Baltimore Whitman Show in Less Than 2 Weeks

This will be my first coin show. I live near D.C. so this will be fun

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

That's what I do when I go to the Philly Whitman show in Sept.
I use Amtrak plus a cab.
And I eat at that market just outside of the Convention Center.

 

Reading Terminal Market. Freakin' amazing place. I love going there.

 

LOL, you sound just like my dad. He always says to me "I think I'll take tomorrow off" Must be nice! Much like my dad, I bet you've earned it.

 

dang looks like a Nor'easter coming in, maybe I'll just wait for the Whitman Philadelphia show...well I'll look out the window Friday and make my decision!

thanks midas1 for the info

 

I agree Merc, you can find anything you feel like eating there and it's all good! My favorite is snapper soup from the seafood place, I get it everytime I'm there!

 

Come on dwhiz, real coin collectors don't let no stinkin' nor'easter get in their way. Just suck it up and get on down to Balto. Some of us are going to meet at Charmy's table (1751) about 11:30 on Friday. We'd like to see you there.

Bruce

 

There is no way I could wait till September at this point! I'm like a kid on Christmas eve right now, only ONE more sleep! My shopping list is complete, (I think). Iceland is at the top of that list. I'm ready to go, BRING IT! Hope to meet some of you at Charmy's at 11:30!

 

In about 12 hours I'll be standing in the lobby wait for them to let us in.
I'll walk in at 10AM, bear to the right, walk about 50 feet and I'll be at my first stop.
I've got two IHC's waiting for me at that point.

Next I'll probably check in with my favorite EAC dealer and see what he's got in the way of some of the half cents I want.
After that I'll start working the tables looking for the 1805 or 1807 dime I need for my type set.

I'll keep an eye on the time since it will be getting close to 11:30 and start wandering over to Charmy's table. I'll see what she has in the way of a '15-S Lincoln.
Plus I'll get to meet some of the other chatters.

After that my plans will be a bit looser.

 

Thanks for keeping us posted, BRandM and I will see you at around 11:30. Remember, look for the tall red head. I'm looking forward to meeting both you and Charmy. I'm headed straight for the World Coins section.

Thanks Again, see you in the morning!
Mark in NJ

 

I can't wait! There are two dealers I'm scoping out right away. After that, I'll be cruising around. Good luck to everyone...unless you're looking for what I am!

 

Yo Bruce-My oldest daughter called and she has tommorrow off so we are going to spend some together. Her 39th birthday is next week......See ya @ the Philly show

 

I have never been to a major show and I was hoping someone could give some advice on what dealers are a must see. I was also wondering if there will be anyone attending from the York PA area?

 

Good deal dwhiz, I'll see you in Philly. Happy birthday to your daughter.

Bruce

 

Depends upon what you're interested in.
If you want to see top-level small cents (Indian Head and Lincolns) stop by Angel Dee's.
That's the only one I know well enough to recommend a look-see.

 

-Arrived at the show at 10am. Bought $5.00 worth of gold coin raffle tickets from the baltimore coin club. The longest customer line to get in that I've seen for this show. . This time instead of making the rounds of the complete show then going to the foreign section I meandered over there first. Went to booth #961 which is shared by two dealers, Mark Wm Clark & David Cieniewicz (sp?). Mark & Dave have been sharing a booth for at least several shows. I bought a few pieces of foreign currency. Dave had a Yugoslavia 10 dinar note w/ Atlas vignette printed from ABNCo plates, probably fine condition P-21A or P-219. (I'm not familiar w/ pick codes at least I think they're called pick codes.) I wanted the bill but thought it was priced too high. Left there then started asking for buy prices on my 2010 proof AGE four coin album. prices ranged from $1,750.00 to $3,015.00 I sold it for $3,015.00 to Heritage Dallas, TX #155. Very close to Heritage is Great Money Gifts #58 I stopped by and bought stuff for one of the kids' birthday - money wallet, ballpoint pen with the barrel filled with shredded money, greenback pencil and greenback strap eraser. I think i spent $12.00 there.
Broke for lunch at Cafe 100 which is located on the 2nd floor of the Bank of the America Building directly across from the main entrance of the show on Pratt St. They sell lunch fare and have a very large
diverse salad bar for $6.79 pound. Good quality food and it's fresh. I spent $10.00 and had a very nice lunch. They're closed on Saturdays so tomorrow I'll probably have lunch at a place on the first floor of the same
building.

