Did anyone over here do the ANA show?
Stork
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There was a real live Bald Eagle (it totally distracted me from the new 1 ounce coin display by the mint--which was also cool, but the bird was amazing!). It was sitting on it's handler's arm right across from the US Mint section. I hardly even glanced at the 400 oz gold bricks (from Ft. Knox according to the literature--so I suppose there's still at least 6 of them still there 
).
Of all the exhibits I checked out the one I liked best was the "Medals Issued bythe Corporation of London (City of London Medals)". Very suprised it didn't have an award ribbon on the case!! It had some stunning examples with amazing details including a Wyon that I used to have one of. The detail on those architectural medals is fabulous.
I must confess to taking in quite a bit of the liteside exhibits. Stuart Blay's (?sp) copper collection was on display at the PCGS booth and was hugely impressive. I saw one of the 1913 Nickels (so tell me again why that one is legal to own but the 1933 double eagle isn't???), the 1804 proof gold eagle and from the Smithsonian's collections some real rarities from 1843 (I think the mintages/survival #s were all under 10). The Bureau of Engraving also had an impressive display, including $100,000 gold certificates.
The only board members I talked to were dealers. Josh from Civitas (great memory--as I ambled up he was talking to a customer, looked up and saw me and turned around and grabbed his Japanese coins for me to look at without even asking). I saw Danglen and bought a couple of US slabs for my kiddos. I checked out a couple coins in Andy Lustig's case--but he wouldn't know I was a board member, and I didn't mention it...but he was kind enough to let me eyeball the coins with only the intent to admire them. Wayne Herndon was set up with both a table and his Wizard Supply booth--great selection and the booth was really hopping. I bought a few Really Big Airtites to try for fit with my medals. I will be ordering more online.
It was alot of fun to check out tables by names I've heard of, but never seen before (Louis Teller, Karl Stephens, Paul Bosco to name a few). There were several cool exonumia dealers and darkside, but I only saw a couple tables that had the boxes that are so fun to paw through, and they were very crowded so I skipped that this time around. There were also representatives from many world mints (Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Australia, Austria, Japan, China, and more).
NEN was there too and they were kind enough to bring three coins I was interested in from their website. One was steep by my standards so I was happy to have the chance to hold the coin in hand before buying --which I did. The other two were examples I thought of for my my Albanians--I have a couple of 66s in slabs and I just wasn't sure if 'upgrading' to a 67 was worth it--would I be able to tell the difference enough to make it worthwhile? For one the answer was yes I could tell, and the other...well maybe it was technically better, but I preferred the look of the one I already had (which had also come from NEN) so I passed on it. Bringing those to the show for me was great of them so I could decide. I also have to admire their dealing with my super-sharp negotiating skill--"um how much do you want, I hate negotiating so just tell me" (I used a similar tactic on Josh). I was quite happy with the price and presumably so were they .
Overall not a big buying spree--but a couple of cool buys. I missed pawing through the boxes, but the amount of medals was up and there were tons of cool things to look at. It would have been nice to do the whole ANA thing properly but oh well, life intrudes and it was pretty fun! I wish I'd had a chance to do some socializing too, but oh well....not this time.
Cathy
Albanian from NEN
Italian from NEN
The one from NEN I didn't get, but it's pretty awesome too!!!
).Of all the exhibits I checked out the one I liked best was the "Medals Issued bythe Corporation of London (City of London Medals)". Very suprised it didn't have an award ribbon on the case!! It had some stunning examples with amazing details including a Wyon that I used to have one of. The detail on those architectural medals is fabulous.
I must confess to taking in quite a bit of the liteside exhibits. Stuart Blay's (?sp) copper collection was on display at the PCGS booth and was hugely impressive. I saw one of the 1913 Nickels (so tell me again why that one is legal to own but the 1933 double eagle isn't???), the 1804 proof gold eagle and from the Smithsonian's collections some real rarities from 1843 (I think the mintages/survival #s were all under 10). The Bureau of Engraving also had an impressive display, including $100,000 gold certificates.
