It took me more time to get there and back than I spent at the show. Sold three Capped Bust Quarters quickly and flipped that money (plus some more) for four Early Commemoratives. The show seemed to be getting a bit lighter with customers than in the past. And I've been thinking that for each show (3 per year) and for several years now. And the few dealers I chat with seem to feel the same. I suspect I can blame that on the economy. Anyway, here's what I bought: 1920 Pilgrim - PCGS MS-65 1921 Alabama - PCGS MS-63 1923-S Monroe - NGC MS-64 1936 Albany - PCGS MS-66
Very nice purchases! I've been planning to buy a Pilgrim half dollar for quite some time now. I have a couple of Columbian Expo. half dollars- ungraded however.
I also have the 1923 Monroe Doctrine half, but its very circulated, and cannot be compared to yours of course!
I suspect you can blame that on the availability of coins on the internet, plus the decline of US-coin collecting. When I was young, long ago, lots of kids had blue Whitman folders to fill (and get hooked on). Not many kids have done that this century.
The economy is doing awesome right now, all sorts of records in unemployment, consumer confidence, GDP, etc... How does a strong economy equal less attendance at coin shows? Nice Albany. I still need that one.
I don't think it's necessarily an economy issue with the Baltimore show. I am willing to say I could be totally wrong here with my assumption, HOWEVER............ I live within a reasonable distance to Baltimore that I love to go spend the day down there when the coin show comes around. I Have been there almost every time since I've been back in to collecting. Members of my club man the booth in the front from time to time so it's an all around nice experience for me except.........I don't have a ton of money to spend. I MAY take $50-$100 with me. I don't expect anything to be given away to me but there are only a handful of people at this show that have anything worth while in a reasonable amount of money. It is because the show is a huge draw from many people across the country and the cost to show/sell there can be quite large. Tables, hotels, etc. so it's not worth selling what I can buy or what I would even consider a splurge. Now don't get me wrong, you can find nice things there like any show and I do enjoy going. I really enjoy it actually. I missed it this week and wasn't really horribly upset that I forgot about it and couldn't go. To the opposite, I would be upset if I missed one of my other local shows or even the Gettysburg show(which I drive a while to get to) that offer (to me, don't blow that out of proportion, only to me) a better deal. I think the low attendance can be attributed to many things, weather, etc but my thought it that it could be to the success that this show has seen for larger big time collectors. It is pushing the smaller collector out. It is what it is and I will still make plans to attend to drool over those things which I cannot afford!
