Tuesday was dealer set up in the morning followed by public being let in at 1pm. Couple of observations:
1) dealer to dealer transactions were strong, I was glad to sell most of my low grades, no core paper money, silver pandas to other US based dealers at reasonable and profitable prices. I was glad to buy 14 1/2 oz. NO mainland dealers came to the show, first time since 2009 that this has happened, it could be the stacks show in HK in 10 days that made it difficult to attend.
2) retail traffic was non existent, easily the lowest retail traffic count I can remember at a big ANA show in the first day. Only one retail customer all day, a well known buyer on eBay. I don't blame them for not coming, hotel prices are through the roof, car rental prices are the highest I have seen, bullion demand is at multi year lows, US mint didnt release any profitable coin at the show and internet is much cheaper way to get what you want from the comfort of your home (Amazon will take over all retail someday).
3) Panda America tri metal is nice and a steal at $40. It comes in a mint holder that looks like a NGC holder, but no grade. Silver less colorful, but still nice and worth $99 price. No pieforts being offered at the show
4) MCM silver didn't make it in time for the first day, update was on Friday they may have 300 available for sale. Gold is not going to be available for 2-3 weeks and will be sold via MCM website at market prices, with no special pricing for show
5) Items 3) and 4) got Clark, Peter A and myself into a discussion about whether a medal should be called a show commerative when no medals are actually sold at the show to the public. We all agreed if a medal isn't sold at a show it really doesn't deserve to be called a show commerativel. With this rule PA pieforts and MCM gold would not be considered show commeratives, not sure what name to call them. Curious what others think.
6) Unless things change on the retail front this will be my last show I set up at, much beter to walk around and talk/buy/sell to dealers at their table than having own table. With retail public gone, I feel like the show is more like a conference among dealers than a show open to public.
Let's see how Wednesday stacks up, have 65 coins coming back from NGC and can't what to see the grades on some of my proof coins that I purchased 6-9 years ago (I no longer look at grades online, more fun to see them live). Strangely another invoice sent the same day isn't ready, so will have to wait till next week to get those remaining results on proof coins 1/4, 1/10 and 1/20.
