Coin Show Help

another thing, see if some experts in the field will come and discuss collecting what ever they specialize in with the visitors, it will bring people in and also make them stay longer to see the seminar. Also maybe have someone that knows how to grade coins (or a few people) that is willing to give free appraisals but be sure you limit it to say like 5 coins or you will have Bubba bringing in bags of pocket change he threw in a drawer when he was a kid, this will make the people look through their coins and pick out the best coins they have to bring (or most interesting) and may also really make those people start collecting again once they look through their collection again and there is nothing to spark someones interest in collecting than for them to find out they have something valuable but remember there is nothing more heart breaking than finding out something you thought you was going to retire off of is worthless either so be gentle when you have to tell these individuals this information

rags, if you want to get electronic media involved, you have to play their game ... even though they are obligated, by the fact that they are licensed, to serve the public.

A few tips: Don't bring them a poster and expect them to do your job in translating a visual to an oral announcement. At least make an attempt to write a 30-second PSA (Public Service Announcement). Most stations will run PSA's at various times during the day, but don't expect them to send a full crew out to cover your event unless you're doing something unusual - like giving away gold, providing educational classes for children or beginners, having a media celebrity give a talk, etc. Try to come up with a "hook" that you can pitch to either radio or TV stations, and if it's unusual enough, you might get news coverage. Try some of the suggestions above - I see some excellent ones.

Newspapers are looking for photo ops, too, and a bunch of people standing with their heads bent looking at something on a table ain't it. Maybe a blown-up display of common coin errors with your local politician standing next to it would attract attention. How about your mayor giving away Kansas quarters? How about a buffalo in a pen in front of your meeting hall? Okay, that may be a bit outrageous, but I think you get the idea.

In other words, what is exciting to a hobbyist is probably incomprehensible to Joe Average, who probably doesn't even stoop to pick up a coin on the sidewalk. It's up to you to find the feature, or more likely create it, that will attract attention and help translate the excitement in the hobby to Mr. Average, and once you do, the media will be at your front door.

One more suggestion is as long as your planning on a Gold coin givaway, you may want to consider this. If only one or two prizes, many will always say something like I never win those things. This may mean many will not go for that reason. People are people. you may want to try having numerous prizes where the first place one is the Gold coin, A few Silver coins for second, third, etc prizes. Then even a few less expensive coins or even tokens such as a Uncirculated 1943 Steel Cent, George Washington Dollar, Complete set of all 1982 Cents, etc. Many such lesser expensive items would cost much less but would tend to make people think with all that being given away, I might just win something. Kids will ask their parents to take them there for something free.
As I mentioned previously you may want to contact some coin magazines to see if they would be willing to donate some copies to be given away at the show also.
School is starting soon and if you could get someone to put on a presentation about the State Quarters and the Presidential dollars as an educational tool, this too may popularize your shows.