Question About 2020 Coin Shows

Just curious what folks think about the chance of cancellation of many 2020 coin shows. Already the MLB pre-season, NBA and the college basketball tournament have all been cancelled and there's no doubt this is just the beginning.

I'm getting the feeling that due to travel and crowd issues many of this year's coin shows will not be held. The large Summer FUN show here in Orlando is in the first weeks of July and, although I haven't heard anything yet, I'm getting the feeling that it will be a no go.

Has anybody heard anything yet about shows in your area?

 

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MD Governor just came out an hour ago banning any gatherings over 250 people in the state. That will effectively cancel the Baltimore Whitman show next weekend.

 

They're going to be canceled. MLB, NHL, NCAA, NBA etc take A LOT more to get postponed than a coin show.

Don't expect anything that is scheduled for this month to happen and if it does expect a barren show where people on both sides of the table that actually show up are very unhappy.

Early next month is more of a wild card, by May things will probably start having some normalcy back.

July should should be okay.

The big wild card will be how many people find the internet during their time inside and decide shows aren't worth the expense to travel to anymore or when they feel airplanes are fine to use regularly again

 

The biggest problem is that you would have to cancel probably 2 to 3 months before the date of the show due to travel and accommodation issues.

 

As we've seen from Baltimore I don't think any of the big shows are going to do that nor feel they should as they just want their table fees and the attendance gate. They still haven't officially canceled even with sports leagues postponing and today the Baltimore basically had to cancel it for them.

 

This just posted on their site:

Update: March 12, 2020
Maryland State of Emergency Forces Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo to Cancel Bourse
Stack’s Bowers Galleries Auction to Be Held as Scheduled in California
On Thursday, March 12, under a state of emergency declared by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, the Baltimore Convention Center suspended operations and activities in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo, previously scheduled for March 19–21 at the Convention Center, will be closed for all bourse activities including dealer buying and selling, educational programs, and club meetings. The auction of Stack’s Bowers Galleries, the official auction company of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo, will be held on the previously announced dates. Stack’s Bowers Galleries will provide auction location information and other details on their web site, www.stacksbowers.com, in the near future.

Governor Hogan announced the highest activation level of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency at 4:15 p.m. Thursday. Containment strategies include restricting public access to state buildings, and prohibiting “any social, community, religious, recreational, or sports gatherings or events of more than 250 people in close proximity at all locations and venues across the state. All planned large gatherings and events must be canceled or postponed.”

Management and staff of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo express their deepest concerns for everyone affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. “Our highest priority is the safety and health of our dealers, collectors, and the general public,” said Expo manager Lori Kraft. “We also understand the challenges for dealers and collectors who were looking forward to the show. All Whitman Expo booth holders will be contacted by Whitman staff over the next seven business days to discuss in further detail.”

Kraft continued, “We look forward to welcoming everyone back to an upcoming Whitman Expo, for our usual bourse activities, including educational programs, Kids Korner activities, and coinclub meetings.”

Updates and news regarding the Whitman Baltimore Expo will be posted at expo.whitman.com.

For updates on COVID-19 in Maryland and elsewhere, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

 

Would anyone (CT members, dealers) be interested in participating or "attending" an online bourse??? I'd be interested in brainstorming with others here to figure out a way to simulate some of the experience of bourse exploring and social interaction and such in a digital, online experience (using tools we have ready access to, like Google Hangouts, etc).

 

Let's see what people say...

 

Interesting concept @Justin Lee

 

I would love for there to be a way to simulate a coin show online BUT the sales facility we now have on CT leads off with a warning that if you deal here you can expect to be ripped off. Half of our number has trouble with coin photography to a point that they could not participate and the other half do not have the free time to do the work of becoming a vest pocket dealer (not an easy task). The third half of us would enjoy this activity but we are math challenged ....

 

I was imagining that those that are dealing are already dealers that I'd find out if they'd participate in that role (@Brian Bucklan, @Marc Breitsprecher, former CT member Ken Dorney, auction houses represented like Alfredo De Le Fe from Agora, @Rich Beale from Roma, Philipp from Savoca, CNG? Others?) having a digital table (like a Google Hangout w/ webcams, "fixed price" coin inventory maybe presented in a Google Slides to review their inventory, or just talk to the dealer and ask them) that they would man, and mingling participants can join that table to listen in to conversation already ongoing, ask questions of the dealer about their coins, review their inventory and discuss, inquire if they have certain things, haggle a bit, etc. A way to bring real time social interactions and community to the traditional isolated actions of simply perusing Vcoins or an e-store and "add to cart" experiences.

I'm also imagining a "lobby" of sorts where attendees would enter and could mingle and chat, and navigate to various dealer "tables", or to special "rooms" with topical conversations around collecting focuses (Greek, Roman Republic, Imperial, etc, etc, etc) where you can jump in, see who's there, see what the conversation is, join in and chat... Maybe some formal talks/presentations.

 

@Justin Lee : Exactly, you'd have your dealers and your attendees, like any other show. @dougsmit certainly has a valid point but to kick around ideas and work with the CT folks to see if there is a potential of doing this doesn't cost us anything. I'm not particularly savvy at internet stuff but there are people on this site that are. I'm also starting to think that there is a distinct possibility of no coins shows at all this year.

 

Our coin show in Edmonton which was going to held this Saturday and Sunday has been cancelled. Right now the Alberta Government has shut down any gathering over 250 people. I believe the Canadian government is shutting down any gathering over 1000. We have seen that the Numismata in Munich has already be cancelled. I suspect that many "spring" shows will have to deal with this outbreak. The problem is how long will it take for this virus to run its course.

 

I already know if we do it, it won't go as planned. BUT we'll learn and adjust the second go around, or realize it doesn't work. It'd be fun to figure out a way and give it a go!

 

Are we talking just an auction or possibly coins for sale at fixed prices? We have auctions that run through here already so I would think we would need more of an actual bourse where you could look buy/sell like a regular show. I like the idea of video/webcam type idea as well as the topical rooms with educational stuff as well as sales.

 

A coin show cannot be emulated by a digital tool. If people go there is to meet in real dealers, to see and feel the coins not only in photos and have a social time.

A forum like CT offer the digital experience to share experience, photos , create network but not to see and feel the coins except for the guy who love only slabed ones and never handles coins appart behind plastic.

So coin shows and fairs with coronavirus will be certainly postponed to 2021 and all canceled in 2020.

 

Just like a regular sale, fixed price (well, with the room to haggle a bit, right?) trying to emulate the dealer table experience. I'd say no to any auctions, as they already take place regularly online... This is to capture the show feel.

 

I like this idea a lot. .

 

You're right that we can't hold and feel the coins in hand; that can't be replaced. CT is a forum for collectors to share their collections... This would be a digital experience where collectors can get some face time with knowledgeable and trustworthy dealers, build rapport, learn, inquire, and grow their collection in a different venue than online auctions.

And opportunities to connect with fellow collectors in real time.

 

Something for everyone... High end items, mid-level items, entry-level items, and of course pick-bins!!!