Thumbs up for ANA bourse

Gold coins and errors seemed to get the highest ratings at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money held Aug. 11-15 in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill.

Harry Miller of Miller’s Mint of Patchogue, N.Y. said, “The precious metal market turned up just before the show and caused a lot of negative feeling about the market to smooth out and dissipate.”

He ranked his sales results this way:

1. Small gold coins from the $1 to the $5 denomination;

2. world coins, and,

3. low-end items.

He also said modern U.S. commemoratives were finding their way to Asia and Europe from American bourses.

Miller called the business at the ANA OK and better than he expected. He had hoped to see more collector customers there to fill coin albums, but this wish did not pan out.

For coin errors, “it was very busy with lots of buying opportunities,” said dealer Jon Sullivan of Charlston, S.C.

“I was somewhat surprised how much I actually sold. It was busier than the last Chicago ANA.”

This was a nice change from the summer doldrums prior to the show about which Sullivan said was “a little bit softer in some of the higher dollar items.”

Collectible coins were in demand.

“We had a really good show, both buying and selling,” said Greg Allen of St. Paul, Minn.

“It was the whole, gamut, not just Franklins,” he said. “All my sales here were non-bullion.”

His specialty of Franklins provided the main attraction at his bourse table, though. They were something to look at.

Allen had a complete set of -65s with Full Bell Lines graded by the Professional Coin Grading Service. He said they were all white except the 1953-S, which was lightly toned.

“I think if you have high quality coins with great eye appeal, there is still demand for them.” Allen said. “Quality is key.”

World coin dealer Glenn Schinke of Montrose, Calif., offered an enthusiastic “buying was great” when asked how he did at the show.

Business in recent months he said was “overall pretty good. There seems to be lots of active collectors.”

Schinke already was looking forward to next year’s Chicago International Coin Fair April 14-17 in Rosemont.

If you want to find something to catch your eye, you can usually find it at the table of All about Coins, Inc., owned by Bob Campbell of Salt Lake City, Utah.

He called it eye candy, which is exonumia and odd and curious material.

“I like it because I don’t know everything about it.”

As an example, he said, “I buy and sell more badges than any other.”

These are worn by law enforcement personnel, fire fighters, etc.

“It catches peoples’ eyes.”

But in the mainstream material, Campbell said, “I probably sold more silver dollars and Walking Liberty halves.”

For the entire show, he said, it was “better than I expected. That goes for 90 percent of the dealers in this room that I’ve talked to. People could concentrate on buying and selling coins. I’ve had a really good show, better than last year.”

A dealer in U.S. paper money, Micky Shipley of Mickey’s Currency in Devils Lake, N.D., said, “Business was good.”

“I would say it was a decent show,” was the evaluation of world paper money dealer Jeremy Steinberg of Petaluma, Calif.

However he said the ANA has probably gone to the well too often in Rosemont. He said three summer shows in a row reduced attendance.

“Some collectors I would have expected to have come in did not come in.”

But Steinberg rated the show an overall success.

“I look forward to the show in Anaheim (California) next year.”

World paper money dealer Dave Cieniewicz of Huntsville, Ala., said, “It was really a decent or good ANA. I was pleased. The customer base was there.”

Of the overall world paper money market in recent months Cieniewicz said, “It’s still very active. I’m satisfied.”

Not everyone called it a good show.

Gus Tiso of Salisbury, Md., called results marginal compared to the last two years, which had been good.

“People didn’t seem to have the money to spend. People just won’t pull the triggers. I think the economy has something to do with it.”

With the autumn collecting season about to begin, perhaps gold and errors were keep up their leadership among collector and dealer buyers.

More Collecting Resources
• The Standard Catalog of United States Paper Money is the only annual guide that provides complete coverage of U.S. currency with today’s market prices.
• Download The Metal Mania Seminar with David Harper to learn more about the metals market.