First Coin Show Experience ...

Wow...A drunk Old Man That collects coins!

 

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Paul, Great observations from a first time coin show attendee! As someone from the other side of the table, it's easy to forget what it's like for newer collectors when they attend their first show. And it looks like you learned what it's like "the hard way." Don't forget, there is a lot of good information that has already been posted on these message boards about how newbies can prepare for a coin show so be sure to take advantage of the forum's "search" feature! For what it's worth, here is my input on some of your comments:

Though as a dealer I usually get away with taking photos at a show so I can post my show reports, photography is usually banned at most shows - and taking pictures of coins in a dealer's case will make many dealers uncomfortable for security purposes - me included. In any event, make sure you ask the dealer ahead of time if they will allow you to photograph a specific coin.

Some dealers do take credit cards, but most do not - and cash always is king and can sometimes get you better prices!

Although all my coins have prices clearly marked, most dealers do not price their coins ahead of time because as you mentioned, prices change too frequently.

Most dealers don't mind looking up prices for you, but it would be wise for you to bring your own price guides, and to make note ahead of time your target grades and prices of specific coins you are interested in. Many collectors feel they should get to pay Grey Sheet prices, and they often get discouraged when they can't buy coins at those prices. However, keep in mind that they Grey Sheet prices are DEALER wholesale prices (mostly for raw material) and, for the most part, collectors should not expect to buy coins at those prices.

Usually, most of the females I see at shows are wives of dealers, but over the past few years I have seen more and more young girls attend coin shows - so that's a very positive sign that perhaps coins are finally crossing the gender lines! As far as these girls being "hot," I guess that opinion will have to remain in the eyes of the beholder!

By the way, I'm currently writing an article for publication in a coin club magazine about "Coin Show Etiquette" with some "do's and don'ts" about attending coin shows and plan to post it here on CT on another thread shortly. I think it may be especially helpful to newer collectors who aren't familiar with coin show "protocols," but I am also hopeful it will serve as a reminder to the more "seasoned" collectors who may have forgotten certain coin show "courtesies." :whistle:

 

I will read you new article Penny Lady.

 

saltysam, good point. i am sure those wiley dealers know all the tricks ("These aren't the droids you're look for" -Obe Wan Kenobe)

vess1, a strategy walking in is a good idea. i can honestly say i didnt know what the heck i was doing other that just checking stuff out. next time i will have a strategy.

pennylady (charmy), glad to get a dealers perspective. i was probably making all kinds of mistakes. your coin show ettiquite article is a great idea -- look forward to reading that. for example, i had NO IDEA about no photography. thanks for sharing that. if you have prices marked -- that would have been refreshing to see! do you know the general rule about coin show purchases and returns? does it vary from dealer to dealer? or are most sales final (I know with you that you have a credit only return policy). it sort of struck me more as an all sales final sort of venue --- where you hand over your cash and the dealer runs off in a day or two. A lot different than the feel of buying a coin off ebay or the web with paypal, where return policies are clearly stated, and you have all sort of buyer protections in place.

gdjmsp, auctions and shows being the primary mover of coins is news to me! I always thought it was the internet (ebay, heritage, etc). By the way, i wasnt thinking of making dealers reholder coins, just put those little round price stickers on the coins that can be easily peeled off (like the ones charmy uses). I just thought it would have been nice to see some sort of price ballpark without having to ask every time. FInally, I am definitely not at the stage of knowing all the prices and the market conditions in my head, but maybe someday I will get there!

 

Congrats on the first coin show. It helps to have a list, or several lists. I tend to only focus on a few dealers when I go to Long Beach, but that is not possible for first time show goers. Some folks do use an Ipad or smart phone to keep want lists, have lists, and prices, or even get online access during the show. Some dealers will be uncomfortable with a stranger taking photos of coins. Written (or typed) notes are fine though.

