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Upcoming Baltimore Show, 31 March................
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Started by tj96,

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tj96

tj96

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On 3/17/2022 at 4:03 PM, Coinbuf said:

Not going, I have not and would never spend the money to go to a show I could not drive to, I would have nothing left to spend.   And now with the price of fuel I would not even drive to a show.

Oh, okay.  Got it.

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VKurtB

VKurtB

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On 3/17/2022 at 3:03 PM, Coinbuf said:

Not going, I have not and would never spend the money to go to a show I could not drive to, I would have nothing left to spend.   And now with the price of fuel I would not even drive to a show.

This may sometime soon become my reality as well. For now, going to shows by car seems too costly, while air fares are still possible. I always loved the Whitman when it was a 50-mile schlep. 600+ is a little much. I’ll travel that far for ANA or FUN, but not Whitman. 

Edited by VKurtB
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Coinbuf

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On 3/17/2022 at 5:58 PM, VKurtB said:

This may sometime soon become my reality as well. For now, going to shows by car seems too costly, while air fares are still possible. I always loved the Whitman when it was a 50-mile schlep. 600+ is a little much. I’ll travel that far for ANA or FUN, but not Whitman. 

That is about the distance I have to drive to get to the Long Beach show, the only show that is even remotely close enough to consider and one that I have been to many times before all the protocol nonsense.   But now it would be at least $300 in fuel round trip plus any food, and lodging; $500 minimum just to cover the trip cost so why bother.   And it would be double that to hit any other show, in reality all the east coast shows have always been a non starter due to the cost of travel alone not to mention the time required away from my business.

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VKurtB

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On 3/17/2022 at 10:39 PM, Coinbuf said:

That is about the distance I have to drive to get to the Long Beach show, the only show that is even remotely close enough to consider and one that I have been to many times before all the protocol nonsense.   But now it would be at least $300 in fuel round trip plus any food, and lodging; $500 minimum just to cover the trip cost so why bother.   And it would be double that to hit any other show, in reality all the east coast shows have always been a non starter due to the cost of travel alone not to mention the time required away from my business.

Yeah, but my “savant skill” is finding ridiculously low fares. 

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Coinbuf

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On 3/18/2022 at 9:51 AM, VKurtB said:

Yeah, but my “savant skill” is finding ridiculously low fares. 

Sure there are some cheap fares to LA, cheaper than driving.   But (there is always a but) then you have to factor in the cost of taxi or uber or rental car, the last time we flew to Denver to visit our daughter the round trip airfare for the two of us combined was much cheaper than the cost to rent a car for the three days we were there.   You have to factor in all the costs not just one.

Edited by Coinbuf
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tj96

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On 3/18/2022 at 9:54 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

Let's not forget the most costly part of the trip... the coins! hm

How true!! 👍🏻

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GoldFinger1969

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On 3/18/2022 at 9:54 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

Let's not forget the most costly part of the trip... the coins! hm

I had saved up for years and it turned out to be a good time to buy -- prices low, Covid hitting a few weeks later -- but I probably spent $1,000 on transportation and room/eats at FUN 2020.  And spent multiples of that on coins !! xD

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RWB

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On 3/18/2022 at 9:54 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

Let's not forget the most costly part of the trip... the coins! hm

The coins...? You go for the coins...? :)

I rarely go just because the coins are about all there is. Original research is about investigating sources, correlating information, analyzing data -- the coin is only a piece of this puzzle, and almost everything at a coin show is ordinary and generic, regardless of "rarity" or cost.

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GoldFinger1969

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On 3/19/2022 at 10:22 AM, RWB said:

and almost everything at a coin show is ordinary and generic, regardless of "rarity" or cost.

Not at the bigger shows.  Saw plenty of unique coins, including MCMVII HRs, at FUN 2020.

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RWB

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On 3/19/2022 at 10:27 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Not at the bigger shows.  Saw plenty of unique coins, including MCMVII HRs, at FUN 2020.

For research purposes those are still "ordinary and generic."

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GoldFinger1969

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On 3/19/2022 at 10:58 AM, RWB said:

For research purposes those are still "ordinary and generic."

What kind of "research coins" are you talking about ?  Outside of an auctioner like Heritage, I don't think the 600 dealers at FUN or smaller number at other shows are going to have unique, historical coins outside of what it says on the label.

I presume you've been to big coin shows where they have viewing lots and you can talk to experts who might have insight....other than that, not sure how you can do research at a coin show.  I mean, I know if MTB was at a show to promote bullion sales you could always ask them about the 1983 El Salvador Gold/Saint Hoard (before the key people passed away), but that's a unique incident.  Ditto Stack's.

Edited by GoldFinger1969
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RWB

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It usually comes down to searching for specific coins that are mentioned in archival literature, or learning in advance that a dealer or collector will have a specific piece at a show. Those are very unusual, and the amount of time available to devote to that is limited. Another way to look at it is this: an ordinary day examining US Mint documents will yield more useful information than any but the most extraordinary day at the largest coin show. That is the situation when searching for the unknown rather than looking for the "known."

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GoldFinger1969

GoldFinger1969

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On 3/19/2022 at 12:46 PM, RWB said:

It usually comes down to searching for specific coins that are mentioned in archival literature, or learning in advance that a dealer or collector will have a specific piece at a show. Those are very unusual, and the amount of time available to devote to that is limited. Another way to look at it is this: an ordinary day examining US Mint documents will yield more useful information than any but the most extraordinary day at the largest coin show. That is the situation when searching for the unknown rather than looking for the "known."

Understood.....but I think a day at a coin show is more FUN xD than scouring Mint documents through the Newman Portal. :)

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RWB

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I don't use  NNP much. I gave them some of the material, so I've had it for years before NNP. I concentrate on new, undiscovered materials -- and those will eventually become part of the NNP database. (Presuming they fix the AWFUL search engine.)

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The Neophyte Numismatist

The Neophyte Numismatist

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On 3/19/2022 at 10:22 AM, RWB said:

The coins...? You go for the coins...? :)

I rarely go just because the coins are about all there is. Original research is about investigating sources, correlating information, analyzing data -- the coin is only a piece of this puzzle, and almost everything at a coin show is ordinary and generic, regardless of "rarity" or cost.

I do.  I buy half cents online, but I would much rather have them in-hand when I make my decision to buy.  Large coin shows are my only opportunity to see half cents the way I like to see them.  

Baltimore last year was a huge hit for me. LOTS of great half cents and I was able to pick up some nice ones!  I left happy.  Thats why I want to go back.

Edit Note: @RWB I would love to follow you at a coin show and watch you compile research.  That would be fun!

Edited by The Neophyte Numismatist
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GoldFinger1969

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On 3/19/2022 at 7:32 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

Baltimore last year was a huge hit for me. LOTS of great half cents and I was able to pick up some nice ones!  I left happy.  Thats why I want to go back.

That's interesting because the one thing we've heard the last 2 years is that dealers have no inventory and are able to sell what they get online and enjoy higher margins.

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The Neophyte Numismatist

The Neophyte Numismatist

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On 3/19/2022 at 8:47 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

That's interesting because the one thing we've heard the last 2 years is that dealers have no inventory and are able to sell what they get online and enjoy higher margins.

Last time I had an agenda.  I knew the dealers, and in most cases specific coins I wanted to see.  In the end it came down to compromises and financials, but I certainly left some rare and beautiful coins on the floor for the others.  

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