Time for a good year

When I put my watch on this morning I noticed that it was still showing Florida time even though I returned to Iola late Saturday night.

Obviously, yesterday I did not have any time critical tasks to perform.

But Florida time might not be a bad thing to be on in 2013 if it means we can keep up the levels of numismatic activity that I witnessed at the Florida United Numismatists convention in Orlando.

There seemed to be a lot of good business going on.

The background noise, called “buzz,” was at strong levels for much of the time I was on the bourse floor.

Though there is no evidence to indicate that a high level of buzz equals strong business, show participants find it reassuring to hear it and to see high levels of foot traffic by the public that help generate it.

At certain times during the day I found it difficult to get through certain aisles.

So with all due respect to the Chinese lunar calendar, perhaps we will be able to call 2013 the Year of the Buzz as average collectors become more active after keeping their heads down for the last five years.

Dealer comments to me reinforced my perception. Good business seemed to be general, though I do know that comments to me are generally shaded toward the optimistic side.

After all, who wants to hang out and do business with pessimists?

Outside temperatures were very high this year, reaching the low 80s during the day. The humidity was on the high side, especially to refugees from the frozen North like me.

Fortunately, I had taken a bigger suitcase and packed more casual clothes than usual to go with three suits.

The result?

I left the suits in the closet for the entire show.

Perhaps a hobbyist or two didn’t recognize me on the bourse floor as a result.

Optimism, too, seems to be infecting American Numismatic Association members who want to serve on the board of governors.

Word was there are now 15 candidates for seven seats, the presidency and vice presidency.

Apparently the next round of legal action that began in December has been no deterrent.

Bottom line?

The FUN organization with its record high bourse table count of 617 and the record number of exhibit cases of 225 combined with record-setting temperatures to have hosted organized numismatics to the best beginning to a new year in quite a while.

Perhaps I should have left my watch on FUN time.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."