The ANA Coin Shows Are Not What They Used To Be – Commentary

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Location, location, location-even a child knows thats the first rule to any good real estate transaction. Why didn’t the ANA think about this when they booked this years show? In my very strong opinion, the poor-make that pathetic location of the ANA show was one of the top reasons this years show has the most dismal attandence I have ever seen my 30+ years of attending them. Also, it was an illusion as far as how many dealers actually set up (we seemed to have bigger tables). Plus, there was no “buzz” of excitement. It seemed like a clumsy commercial show.

You’d think LA would be glamourous and safe. Not for coins. They held it in a city where just about EVERY major coin dealer had been specifically targeted and robbed in the past year at their stores or offices. It was even more scarey when the host hotels were NOT within walking distance and were definately NOT of any quality. When you’ve been on the bourse for 12 hours, who wants to crowd into a bus or have a long sweaty walk back to a second rate hotel? We were so disgusted the first night at our hotel (I freaked out big time), we checked out and stayed in the Tower (a nice reasonably priced boutique) Hotel in Beverly Hills. The commute was an easy 8 miles with little traffic each day. Plus we did not get clipped the $40.00 a day in parking fees the hotels charged.

We did not see many of our local customers. They simply did not want to come downtown. They prefered to wait for the next Long Beach Show in 30 days.

Attendance at this show was the lowest we had ever seen. The show was NOT worthy of being a five day event. We do NOT blame the economy. Collectors are a hardy breed who will still travel to just to be at a major show and feel the”buzz”. Even in a weaker market, look how strong FUN is every year. Part of the reason, everyone knows where it will be and about when. Its time for the ANA to rethink their strategy of moving from city to city each year and setting up in poor locations that have excessive costs. Comic Con has its show every year in San Diego. That show has only grown to a national media event with over 80,000 attendees, and its clearly a “must attend” yearly event.

Its time for the ANA to reinvent itself from a sleepy back room pamper the board group to a real organization that does something for all collectors, dealers, and the shows it promotes .

As an example, I have been frustrated the ANA does not take a major stand on protecting its membership from things such as coin doctoring. There certainly were no seminars about the subject here. And we never heard any dealer get thrown out for being caught (sorry for the deviation). The ANA simply is not up to todays marketplace period. The same is definitely true of their show. Any ANA show should be their biggest “reality” exposure to the world that should aggressively promote the organization. Producing continual “dead or deteriorating shows” certainly does not advance an organization in the public’s eyes.

As we all know, the internet is where it is at. In my opinion, the ANA did not aggressively promote the show. Throwing it up on their web site just does not cut it. Advertising about the show needs to be year round and all over the web. The old days of counting on coin clubs to get their member networks to promote the show is ineffective and archaic.

The coin world does not need shows anymore. Unless the ANA wants its show to survive, they need to wake up now and listen to people-including dealers. For a show like this, its costs us FIVE FIGURES to set up and stay. As a business, we expect a profitable return for our table fees and sponsorships. The LA show was a disgraceful disaster. We certainly did NOT make money from the table, we could have worked from our brief case and done as well. Start running the show in a place where there are many clean, nice, and close hotels to the convention center. Place it in a city that is easy to reach and easy to move around in. Make the show truly affordable to EVERYONE. No matter how cool the exhibits inside, if everything else isn’t right-people will NOT attend.

As an ANA Life member, major dealer, and supporter of this show, I was truely embarrased at its presentation and attendance. I can only hope they rethink and retool everything for next years Boston show (and beyond).

Legend will we set up until Sunday because the ANA holds us hostage, but I’m going home before the show even opens Saturday. There was no reason for me to sit there and wait for maybe one local collector to possibly come when I have hundreds of others to service who could not attend. Based upon the empty isles I saw each day, how could I be sure anyone would come on the weekend? Plus, attending all the auctions and being gone for 10+ days DOES take a toll (as anyone who travels knows). The life of a coin dealer on the road is NOT glamourous! Any pathetic show with limited returns drains us even more.

Last item, I do support Larry Shepard (the executive director) and his efforts. His hands are tied by the ANA board. He unfortunately inherited this mess.

About the Author

Laura Sperber is one of the Owners of Legend Numismatics. She is a passionate and outspoken dealer who says what she believes and is a strong proponent of numismatic standards. Since 1987. Legend Numismatics has built an unequaled reputation among casual collectors and avid investors alike by locating and procuring top quality rare coins.