I Went To A Coin Show In Dfw - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 1,698
t501tx New Member United States 26 Posts	Posted 11/18/2017 2:40 pm I noticed a couple weeks back that there was going to be a coin show in Grapevine Texas this weekend. Last time I was to this show was probably 15 years ago. Being only 5 miles away I decided to drive over see what might be there and what might have changed. Lets be honest, I am a tire kicker. I look but rarely buy. I like seeing rare coins up close, especially the artwork on ancient Greek that you only see in photos in CNG catalogs. First thing the convention center parking lot was as full as the last time I was there. I saw people going in with briefcases as before (a sure sign of an American coin collector). My $3 paid, I walked into the room and it was truly deja vu! The room was packed with dealers and buyers. I am guessing a good 100 dealers. Countless Morgans, Libertys, Mercurys abounded in cases. Buyers peering through loops at slabbed coins. Over in the corner I spotted a familiar face, it was Bill from Nilus Coins. He looked up at me and his expression was, I remember you. Shook hands, repeated names and chatted for a few. Bill always has amazing coins with many in the four figure range. We chatted a few and I moved on. At another table was another dealer I remembered, it was Nick from Pegasi. He always has a huge selection and always some bargains. A box of denarii tempted me, $40 to pick, $30 if you bought them all, and a box of silver ants $30 pick, $22 for them all. The final ancient dealer I forgot the name of, but I know I bought a nice sestertius from him last time. So to summarize... 3 ancient dealers out of 100, the "exact" same three as 15 years ago. A full parking lot and lots of buyers and lookers. 99.999% men, most over 50, but not too many over 70ish and not a teenager to be found. Same demographics as last time. Which means to me that new buyers are still coming in to the hobby as others age out. The hobby is obviously healthy as it was 15 years ago just by this one visit. Maybe I will return again in a few years... Report this Post to the Staff

echizento Moderator United States 23731 Posts	Posted 11/18/2017 3:07 pm IMO coin shows are a waste of time for ancient coin collectors, live auctions and on line sales are much better. I've never been to a coin show or ever entend to go unless the show is specific to ancient coins. Report this Post to the Staff
moxking Rest in Peace United States 17900 Posts	Posted 11/18/2017 7:08 pm Excellent report. I especially liked your positive opinion of old collectors then and now, rather than the pessimistic view that collectors aren't being created. I actually started collecting ancients because of a Coin show. I was working on a world silver crown collection and one of the dealers also cased ancients. I asked the standard question of how could a coin that old only cost me $150? Not knowing that was actually a middling price, rather than a cheap one. He pulled out a double row of less expensive Roman and proceeded to go through the box with me telling me what to look for, collecting different rulers, types of denominations and so on. I walked away with 22 ancients and continued to collect. That dealer was always the first one I visited at any show and he frequently sent me coins on my want list on approval. I attended his funeral a few years ago and ill always miss that man who became my friend. Coin shows are explorations. If you stick to the map you will miss some wonderful side streets. Report this Post to the Staff
westernsky Pillar of the Community United States 7656 Posts	Posted 11/19/2017 12:19 pm I try to go to this show a a couple of times a year just to see people I have known a long time and to try and get a feel for the health of the hobby we all love. This show is held about about every 6 to 8 weeks throughout the year. I got there around 1pm on Saturday afternoon and ponyed-up my $3 admission fee. They no longer give you name badges to wear and you do not have to "register" to attend the show. To me, those are both security flaws even though there may be privacy concerns for some attendees. The $3 admission fee is now due daily where as in the past a single admission was good for all days of the show. Sounds like the promoter(s) are trying to squeeze every dollar they can, while they can. So, if you attend all three days of this show it will set you back 9$ just to walk in the door. On the bright side, your daily 3$ admission gives you another chance at a door prize! A plus to this show is that ANACS sets up in the lobby and you can drop off your submissions without having to hit the bourse floor if that's all you need to do....(saving you another $3!). Walked the floor and had short visits with the old timers I knew. Most comments were positive but there seemed to be concern with the day-to-day collector market. Key date generic coins to build sets are not moving. Bullion was still king and is selling well. There were a few new younger dealers set up and doing business so that's a good sign for our hobby. Saw a lot of nice coins and paper but nothing that tickled my fancy. I was gone with the wind about 2:30. Report this Post to the Staff
thecoinguy1964 Pillar of the Community United States 1323 Posts	Posted 11/19/2017 1:26 pm The last coin show I attended in the metroplex, was this very same coin show, but some 20 years back. I met my dad there, and he completed his IHC book with the purchase of the 1877 & his Morgan set with the 1893-s. I've been to approximately 5 coin shows since, but all in the Houston area, where I now live. I rarely purchase from coin shows or coin stores, I like finding bargains out and about. I have to agree to the crowds, they kind of remind me of the folks from the funeral home back home in Arlington, they never seem to change appearance. Report this Post to the Staff
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