Hopefully I'll be able to attend the Baltimore coin expo this year, but I have some questions: I've heard Friday and Saturday are usually the best days, is this correct? (I'm assuming so because Thursday is when dealers buy from others and Sunday is when many tend to leave)? Will NGC and PCGS be there doing on-site grading? Better yet what exactly is on-site grading? On Friday the Liberty Seated Collector's club is having a meeting at the show, do you have to be a member to attend the meeting? Thanks Y'all for the help!
Friday would probably be better than Saturday, as some dealers leave late Friday and early Saturday. On-site grading means grading during the show, but that is more costly than regular submissions done at their offices. Both NGC and PCGS will be accepting submissions there - that information is available on their websites.
Anyone can attend Thursday, it is not just for dealers. To gain entrance before 2:00 PM on Thursday one must buy an Early Bird badge and this costs $100 at the show. It allows you to get onto the floor at 10:00 AM on Thursday and I think an hour earlier than the general public on the remaining days of the show, too. I prefer Thursday, but think that Friday is a good day, too.
Unless something unusual happens I always attend on Friday. I get there at the opening time (10AM) and am generally gone by 1PM. Friday has a slight advantage over Saturday by being less crowded. Otherwise they are pretty much equal. Thursday is tough for two reasons. It opens to the public late (2PM I believe). And many of the dealers are roaming the hall doing there own buying and selling so some tables are unmanned. Sunday is the worst day. Even when you walk in early a large percentage of the dealers are gone.
Thanks guys! Now for the on-site grading, if I have a submission, let's say for NGC, do I have to have a membership with them to submit?
You can join either while you're there. In my case I'm a member of the ANA so I can submit to NGC without joining.
Well that stinks for me because I wouldn't want to spend extra money just to submit one coin, I guess I could submit through a dealer though. Thanks
Probably your best course of action, esp. since you have to submit at least a group of 5 coins if they are worth under $300 each.
I'm off to the show. If all goes as expected I'll have some reasonably nice coins to show when I get back. IF the guy got his act together I'll have a 1794 cent to show (about XF). I'll have an 1871 IHC in MS-63BN. Anything else will be whatever I happen to find.
