How much do you start off "in the hole" when you go to coin shows?

The 2010 World's Fair of Money was held in Boston, so the chance comes around a bit nearer to you now and then. The NYINC is held in Manhattan in January annually. Come down from Maine in January and it will be like a trip to Florida for you.

 

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Your experience sounds nearly identical to mine. CICF is a fraction of the cost to attend compared to FUN, --which itself is a fraction of what the NYINC would cost. Plus, I just like the people at the CIFC more, -nothing personal all you Floridians. I'm glad I made it to the FUN Show, but I kind of doubt I will ever be back.

 

I spent more on food ($12) than on transportation ($10 for coin club bus) for last FUN show. Granted it's only a day trip, but that forces me to have my vendors mapped out and my shopping list groomed. I never get everything on my list due to budget constraints, but looking is free, and I left happy.

 

2010 was right when I started getting real serious about coins. As to nyc I won't go there for any reason. I've had clients offer to pay my way and stay for inspecting things and my opinions at the big January Americana auctions and I wont do it. I been there years ago and the place absolutely terrifies me. Might consider going if I had 4 concealed handguns with extra clips a fully automatic rifle and a professional driver that was equally armed and a retired special forces. Otherwise no thanks. I been all over the country and no other place strikes me with sheer terror then New York city

 

NY does not strike fear in me, but I have no desire to ever visit.

 

LOL! That's how we keep people away from the greatness of this city. Let them believe their own notions of fear about this place.

Since it's been so long since you've been here, you might be shocked at how Disney-fied it has become, especially post 9/11.

Bill, a free trip to come and play in NYC... don't let the chance pass. It's an expensive town with few freebies to be had. Come enjoy the city and maybe take in a coin show, visit the American Museum of Finance or the ANS Library.

 

You don't know what you're missing! Heritage gallery, Stacks showroom... museums, statues in the park by Augustus Saint Gaudens... The center of world commerce...! And you call yourself a numismatist... LOL! Come on, don't overlook the deep history of this town, from the Dutch to the English to the American Revolution and so much more...

 

I saw the movie with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennison, The Out of Towners, when I was a kid. Filmed in 1970 and still etched in my mind. That they were supposed to have stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria has never left my consciousness, even 45 years later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Out-of-Towners_(1970_film)

 

NYC is an okay place to visit with plenty of things to see, but I have never understood what possesses 1 in 16 Americans to live in such a crowded metropolitain area? Yes, that's right...the NYC metro area is ~ 20 million people, which is 1 in 16 people in the entire United States. It dumbfounds me why...not to mention the cost of living being outright absurd...

You can have NYC, I'll live comparably "like a king" in the mid-west...

 

Kansas City is where it's at. Or so Huffingtonpost claims we are #1 best city in America to live in. No doubt Lyn Knight helps put us over the top as a great place to live, -while attendance at the auction hall isn't what it used to be with the internet, it's still a fabulous facility to hang-around in, and also home to the Johnson County Numismatic Society. PLUS, we're only a $60 round-trip bus ride from the CICF on Megabus(!)

 

20 Million...! Not quite! Entire state population is under that figure.

Census Bureau Estimates for July 1, 2013

Total Population
"According to Census Bureau population estimates, New York City’s population increased from 8,175,1331 in April of 2010 to 8,405,837 in July of 2013."

For comparison to large dense urban places, Tokyo is about 13.35 million and Shanghai currently comes in around 24 million.

BTW, there are lots of Kings and Queens in NYC

 

KC, MO or KC, KS?

Kansas City, MO is an interesting mid-west city. Great past and a lot of eclectic little architectural things, like the throwback fountains to those of European squares and piazzas, plus a neat old union station.

 

I said the metro area. The population of the NYC metropolitan statistical area is 19.9 million. That is ~ 1 out of every 16 Americans. I've been there, it's just one big mega-lopolis...not as if you can really tell the difference from NYC and all of the surrounding mess...

 

I grew up in KS (lived there for the first 24 years of my life) so I know Kansas City very well. Almost all of my college friends live in the KC Metro area. I'd definitely stay on the Kansas side though if you want to live in the burbs. Though, they have done a lot of very nice updating downtown on the MO side / warehouse district etc. A very liveable city and I presume I'll eventually end up living there down the road 15-20 years...

 

Yes, metro area. A great misnomer that perpetuates scale beyond reality in a generalization. But try telling people upstate, islanders, folk in New Jersey or Connecticut that they are New Yorkers! You'll likely offend them, LOL!
Those of the city know the surrounding mess and strongly identify with local differences, where else can a tree be both a plant and a number?

 

Ya know, a few months ago, we had a debate about this subject as some members of this forum were insisting that attending coin shows is a basic necessity in becoming a knowledgeable collector. My point was that the costs involved in actually attending a major show would be more than what you would risk buying coins sight unseen via internet photos. All I know is that I have never been burned for over $1K for buying a coin sight unseen.

As for NYC, it is an incredible city, I wish I lived there. Broadway shows, five star restaurants, great museums, the Metropolitan Opera, and so many bars that I don't think you could ever visit them all. On a side note, when I sold the major portion of my collection through Heritage, I took a town car from Atlantic City to NYC to drop the coins off personally rather than sending them through the mail. Nothing like creating an excuse to go to NYC.

 

LOL, New Jersey is the dumpster state, who in their right mind would object to being called a New Yorker to insist that they are from Jersey City, Paterson, or God forbid, Newark?

 

Some of us outgrew bar hopping after university. lol

I'll give it to you though, NYC is a fun place to visit. You couldn't pay me enough to trade a 2400+ sq. ft. home for a 900 (or less) sq. ft. condo/apartment in NYC. Just not my thing...so it's all yours...have at it.

 

Take someone from downtown Manhattan and put them in the Maine woods 5 miles from the nearest civilization at night. Odds are they'd be uncomfortable not me. I feel like that in big cities Whole population of maine under 2 million. Closest thing we got to skyscrapers is 140 foot tall pine trees. And I got no problem taking a chainsaw to one sending it to the mill and getting some beautiful 24"+ wide clear line boards. Been there done that. Only other place I found nearly as unnerving as nyc is Houston. Didn't much like it either for the record. I went to ny a lot as a kid growing up in western mass. Was 2 hours away. As I got older the less I liked it. I did get to see the twin towers when they were standing tho. Last time I was in the city was 1996 swore I'd never go back. Was my only time driving in there either

 

Amen!! 4200 sq foot house here 230 years old surrounded by gardens trees fruit trees etc. in a little early village full of similar houses that's on the national register. If I want some city life downtown Portland 22 miles away. Wouldn't mind living further north in a more remote area but this is a great location for my business