The only board members I talked to were dealers. Josh from Civitas (great memory--as I ambled up he was talking to a customer, looked up and saw me and turned around and grabbed his Japanese coins for me to look at without even asking
). I saw Danglen and bought a couple of US slabs for my kiddos. I checked out a couple coins in Andy Lustig's case--but he wouldn't know I was a board member, and I didn't mention it...but he was kind enough to let me eyeball the coins with only the intent to admire them. Wayne Herndon was set up with both a table and his Wizard Supply booth--great selection and the booth was really hopping. I bought a few Really Big Airtites to try for fit with my medals. I will be ordering more online. It was alot of fun to check out tables by names I've heard of, but never seen before (Louis Teller, Karl Stephens, Paul Bosco to name a few). There were several cool exonumia dealers and darkside, but I only saw a couple tables that had the boxes that are so fun to paw through, and they were very crowded so I skipped that this time around. There were also representatives from many world mints (Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Australia, Austria, Japan, China, and more).
NEN was there too and they were kind enough to bring three coins I was interested in from their website. One was steep by my standards so I was happy to have the chance to hold the coin in hand before buying --which I did
. The other two were examples I thought of for my my Albanians--I have a couple of 66s in slabs and I just wasn't sure if 'upgrading' to a 67 was worth it--would I be able to tell the difference enough to make it worthwhile? For one the answer was yes I could tell, and the other...well maybe it was technically better, but I preferred the look of the one I already had (which had also come from NEN) so I passed on it. Bringing those to the show for me was great of them so I could decide. I also have to admire their dealing with my super-sharp negotiating skill--"um how much do you want, I hate negotiating so just tell me" (I used a similar tactic on Josh). I was quite happy with the price and presumably so were they . Overall not a big buying spree--but a couple of cool buys. I missed pawing through the boxes, but the amount of medals was up and there were tons of cool things to look at. It would have been nice to do the whole ANA thing properly but oh well, life intrudes and it was pretty fun! I wish I'd had a chance to do some socializing too, but oh well....not this time.
Cathy
Albanian from NEN
Italian from NEN
The one from NEN I didn't get, but it's pretty awesome too!!!
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Don
I really have to make one of the big shows sometime, sounds like a lotta fun. Thanks for the report.
I saw the Eagle... some lite site stuff. I tallked with Josh, Andy and a handful of others. I was not happy with a huge and unreasonable price quoted on a 1739 George II Crown. I was very close to saying "okay... the joke is over... now take the coin back to your boss and provide me with the real price now... " As much as I really wanted to say that, I chose the high road and just handed the coin back with a look on my face that probably implied that a certain place would freeze over before I look at one of your coins again. On the bright side, I bought afew GB and Canadian items... but nothing unusual or rare but just plain fun. I added afew Victorian 1d's to the collection... circs... nothing too special even though I do not recall ever owning an 1894 1d that has this line between the 8 and 9 that looks for too big to be a die polish mark. Looks to be a Peck question for Wybrit.
The funny thing about the Victorian 1d set from 1860 through 1901 is that everyone that collects them seems to have an interesting experience as to which date is the toughest to obtain. Most would say it is 1869 perhaps followed by the 1875-H or even 1864 (keep in mind we are excluding varieties). I still have never owned an 1864 example...
Overall, the ANA is a numismatic event that everyone should experience. I say this in part because some coins really need to be seen to be appreciated and a picture does not tell the whole story.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Nice report Cathy and I am sorry I missed you
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Also, the British Royal Mint had free samples of the new 1-pence coins, which were nicer in-hand than I thought they would be.
It was alot of fun to check out tables by names I've heard of, but never seen before (Louis Teller, Karl Stephens, Paul Bosco to name a few).
Cathy, it's Mark. After you get to talk to him for the first time, he's Mark Teller, the Louis (his middlename I assume) is for the show.
Wonderful reports , Baltimore ANA is indeed a great show, in a very beautiful port.
Hi to all from a nice and small Ionian island.
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Hi to all from a nice and small Ionian island.
Dimitri ..... I'm jealous or should it be envious or most probably both