thedeadpoint

Thanks thrice, bobh! I'll experiment tonight with the photography.

Baltimore Coin Convention - Friday, November 5, 2010 Ok... Finally got my VERY slow internet (0.3 Mbps) to upload OK pics. First off, the backstory. This show happens 3 times a year. It's pretty much my only chance to add to my collection (I collect by series, not just whatever catches my eye). I was last at the show in March. I've been looking forward to this show since May or June as I'm a working man for the first time (i.e. a sizable budget by my standards). I did my usual good research - auction prices, bought a small notepad with notes, etc. I was prepared. I hopped on the train on Friday morning from Richmond. The trains always switch from diesel to electric at Union Station in DC. Turns out two trains hit each other at Union Station. The rails were shutdown for the rest of the day. I cared too much about this show to miss it. So I rented a car (for an EXORBITANT and UNFAIR price) and drove the rest of the way. Finally at the show. About noon on the first day open to the public. Hundreds of dealers as usual. My first task is to walk each aisle taking note of who has what I need. I'm looking for: - The key stars for the $1 silver certificate series - 1923 Wood-Tate $1 silver cert. - 1934-S, D, 1935-S Peace $ - XF+ Barber dimes - XF+ V Nickels - Affordable patterns - Affordable 19th century/1900s proofs LOTS of selections. I've never seen so many of what I needed before. Wow! What a haul I was preparing to bring home. I see a 1902 V nick - Proof 64 - I've always wanted a proof V nick and its the series I collect. How much? $450. A little much in my opinion. I take note and keep walking. I see another. Exact same coin at a different dealer. $350. Me: "Wow. Great price. I'll be back soon". Dealer to neighboring dealer: "What?!" - he starts flipping through his greysheets. Bourse floor walked. Time to narrow in for the kill. Currency dealer #1: I find a 1928 star $1 silver certificate (Fr. 1600*). Unc-64. $500. I don't have a recent auction price in that grade range. I can't haggle. It's fair in my eyes. I take it. (I'm horrible at imaging. Its crisp and clean. Not yellow. This is why I want a coin/note photography forum ( to Art)) Currency dealer #2: I wait 10 minutes for him to take his time coming from the bathroom (his wife/gf announced to the people waiting thats where he was.) I wait another 5 minutes to get his full attention. How much for the 1923 Woods-Tate - Unc 64? $850. I'll do $800 because 1) I need to haggle and 2) that's a fair price in my opinion and would go for that much in auctions. He doesn't budge and is pretty unreasonable. I don't care. I leave. Currency dealer #3: someone I have dealt with several years in a row and is very helpful for a young guy like me. I can count on him. He's in a grumpy mood. Turns out he has the exact same note in the same grade. How much? $850. I ask for $800. He laughs. I don't budge. I am typically a pushover at these shows, so I'm gonna get it my way for once. Its a buyer's market. Doesn't work. He's ticked off at me. I leave. Currency dealer #4: She's whining about eBay. She finally stops complaining long enough to direct me to a dealer who can help. 1923 star $1 silver certificate - Speelman-White - large size (Fr. 237*). XF on a good day. Decent price. I go back to the guy that has the proof nickel for $350. "Oh, I sold that coin. Someone came and bought it. I didn't know you were coming back." HA. Right. What are the chances that in that 45 minute period, that someone would come along and buy that one coin hidden among all of his gems?? I finally get service from a dealer who had a great selection of V-nicks. I plucked a few that had the best original luster (some people try to pass off cleaned coins too often). Again - I didn't have recent prices for these grades. I think I overpaid a bit. The guy was NOT fun to deal with. Here they are. Bad pics. All have slight wear on the high points, slightly weak strikes maybe. Pretty luster. Typical nickel toning. 1903 - AU 1906 - AU 1907 - AU 1909 - AU 1910 - AU Recap: I was happy to make so many additions to the V nick series that's been surprisingly hard to roll with (not many available in the XF-AU range). I was also happy to make two big additions to my silver certificate series. I finally got a large size star note. I have some BIG holes to fill in that series that will require LOTS of patience and a big budget. Yikes! The dealers were grumpy as I've ever seen. I've been going to this show for many years now. I've always acted as polite and patient as possible. I'm typically a pushover as a young guy at these shows. Part of their grumpiness may be due to me no longer letting them have their way. But, for the most part, they were unreasonable. It's one thing to disagree with my attempt to haggle. It's another thing to just not respond in a productive or friendly manner. (yes, I know dealers do this for a living and I should respect them 100% but its a two-way road.) I failed in three ways: 1) I should have done even more exhaustive research - get an appx. price for all major grade ranges. That way I will know a more accurate range to haggle. 2) I shouldn't have admitted to that one dealer that his proof coin was a good deal. (It was a fair price - the other dealer's coin was just overvalued). It's their job to price things accurately. Tough luck for them. 3) I shouldn't have tried to be so hard nosed with the haggling. I was haggling at a fair rate. Maybe my rigidity was a turn-off. Anywho... see why it took me 6 days to finally post? Bravo to those who read it all.

Tonight...

Way cool, Art! Love the sheep!

I've wanted the 1914 series of US notes. I love the trains, planes, trucks, and boats. I hope jtryka shares his here.

Tomorrow...

I'll be posting my recap of the Baltimore show tomorrow or Thursday. Too tired tonight. Please pester me until I do!

I dont think I've ever seen that coin!

Inscriptor, sounds like a nifty device! I think a few screenshots would be helpful in explaining how it can help us.

Fantastic!

I see the Al key and think "ooh, bottle opener"

Ha. Sorry, jtryka. I saw the yellow avatar in the corner of my eye. This makes more sense. I'm surprised you don't have more classic commems.

Loving the Sesquincen, Art! How much of a commem collection do you have?

Thanks for starting this, Dave! I hope we see some scary stuff!

I actually meant to do that! I knew I forgot to make a topic. Go for it, Dave!!

Halloween's a-comin'! I dug up an old thread about numismatic-related superstitions http://www.coinpeople.com/index.php?/topic/5827-superstitions/page__p__171901__hl__halloween__fromsearch__1#entry171901 What coin or banknote superstitions do you know? I can think of throwing coins in a fountain for a wish. Or putting pennies in penny-loafers for... who knows why. Any ones you know abut?

I do collect them but they are a tertiary series for me. I started a "Post US Commems in order" thread a few month ago but it's very hard to keep that going without a Red Book and discipline!

Very nice, Colin!

Lots of cool coins! I'd love to add some to my collection for their beauty and rarity (don't have much history...)

Gorgeous toners. I assume the reverses are all blast white. I picked up two nice toned barber dimes yesterday - the first time I've purposely picked out toned coins. The fellow coins in the tray didn't have the most convincing luster (as in... not 100% sure if it's been cleaned or not) so I took my chance with the toned coins. I'll post pics in a few days.

Oh no! What do you do?

Ok. I need you to explain this one.

Ok ok ok... where's the COPY?

Out of order? Get back on track, ikaros!

I can't believe a note that good looking was made 34 years ago in Singapore. Thanks for sharing!