Sunday, November 5, 2017

JR Newsletter: 29 October 2017 (367)

We received one new contribution this week.

David Perkins wrote:


I’ve attended a handful of the PCGS Members Only Coin shows, three in Las Vegas, one in New Orleans, and the most recent show last week in downtown Philadelphia at the Double Tree hotel.  The attendance last week in Philadelphia was very strong for one of these shows.  I was at the PCGS show Wednesday through Friday, with Thursday being the best day. The Legend Rare Coin Auctions sale was Thursday night starting at 5:30pm.  The auctioneer was superb, with JRCS’s own Brad Karoleff calling the entire 548 Lot auction in just over four hours.  

The bourse at these PCGS shows is a relatively small one, much like an Early American Coppers (EAC) Convention, for those familiar with these shows.  The pace is a little bit slower than a larger Regional or National show which can be nice as you have more time to talk to and meet new collectors and dealers.  

PCGS treats you well, with full breakfast and lunch buffets, and ice cream sundaes in the late afternoon!  Somehow, I missed the ice cream on Thursday but I was told it was there….  I enjoyed talking with the fair number of JRCS members who attended.  I missed at least one New York JRCS member who was only there on Wednesday.  He went home Wednesday, but managed to win an exceptionally attractive 1814 Large Date Capped Bust Dime in PCGS AU58 (CAC) Thursday night in the Legend auction.  At least I got to view and study this lovely early dime for a little while…. 

I went to the show primarily to buy for my inventory.  I managed to pick up three lots in the Legend auction, a 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dime in PCGS XF45 (CAC), a 1799 over 8 “15 Star Reverse” silver dollar in PCGS XF45 (CAC), and a rare 1862 Dollar (PCGS MS62).  I was unsuccessful on a few other lots I was interested in.  I was able to buy a number of nice early silver coins on the bourse and from wholesale dealers at the show.  I even picked up an 1803/2 Half Eagle (BD-1, R-4) to compliment my normally heavily silver offerings at shows and on my website.  

On Friday night Brad Karoleff, JRCS President and Editor of the John Reich Journal, Garret Ziss, and I were given a private tour of the Second Bank of the United States.  A highlight of the week for me, the tour included a private viewing of the Frank Stuart coin collection formed in the early 1900s after Stuart purchased the first U.S. Mint building.  We plan to share more on this visit in a future article in the John Reich Journal but suffice it to say that we saw a lot of old originally toned silver and copper coins, including a 1792 Disme in Copper (probably Judd-10, one of 19 or so known) and a “pair of” 1792 Half Dismes” mixed in that were found after Stuart purchased the Mint building.”  We should all have luck like this!  

All in all, a good week in Philadelphia.   I look forward to the ANA World’s Fair of Money Convention in Philadelphia next August.  Should be a great show!

W. David Perkins
Centennial, CO