CICF proves ‘comfortable’

It’s Monday morning and I am back from the Chicago International Coin Fair. My e-mail looks like I was gone for a week, not a weekend.

Many of the e-mails were responses to our weekly poll question. In this case it is about spending and receiving the 2009 and 2010 Native American dollar coins. It is nice to see that so many collectors want to share their experiences.

What are my impressions of the show?

Well, I think the best word I can use to describe it is “comfortable.” Business was being done. The market there was neither hot nor cold, but the bourse room was often crowded.

The Heritage auction was a big draw, especially for the Brazilian section.

Several Brazilian coin dealers came in unexpectedly to bid in the auction and then also wanted tables. Luck was with them and the show. There were a few European dealers who could not make the show because of the backed-up air traffic due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

It is interesting when a positive factor cancels out a negative one.

I had a chat with Chicago coin dealer Harlan J. Berk, who has a shop in downtown Chicago. He mentioned that even though bullion prices are pretty similar to what they have been for a few months now, the urgency felt by bullion buyers has cooled somewhat from what it was last year.

CICF was an enjoyable event overall. Now I have a quick turnaround in the office to get to the Central States Numismatic Society convention on Wednesday.