Very belated FUN show report

[HaydenTubbs]

I actually meant to post this the night I got back from FUN but things didn't exactly work out to say the least! First getting suspended from eBay and then I was sick all of last week and spent a lot of that time in bed...but enough of my whining

 

My brother-in-law got JD and I got off pretty much on time but some bad traffic outside of Orlando put us behind schedule and we didn't end up getting till the Luncheon till about 30 minutes late(?). I was hoping to get there early to get a group shot and have plenty of time to converse with everyone.As it was I got to talk to several board members for a few minutes and Mrs. Machuga(Chris's mom) presented me with this awesome painting she had done from a picture taken at the July '05 Clearwater,FL show with Chris and Shane:

 

I'm amazed at both my rugged good looks( ) and the detail on this work! Hat's off to your mom,Chris!

 

Unfortunately the speeches started not to long after we arrived. (Lou and Ed should have noted that I was quiet out of respect for the speakers ( ) )Overall the NGC/PMG folks were just going over some of their accomplishments and goals in the next few years, but I enjoyed listening to Mark Salzberg and was overjoyed to hear his stance on the possiblity of a 100 point grading system.Not exactly an "over my dead body",but at least I can rest assured of my coins coming back from NGC with no more than a 70 anytime soon. NGC and PMG flattered all of us with multiple goodies,which I believe have already been mentioned or pictured in previous threads: 2006 FUN Luncheon multi-coin sample slab,David Lange's Complete Guide to Mercury Dimes, and the two PMG certified notes.

After the Q&A forum David Lange was kind enough to autograph anyone's book who asked:

Anyone care to identify these fine folks?

This was as close as I got to a group shot because after shaking hands and a quick hello with several board members just about everyone ran back to the bourse while I was talking with Chris(I hope he doesn't put his back out lugging all those French medals around! Definitely a very interesting and beautiful collection though,well worth all the effort you've put into it Chris!). Next year JD and I will be there Friday and Saturday so hopefully I'll have the chance to sit down and talk with most of you guys. Maybe we'll just have to camp outside the meeting room and be the first ones in!

After Chris left,we decided to hit the food and I must say that the roast beef was out of this world! Dena was still around so I was able to talk to her for a little while and she was kind enough to let me snap a quick shot of her:

 

BTW Chris,Shane, and Mark; isn't she already married?

 

When we had our fill of roast beef,JD and I hit the bourse. He was in awe for a little while at the size of the bourse being that it was his first large show. The biggest shock to him,being a collector who focuses on gold was seeing some dealers' cases that were filled to the brim with gold coinage. Should have given him a bib...

We parted our ways for much of the show as I had a number of items I was looking to sell or trade,mostly toners and a few pieces of small size currency. I was very happy having sold everything I was looking to liquidate within an hour on the floor! I was pleased with the prices that I ended up getting for all of the material and was able to work some of it out in a trade deal for some toners(using the currency as my trade). Overall buying was very good for me even though I focused on mostly toners. I picked up a number of PCGS/NGC rainbow Morgans but ended up turning most of them to a dealer just a few rows over in the space of about 15 minutes,I only wish I had gotten the chance to image them.I always enjoy cherrypicking dealer's stock for under priced toners or keeping my eye out for dealers that don't believe in charging a premium for toning. I didn't have as much luck as I've had at recent and smaller shows but I did pick up some nice certified toners and a number of raw toners that will be heading to NGC.

I stopped by the TCCS table looking for Shane and being that he was AWOL and roaming the bourse, I was able to have a nice long chat with Ron Sirna(Newmismatist) and Brian Wagner. Ron had a lot of his own Morgans in the TCCS case and I must say that any of his pictures never even come close to what they look like in person! I swear these coins have colors I never knew were possible! Although I do wonder why he would even bother to pick up new Morgan toners since I do believe he has just about every toning pattern/color combination possible!

Absolutely awesome toners Ron!

Brian also showed me a number of his toned proof copper cents,Indian and Matte Lincolns. I do believe that if you ever purchase a Indian proof cent with outrageous and beautiful toning it has passed through his hands at some point in time!

