Why would you do all that when you can just stay on here and get all the Doug missives you can handle? Oh, wait, you're talking the REAL WORLD, aren't you? Carry on, then. I'm telling you, guys. The "mini-war" going on between Internet numismatics and "meatspace" numismatics IS heating up. Cindy Wibiker, the Farran Zerbe Award winner at this year's convention, and "Ms. FUN show", took a few vicious shots at Internet numismatics in her remarks. They brought not just applause, but CHEERS!
I had a good time at the show Thursday through Saturday. I spent most of my time photographing more incredible pieces from the Eclectic Numismatic Treasures collection for the Newman Numismatic Portal. I had some good dinners with friends, one of which turned into a late night analysis of the minting sequence of the first 1878-S Morgan dollars under a hotel room desk lamp. Thursday night, we ate at Fogo de Chao, which is on the site of the 2nd mint building. Saturday, I had "brunch" at the Reading Terminal Market -- a cheese steak from Carmen's (provolone and onions) and a warm blueberry fritter from Beiler's bakery. Very satisfying. That's all I ate that day. I bought a nice 1802/1 bust dollar I'll post tonight, and I got to photograph the Morse 1933 $10 Indian that my booth benefactor (James Sego) acquired for a client of his. Some people didn't have such a good time, thanks to the unions. David Lisot, who is a vidoegrapher and interviewer who normally records all the short seminars at the ANA, FUN, and other shows, showed up ready to record, only to be told that he needed to hire a union stooge to shadow him at $75 and hour, with a 4 hour minimum. As a result, there are no videos of anything. Wizard Coin Supply refused to attend because it would have cost $30,000 to set up. A larger dealer was charged $75 per lamp to set up his own lamps. I have no idea how much some of the safes cost to move. People weren't allowed to carry in their own stuff through the loading dock without union permission, and at least one dealer was assaulted in a botched robbery attempt. Late Saturday afternoon, ANA VP Don Kagin was chatting with me and a dealer friend about the situation. The unions caused the ANA to lose a lot of money on the show, which will never be in Philadelphia again.
1) Wizard is no longer the official supplies provider to the ANA. Whitman is, and has been for a few years now. If Whitman is there, no other supplies firm is. Whitman tends to skip Spring ANA's. 2) Lisot was able to record events in the hotel, and thus the Numismatic Literary Guild was given the Lisot treatment. Also, ribbon cutting, AND the Legacy Series interview with Ira and Larry Goldberg were recorded by the ANA staff. 3) The union situation, horrible as it is/was, was SLIGHTLY less offensive than it was in 2012, and still the ANA came back to Philly. It also stank in 2000, and they came back in 2012 and 2018. There IS a Philly area alternative, out near Valley Forge / King of Prussia in Montgomery County. It is called the Oaks Convention Center, but yes, it's not a center-city location. It has ALL the hotel support we'd ever need, and no union garbage. There's even a neat casino a stone's throw away. And parking is ... (wait for it) ... FREE and PLENTIFUL.
Weirdest random newp - three different North Korean 1/2 Won coins dated 2002, coined in aluminum and GORGEOUS work. A horse, a chimp, and a snake.
But, if I spent $3150 at the show, then relist it all for $6500 on the internet, who comes out ahead?
List away, and good luck to you. And to your ultimate buyers, as well. I will READILY admit one thing re: toning. Yes, there were some modest premiums being paid at Philly for color, but NOTHING like the sheer idiocy I see online. Then you get out into the Pennsylvania hinterlands and ALL the premium disappears.
I should just have you buy me coins at those auctions you go to. skip the eBay where coins bought on HA show up on eBay for 40% more.
Because of the ridiculas union costs, did coin prices get bumped at the show. Also, the show next year will be in Rosemont, another heavy union and mafia location. Do you guys think they will bump the prices there?
I really think prices are bumped more because of the hefty table fees than the unions per se, but I could be wrong. A dealer has a lot to do to break even on fixed costs. I'll say this about the union dudes at teardown (wasn't there for set-up), those guys are like a ballet. They sling those forklifts around like virtuosos. They were also ridiculously competent in recovering showcases from the booths. I did some case stacking at Irving, TX in March, and those Philly union boys sure put me to shame. At Rosemont, dealers are literally allowed to drive their own cars ONTO the show floor at set-up (along one side) and shlep their stuff in as needed.
Rosemont's convention center is a success because it's next to, but not in, Chicago. The union problem is nowhere near what it would be at McCormick Place in Chicago or was experienced in Philadelphia.
And they COULD get that near Philly at Oaks. One difference - at Oaks, the airport is NOT next door. In terms of a good combination of factors, Rosemont IS about the best I’ve seen. There’s plenty to do in the area. Heck, the Rosemont location is so slick you can EVEN fly into Midway Airport (more discount carriers) and take public transit to the show near O'Hare. The CTA Orange Line to midtown, and then the Blue Line out to Rosemont. But for convenience sake, DO check on cheap flights into O'Hare first. Also, "ANA Light", the National Money Show, is in DOWNTOWN Pittsburgh, just as baseball season re-opens next year. It's not out in Monroeville, like the PA show is - it's downtown at the golden triangle where the Allegheny and the Monongahela form the Ohio River.