Do you still get excited about going to coin shows?

[truthteller]

When I was 13 or 14, I really had great excitement about attending coin shows. So many interesting items to see and hold. I particularly enjoyed Long Beach, which, at that time, filled the entire convention center. The great joy was purchasing a coin I had been searching for or finding an interesting piece of exonumia. By late my 20's, early 30's, coin shows became work, since I was making money. The allure was gone and it was more of a grind, especially dealing with buyers and sellers who bargained you to death. And with auctions, I worked many hours to purchase only a few coins. Is this the price to pay for making a hobby a job?

 

 

 

TRUTH

[Hoot]

I did not have the knowledge of large coin shows when I was a kid. And I've lived in rather remote locations for the last 20 years, so going to coin shows is still quite exciting to me. It's always great to see such a volume of coins brought together, and when there are a few extraordinary pieces, it makes the indulgement that much more worthwhile. I enjoy working my way through the bourse, as it's still my secondary occupation and still more of a preoccupation .

 

Hoot

[chinook]

Yes. I cant wait for Pittsburgh.

[gmarguli]

Yes. However, over the years as my tastes have gotten higher and my wallet fatter, I find I am enjoying them less and less. BUT I STILL ENJOY THEM!

 

Also, the last several shows there hasn't been too much exciting to see. Lots of the usual stuff.

[JamminJ]

I find I am enjoying them less and less.

 

Could it be the company you keep?

 

-JamminJ

[toyonakataro]

Yes,yes. My budged is limited, but just walking along the brouse floor makes me excited. The biggest problem is jet lag though. I'm in good condition during AM, but after the lunch time, I get really tired...go back to hotel room....watch disney channel.....Even Steven's coming up next!!

[gmarguli]

I find I am enjoying them less and less.

 

Could it be the company you keep?

 

-JamminJ

 

Nope, that's not it. I think it just takes more to excite me now. In the beginning everything excited me. Now it takes a monster, or something unusual.

[Hoot]

Nope, that's not it. I think it just takes more to excite me now. In the beginning everything excited me. Now it takes a monster, or something unusual.

 

Like women?

 

Hoot

[gmarguli]

Nope, that's not it. I think it just takes more to excite me now. In the beginning everything excited me. Now it takes a monster, or something unusual.

 

Like women?

 

Hoot

 

The scary thing - that's actually what popped into my head as I was typing that.

[truthteller]

"Now it takes a monster, or something unusual."

 

 

I agree 100%. While many coins were outstanding when I was younger, I've seen so many, most coins are just OK. Meanwhile, fantastic color is always pleasing and unusual coinage with history is attractive. For example, I just purchased a Cleveland counterstamp commem, the finest and most attractive I have seen( 12 of 100 issued). It's really cool.

 

 

TRUTH

[Leothelion]

Nope, that's not it. I think it just takes more to excite me now. In the beginning everything excited me. Now it takes a monster, or something unusual.

 

Like women?

 

Hoot

 

The scary thing - that's actually what popped into my head as I was typing that.

 

It was never really about coins! Dammn! The secret is out! Driving hundreds of mile just to get laid!

 

Leo

 

Oops! Getting back on topic! Do you still get excited about going to coin shows? Uh, um, yes I do!

[BillJones]

I still love going to coin shows. It’s always fun to find something you really like, and as a want list dealer it’s great to find something that you know will make your customers happy.

 

About the only bad part about going to out of town coin shows is flying. Taking coins on airliners these days with the stupid security people who don’t care if they tell the whole world about what you are carrying make flying the pits.

[DaveG]

I still get excited about coin shows, although now it's not always about the coins, but the people I meet.

 

I still remember the time (in 1997) I met David Bowers and barely managed to choke out a semi-intelligent question. Now I've had the pleasure of talking to half a dozen authors and many leading dealers and collectors, including our own Dahlonega and TomB.

 

I've held dozens of really cool coins and coin-related items and have had the chance to buy quite a few.

 

Shopping online isn't anywhere near as much fun as buying at a coin show!

[reid1836]

Do I still get excited? Like a kid in a candy store!

