Dealers upbeat at ANA

Though business at this year’s American Numismatic Association convention was not at record-setting levels of two year’s ago, the last time it was in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill., dealers on the whole were upbeat about their results.
“I deal in foreign coins and it was very good,” said Ken Ferguson of Austin, Texas, sitting behind a case of gold coins.
“The market for gold was very good for two reasons. The price of gold rose. The people from Europe and Asia came to buy gold.”
He also mentioned convention participants from Latin America.

“They come here to do business.”

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Ferguson noted that it was “the first good show in six months. The last good show was the FUN show. The market slowed down because of metals dropping.”

Sondra Beymer of Santa Rosa, Calif., offered her observations about business.

“I’d say it was very good. There was lots of activity and lots of people coming, plus it’s a fun place to be. Easy access. That always helps.”

What was most interesting to her was that “people were spending on a little higher end.”

Also, “some new people are coming into the hobby, older people.”

Bill Spencer of American Coin in Racine, Wis., said his results were “very good. We sold a lot of common stuff, low-end stuff.”

In particular what buyers were snatching up were “a lot of Buffalo nickels.”

Pierre Fricke of Sudbury, Mass., declared, “We had a great show. It was a lot of fun. There were a lot of people.”

Moving out of inventory for him were his specialty of Confederate paper money and also large cents.

“It’s a very good show, particularly selling,” said St. Paul, Minn., dealer Greg Allen.

“I’ve sold cents to dollars, even a $2.50 in 67+,” he added, and then held up a Professional Coin Grading Service MS-65 1947 Walking Liberty half dollar with Certified Acceptance Corporation sticker and a PCGS MS-67 CAC 1956 Franklin half dollar, which he specializes in.

Tom Culhane of The Elusive Spondulux of Union, N.J., said, “the esoteric areas did very well, like U.S. Philippines coinage and tokens and medals.”

He mentioned other areas as well.

“Specialized collectors were serious buyers. The U.S. market like Morgan dollars and common gold were helped by the rise in the metals. Paper money was very strong.”

Culhane observed that there were “probably less dealers walking the floor than at most shows, but there were plenty of tables here, so no shortage of dealers.”

Brian Greer of Urbandale, Iowa, said of his business at the show, “It was very good, both retail and wholesale.”

What he sold was a “wide variety of collector coins, Bust, Seated, early type.”

Characterizing the buyers, he said, “It was collectors filling holes.”

Paper money dealer John Markis of Trusted Traditions of Lauderdale by the Sea smiled as he commented on the great length of the show.

“The annual ANA with the extended sales days allows the dealer ample time to stop and smell the roses along the way.”

Iola, Wis., dealer Kurt R. Krueger said of his results, “We’re very pleased. It was adequate. It wasn’t amazing.”

He, too, had more esoteric items in inventory, tokens and medals, stocks and bond certificates and a framed group of 30 Michigan obsolete notes.

He had material on hand that he expected to feature in an auction to be called by his firm in the autumn featuring Civil War tokens from the Louis G. Kaufman collection.

David Kelman of Greenville, S.C., the son of the late Zollie Kelman, who was a paper money fixture, noted, “It was steady. We are in the back row, but people found us.”

He said serial No. 1 notes have been picking up over the last four or five shows.”

Bob Worachek of Appleton, Wis., said, “I was very satisfied with the show. I think people are becoming a little more particular. Good material is selling quickly. Lower grade and problem material is not selling.”

Dick Grinolds of Minneapolis, commented about his results.

“Excellent sales. There were not many buying opportunities.”

He cited a strong auction. The token and medal end was strong across the board. It was up to what you would expect of a Ford auction, referring to the John J. Ford material sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries.