Charmy's Jan/Feb 2014 LONG BEACH SHOW REPORT w/lots of Pics!!!

I’m watching the Super Bowl as I write this show report, and really enjoying the commercials! I like underdogs and since my brother lives in Seahawks country, I’m rooting for them.

So onto my report! As I’ve mentioned in previous Long Beach show reports, this show is my favorite show since I get to see so many friends and regular customers and it’s close enough for me to sleep in my own bed each night. And even despite the fact that there was no auction this time around, the show seemed crowded and business was brisk, even on Saturday. So this 50th anniversary of the Long Beach show did not disappoint! And by the way, this particular report will not disappoint in the wine department (enjoy Ricko!). Also of note, I’m sure you’ll be happy to see that there will be a lot more faces of lovely coin ladies in this report.

Wednesday was a typically beautiful day, nice and warm. Here are some photos taken of the area around the convention center.









This is the street and the loading dock area where the cars line up to get into the loading dock (taken later in the day).





I arrived at my usual time, about an hour before set up so I can be in line towards the front of the line to get into the loading dock. Well, I guess there were a few others who had the same idea this time, so when I got there I was about 30th in line!



Paul of Scott Western Supplies and his little helper unloading


Set up went quickly, and the vest pocket dealers began stopping by my table, and the coin buying began! Boy, did I buy a lot of nice coins this time around – you’ll see photos of all my newps later in this report. However, there was one particular coin that made my show! It’s a stunning 1877 Indian cent in PCGS MS65 RB, and, next to the one in my collection, is the prettiest 1877 Indian cent I’ve ever seen! It’s a coin I used to own about 4 years ago and quickly sold to one of my regular customers. He upgraded to one with more red and used this as a trade in to another dealer. That dealer then worked out a deal with me so I could own it (again). Whenever I showed this coin to someone, either their jaw hit my showcase or I had to wipe up the drool they left on my case! This 1877 is so pretty with blazing luster and pink, gold, and magenta hues, that I knew it wouldn’t be in my possession very long – and it wasn’t. I had it one day, and sold it to another regular customer of mine who saw it at the show, then called me when it got home and said he “just had to have it.”

 

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Soon set up day was over, and we headed to our usual Wednesday night restaurant – Café Piccolo.




This is one of the nights each of us brings a nice bottle of wine and we do wine tasting. I had been dying to open my Stag’s Leap Artemis Cab, so even though I was the only one at our table so far, I asked the waiter to open my bottle so I could have a glass while I waited for the others to arrive – and boy, was it awesome!



Soon everyone arrived, the corks began to pop, and we had some yummy wine going around the table.













The next day there was a nice crown of people who steadily streamed into the show (I borrowed the first two photos from the Long Beach show website)









Took photos of a lot of dealer folk:

Maggie at Northeast Coin


David at Heritage


Larry Shepherd


David Lange at NGC

 

In the afternoon, one of my friends brought me a bottle of Leal Vineyards wine, which I had never had. My friend has great wine taste, because it was delicious. Then another dealer friend brought me this bottle of Gundlach Bundshu Merlot – he’d been telling me about this wine for about a year, and finally remembered to bring a bottle to the show, and it did not disappoint either. I also had brought a bottle of Ridge Zinfandel, which is one of my home favorites. So Thursday afternoon, we enjoyed a variety of wine, along with my new Bose speaker and some Cheez-Its, and had a little party going on at booth 848!



After the show ended, we went to another favorite restaurant – Naples Ribs –where we have a separate room just for all the dealers who show up every Long Beach Thursday!



Greg and Bonnie of Albanese Rare Coins and Wei/WTCG


Roger and Todd Pollock/BluCCPhoto, Ian Russell/GreatCollections, and Paul DeFelice/VP ANACS


Nina/Greatcollections, UNKNOWN FAMILY, and Mandy/ANACS


Ernie, unknown lady, Tyler/Alhambra Coin, Amanda/Alhambra Coin, unknown dealer, Art McBride


VAMS guys John Coxe, Jeff Oxman, Mark Witkower


Tony, Autumn, and Allen of Northern Nevada Coin


Joe Wargo, my booth helper Rich, Cindy Snow/VAMS & More, and Me


Joe Wargo, Cute Hunky Waiter, and Rich


Me and my coin gal pals – Cindy, Me, Nina, and Amanda

 

On Friday, I took a quick jaunt around the floor and took a few photos

The great guys/gals at PCGS!


Ron Guth checking out a coin for a customer


The new PCGS hologram holder


The unique 1974-D Aluminum Cent at Heritage’s table


My Gal Pal – always cute Nina/GreatCollections


Logan McKechnie/Vams and More received a 2014 Silver Dollar Registry award for his Best Complete Morgan Hot 50.


While I was at Logan’s table, he told me about a guy named Pete Bishal, who was a contemporary of Leroy Van Allen, the living legend that has a hobby named after him—VAM Collecting. In fact, Bishal wrote Chapter 5 of the Encyclopedia of Morgan and Peace Dollars. Apparently, he was famous for his understanding of VAMs and his collection of error coins of all types. Last month at the FUN show, Mr. Bishal was posthumously named the winner of the highest award given by the Society of Silver Dollar Collectors: the 2014 VAM Master. His sons — Peter, 52, and Paul, 51, showed up at the LB show and showed Logan their dad’s original notes which had been under wraps for more than 50 years. “Unbelievable,” was Logan’s shocked one-word reaction.





Logan’s latest and greatest VAMS Retail Price Guide was on sale at his table


Autumn/Northern Nevada’s jewelry person


Tony/Northern Nevada Coin paying some (long overdue!) bills ;-)


Allen/Northern Nevada Coin multi-tasking - getting a massage and talking on the phone – photo bomb by Tony!


Amanda/Alhambra Coin


Bright and beautiful Taryn/Expos Unlimited


Corbin who used to be with PCGS, is now working at Expos Unlimited


Ryan Moretti/Stacks Bowers


Bob/Watersport and his lovely wife


Scott Western coin supply table


Rick Snow showing me his AC. Paquet hat – Anthony Paquet (pronounced “Pack Aye”) was the assistant engraver under Longacre and, according to Rick, he designed the Small Letter Flying Eagle cent.


A cute family stopped by my table to look at some pennies

 

This is a rare 1900 Indian cent political token in celluloid with an albumen photo of McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt. These were sold during their 1900 campaign – this is one of only about a dozen known to exist in tact (so sorry my photos are not very good – Todd took better ones that I’ll post later).





And here’s an inexpensive coin I picked up for my own collection – it was hard to capture all the beautiful toning on this beauty!


And my newps!!!




And it’s beverage hour again!


Here’s Joe Wargo and Cindi Snow sharing wine with me.


After the show ended on Friday, a group of us headed up the street to the Goucho Grill, a wonderful Argentinian restaurant, where we had another wine tasting event!















My contribution – mmmmmm


One of the bottles had a very funny story printed on the bottle!




The aftermath!


I love my wine!

 

Nightlife around the convention center








So Saturday morning, the ANA president, Walter Ostromecki, presented me with the ANA Presidential award by for “outstanding and on-going faithful and dedicated service in making a difference in numismatics for others over the years as an ANA member.” I was very honored and grateful that he thought I deserved this award. And my good friends Cindi and Logan gave me this beautiful bouquet of flowers. I am very lucky to have such a great job and even greater friends!









Saturday was so busy for me, between helping customers, managing kids who stop by my table for the treasure trivia hunt, last-minute buying, getting the rest of my newps photographed by Todd, writing checks, and getting coins ready to submit to PCGS.

Robkool and his cute family stopped by my table while working the treasure trivia game


This adorable little boy and his mother also stopped by to get their treasure trivia question


You can see things slowed down quite a bit by Saturday afternoon




Phew, this was a very active and busy show for me – so you see why it’s so nice to relax with a glass of wine when all the hubbub finally settles down each afternoon! This is me and my awesome friend and great booth helper Rich relaxing while people around us were packing up.



Soon, it was almost 5:00pm so it was time for us to pack everything up, wheel the cart out, load the car, and head home.

And me home exhausted and comfy in me new ladybug slippers snuggled with my hubby in front of a nice little fire!



I’ve been jumping from show to show this whole month, with only 2-3 days in between, so now I have about 10 days before I leave for the PCGS show in Las Vegas, which is actually more of a vacation for me! Next weekend, I’m actually going to spend some time camping with my hubby and a group of friends down in San Diego. Yaaaayyyy! Then after the PCGS show, it will be off to the Atlanta ANA where I will once again set up my exhibit with several of my newest little penny exonumia pickups!!

 

Congratulations - AGAIN!

 

Great report Thanks

 

Great report!

 

Impressive report, as always.

Congratulations on the award.

 

Sweeeeeet Charmy! A great report, it sounds like you had fun at Long Beach.

Go 'Hawks/poor Broncos!

 

Congratulations on the award! Enjoyed your write up and photos.

 

Great report. Wish I was there.

 

Are you sure that wasn't a wine show? Great report and congrats again. TC

 

Don't really care about wine, sorry - but the story about the "clueless guy" on that label I like. Great report with a bunch of nice coins'n'peeps photos! And one day you'll have to showcase your bedroom slipper collection here on CT, hehe.

Christian

 

Fun Read!

 

Great report as usual, Charmy, and I too enjoyed the story of "Clueless in Long Beach".

Congrats on the ANA Award!

Chris

 

Nice report, Charmy. I attended thursday but you were busy the few times I passed by.

 

Great report as always.

 

An amazing report as always, Charmy!!