My Charlotte, NC show report (Sunday) and a lesson learned

[pendragon1998]

I'll throw in my two cents, I suppose...

 

I was only able to come by the show today (Sunday) from around 11:30 to a little after closing at 2:00. I skipped the displays and hit the floor with my wife and mom in tow (both non-numismatists but enthusiastic company). The food was overpriced and bad at the hotdog place, but what do you expect? The floor was not super crowded, but was well-populated, I thought. About 20% of dealers were leaving early, risking (as I understood it) a $1000 fine. Others were present, but were already packing. The rest were just munching lunch and waiting for 2pm to roll around. Dealers ran from friendly and engaging, to aloof (I'm in my mid 20s and dressed casually, so they likely assumed I didn't have much money), to outright scammers who tried to pounce on my mother and wife so they could sell them state quarters. One dealer who shall remain nameless had a blatantly AT westward journey set that I'd have been embarrassed to have out for sale.

 

I was feeling pretty flexible about what I was looking for - just some affordable commons for my type set and maybe a bullion piece or something. This was my first large-ish show and I was initially a little overwhelmed by the number of booths. I just wanted to get a feel for the show, see a few coins, and have fun. No stress.

 

I made a complete circuit before I bought anything. The first coin I picked up was a 1990 Maple Leaf. It was the first (and only) one I'll buy, and I ended up picking it up as much because I liked the dealer as anything - it was only $14.50, and while I like the design, I was disappointed to find out how spotty it was after getting it home and out of the cruddy plastic it was sealed in. I thought I'd picked up a slightly better one than that, but the plastic was scuffy and I couldn't see that well. Oh well, still a cheapie. My next coin was a nice Unc. First Flight commem half. I'd been wanting one for a while since my father is a private pilot and it reminds me of him. The price was right, so no worries there.

 

The third coin I bought is the main reason I'm not very happy tonight. I picked up a 1938-D buffalo nickel in what I thought was rather nice, original condition - somewhere around MS-64. I paid $40 for it, which I thought was a tad high, but I liked the coin. My mistakes were two-fold: first, I accidentally left my loupe in the car and, second, I mis-read the 2x2. I thought I got a good look at the coin even without the loupe: no wear in the hair, full horn, split tail on the hip, good luster. The only issue I saw was what I took for a small carbon spot on the obverse, which I didn't think was a big deal. I got the price dropped from $45 to $40, which, as I said, I thought was somewhat high, but 'what the heck'.

 

Now on the rear of the 2x2 were scrawled two sets of letters, which I took at first glance to be some price code or inventory system. I didn't give them a second glance. The dealer certainly didn't call them out, and there's where I think he was in the wrong. When I was a good 200 miles away, I stopped for a break and took a better look at the the two words (one on the top, one on the bottom) which were "PBEM" and "BBCLN (which looks more like "BBCLM"). For those of you who didn't wince just now, I abruptly realized that they weren't inventory codes, but rather abbreviations for: "Problem" and "BB (Body Bagged) Cleaned". I was chewing nails, but I couldn't decide who I was ultimately upset at - the dealer for not mentioning the problem clearly or (mainly) myself for (a) missing that the 'carbon spot' was actually a tiny chemically eaten in pit in the coin's surface and (b) not realizing what those stupid letters meant in the first place.

 

Now I feel like a complete *spoon*, but I'm really trying to look at this as a learning experience and not as an example of sheer stupidity on my part. Next time I won't be such a fool and leave my glass in the car, and I'll definitely be more critical of 'carbon spots' and obscure dealer -script on 2x2s.

 

The only other thing I have to mention is that absolutely nobody I talked to (and I talked to almost all the likely dealers) had UK silver britannias. I was hoping to look through a few, but although several dealers reported having 4-5 people asking about them, not one had any. This was a big disappointment for me.

 

So was the show a bust for me? I don't really know. The buffalo incident left a sour taste in my mouth, but I think overall I had an ok time. I'm at an awkward point in my collecting career - I don't want to deal with the cheapie coins in low, low grades, but I don't have the money to put into the really nice $300 to $500 coins that my taste leans toward. I thought I'd at least picked up a nice T2 buff to add to my type set, but I seem to have shot myself in the foot on that count. Maybe in a few days my feelings will perk up and I'll decide I had a better time than I feel like I had now.

