I want to take the pulse of the Summer Baltimore Show in order to decide whether I take a table, walk the floor, or go at all. How many of you go to the Baltimore Show regularly? Of those of you who do, how many of you skip the summer show? - Mike
I've never been to the summer show. I've only been going for 3 years, but it's always been spring and/or winter.
I like the summer show, but I have to weigh going against what's happening at the PA Capitol at the time.
Being (sorta) close enough to commute, I try to make every Baltimore show I can. By comparison to other large shows I've attended, it seems in my admittedly subjective judgment to be more dealer-dealer oriented than dealer-public. It's a little too far south for the New England crowd to make public attendance heavy. I wouldn't be surprised if the ratio of table count : public attendees is the lowest of any show its' size. When - as was the case last week - you see dealers folding up early Friday afternoon, you can see the writing on the wall. OTOH, depending on what the ANA is doing that year, Baltimore is usually the only chance for Northeast dealers to interact personally without large time and cash commitments for commuting. It's my opinion that Whitman could do more for it by way of advertising in the New York and Philly metro areas. I'm also wondering if the timing of the Summer show is appropriate for the buying public, occurring during the heart of summer vacation time. Frankly, Mike, if you're looking for public interaction as opposed to wholesale (where Whitman would be better), you owe it to yourself to contemplate the Battlefield Coin Show in Gettysburg. This will only be the fourth show in September (far better timing, to me), but the energy in the room I observed last fall at the third was terrific and of an entirely different character than Baltimore. No way I'm missing it this year. It'll also give you the chance to stand on some of America's most hallowed ground, if such appeals. The venue is two miles from the Devil's Den at the Gettysburg Battlefield. If it weren't near-impossible for someone like me dependent on public transportation, I'd be making the show trip one day for the battlefield and one day for the coins. Book the Red Carpet Inn. It's still cheap.
+1 to all of the above. Nominally, the Baltimore show is Th,F,Sa,Su. But after a certain point on Friday, IT GETS LEAN! You could bring in a shooting range to share the space and you might not need to notify any coin people.
I go to every Baltimore show since it's only about 90 minutes door-to-door for me, but I only go Friday (mainly to buy and for club meetings) and Saturday (mainly to sell). If dealers stuck around longer I think the show would attract more of the public. As it is, I have to take off of work on Friday and go through commuter traffic to get there when it opens to make the show worthwhile. Saturday at around 2PM it starts to clear out and it might as well be closed Sunday with how many dealers don't show. The show is too big to really cover the bourse in a full day as it is, let alone if you only have half a day on Saturday.
Mike As always love to see you in bmore! Do yourself a favor and listen to Dave!!!! Contact Alan or Mike now and grab a table to two.....a lot more bang for the buck! This show has done nothing but gotten better since show #1 and that show was well worth going to....you know I know good food....well the same goes for shows. A word to the wise....get a table Now! It will sell out always has.
The summer Baltimore is always smaller, but we still find it a very good show - and will definitely be there. Most of the visitors and dealers attend on the Thursday and Friday. Saturday is usually a little empty. - Ian
I've never been to Baltimore on a Thursday. How is it for the public? Worthwhile or better to stick to Friday? I do a lot of vest-pocket at this show; at least as much if not more than I buy.
Thursday afternoon is pretty busy. I'd say equal to Friday. (Best to verify, I think table holders get in at 8, early birds at 10 and public at noon) - Ian
Joshua Chamberlain could't have said it better.......Turn those Texas boys around and strike at the heart.........Gettysburg.
I just went to the Whitman home page and there is no schedule posted for the Summer Expo but there is for the Winter (Nov.) Expo. The Summer Expo is only 2 months away.
It's a shame Whitman stopped the Philadelphia show at the convention center it is much better managed now.
