Please post your FUN show stories

For those of us who did not get to go.

:-(

 

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I'm on my way to the show. I thought I wouldn't be able to make it. I was wrong. If you are there, call me at my business cell which I will provide here because it is public record under Florida Law anyway due to my profession (and I've never kept my identity secret here) and easily found online: 786-319-8253

 

I went Thursday. Long story short: it was alright. Learned that that you need a good amount of cash for large coin shows, which isn't really possible for me at the moment, but I still made out with some ok stuff. Some dealers had more and budget stuff but most of it didn't really appeal to me; guess I was being really picky and I didn't want to spend my meager funds too quickly. Searched through several low-grade random lots as well and I bought a few interesting coins from those, but nothing too major. Didn't have a whole lot of money left after a few hours so I decided to call it a day (later I spent my leftover money on another coin online). I'll see if I have time to post a few of my finds on the forum.

 

btw @Sallent and anyone else there, how are things over there with regards to the airport shooting? (tighter security, less people?)

 

That's me at Long Beach, when I do go. Usually it's $300 budget, once was $500. Most the time I walk away with currency or world coins of some sort with plenty of $ left. Most of the ancients are way too much $.

Hell will free over when I pay $150 for a run of the Mill Constantine I or $200 for a common Trajan denarius.

 

It was still kind of cool to see some Vcoins dealers in the flesh though. And one (Time Machine) had a tray with most of the 12 Caesars so it was cool to at least hold some of those nice and scarce denarii. Reminds me of when I held a graded 1909-S VDB back when I still collected US coins.

 

I enjoy looking too. The main VC dealer I would see is Jencek, but I guess he's done with coins. Last I read he was moving, but still no site from them. Now a Casino. Did get a few ancients from them over the years at LB, but low value stuff.

 

When was he last on vcoins? Name is a bit familiar.

 

Been a few years now. Website once said "moving to England" and nothing since.

Was "jencek historical enterprise".

 

I bought some from educational coin from their pick groups. I also bought somencoins for the boys. I brought a few k but couldn't get excited enough to pull the trigger more.

Man, did you see the pile of Russian 5 kopecks? All XF+, and like 500 in a huge pile. I regret not buying 20 of them.

 

I saw a pile of giant bronzes of Catherine the Great. Was that it? I was rather impressed by how large they were, and so many. (I know next to nothing about Russian coins so I apologize if I'm way off the mark here)

 

Yes, that was those. Great buy for condition like that. I see a lot of dealers wanting $150 or more for similar. At FUN, they were $20 or ten for $160.

 

I didn't really look at the price because I was more interested in the ancients right next to them (surprise, surprise), but had I known I might actually have been tempted to grab one.

 

Most ancients were grossly overpriced. I did make out with a shinny Gordian III denarius of Diana Lucifera for a decent price, and an Areces II coin for also a decent price, but there were few bargains to be had overall, just a money pit.

Not an understatement either. I saw coins that I've bought for 100 dollars in similar condition going for 200 or 250 dollars. Yuck.

Although cleaned properly, the Gordian III denarius is way too shinny for my tastes. I'll have to leave it out to tone a little.

 

Nice grabs.

I think the Gordy looks good, shine wise, At least it doesn't have the overcleaned look like to the point it was polished.

 

Some of the major dealers, like Civitas Galleries, had checked out by 1:00PM when I got there. By 3:00 PM about a quarter of dealers had packed up.

Prices on ancients was ridiculous, although a few decently priced coins could be had if you looked carefully. I did not feel like paying 250 dollars for an Elagabalus Ant, 350 for a regular Antoninus Pius denarius in VF condition, or 1200 dollars for an Alexander lifetime Tet issue in VF condition, so the hard part was finding dealers with decently priced coins.

Crowds were healthy though. A decent attendance. Not large, but not insignificant either. One dealer said Thursday was the big day.

Once you got past ancients and world coin dealers, the rest was depressing. It was isle after isle of plastic slab sellers. Even the cheapest American coins were probably overpriced because it was pretty much slab gallore. And of course, the major slab companies were there to indoctrinate kids getting into the hobby, and their parents, to always buy the slab...not so much the coin.

 

I'll send you an old-school 2x2 manila envelope - back in the day, the paper had traces of sulfur in it. I've had good success toning down over-cleaned silver with old envelopes. It takes a couple of years, but the look is 100% natural. That's a great denarius!

 

Thanks JA

 

I usually start out asking dealers what their best price is at the show. It is usually 25% off what they have marked. Then I go from there to bargain. I never pay their marked price and I don't think they expect you to.

 

@ValiantKnight I was in terminal 2 of Ft Lauderdale International 5-10 minutes before the shooting, picking up a friend. By the time the shooting went down, we were in my car exiting the airport, so I just barely missed what went down.

Security was tight at the airport because I passed by there today to take a look. But just normal security at the show.