins · February 23, 2008 10:38AM

Right now I am getting a coin show going in Mt. Vernon, Illinois (located 90 miles East of St. Louis). The show will be held on April 13, and so far, table sales have been a bit flat. I do believe this will change very soon - from my experience, some (in reality, most) dealers have this thing about waiting until the last minute to buy a table. I think I will have to "nudge" them this coming week.

ChangeInHistory · February 23, 2008 10:41AM

I've had the same thing happen at the same show. Nothing terribly expensive though.

How to ruin a coin show....

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