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Baltimore Coin Show: Bits And Bytes

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  • acenh on 11th Jun
Collection of old coins 2
COLLECTION OF OLD COINS

Baltimore Show: Bits & Bytes

Show Sales Top $6.2

The Baltimore show auctions realized $6.2 million, according to David Crenshaw, General Manager of Whitman Coin and Collectibles Conventions. The air-conditioned show attracted thousands of visitors, all of whom enjoyed the respite from the 95 degree heat in Baltimore. According to Crenshaw: “The show turned out for many dealers to be better than just decent in spite of a down economy and higher costs of travel and fuel.”

Maryland Governor Signs Hobby-Friendly Legislation

Working to benefit the hobby community, Whitman Coin and Collectibles Conventions, in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Industry Couuncil on Tangible Assets (ICTA), successfully lobbied this Spring to change Maryland’s trader’s license license law concerning tax and corporate registration. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed the bill into law on April 24, just in time for the Whitman’s coin show at the Baltimore Convention Center, June 5-7. Coin dealers can now sell at all three Baltimore Coin and Currency Conventions this year, plus the ANA’s World’s Fair of Money, without having to apply for a state trader’s license. Previously, selling at more than three shows in a single year reuired their registration.

Show-Goers Given Engraving Tutorial

Visitors to the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention had an opportunity to participate in an interactive hands-on engraving class. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing guided six to eight participants per hour through an interactive program on creating paper money. Visitors learned about the general operations and purpose of the Bureau. They also created their own printing plates and printed their ink designs on paper following current Bureau regulations.

Collectors Groups Meet

A number of collectors groups met during the show, including the Fellowship of Christian Coin Dealers, the Liberty Seated Collectors’ Club, the Maryland Token and Medals Society and the Early American Coppers Club.

PNG Continues “Share the Knowledge” Seminars

The Professional Numismatic Guild (PNG) continued its year-long series of “Share the Knowledge” educational seminars at the Baltimore show. PNG Immediate Past President Jeff Garrett of Lexington, Kentucky gave a talk on “United States Gold Coins and The Smithsonian Collection”. While doing research for his book, Encyclopedia of United States Gold Coins, Garrett had the opportunity to study one of the greatest collections of gold coins ever assembled. During his seminar, Garrett discussed the history of the collection, the museum and many of the incredible highlights that make the National Numismatic Collection one of the finest in the world.

Bowers & Merena Returns as Official Auctioneer

Irvine, California-based Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, returned to the Baltimore show as Official Auctioneer. This was the second of three official Baltimore auctions by Bowers and Merena in 2008, continuing their longstanding and ongoing association with the show. Bowers and Merena brought 3,000 coin and paper lots to the Baltimore show. A high-grade 1854 Type 2 gold dollar and a mint state 1920-S Saint-Gaudens $20 gold piece led a list of highlights at the auction. The gold dollar is graded MS-68 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. Sale catalogers said it is tied for finest known with one other 1854 Type 2 gold dollar certified MS-68 by NGC. The 1920-S double eagle, called a condition rarity by catalogers, was graded NGC MS-63. Bowers and Merena was founded in 1983 and has grown to become the world’s preeminent numismatic auctioneer with more than half a billion dollars in rare coin and currency sales. Bowers and Merena has handled four of the five most valuable U.S. coin collections ever sold, including the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection, the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University, and the Norweb Collection.

Presidential Hosts 78th Exonumia Sale

Clifton, Virginia-based Presidential Coin & Antique Company held its 78th Exonumia Sale at the Baltimore show. The sale featured the James A. Thomson Collection Collection of Washingtonia and the Gotham Collection of So-Called Dollars”. Presidential’s Joe Levin said the prices at the Baltimore show “were through the roof. The average price was up 50 percent over the last show. I don’t know if the economy is a factor, but demand for coins and currency is simply amazing these days.” Levin estimated that his auction brought in more than a half million dollars.

Related videos and blogs

Tom Carrier’s and Dan Borsey’s videos from the Whitman Coin & Currency Convention in Baltimore

Tom Carrier’s perspective on the June 5-7 Whitman Coin & Currency Convention in Baltimore

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