My First Show

Depends on the size of the show. You will likely be able to buy supplies, but trading is iffy unless you have marketable stuff to trade. Arm yourself with information, and do not exceed your knowledge envelope when considering purchases - it's easy to get caught up in the moment when looking an a new shiny in person. Take my word on this.

Good advice above! Especially the part about looking around before making a purchase.

I will add that there are two ways to go about this. They are not exclusive and you can actually do both if you want.

One way is to heavily research something specific that you want to purchase and concentrate on that. Make sure you have a good idea what is reasonable price for your items. Also, make sure you have a good idea how to grade it to assess that price. Look around and find the best one and negotiate the best price.

The other way, which is what I would do if this is a regular show that you will frequently go to, is to research the dealers. Get to know them and ask questions, like finding out what they usually have available. Do not be afraid to let them know you are new to the coin shows. If you talk to enough dealers, you will get a feel of which ones might be helpful to you now and in the future. Think of it as recon. You can also learn a lot about what you are interested in. In my opinion, a coin show is a much better place to do this than a coin shop, because you can get multiple opinions. One word of caution, a lot of dealers share information, so try not to user dealer A's comments against dealer B, just collect the data and assess later!

Good advice. Have fun Tim!

1. Keep all money in your front pocket
2. Do not pull out large bundles of cash. Place smaller amounts in different pockets and know what is there
3. Do not take credit, debit cards or a check book. If you do be really careful. While using one someone may be behind you with a camera phone.
4. Have an idea of what your looking for. And as noted don't buy the first one of those you see. If you loose out on something, some day there will be another.
5. Do not take the Red Book with you. That is an advertisement you don't know anything about coin prices
6. Bring a small plastic zip lock bag in case you buy several coins and need a place to put them.
7. Make a list at home of what you need, want or would like to have. Know about how much they cost.
8. Pending on where you go and the area you live there are numerous safety precautions you should be aware of.
9. Take your time and talk to any dealer that is willing to talk. Get to know the dealers. Ask for their buisness cards. Ask if they are local and/or have a store somewhere.
10. Don't be afraid to tell a dealer what your interested in.
11. Go there with the intent of having fun, learning, looking, getting to know people. Not just to buy coins.
12. Let us all know how it all comes out.

I just got back from one of the many shows I go to. Not sure what coin shows in other states are like but in the Illinois area they are packed with dealers and buyers. This one was so crowded I left at 11AM. I usually stick around until about 12 or 1PM but just to crowded for me. AND they were buying.

If your not worried about being banned from certain dealers then its always worth while having some properly graded examples of the coins you are looking for. Its much easier to reach an agreement about grade if you have a reference to start with. Most dealers welcome a healthy discussion on grading points especially on coins they don't deal with often. The ones that are rude or abrupt are probably not the ones you want to deal with anyway...