I will be saving up for the Central States Show in St. Louis in May. I be looking for some rarities with great eye appeal. Key date coins exclusively. I`m hoping to add an additional 2 or 3 pieces to my collection. I have placed my Christmas order with my wife for a nice 3-legged buffalo in ch-vf to ch-ef, certified naturally. But, back to the show. I`ll be looking for a 1922 no-D lincoln cent w/ strong reverse in the ch-vf range, posssibly an upgrade for my 16-d merc, a 1797 bust dollar in ch-fine, an 1885 Liberty nickel in ch-vf to ch-ef, and finally a nice 1923-s SLQ in ef-45. Or, who knows I may just blow the whole roll on a 93-s Morgan.

In response to your comment about buyers and sellers bargaining you to death. I suppose you could say that I`m a dealers dream customer. If I like it and can afford it, I buy it!

[jom]

Do I still get excited? Like a kid in a candy store!

 

Yep. That's pretty much how I feel....can't wait for Long Beach.

 

Also, it's fun to see all the other board members too. Having lunch, chatting about coins etc etc. All too fun!

 

jom

[EZ_E]

Jom, I agree! One of the coolest part of shows and seminars is meeting board members. Unfortunately, most shows that I've attended are the smaller shows which attract less attendance. However, those boardsters that I have met are great people and it really is an honour knowing them!

[Count_Erfit]

Yep. It's like hunting.

 

[Leothelion]

Last week, I got very excited about seeing someone's FS nickel collection. A few of you may already know, the collection was auctioned off in a Bowers and Merena's auction in Pittsburgh, PA. The silly thing was, I assumed that there would be a major coin show held along with the auctions. There were 3 auction houses held at the Marriot hotel but as I was about to learn as I snooped around the place, opening doors to empty ballrooms and closets, I couldn't find the coin show! So I ended up asking the embarrassing question to one of the working gentlemen from one of the auctions and to my surprise, he told me that there was no coin show there. So now I'm thinking, I can't believe I drove all the way here for some auction! But then he said that there was a coin show being held over in Monroeville, PA. I asked, where the heck is that but then I remembered seeing a road sign with that name so off I went........to the coin show. By the time I got educated and located where and what building it was held in, all the dealers had already packed up for the evening. So I decided I'll hit this place early the day before the auction but as luck would have it, I stayed out too late, 3:00 am, before hitting the sack and didn't leave the hotel until 9:30.....10:30 pittsburgh time!

But I did finally make the show but only caught about 2 hours of it and half the tables. So back to the Marriot hotel for the auction. It's been awhile, 3-4 years since I've been to a major coin show and also learned that the ANA would be held there the very next week but after the auction I decided that I had enough. When I do get the itch for a coin show, it's usually a last minute decision. For the most part I'll drive somewhere here in the midwest, leave in the wee hours of the morning and drive back that night, St Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis. But for Pittsburgh, that was too many hours, there and back without sleep! For the next coin show? I don't have the slightest idea where that's going to be although a couple of guys at the auction did invite me to some Chicago area show that was coming up.........they told me to bring my FS nickel collection along...........I don't think that's going to happen soon either!

 

Leo

[kranky]

I absolutely get excited. Since getting back into the hobby a few years ago, I've gotten to meet a number of people through the major message boards and sometimes that allows me the privilege of seeing some spectacular coins I would never be able to own. I get the same amount of enjoyment at shows looking at odd/unusual items that I've never seen or heard of before.

 

At local shows I help at a dealer's table and that gives me the chance to spend some time educating newer collectors who appear to be outspending their knowledge base. Since I don't have the pressure of making money, it's all enjoyment for me.

 

I really enjoy walking the floor, meeting new and old friends, spending some time behind the table listening to the dealers' side of things, and even - sometimes - buying some coins!

 

The auction thing does seem to be grueling. I view lots for educational purposes, but if I was doing it in order to bid it would be much less fun and a lot more time-consuming.

 

I picked up an 1880-S Morgan in 66PL at the ANA show. While I know this is not a high-dollar item, this coin is outstanding for the grade and barely misses DMPL. And I never would have had the chance to buy it except that the seller was walking Morgans around the floor, and the dealer I was working with passed on it. If I had seen the coin in someone's case, it would have been $100-$200 more for sure.