Jim Bisognani: 2021 World's Fair of Money — Tales from the ANA Show

Due to the worldwide pandemic, we in the numismatic world were deprived of our headliner show of the year in 2020. This marked the first time there had been a break in that ANA tradition since 1945! Although this gala was last held in 2019, it does seem longer ago, I say! The ANA World’s Fair of Money had been a rite of the summer every year, like proverbial clockwork.

When I was a youth, my summer vacation would find me, more frequently than not, preoccupied with and in numismatic nirvana. Armed with a Red Book on my nightstand and various coin dealers’ monthly price lists and newsletters strewn on my bed, it was bliss.

If funds allowed, I would also pick up a current edition of Coin World. I would savor virtually every page of that publication. I would take in the news of the day as well as fawn over those lengthy full-page dealer ads. I dreamed of the day when I would finally be able to attend this mother of all coin shows.

Then a combination of a yard sale find, willingness to work and geographic setting would align fortuitously for me in 1973. I was 16 and, as school let out, I approached my parents to ask if there were some odd jobs around the house that I could perform to generate some additional cash. Dad said, “Yes, Jimmy, I can have you do some things.”

My first task was to clean out the basement. Gulp! NO ONE, not dad or my older brothers, had really wanted to tackle that chore. In addition to a moist mess down there, it really stunk. Three days later, as I emerged from that clean, dark dank cellar, I was given $10 for my efforts. I recall that weekend I scouted around a few local yard sales and was able to pick up a nearly new push mower. The blades were a bit dull, but for a dollar it was a bargain.

After sharpening the blades and oiling it, I was ready to roll. That thing really purred with authority. With my trusty mower in tow, I circled the neighborhood and groomed as many lawns as I could. In total, by the end of the first month of summer vacation, I had cleared nearly $75, a virtual fortune!

As the month of June was winding down, I was attending our local last-Sunday-of-the-month coin show in my native Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was a small show, like so many others held around the country. A field of maybe 20 to 25 dealers would be there to display their wares. Much of the stuff would make a monthly refrain. It seemed that most of the stuff never sold, yet the dealers enjoyed being there.

Still, I made the rounds, hoping to find that something new would appear within my meager budget. As I made my way around the floor a second time, with no real luck, I was intent on leaving and walking home. I was about to exit, but I was beckoned back. All of a sudden, there were words, like magic, in the air. Two dealers were discussing setting up at the ANA show held in “Beantown” (Boston) in August.

My ears perked up, and I quickly homed in on the location of that conversation. I ventured over toward the table where the dealers were chatting. Yet, as soon as I was within arm’s length of their table, that enchanting dialogue ended, and they both departed through the side doors. I was going to approach them outside; instead, I was compelled to just pick up the most current Coin World publication to verify this revelation. It was true! Halleluiah!

Being a Granite Stater, the show I had dreamed of attending was going to be held a mere 55 miles away from my home. I convinced my dad to take me! To this day, I still recall the unbridled excitement leading up to that momentous August day when I would be able to set foot on the bourse and make my way around that mammoth floor — dealing, trading and hobnobbing with some of the numismatic elite, wow!

Observations from the ANA

As I have described and made mention of my first appearance at the ANA show in this forum several times, I think that it is quite apropos to share the experience of my friend and fellow NGC Price Guide Analyst Kevin Stoutjesdyk, as he attended his first ANA World’s Fair of Money this year!

Furthermore, considering that this show was the first since the pandemic effectively shut down most numismatic venues, I most certainly wanted to get Kevin’s take. Although he was only able to attend Thursday and part of Friday’s festivities, he was one busy fellow.

The first thing Kevin noticed was that the aisles on the bourse were quite a bit wider than the normal shows.

After getting his bearings, he began to navigate and explore the cavernous hall. My young friend was inspired, taking in the great numismatic icons on exhibit and marveling at the complete “Tyrant Collection” on display, to which he commented: “That was truly amazing.”

While strolling the wide bourse aisle, he was able to meet and hold many conversations with various dealers. Or as he put it: “Great stories, and mostly about coins, too.”

An exciting topic circling the bourse was that one of the rare original NGC black core-holdered coins had sold on the floor. “That was talked about by quite a few people. There was quite a bit of extended conversation about that.”

One of the more amusing tales that could be released in this forum was when Kevin spoke with Fred Weinberg, the renowned dealer of major mint error coins. According to Fred, toward the end of a coin buying trip to China, he took time off from the numismatic expedition and visited the Great Wall. After taking in the majesty of that structural achievement, Weinberg thought it would be a hilarious idea to throw a handful of “off-center Lincoln Cents” off the Great Wall to, as Fred put it, “mess with archaeologists. You know, if they ever started digging around and found them — what to make of that.”

“Of course, there were other things which won’t go any further than the bourse floor in Rosemont,” he joked.

I asked if there was any indication of a new or heightened market demand. According to Mr. Stoutjesdyk, “Carson City gold is apparently taking off even more. It’s already very popular, but it’s in even much more demand. Multiple dealers just said that it’s extra, extra hot. Gold type and GSA CC dollars as well.”

1870-CC Liberty Head $5 from NGC Coin Explorer Click images to enlarge.

While there was significant dealer-to-dealer wholesale trading before the show, he did hear from quite a few dealers that there was a very active retail buying presence, one that was even higher than usual.

Another important observation from Kevin was that there were a lot more “younger” people in attendance. (I must qualify the term younger. Kevin meant 40 and under, and well I guess that can be inferred as a youth movement in our hobby). Kevin added: “There were also quite a few women dealers holding tables and more female collectors present. It was great to see that the dealer base and collector base was a little bit more diversified.”

Kevin offered his overall impression of this World’s Fair of Money: “I am extremely pleased with how this, my first ANA show, turned out and, at least in my experience, from what I saw, everyone was just excited to be back at an ANA show, one that was very well attended and well received all around by collectors and dealers.”

Kevin, thank you for your timely insights. Hopefully, we will be able to troll the bourse at the next World’s Fair of Money!

Until next time, be safe and happy collecting!

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