Coin Shows 101: What To Expect As A Coin Collector Attending Your First Coin Show

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Attending a major coin show is one of the most exciting things for a coin collector to do.

While all coin shows offer something for the coin collector, large coin shows go above and beyond by offering tons of fun for every type of numismatist!

Large coin shows are where you want to be if you’re looking for that special coin you simply can’t find online or at your local coin dealer.

Big coin shows also provide plenty of opportunities to:

• Bid in a coin auction
• Attend helpful coin seminars
• Make new friends
• Establish a relationship with some coin dealers

That’s right, going to a major coin show is like spending a day at an amusement park… lots of walking, lots to see and do, and you’ll probably spend lots of money while you’re there.

Following are my best tips to help you make the most of your time at your first coin show.

10 Tips For Attending Your First Coin Show

Here are my 10 best tips, if you’re on the way to your very first coin show:

#1 – Bring a friend to walk with, talk with, and even get a little help from.

For instance, you may not be able to take all of your purchases into the restroom with you. Or you might need a snack but don’t want to wait in long concession lines. Having a friend there means you’ll also have a second set of eyes when you’re shopping for the coins you’ve been hunting down. A trustworthy buddy may be the answer to having a more enjoyable time at a coin show — and will certainly come in handy when you need to be in two places at once!

#2 – Get there early.

You don’t want to arrive toward the end of the day — because the day’s business may be winding down, and some coin dealers may start closing up shop.

#3 – Don’t forget to pick up a program!

Major coin shows can easily attract hundreds of coin dealers. That means you’ll have to pick and choose which coin dealers you’ll stop by — because there really is no way you’ll be able to visit each one, especially at the really big conventions. Coin dealers are typically listed in coin show programs by their specialty. Decide which type of coin dealers you’re looking for (such as ancient coins, rare U.S. coins, or bullion coins) and head to see those coin dealers first.

#4 – Bring a good coin value guide for reference.

You’re going to find many coin dealers there. And with a trusty coin price guide in hand, you’ll be able to determine who is giving you the best value by wielding a current pricing chart for the coins you’re hoping to acquire.

#5 – Bring plenty of cash.

Believe it or not, even in this day and age of plastic cards being the common monetary medium, many coin dealers are unable (or unwilling) to complete credit & debit transactions at coin shows. So bring along plenty of cash! You can still ask coin dealers individually if they accept credit cards — some may.

#6 – Set a budget.

Attending a coin show is just like going to any other recreational destination. Unless you have deep pockets, you’re likely to be pretty upset with yourself if you arrive home after the coin show with a briefcase full of coins you didn’t budget for! Spending money at a coin show is far easier than you might think. That’s why I recommend setting a budget 10% below what you can actually afford. As long as you stick to your budget… then, if you end up spending a little more, that 10% padding will save your wallet from destruction.

#7 – Take along your “want list.”

You will never remember every single coin you’ve been aiming to get — so don’t even try it. So take the time to make a Coin Want List. You’ll be glad to have your list on hand once you hit the coin bourse (the main floor where the coin dealers are) and start looking for your treasures!

#8 – Bring your own coin tools.

Make sure you have your own magnifying glass and lighting on hand. Since different types of lighting affect the way a coin looks, you’ll find it wise to bring along a hands-free head-mounted light. Test it out at home on your coins first — so you get used to the particular effects of that type of lighting on your coins. While shopping for coins at the coin show, you’ll appreciate having these two invaluable tools on hand!

#9 – Connect with several coin dealers.

There will be some coin dealers that you may want to work with again in the future. Be sure to get their names, phone numbers, addresses, websites, and email addresses. That way you have a way to keep in touch, and you’ll have a contact for buying coins in the future.

#10 – Watch your back!

