ANA Convention Report (Chicago 2019)

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by kaparthy, Aug 17, 2019.

  1. kaparthy

    kaparthy Well-Known Member

    I attended only on Tuesday and Wednesday in order to give a talk in the Sundman Lecture Series on "The Future of Money."

    Tuesday, I checked in at the hotel, got my key, met one of the other speakers (Mark Benvenuto, an old friend from MSNS), and went straight to the bourse floor. I found the bibliophiles in the back with the club booths and chatted with Joel Orosz, Len Augsburger, and George Kolbe, at the Kolbe & Fanning booth. The NBS booth next to them was staffed by Tom and Pam Harrison.
    NBS Table Tom and Pam Harrison.jpg
    Later in the afternoon, I found Gilman Parsons from Sonoma, California, selling books that cost about as much as house.
    Gilman Parsons.jpg
    We talked for a while and he gave me one of his new catalogs. I browsed his show copy and was greatly impressed with the very old and very valuable books. The next day, I found the FedEx office in the hotel lobby and sent it to my ex who is a printing and typography buff.

    Also on Tueday, I took a US Mint survey and was given one of the new "American Invention" dollar coins. Only by overhearing a conversation did I understand that the Mint was actually selling products. I asked about the dollar coins, but they wanted $34 for a roll of 25 business strikes and I was not motivated.

    I was impressed by the US Mint's educational outreach. They have the kid markets down pretty good.
    US Mint Educational Outreach.jpg
    Later in the floor, I found a dealer selling "Coin Cards" similar to a standard deck, but with images of US coins, so I bought two decks for $1 each.

    The next day, I attended the morning Sundman Lectures, delivered my talk, enjoyed the Sundman Luncheon, sat in on the afternoon lectures, walked the floor one more time, and then flew home.
     
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  3. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

    Thanks for the report, Michael. I sure wish you had taken some photos of Mr. Parsons' display case. It looked like he had some interesting medals in it. C'est la vie!

    Chris
     
  4. Dimedude2

    Dimedude2 Member

    I think my expectations for the show were higher than what to expect. I was actually disappointed.
    - I thought I could find walkers in an effort to complete a set. Early walker in F to XF grades are very scarce.it makes a challenging and fun ending to complete this.
    - activities for the youth were not as apparent as previous shows
    - dealers seemed kind of glum. The hobby is in a deep funk for which I hope makes a brisk turnaround.
    - the ANA needs some changes at the show to brighten up the experience. Too much same old same old - it needs more excitement, but I think I went on the wrong day.
    - the bourse was WAY too dark! That did not help the atmosphere. I personally am not a big fan of Rosemont, but that’s ok.
    - the next time I attend, I will go on Wednesday or Thursday.
     
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  5. kaparthy

    kaparthy Well-Known Member

    Also at the convention, I joined the International Primitive Money Society. (They have a Facebook page.) Their basic membership is $10 for two years. Robert Leonard and I go back a ways. He helped me with some research for an article on U.S. wildcat banking that I was writing back in the 'nineties. More recently, we have had some exchanges on our different interpretations of the facts he presents in his book on primitive money, Curious Currency (Brooklyn Galleries here).

    There are many ways to participate in the hobby and for myself, I like to understand the "why" behind the "what." We should be cautious about projecting ourselves on the past by way of modern "primitive" people. They are as old as we are and are not our ancestors. But the various structures and functions of ritual gift exchange can inform our own understanding of money now and money in the future.
     
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  6. kaparthy

    kaparthy Well-Known Member

    Within the first hour on the bourse floor Tuesday, I ran into Paul Gilkes from Coin World. (Paul's desk was behind mine when I worked there. I learned a lot about inteviewing people by listening to him on the phone.) Coin World's booth was dedicated to their Digital Media and Enterprise offerings. They have tools to enable dealers to track work (grading submissions), tie to bookkeeping (Quickbooks) and shipping, and post on websites (eBay and your own), manage content (translate facts from bar codes on slabs) and more, all as an integrated package.
    Coin World Marketplace copy.jpg
    Mark Crutcher said that their goal is to help dealers who are still trying to run their businesses via emails and spreadsheets.
     
  7. Ima Dragon

    Ima Dragon Year of the Dragon

    Thanks for the information on the show . I'm afraid that with my collecting habits I'd come away broke with all the new additions .
     
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  8. kaparthy

    kaparthy Well-Known Member

    Before I left the convention, I saw former Coin World editor-in-chief Beth Deisher at the table for the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force. They are set up as a 501 (C) (3) through the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation. She is listed as the Director of Anti-Counterfeiting. Bob Brueggeman is the Executive Director. https://acefonline.org
     
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  9. CoinBlazer

    CoinBlazer Numismatic Enthusiast

    I tried negotiating with my father to fly with me to Rosement. He declared a veto on my proposal and the bill was squashed.
     
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  10. Treashunt

    Treashunt The Other Frank

    nice report, I am sorry that I missed those decks of cards!
     
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  11. kaparthy

    kaparthy Well-Known Member

    Incidental to the convention, but very important to me, I had dinner with one old friend and lunch with another. I know them both from the Michigan State Numismatic Society and have not seen them for almost ten years since I moved to Austin. There was a lot of coin talking of course, but also other aspects of "life, the universe, and everything" and I was pleased to hear their stories.

    When we make these show announcements, we try to meet with each other. Some years back, CoinTalk regulars met up at MSNS conventions more than a couple of times, but there were always materials on the bourse floor and other distractions. I had duties, as well, chairing the guest speaker sessions, attending board meetings, and I never got (or made) the time to sit down and relax with my friends. This time I did. It made a difference. I recommend it highly.
     
  12. kaparthy

    kaparthy Well-Known Member

    I know. It is hard to do everything at once but I did notice the medals. They seemed as old as the books.

    Well, you know, there's a lot of variables in the experience. It would be hard to query all 300 dealers for their early date mid-grade Walking Liberty half dollars, so unless you are OCD-focused on pursuit, you never know what you missed.

    My daughter attended five or six MSNS conventions and was more interested in her own pursuits than doing whatever adults thought that kids would like. Maybe they should get kids to help with the planning.

    Dealers are people (honest) and glum or happy seems to be a set point of personality, not so much a result of the actual environment. I just saw the same thing two weeks ago here in Austin at the Armadillocon scifi convention: glum dealers being glum because of the same old same old; meanwhile everyone else had a good time. But I had to admit that the "same old" was evident. If everything is always new and different, you lose your cultural traditions. It is hard to know where the middle of the road is.

    The bourse floor was OK for me. We have archived discussions here on the best day to attend a show. It's like taking pictures with your cellphone because your Nikon is at home: the best camera is the one you have with you right now. The best day to attend a show is the day you are there.

    Attend a few of these larger shows, state, regional, and national, and you get over that "kid in a candy shop" thing. I understand perfectly. For many years, it was impossible to bring enough money. Then... at the next show... it was very possible... In fact, if I was disappointed in anything it was that I saw bags of coins that I long ago bought one of because I thought they were rare. I probably have exactly one coin worth owning and worth more now than I paid for it 20 years ago. But that is why I differentiate numismatics from collecting. I am a numismatist, not a collector.

    PM me and I will send you one.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2019
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