 

I've been attending the Baltimore Whitman show for fifteen years, maybe longer.. I used to live about a mile north of the convention center.
I agree, the show is huge. Over the years I've found it works best for me if I arrive around noon on Thursday, then check out the vendors on my way to the far corner of the show, then aisle by aisle, work my way back to the entrance all the while making notes re: vendors, pricing and quality of items I'm interested in. After that I usually take a break, visit with some friends or dealers, then head out again this time to make some purchases and spend more time with my favorite vendors. This year I was tracking down two foreign currency notes and a nice Walking Liberty. After a lot of effort I got all three, though the Netherlands Indies five gulden note, 1939, took two days to buy. I finally bought it from my favorite vendor for 33% less, and higher quality, then what his neighbor was asking. The other note I also paid about 33% less for the same quality note then his competitor. Both of these notes were purchased from Daryl Speibring, Banknotes of the World. He and his wife maintain a large inventory that is organized and fairly priced. I also bought a risqué fantasy note from him. (I posted the note on CT then thought it a good idea to remove it), Every foreign currency dealer I do business with has prices and "Pic" numbers clearly marked on the clear envelopes containing bills

I like the face to face at shows. I've known some of these guys for years. Some save stuff for me. The Krause currency books are very large and too heavy to lug around a show so I spend a good bit of time looking at them at some of the dealers I frequent.Cash is king at the show, also may give the buyer leverage to negotiate. Credit card purchases add about 3% to purchase cost and are trackable. Pricing: "How much is it?" With some dealers it's whatever they can get. Gold coins usually aren't marked. Gold/silver bullion prices vary over spot. I bought some silver at $1.25 over spot. When I was going to a show to buy coins I would first buy the $13.75 GreySheet packet (http://www.greysheet.com/web_order/special_form.asp) to take to the show. It's very useful and saved me a good bit of money over the years. I look at as I'm a collector who's dealing with people who buy/sell for a living. When I'm spending big money I want every advantage possible. I also used to take the Red Book , not so much for pricing but for coin information.cket helped me negotiate prices that were favorable to me.

This year, for the first time, I attended one of the free lectures. I was ten feet from the show exit when an old friend, who is involved with the Whitman show management, approached then invited me to a lecture being given by his friend':Anthony Swiatek -0MSNA Distinguished Lecture Series:
"Buyer Beware," by Anthony Swiatek (http://mdstatenumisassn.org/MSNA/201...-buying-coins/). It was a very informative and entertaining lecture.
I'm going to check out the lectures from now on.

Women - in all the years I've been going to show I've never seen so many attractive women at a coin shows as I did at the Baltimore Whitman show. Some of them were doing some serious buying even lugging around those wheeled carts. Those may have been dealers.
Many years ago, at the Baltimore Whitman Show I spotted a tall beautiful dark haired braless woman standing in the crowd so I made a bee line over there. Turns out
she's a representative of the French mint. She walks behind the mint counter so I stayed and browsed the case contents. I spot an high relief art medal of NYC. I want to buy it. She leans over the counter (remember the no bra?) and in broken English tells me it's not for sale. It takes me years to finally buy it and weeks for it to arrive from France. I eventually bought ten or more different French medals then started collecting other medals.

Take your wireless notebook or iPad. I see visitors and dealers all over accessing the 'Net.

Parking - the cheapest I've found is $10.00 for twenty three hours at the baseball stadium parking lot "C." Enter from Howard St. If I remember correctly turn right the first light after crossing Pratt St. Be careful because if you miss the turn you've got to drive out to 95 then turn about (about 20 minutes) On weekends many garages have $10.00 specials all day parking. During the week lot "C" is the best bet or arrive before 9am for $10.00 special parking at most lots around the convention center.

If interested I got some deals on meals around there.

The Pennylady and GDJMSP offer very good advice. PL has written several very good threads of coin shows.

Sorry for the choppy editing and formatting. I typed it in Notepad then pasted it into CT.

 

I think of the greysheet as more of a market report, those are the prices that dealers typically pay and what they want to sell for, hence the bid ask spread, many dealers who sell at ask will buy at bid, some dealers buy back of bid and sell at bid. Some want to use coin world prices, some will use online pcgs and other guides.

