Poll Question: Are coin shows still relevant today, or is everything moving online? Why or why not?

I buy mostly online, but I do like to attend a few shows a year. You get to search through dealer stock and may find a gem! Also, you can just observe what other people are looking for. Finally, you sometimes can leave with a sense of satisfaction knowing you have a coin bought previously that was priced below what you saw offered.

Name and Address withheld

Coin shows are still very relevant today. There's nothing like actually looking at a coin you're (carefully) holding in your own hands, moving it around to look at the luster and shine, searching for small, sometimes hidden, scratches, dings, or cleaning marks, and actually talking to a real human about the coin's characteristics and haggling over the price.

Online coin purchases can be hazardous to your pocketbook's health. Photos can be doctored, changed, beautified, and made to hide undesirable marks. Counterfeited fakes are abundant, and returning an undesirable or counterfeited coin could be a hassle. It's questionable if and when you might receive a refund.

The selection of coins in a coin show is rich, and unlike online searches, you will absolutely find other numismatic items you probably won't specifically search for online - especially tokens, medals, and other related materials.

On top of that, the elation you feel when first walking onto a bourse is exhilarating. There's a buzz in the air that's second to none. You meet old friends and make new ones. You get to converse and visit with them, and unless they're too busy buying or selling, you can talk just about anything, including your favorite local restaurant and mutual sports team.

As far as I'm concerned, coin shows are not going away anytime soon, and definitely not in my lifetime.

Oded Paz, Arco, Idaho

I do a lot of my research, including approximate price ranges, online. However, I would never purchase a coin online except in an auction. The coin show is a place to meet other like-minded collectors.

Larry Dean, Shawnee, Kan.

I personally have never been to a coin show because I'm sick and I'm not able to drive far. However, I believe coin shows are not just about buying a coin like how you do online. Coin shows are places where people can meet other people who enjoy the hunt for that certain coin. You can usually hold the coin in your hand and really get a great look at it. You can ask questions and get the answer right away. Some shows have representatives from PCGS or NGC who will grade your coins right there at the show. Those are just a few reasons why I believe coin shows will always be better; you can't do any of what I mentioned online.

Name and Address withheld

Without coin shows, you get what they send you! At a show, you get to interact and actually view the coins you are interested in. And you get to compare different coins against each other. God bless the shows!

Name and Address withheld

Being present at a coin show to see and hold a historical coin with other collectors with a common interest is always a special event. Talking with coin dealers and other numismatics also brings a special sense of community with your neighbors. Sharing moments with friends and/or family will be remembered, as I remember attending coin shows with my father when I was a teenager.

Name and Address withheld

Coin shows are vital to investors and collectors alike. I like to interact with the dealers, especially if I have questions about a certain coin or currency. I also like to see the coins or currency up close before I decide to buy. I have bought coins and currency online, but it’s nothing like buying from a live dealer!

Jerry, Bristol

I cannot believe most numismatic coins can be properly viewed online, but at a coin show, you can. Keep our coin shows.

Name and Address withheld

As a long-time collector, I love going to coin shows to see what I might buy in person and to chat with the friendlier dealers who are a wealth of information. I have stopped attending any coin shows with less than 40-50 tables because the smaller shows don’t offer the better quality coins I am looking for. My favorite show to attend is the Baltimore Convention. I try to make it at least twice a year, but it’s a 5-hour drive for me. I always find things to buy, and I can usually check out the lots in upcoming Heritage or Stack’s auctions.

When COVID hit and everything was shut down, I really missed going to coin shows. Every few years, I go to the January FUN show, which is a fantastic show. So I think most serious collectors will tell you shows are still a critical part of our hobby, and if you are buying raw coins to fill in on a date collection, it’s a must to see them in hand before you make a purchase.

Roy, Address withheld

Coin shows, as we know them, are fewer and farther between today than when I first started collecting, but they still are relevant and necessary if one is going to collect coins, currency, or other numismatic items rather than just buying plastic or Mylar sleeves.

Online offerings have improved immensely, with much better photography, enlargement ability, and the like. And as techniques improve, it will only get better. But examining coins and currency in person provides a collector the opportunity to learn about strike characteristics in a series, luster, attractive toning versus less so, and originality or impaired surfaces without having money invested. The corollary advantage is to talk with dealers and ask questions, learning from their experiences.

As a teenager, I learned about full strikes on Walking halves, full bands on Mercury dimes, and full heads on Standing quarters before the market came to embrace these attributes. And, as a bonus to my pursuit of Full Band Mercury dimes, I became a lifelong friend of a dealer and his family, which led to many visits and meals, shared tables at shows, trips to the ANA conventions, and many regional shows.

Gary Burhop, Address withheld

Like everything, I think “online” is taking over. Coin shows are still relevant. What about the child who wants to come to a show just because he has a Buffalo nickel that ignites a fire in him? Or someone like my dad, who’s 84 and started collecting after my mother passed away. He’d have a better chance at performing brain surgery than using the internet.

Name and Address withheld

I love going to coin shows. I mostly buy and find nice deals, but I do sell some. Coin shows are the best for lower/mid-grade coins. I enjoy the conversations and advice from dealers and seeing new things in person.

Name and Address withheld

You can never replace the importance of picking up and examining a coin versus online purchase, yes, even graded coins. Also, it seems most people online seem to focus on profit and investment rather than true collecting.

Name and Address withheld