[WoodenJefferson]

~learning curve~ experiences and thoughtful none the less to share those curves with others so the same set of circumstances doesn't happen to them...a true sign of a generous person.

 

Thanks for the report.

[pendragon1998]

Well, I should have seen how the day was going. It started with a mouthful of sour milk from a pint bought at a gas station, then with Duncan Donuts giving me the wrong donut, then with the buffalo fiasco, and ended with me coming home to find the cat had yakked all over the kitchen floor. One of those days were you can't seem to win.

[TomB]

If it makes you feel any better I can tell you two things. The first is that the possible loss on the Buffalo nickel will be trivial over the long haul of your collecting career. The second is that at this point in your life you are far ahead of where I was, as a numismatist, at your age.

[bsshog40]

I carry a loupe in my pocket everyday. I wear reading glasses but they're to the point that not much help when looking at coins. Course I'm almost 50yrs old now. But I still carry a loupe everyday in my pocket to check out any change I'm given or any I pickup off the groud.

[Bruceswar]

Thanks for the report.. I just picked up a 1938 D/D Buffalo in about MS 65 for 25 bucks. But this was not at the show. This was just at a shop.

[pendragon1998]

If it makes you feel any better I can tell you two things. The first is that the possible loss on the Buffalo nickel will be trivial over the long haul of your collecting career. The second is that at this point in your life you are far ahead of where I was, as a numismatist, at your age.

 

Thanks, Tom, that actually does make me feel a little better

[Bruceswar]

If it makes you feel any better I can tell you two things. The first is that the possible loss on the Buffalo nickel will be trivial over the long haul of your collecting career. The second is that at this point in your life you are far ahead of where I was, as a numismatist, at your age.

 

Thanks, Tom, that actually does make me feel a little better

 

Don't worry man, you are doing great for your age. We are going to be the future of this hobby. The younger ones that is...

[MAULEMALL]

If it makes you feel any better I can tell you two things. The first is that the possible loss on the Buffalo nickel will be trivial over the long haul of your collecting career. The second is that at this point in your life you are far ahead of where I was, as a numismatist, at your age.

 

Thanks, Tom, that actually does make me feel a little better

 

Don't worry man, you are doing great for your age. We are going to be the future of this hobby. The younger ones that is...

[mark]

I think the most important issue about your visit to the coin show is whether or not your wife enjoyed it. If she did, you are one lucky guy! You'll have so much fun at future shows that you may as well put any issues about the buffalo nickel far out of your mind. If she did not have a great of deal fun, well perhaps she had enough to accompany you to future shows. I know how much more I enjoy a show if my wife (and sometimes a kid or two) accompany me than if I go alone; hopefully you are in the group of collectors whose spouses encourage and share numismatics with them.

 

Mark

[pendragon1998]

I did have a great time with my wife. She's not a numismatist, but she was very patient and enthusiastic. She fell in love with a Columbia, SC sesquicentennial that was outside my budget (we're both from Cola). Maybe I'll turn her into a coin nerd yet

 

 

Here's my first photos of my first flight commem.

 

[Phoenix21-migration]

Nice report! I've never been to a show before, and don't know what one is like. Nice deal on the Maple. A little over spot, but not bad.

 

Phoenix

[Fergie]

Nice report pendragon1998.

 

No sweat on the buff, as we all could tell ya worse i'm sure.

In the long haul you get both + and - , and the +'s get better with experience

 

I have gotten taken and the bad taste goes away faster if you re-focus energy on what you like the most about collecting. Your favorite things.

 

Then there is just plain dumb luck.

I once made a square deal to buy some items and when I got home the one thing turned out to be another. It's value was about 6x my cost.

Voila baby ! All is good again.

 

 

Goes around comes around,

 

Keep the reports coming please, I enjoy reading everybodies.

Fergie.

[jesbroken]

Fantastic Post! As fairly written and truthful an account of a first large coin show attendance as I have read. I always carry a fanny pack with a couple of small books and loupes in it. Worn to the front it provides a little safer storage for bought items, wallets and cash.

You will soon get over the buff incident as a learning experience.

Thanks again.

Jim