Anyone visiting the FUN show this week?

[Dafydd]

I’m on vacation diving this week and will pass through Orlando and visit the FUN show.

If anyone from here is there and wants to say hello let me know.

I did surprisingly well two years ago and would like to visit the January show when the weather is cooler and the show bigger but work has not allowed.

[Coinmaster]

Ahh, F.U.N.! Had to look that up (I'm from The Netherlands). 😉

http://www.funtopics.com/

[Anaximander]

I used to go to a Florida United Numismatist ("FUN") show in Orlando or in Tampa, when I lived in Florida, but I've not been since retiring to South Carolina. I'm still a FUN member. The big show is in the 'winter' before the NY international, and the Summer FUN show is less heralded but no less impressive. I do miss it. It must be five years or so since I went to a big show. 

Are there many ancient and medieval dealers around? I'd love to know which dealers you met or saw there. 

[Valentinian]

@Dafydd, after your visit to the show write to let us know your impressions. Was it busy? Did you see lots of interesting coins? Did you buy any at better prices than we can all get sitting at a computer at home? What could you do there that was a positive experience? Was there anything negative about it? Do you, after all the bother of showing up, recommend going to a show like that?

[Hrefn]

There are many advantages to coin shows.  In sharp contrast to winning a coin at auction, there is no commission, no handling fee, no currency conversion fee, no sales tax (usually), and no shipping fees.  In short, none of the extra expenses that raise the cost of an auction win by 30% or more.  Plus, you can examine the coin before you commit to it.  There is no waiting for the delivery;  no worry the coin will be lost in the mail, damaged, or delayed in customs.  

Ancient and medieval coin collecting can be a rather solitary hobby.  I am only aware of one other serious numismatist in my state, and he and I have no overlap in our fields of interest.  No one in my family is deeply interested in coins in the same way as I am.  Numis Forums functions as my most important link to fellow collectors.  At a show, there are usually a few erudite dealers who enjoy talking about coins, the hobby, and the market, and I look forward to this quite a bit.  

That said, regional shows are almost monopolized by dealers in US coins.  The Bay State (Boston) coin show once attracted a handful of overseas dealers, but post-COVID and with the show’s move out of Boston to the suburbs this seems to no longer be true.  There are only 4 dealers who customarily attend who are very likely to have coins of interest to me.  I have never been to the FUN show, but I believe is not so overwhelmingly concentrated on US coins.  

I will echo @Valentinian’s request.  Would love a report.  I plan to go to the Bay State later this month, and I will provide a report if anyone is interested.  

Here is a coin from a regional show, in this case Manchester,  New Hampshire.  A light weight solidus of Justin II.  There is some controversy as to the mint, either Constantinople or Theuopolis (Antioch)  

[Romismatist]

@Hrefn, I would be interested in your feedback from the Bay State show. In Toronto, we have the Torex show in October, but I haven't been to that one in ages.