After lunch stopped by some of the usual medal vendors I see every year. Sometimes I buy and other times I don't. So far this year I haven't bought any but a couple are on the list for tomorrow:
Steve Hayden Tokens and Medals (don't have booth # he's probably listed in the directory) he was asking $130.00 for the classic Pony Express medal by James Earle Fraser - rider at full gallop pointing pistol to the rear and the reverse has a covered wagon. There's a serious blemish on the obverse. Among his other medals is a bronze Apache medal by Houser. I don't remember what he's asking for it. Some other medal vendors I've done business with and will do business with again: Cunningham Exonumia #962 and David #762.
Each show I spend more time looking at large American bank notes, especially the Education series. While I'm mulling over an Educational $2.00 bill I run into an old friend. While we're catching up he tells me he just got a patent on a math procedure. Go figure. He and I stop by David Amey's booth and I ask about the Yugoslavia 10 dinar ABNCo note. He says it's one of his favorite notes which is all I needed to hear so I go back to booth #962 and and buy it for $175.00. Wander over to the NGC booth but the line is moving too slowly so I check out some more vendors. I bought a beautiful red 1914 Shanghai bill for $20.00. Bought two 2011 ASEs for $83.00 from Provident metals #11. The ASEs may have been available cheaper but at this point I'm tired. I spent around $353.00 including lunch $10.00 and parking $10.00.
Did not make it to the penny lady's booth. During the day moderate crowds until around noon when it gets crowded then slacks off a bit around 2pm.
will post scans of my purchases later.

Update:
the Burger King is closed in the Bank of America building across from the Charles and Pratt St entrance of the Convention Center.
PArking was easier and cheaper this year. I parked in one of the lots in the 001 block of Charles St. They're located on west side of Charles St where Redwood dead ends.
$10.00 in before 9am and out before 6pm. It's about a block and one half northeast from the convention center.

 

I arrived yesterday around 12:30 We parked in the hotel parking connected to the convention center. It was very convenient and not a far walk at all. Most the people were very nice, but sometimes when we'd stop off at a booth the dealers were less then friendly and completely ignored my party and I. One dealer was busy on the phone, the other person behind the counter was saying nothing. No "one moment sir i'll be right with you." I asked the lady if she could help, and she said "oh no, THAT'S the owner im just here." This gentleman had some great coins but he kept yapping on the phone, laughing and carrying on. It's not like he didn't know I was there. I was just ignored. Is it common to be ignored at coin shows like this? Was I dressed wrong? Other booths I'd go by and look at it was the same thing. You'd walk up, take a look, and be ignored. Now the upside was the dealers whom I did meet and did take the time to answer any questions I thank and they have my business. I'll be going back, but I wish the people were a bit friendlier. That is my only complaint. Other than that 90% of the experience was great. I hope that gentlemans phone call made him a lot of money. He could have had a great customer. I know everyone can't be pleased, but to be outright ignored when they know you're patiently waiting is not professional.

 

Coin dealers, in my experience, have little-to-no formal retail training and are a bit on the shy side, so they're not really super-outgoing and not used to contacting customers first, which are two of the traits and habits that are pretty much forced into anybody who works in retail for an extended time. At the Philly show last year, I think only three dealers out of all the tables I stopped at (Over 50) initiated the conversation.

 

I got there 10AM friday as well. I had to make a quick burn through the floor, as I had to leave for a last minute weekend vacation in WV that day. I had a decent experience. Some dealers were a bit snooty, but I could usually tell before I even approached them. My first stop was to JJ Teaparty. I was more than pleased with Gail. She was very happy to show me her inventory. They recieved the bulk of my purchases.

 

As far as being pleasant AND customer oriented, JJ Teaparty would be hard to beat.
But I think their coins are a bit overpriced.