Best Coin Show Ever...

I've been to several coin shows and the best one would have to be the Long Beach Expo. I've really gotten to know a dealer there. He sells bags of coins and coins in rolls. He usually pulls the nicer examples out of the bags and rolls, and puts them in separate rolls. Whenever I go see him at the coin show, he always offers me the nicer example coins at the same price as the junkier coins. A lot of the time, he'll stick a few extra coins in the rolls at no extra charge.

For me that is truely a tuff question. I go to 2 to 4 coin shows a month. Just went to one last Sunday. We have 3 standard shows a Month within 15 miles of my house and that is every Month, all year long. Then there are the occational large ones at a place called the Rosemont Convention Center and a few at the hotel accross the street from that. Never remember the name of that place. Might be Crown Royal. Used to be a Holiday Inn. The larger shows are always way to expensive for coins but great to look at coins you seldom see. Also, the larger shows usually cost to get in and to park. Food is expensive and usually not worth eating. The smaller coin shows have basically the same dealers from the same or surrounding states so you get to know them and get much better deals. At the larger coin shows prices are not as flexible and the dealers assume they'll never see you again so why give you a deal. I've had so many good and bad experiences at coin shows it would be difficult to mention any. I always like it when I come home with a deal that is absolutely great but so many times I just come home with a few copies of coin magazines free from the front tables.
Possibly just to many shows around here. We have coin shows, gun shows, camera shows, computer shows, knife shows, car shows, boat shows and I go to most of all of them.

Bonedigger,

Glad to know that I'm not the only one...

I'm a big fan on the smaller coin shows too. I go to a monthly one at the Embassy Suites hotel by my house.

Never thought there were that many people on a coin forum that never went to a coin show. Your missing a great experience. If you go to a small coin show frequently, that will be the end for you with ebay, heritage, etc. The reason is if you do go often enough to smaller coin shows the dealers get to know you. This is usually a good thing. They know they should give you great deals so you become a steady customer. Also, if a regular show with standard dealers, not worth it to cheat you since you would possibly start bum rapping that dealer and word does spread. Most of the smaller coin shows around here are bigger than 20 dealers. One is usually about 60 to 80 and at the same place in September will probably be well over 100 dealers. The bigger ones are well into the 200+ area.
You must remember at larger shows, dealers come from long distances so usually rent a hotel or motel. Have to eat out, pay for gas for their vehical and lots of other expenditures. This all comes from the sale of their coins so they must up the prices from what is expected. Most local, smaller coin shows are more of the local dealers and just drive there and then drive home. Table rentals at the larger shows cost more than at smaller coin shows also.
Regardless, if you can see the coins, check them out with any magnification device you bring, bring an additional light if required, chew the dealer down, you'll never go back to buying a coin via the internet.
Other coin show advantages are you meet people, occationally free coin magazines at the front tables, free admittance, free parking and you meet knowledgable dealers. They are usually not the fly by night people from ebay. One dealer from a coin show looked for a certain coin for me for well over a year. When he found it finally, he said no charge for a good customer. I've had other dealers give me Whitman Albums free and one dealer gave me a few Walker halves for commenting on his new web site.

Never thought there were that many people on a coin forum that never went to a coin show.

Well, it's not from choosing not to attend one. It's the sinmple fact that no coin shows ever come out to this area of the country. While we (Belle Fourche,SoDak and the surrounding area) may be the geographical center of the United States it's far from the rounds the Central States Numismatic Society makes. Perhaps they should change their name to the "Eastern Central States Numismatic Society" LOL...

Heck, I've got to travel 600 miles (Denver) to get my Bust Half Dollars certified by another member othe Bust Half Nut Club (BHNC). But living in this part of the country has it's benefits. Lots of open spaces you know... Here are two pictures taken from our house.

Back porch view...


Remember the movie Dances With Wolves? This is looking out our Bay Window facing west.


Here is a pic of my jeep in the Buffalo Gap Grasslands which is right next to the BadLands National Park and our place. I drove out here by simply going thru a gate on a dirt road, and driving 18 miles east LOL... You can see the dirt road right behind the jeep.


Now, you can see why there are NO coin shows in this part of the nation, the Western Dakotas...

I just went to the ANA two weekends ago.
It was great.
I only got a couple of coins, but I did manage to get to books, a signed 4th edition Red Book and a blue book, from the 60's that I needed, signed.
Both signed by RS Yeoman.
Local shows?
I hit two a month on Long Island.
Where do you live?

I also went to ANA show a few weeks ago and had a great time. I had set my sights on two particular dates of $20 Saints for my registry set and was able to shop 5 or 6 dealers in one place for quality and price. I would up getting excellent deals on both and will probably do more business in the future with the dealers I purchased from.