I must say that I was in toned coin heaven for much of the show,unfortunately most of it I could not afford! I stopped by another dealer's table on the hunt for toned coins and while he didn't have any up for sale he pulled some $1-2k battle creek pieces out for me to examine! Out of this world,even for a 63!

I later found Ron's own table a little while later and boy did he have some beautiful Indians. Sadly I was begining to run low on cash so I didn't have time to educate him on the doctrine of a YN discount

I had the pleasure of meeting up with a number of board members from across the street not including those who post on both boards. One of the most awkward things that happened to me at the show,and it happened a number of times,was when a total stranger would see my name tag and walk up and introduce themselves. Most all of them were CU members and had seen me post over there but there were a few people who had apparently won some of my eBay auctions and remembered my name! Some of the CU members I recognized when they mentioned their handles but I still don't know who half of the people were!

My last purchase of the day was an 1853 Gold Dollar,ANACS MS-61 for my brother-in-law. Some of you who attended the luncheon probably heard his story of what first got him interested in collecting,and primarily gold. He was in a Hollywood video store waiting in line to check out his rentals and he happened glance at the floor and notice a small shiny gold colored "sticker" as he thought.However when he kicked it with his shoe(yes,I always grimace at this part ) he soon found it was not! If I recall correctly he probably broke the speed limit a number of times on the way over to my house once he saw what it was! An 1853 gold dollar! There were never any lost ads in the classifieds so I don't know where it ever came from! It was a nice piece with an average strike and AU+ details,however it appeared to be lightly cleaned and had a small dent above the date. We ended up selling it at the Tampa show in January of last year,but he just recently began to express regret in selling it since he now collects gold. So when I saw that MS-61 in the dealer's case I was overjoyed. Definately very high end for the grade(in fact he just cracked it out and is going to send it in with my next NGC submission hoping for an upgrade of at least 1 point) with a strong strike and very few marks. He was absolutely ecstatic when I showed him what I had just purchased and that has got to be the fasted sale I've ever completed!

We were going to try to find a display case to set in his office but for fear of robbery he keeps it in his vault and I took some 8x10 pictures of it for him to hang up.

The show was begining to wind down even though there was about 2 hours left,and I snuck a quick look at some of the displays and the gold doubloon case. I don't get too excited when it comes to colonial coins but the history behind these coins is fascinating

I stopped by the TCCS table once more and was pleased to find Shane having returned from his adventures( ) and all alone.

 

Sad to say he told me about the Smith and Wesson in his black bag.

 

He showed me his new purchases from the show and I wouldn't be surprised if he put that S&W to use to pick up some of those beauties at the rock bottom prices he stole them for!

I'm just going to have to start following him around since he must have some hidden stash!

Shane was also kind enough to take a look at the raw toners I had picked up and reassure my hopes of NT,although if any come back in body bags from NGC for AT or questionable toning I'll be sending you the bill Shane!

Overall I had an awesome show and I can't wait till next year!

If I have time I might post a few of my NewPs that made it home.

 

 

Hayden

[kryptonitecomics]

Man....that guy in the paisley shirt sure is good looking!!!!!

[chinook]

I know you guys have all said Dena is pretty. But WOW!!!. She is hot!!!!

 

And oh ya...Nice report

[IGWT]

Very nice report, Hayden! Glad you're feeling better and able to respond to the ribbing. Reading your recap brought back the enjoyment of the show.

[cpm9ball]

Man....that guy in the paisley shirt sure is good looking!!!!!

 

Yeah, but don't you think Hayden has committed plagiarism?

 

Chris

[kryptonitecomics]

Yes.....trying to steal your thunder....but I will set the record straight by posting the actual shirt

[cpm9ball]

Man....that guy in the paisley shirt sure is good looking!!!!!

 

Actually, it isn't paisley. I have it on good authority that Shane sent a "submission" to a local sperm bank. After waiting weeks and weeks and weeks for his results, he was finally informed that all the little "coin-heads" were no good and this is how they body-bag them. (((((((( ))))))))

 

Chris