ANA show starts strong
Bourse business started with a bang Aug. 11 at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill. The telltale buzz sound of many…
Bourse business started with a bang Aug. 11 at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill.
The telltale buzz sound of many people engaged in transactions in the large hall at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center was unmistakable.
Cleveland paper money dealer Harry Jones was all smiles.
“The first day was excellent,” he said. His first day had actually been the day before during dealer setup.
“The jury is still out,” he said of the first public day.
Jones said about the show to that point that, “It seems to be well attended. It’s a good location for it.”
Silver Spring, Md., dealer Julian Leidman said, “What I’m looking for is public attendance.”
If some serious collectors show up, he will be pleased. After all, “This is my favorite show of the year.”
Brian Fanton was taking the prosperity of his business to the ANA bourse floor.
He has just built a new shop in Hiawatha, Iowa, to replace an old one that the government had taken by eminent domain.
“Just moved in,” he said of the new location. “It’s built like a bank, steel and concrete.”
But the important thing is that “business is great. I ended up hiring two more employees.” He now has eight.
In his shop his clientele falls at the extremes of the economic scale. He said they are either hurting or they have so much money they don’t know what to buy.
For the first group, they are selling their jewelry and collectible coins to raise money.
Hot money from the second group is being put to work in new gold and silver coins, bars, and the old 90-percent pre-1965 silver coins.
Newly elected American Numismatic Association governor Tom Mulvaney was working at the Mid American Rare Coin Gallery table.
“We have been very busy,” he said. What was moving was real nice type coins and gold, he said.
“We have sold a lot of coins,” he said.
If business continues like this on the ANA bourse floor until the last day on Aug. 15, it will have become more than just the favorite show of Leidman.
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News.
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