At Coin Shows – Hold Treasures in Your Hands

One of the easiest ways to hold rare coins in your hands is to participate in lot viewing at coin shows, even if you have no intention of bidding

October 31, 2024

By Patrick A. Heller

The community of numismatists includes a wide variety of collectors and dealers who will freely share their knowledge and experience in the hobby. Often, you can also have opportunities to hold in your hands great numismatic treasures that you might never have the finances to own.

In my experience, the easiest way to hold such rarities in your hand is to attend coin shows, especially those that include lot viewing by major auction companies. It helped me to have pre-existing relationships with representatives of the companies that owned such pieces, but it is not necessarily required.

Even if you have no intention of bidding on lots coming up for sale in an auction at a show, you can always register as a bidder to participate in lot viewing. You can also ask to view numismatic trophy coins and currency that are beyond your budget and collecting interest just for the fun and education.

At dealer booths at a show, most inventory is being offered for sale. Show attendees can ask to examine rarities if they are potential buyers. But, if you approach a dealer’s booth and ask to inspect something simply for the experience of holding it in your hand, the dealer will rarely turn you down.

At the January 2005 Florida United Numismatists show, the unique 1787 Brasher Gold Doubloon with the EB stamp on the eagle’s breast sold in auction for just under $3 million. The next day, an announcement was broadcast on the convention floor that the new owner was exhibiting the coin at a dealer’s booth.

I was one of about ten people who walked over to that table to listen to the new owner’s description of the research he had conducted before the auction and concluded that this piece may have been the first gold coin created under federal government authority (goldsmith and jeweler Ephraim Brasher was George Washington’s neighbor in New York City at the time). At the conclusion of his speech, I waited until everyone else had walked away, then introduced myself to the new owner. When I then asked if I could have the honor of simply holding it in my hand briefly, he said, “Sure.” Now, I can point to the photograph of this coin in the Redbook and tell people I personally held this coin.

Dealers have allowed me to hold other great treasures such as the unique US 1844-O Proof $10.00 Liberty (which I could have bought at the time for only $400,000 if only I had the finances to consider it), an 1804 Silver Dollar, several unique or finest known issues of paper money, and incredible foreign coins and currency. I was able to do this without having to buy them or even pretend that I might be interested in doing so.

At one of the American Numismatic Association conventions, the staff at the Bureau of Engraving & Printing booth were willing to open the showcase that displayed the uncut specimen sheet of Series 1934 $100,000 Gold Certificates so that I could take a good quality photograph of it to incorporate into one of my numismatic presentations. As with the Brasher Doubloon, though, I waited until there was no one else around who might have compromised security before making that request.

I’ve previously written about the number of benefits to collectors of attending coin shows but didn’t include the potential to be able to hold in your hands great numismatic treasures. As you plan your next trip to a coin show, consider adding extra time to indulge in such activities.