Coin Dealers and Coin Shows

Hordes of screaming obsessed people with ability to spot and argue over the most trivial of details. Harried sales assistants. A near-fanatic loyalty. No, we're not talking about a Star Trek convention. Coin shows can be chaotic. They are also excellent places to go about finding coin dealers. While you can't always find out if that US coin dealer or rare coin dealer will make an appearance, you can check with the coin show organizers, say if you're going to Canada to the 2006 Westminster Coin Show. Usually coin shows are sponsored by coin clubs and international organizations. Members of those organizations, say PNG or ANACS, will probably have trade show booths. If the coin dealer you want isn't going to be part of the coin show, ask that ancient coin dealer for a schedule of appearances. While strolling the convention center, don't get caught up in the lines and the mad rush. If a dealer doesn't have quite the coin you're looking for, ask for a catalog of their other inventory. This may be preferable to paying a higher price than you intend at another dealer table. You can enjoy your coin show, especially since you won't be drawn into those tiresome Kirk versus Picard debates.