As you go on in the hobby you will sort out which dealers give the best value to you.

 

Well, I am glad to read someone confirmed this for me! I bet that representative of the French Mint knew exactly what she was doing. Then again the Europeans have a whole different viewpoint about such things.

By the way, I wonder if she realizes the impact she had on you, and how your whole collecting destiny was changed by what she decided to wear or not wear that morning. ; )

 

You're right. She was tall, beautiful, braless and wearing a black dress. I was smitten as were probably every other guy that saw her.
Her male companion in the booth was a typical Frenchman - wearing all black, chain smoking (it was a very long time ago) and spoke flawless
English. He told me none of their products were for sale only display. It was so long ago - I had a slow dial up 128K analog/digital modem phone
line Internet connection. Smoking was allowed on the show floor.

That first French medal, high relief NYC, is my CT avatar.

 

I may be old, but I'm not dead!

At FUN 2008, I was waiting for the bourse to open, and there were numerous Orange County (FL) Deputies present. There was one extremely attractive young woman in plainclothes. She was about 5'5", 115 lbs. with blonde hair in a Ellen DeGeneres-style cut. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. So, when they finally let us in, I walked right up to her, held my hands out and said, "Arrest me!" She asked, "Why?", and I said, "It doesn't matter. Just take me anywhere." She laughed and as I was walking away, she asked, "Did you do something wrong?" to which I replied, "That is something that only you could answer."

So you see, it isn't always about coins, but if coins are all you see, you must be a lot older than me.

Chris

 

This plus this

means i can't find the exit door when i try to leave.
​

 

>I may be old, but I'm not dead!

Very funny story. I think I might have said. "You need to arrest me I've been a very bad boy".

Off topic but fun:

Many years ago, my employer was sending me all over the country eg, week in Denver next week in San Francisco, then home for a week then out to another city.
These were the days when some airlines dispensed all you can drink free wine. I remember one free wine flight from the east coast to SF, CA I don't think was a sober adult passenger when the plane landed in SF.

I land at the Dallas airport walk out into the terminal. The first thing i notice are attractive women dressed in white blouses and short red skirts with gun belts around there waists.
The gun belts are supporting very large, almost Dirty Harry size, revolvers. Security. A really oddly erotic sight. They can secure me anytime. I take a cab to the Dallas Hilton or Dallas Sheraton.
Don't remember. (I do remember the hotel food was excellent) Around 8pm I leave my room go down and outside to get something to eat. As I'm going to the door hotel staff stop me and advise me not to go outside because it's getting dark. I ask why. "There's a lot of crime downtown these days." OK, I buy a newspaper and head over to the hotel restaurant. Waiting for my food I'm reading the paper: Officer whomever shot a burglary suspect nine times while he was fleeing the scene. Nine times???? That means Officer Whomever had to reload his six shooter or use a spare gun to shoot the suspect nine times.
Don't mess with Texas.

 

wow..thatnwas along time ago

 

Yep, probably mid-late seventies.

 

>means i can't find the exit door when i try to leave<

Good one!

 

Lol

 

You my friend got one beautiful looking SLQ. Oh and I hope you don't turn out like me where I go just to check out the women, not the coins....LOL
Parking on most of the shows here are free and plenty of space. But at least you learned what it was like and seems as if you enjoyed it a bit.

However, I am jealous of how Chris can approach a girl because if I did that, my wife would probably shoot me on the spot before I even think of going for my gun...LMAO

 

tonedcoins, thanks! i think i am going to ship the SLQ off to Todd at BluCCPhotos, as I just can't capture it with my iphone! it's really quite amazing looking in hand.

chris, best pickup line i've heard in years!

 

I just remembered - this year for the first time they had something called the Whitman Champion or something similar.it's a PC search engine that's supposed to locate dealers/inventory
Enter the dealer's business name and it's supposed to return his location or enter hobo nickel and it's supposed to reply with a list of dealer and locations that sell them.
It didn't work for me but it's a new service that'll take time to get up and running. maybe by the next show. Nice touch.