Featured First Coin Show Writeup

Went to my first show today - the Central States show. Figured I'd give my experience as a first timer. Wanted to go Thursday or Friday as everyone says those are the best days but just couldn't get out of work so went today. Most of the dealers were still there this morning but almost all said they were packing up around 2:00. Everyone but one said they were having a good show but said it was pretty dead today (again I have no experience to compare to so will have to take their word that it was dead today seemed fine to me!).

First thing I did was go to the Heritage table because a friend said the Sunday online auction had lot viewing until noon. They told me there was no lot viewing only pickups so I wasn't thrilled about that since I spent hours putting together a list to check out in hand. Mentioned that at the first table I stopped by and he said "they're still doing lot viewing this morning go upstairs and look" and sure enough I went upstairs and was able to view the Sunday night lots. So strange that the actual Heritage table had no clue that they still had lot viewing but anyways worked out in the end.

Looked at about 100 coins was awesome to flip through all the lots. Marked down about 10 of my favorites including 2 that are stunners in hand that of course Heritage's pictures don't do justice. So will definitely be players at a premium on those tomorrow night.

After lot viewing went down to the bourse floor with the goal of picking up 1-2 new type coins and trading a Barber dime in the process that I wasn't a big fan of. Third table I stopped by had tons of great stuff. A large cent of all things was what jumped out the most to me, had no intentions of buying a large cent today but it smacked me in the face when I picked it up. The dealer said it was one of the nicest he's owned of the type and although I'm sure sentences like that probably get tossed around a lot at these shows he didn't seem like a BSer lol. There aren't many comps to price this coin (pop is only 17/1) but he threw out what I considered a fair number and I traded my Barber dime at the top number I was hoping to get so was real happy overall with the trade.




Nice cartwheel luster on both sides with pretty subtle color and one of the stars had a little grease in the die for some added character. Perfect for what I'm after in my typeset. Actually I like this better than every RB large cent I saw today.

After that stopped by probably 6-8 more tables. Found a few coins I really liked but they wanted moon money for them. One was a Roosevelt with real nice toning but it was a $12 coin without the toning and he was asking for about 100x that - lol nope not for me. Another was a very pretty Washington but again a $15 coin without color and was looking for $350 or so. Honestly that one I would have paid up a bit for but $350 is absolutely burying yourself. I don't mind burying myself for something I'll have for decades to come but I can't get myself to do it for a ~55 year old coin when for the same price there are coins like the large cent above out there.

Finally stopped by a table with tons of stuff that is right up my alley and they are somewhat local to me too so was real glad to find that table for a future place to check out. Found a beautiful 3CN proof and an absolutely blazing 1907 $2.50 in an NGC holder that I was surprised didn't have a star on it (may have been before they gave stars not sure). Wanted both but wanted to leave enough budget for the Heritage auction so had to choose one and went with the quarter eagle it was too flashy to pass on.

If a ship was lost at sea you could just shine a flashlight on this to get them safely to shore:





Without the little chatter above the eagles head I think this is a lock 66, as is I think it's a high end 65 with a huge eye appeal bonus. We'll see what CAC says about her.

So yeah after that I had no budget left so didn't want to tempt myself and called it a day. Had a great time definitely prefer to buy in person so in the future going to try and make 1-2 big shows per year and save majority of my budget for those.

Thanks for reading.

 

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Nice coins you got. I especially like the 1907 $2.50.

 

And I just realized my 1855 1C is the PCGS plate coin. Think that's my first one!

 

Two excellent coins and a great report!
In general, the prices that I have seen at shows (including this one-I was there Thursday) are high. However, some deals can be had or at the very least one can find a coin or two that is worth the premium.

 

Dang. For being a collector who has never been to a show before you have both a lot of knowledge/experience and MONEY!

Nice trip report, nice coins. Thanks for the post.

 

Congrats on your new additions! I am not really into large cents, but it sure is a nice specimen. As it’s the PCGS plate coin, it seems what the dealer said wasn’t just small talk. I love the $2.5 gold, it’s lustrous and has great eye appeal - if CAC doesn’t put a sticker on this one, I’d resubmit it...

 

Thanks! Yeah I'm not specifically into large cents or any cents for that matter either. If you would have told me beforehand that I was walking out with a large cent I would have been shocked but this one was exactly what I am after for my typeset. I heavily weigh initial reactions when you pick up a coin and this one wowed me instantly. I honestly had no idea what these sell for, for all I knew he was going to say $300 or $30,000 for it so was happy when it was in budget especially since he gave me so much for my trade in.

 

Those are some nice coins!

I’ve been almost exclusively doing online purchases, but took my daughter to the Bay State Coin Show last weekend as it was only a 20 minute drive for me. I was able to unload some coins for as much as or more than I could have auctioned them for on EBay, and like you I picked up a couple type coins. They were priced on the high end but within reason, and by viewing them in hand I could justify paying for the eye appeal. Most of all it was a lot of fun and my daughter got some more Indian cents for her album and a couple ancients besides.

 

Pretty cent.

 

Very impressive large cent.

As for the dealers leaving some of them pulled out Friday night and others were gone by Saturday afternoon. Especially over on the right-hand side of the room.

 

I basically was just in the left side of the room where Eagle Eye was so maybe I didn't notice the empty tables as much there. I did walk by an empty Doug Winter table which bummed me out because I would have loved to talk with him a bit and soak up what I could about original gold.

Do you know if CRO was still there today? They were on my list but I completely forgot about it til after.

 

Awesome write up and gorgeous coins! Congratulations on a great first show..

 

I would love to own a gem large cent and if i could, this seems like the perfect example. Always been a fan of the late date design, & the double slanted nickels are hella cool.
This coin has it all imo.

 

Thanks! It definitely drew in my normally copper ignoring eyes so that alone is a testament to the coin. Were you able to make it any of the days?

 

Feet wet at an marvelous show..........hope to make it there one day. Not too shabby on the write up and pickup.

 

I plan on attending one day, as i drive thru the windy once a week. I came thru tuesday and was in the U.P by thursday so i missed it agaim

BTW, toned copper is addicting!! An early Lincoln IHC or 2 center is hard to beat nicely toned

 

Love the UP area just gotta watch out for those deer! My mom and her brother + sister spent their summers growing up in northern Wisconsin right by the UP border (Land O Lakes if you know the area) and when my grandma passed they all bought little places up there on different lakes. So I get up there about 5-10x a year and love it.

And yes toned copper is pretty great I need to pay more attention to it. I looooove toned IHCs especially. Saw quite a few beauties today but all of them were super expensive they were instant passes

 

I saw some 5 figure copper coins at Bay State that were raw. I could see them becoming addicting if I had both the finances and the risk tolerance...

 

I know what you mean, being that its just now starting to thaw up there, deer were everywhere. I bet i seen 30 deer from Hayward to the Mackinac bridge. A few crossed in front of me but most were just grazing along side of the road.

 

Yes. They left around 3 or so.