Virginia does it again

Have you been to a coin show lately? Do you attend any at all during the year?

I am thinking about them this morning and how important they are.

Word from the Virginia Numismatic Association is that its 57th convention and coin show in Fredericksburg on Sept. 25-27 was a great success.

Organizers said there were 87 dealers with tables on the bourse floor, which was more than last year.

Public attendance was up as well, though the specific figures were not provided to me.

Events such as this are the foundation of numismatics.

It is not easy to hold a show. A committed group of volunteers usually makes it possible.

I was not in Virginia, but I have visited in the past.

Instead, I made two journeys in the month of September to stay in personal touch with hobbyists.

On the same weekend as the VNA show, I was out in Vallejo, Calif., for a seminar sponsored by the Northern California Numismatic Association.

Earlier in the month I was able to join Clifford Mishler and Joel Edler in a trip up to Wausau for the regular monthly meeting of the Wisconsin Valley Coin Club.

It is both gratifying and daunting to think about the sheer number of shows and club meetings that are held in any given month in the United States.

No individual could possibly take them all in, but there are those who do more than their share.

If you know one such person, tell him or her how much you appreciate what they do.

The VNA report to me mentions that a banquet was held. Guest speaker was Walt Ostromecki, the immediate past president of the American Numismatic Association.

He told those breaking bread together to share the hobby with others and have fun with coin collecting.

There is no better message.

It is too easy to fall into the “I’m too busy” frame of mind and skip events and meetings in an attempt to lighten the load of commitments, but that can be a mistake.

I plead guilty to doing this, also. Just ask Michael S. "Stan" Turrini how many times he asked me to go out to California.

I know you can’t be in two places at once.

It is sometimes necessary to make a choice that takes you away from a numismatic event.

But don’t make a habit of skipping collector events that you know you will enjoy.

Some commitments do you more good than others if they make you appreciate your life.

If you enjoy numismatics and the people who participate in this great hobby of ours, there is a tonic effect to staying with it.

This tonic effect makes you want to go back and do it again and again.

It actually gives you such a boost mentally that you are in a stronger position to handle your many daily responsibilities.

But the tonic effect wears off over time. If you skip too many meetings it dissipates altogether.

Don’t let that happen to you.

Take Walt’s advice.

You didn’t begin collecting coins because you had to do it. Don’t let your many responsibilities take this interest away from you.

Go to a show and let it help you remember why you became a collector in the first place.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper has twice won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."

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