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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;calcol, post: 24704764, member: 77639&quot;]Attended Thu and Fri.&nbsp; First time I’ve been since 2019.&nbsp; Show has been moved to a different hall in the Convention Center since my last visit.&nbsp;&nbsp; This would have been OK if I had known.&nbsp;&nbsp; Original hall was accessed via the main entrance to the center on Pine Ave.&nbsp; When I got to the main entrance at opening time, all the doors were locked.&nbsp; Must have been 50-100 people milling around wondering where the show was or if it had been canceled.&nbsp; There were no signs saying the coin show was on the other side of the center.&nbsp; Finally, I went exploring (long walk from one side to the other) and found the entrance, which did have signs.&nbsp; Told the officials they needed to put signs at main entrance directing folks to other side.</p><p><br /></p><p>Show itself was a little smaller than I remember, which probably is why it was in a different hall.&nbsp; Still seemed to be well attended.&nbsp; See the pic.&nbsp; Had to take the pic surreptitiously because there were signs prohibiting pictures and video.&nbsp; Really ridiculous because everyone has a camera in their pocket.</p><p><br /></p><p>All the dealers except one I remembered from before were there.&nbsp; So was the U.S. mint and the grading services.&nbsp; The missing dealer was one who always had a big booth at the back selling books, coin boxes and other supplies.&nbsp; Had a good time talking to many dealers.&nbsp; Met some new ones.&nbsp; Always learn something from dealers at every show.</p><p><br /></p><p>Saw some spectacular coins … far more expensive than I can afford … coins like the British Una and the Lion 5 pounds of Queen Victoria (the real one, not the recent Royal Mint reissues) and a matte proof St. Gaudins double eagle.&nbsp; Stack’s Bowers will be auctioning the Una soon if you’ve got a couple hundred thousand to spare.&nbsp; Didn’t buy anything for myself but recorded several coins that I might contact the dealer about later.&nbsp; Did buy a birth date proof set for my son.</p><p><br /></p><p>My wife bought a medal which is pictured below.&nbsp; It’s a bronze 70 mm French medal by Lucien Coudray.&nbsp; It was issued by the Paris mint in 1900 with a mintage of 4500. Reference is Maier 223.&nbsp; There is a lot of confusion on the internet and elsewhere about the artist’s name.&nbsp; Because the artist signed his medals with an L superimposed on the C of his last name, he is often referred to as C. Loudray.&nbsp; In fact, the dealer from whom my wife bought the medal had the artist as C. Loudray.&nbsp; Lucien Coudray was a popular French medalist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.</p><p><br /></p><p>The obverse shows Orpheus holding a lyre and supposedly at the gate of Hades.&nbsp; Actually, I know of no authoritative source that states Opheus is at the gates of Hades on the medal.&nbsp; Orpheus is a mythical ancient Greek hero.&nbsp; He sailed with Jason and the Argonauts.&nbsp; After his wife died of a snake bite, he descended into Hades in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue her.&nbsp; He was a great poet and musician.&nbsp; Hence, the lyre in his hand.&nbsp; I’m not certain of the interpretation of the reverse.</p><p><br /></p><p>All in all, it was a great show for us.&nbsp; My wife and I really like Long Beach and being able to eat at our favorite restaurants again.</p><p><br /></p><p>Cal</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1578224[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1578225[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1578226[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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