Coin shows are very exciting places to be, but don’t flaunt your purchases. Don’t flash your cash. And watch your back. There may be one or two undesirables walking the floor who are looking to follow someone (who may or may not have valuable coins in their possession) out to their car. If it seems like you keep seeing the same person in your vicinity, it’s possible you may be marked. Seek security if you feel uncomfortable. (There are always plenty of private security guards and municipal law enforcement on hand at coin shows.) Don’t “tough it out.” You can never be too safe at a coin show.

Coin shows are about so much more than just buying and selling coins. They’re real destination events! As mentioned above… they’re great places to attend coin seminars, take in a coin auction or two, see all types of coins firsthand, and even expand your numismatic friend network. Yes, hit the coin bourse with your wallet in hand, but don’t forget to enjoy all the other amenities just waiting to be enjoyed at the coin show as well!

Now, here’s what my very first coin show was like…

My First Coin Show

I remember with glee my first coin show. It was in 1993, at a hotel convention hall in Florida. I was 12 years old and had been earnestly collecting coins for less than a year.

Yet, I was so heavily into the hobby by this point that I felt attending a coin show would be just the perfect way to spend the afternoon!

The show was among the larger coin shows in Florida, but it was getting late in the afternoon and most the dealers who had set up on the bourse were calling it a day and already packing up.

My mother, who was disappointed for my sister, visiting cousin, and myself (the 3 of us kids had all caught the coin collecting bug at about the same time) that the show was closing up spoke to the head of the show who was in the hall with the few remaining dealers still with coin cases on the floor.

My sister, cousin, father, and I were all hanging out in our vehicle when my mother came back with a bit of good news: we were going to be allowed in and a couple dealers were going to stay open for us so we could browse and see what they had to offer. Furthermore, the head of the show gave the 3 of us kids each a shiny new 1993 silver eagle, complimentary as an apology for the bourse closing up a little earlier than the advertised closing time.

My sister, cousin, and I walked onto the bourse — which was now rather empty, but with a few coin dealers who remained behind. Most of the coin dealers were in the process of packing up.

We stopped at a table with a coin dealer who still had his stock out for us to look at. I was in the market for a Morgan silver dollar at the time (I was working on completing my first 20th-century type set) — and he had plenty of those old dollar coins for sale. He presented several of them dating to the earlier pieces and explained how certain ones were very expensive in uncirculated condition.

I ended up purchasing an 1878 Morgan dollar (the 7 tail feathers variety). It cost something like $10, which at the time was a good price for a nice lower-grade coin of that date. I had later determined it graded somewhere around “Fine.”

The dealer then let us pick through his small holding of cull nickels — allowing each of us to have one for free. I picked out an 1882 Shield nickel. It was corroded and dark, but to me at the time it was an old treasure that I felt so thankful to have. My father paid the bill for us and, in change, the dealer gave him a rag-quality 1957 silver certificate!

We thanked the coin dealer for his time, courtesy, and altruism, then we walked over to see a couple of the booths that were closing down but still had some coins left in the cases. I recall that most the coins in the other booths were investment-type coins — expensive, slabbed pieces I could not have comprehended paying for at age 12. But it was still fun to glance in the cases and see the coins anyhow.

After spending a very abbreviated 30 minutes or so on the bourse, we left. But not without having met some very kind people who wanted to see young coin collectors enjoy the hobby and take home some new treasures and good memories.

Find Coin Shows In Your Area

One of the easiest ways to get answers to your burning questions about coins is to ask the people at coin shows. That is, as long as you can wait until there’s a coin show in your area!

You’ve got a lot of coin experts at your disposal there — from the coin dealers behind the booths to the coin collectors attending the show.

Of course, you’ve always got to put on your “cautious hat” whenever you’re dealing with a stranger and money is changing hands.

But, if nothing else, you can certainly learn a lot about coins at a coin show! If you go armed with your list of questions (and your coins in hand), then you’ll probably be able to get your questions answered on the spot.

Find coin shows near you:

• ANACS Coin Show Calendar
• U.S. Coin Shows
• ANA Coin Shows & Events

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