Road Report

August 25th: Day 1

Now fully immersed in our Pittsburgh ANA routine, we were up early again on Tuesday, back to breakfast at the hotel, and then off to the convention center at about 8:30 for the start of the ‘regular’ show.

Where we had a couple of hours of dealer set up time before the Early Birds could come in at 11, followed by the regular attendees two hours after that.

Not that these various tiers of visitors are totally obvious from our vantage point at the table, since it was busy and active right from the start, and we saw plenty of collectors early in the AM who were enterprising enough to get their names on show tables and thus gain early access that way, giving them the first shot at our offerings here.

And while they snagged a bunch, we also sold all kinds of coins to all kinds of collectors and dealers alike for pretty much the entire day. Including some straightforward outright sales, one even swap of a US coin for one of our world coins, a few more complicated trades, a couple of layaways, etc.

We also bought a lot of cool coins that walked up to the table, including things that we owned years ago and were thrilled to get back, but also coins that looked like ex-CRO items but apparently were not since I could not find them in our database.

With a number of these transactions all happening simultaneously, a hallmark of an ANA, where your author is multi-tasking like crazy, showing coins to three different people, valuing potential trades, taking coins on consignment and holding down the fort. Predictably, this seems to happen just when MaryAnn leaves to submit our grading, or deliver a coin to someone on the other side of the room, so I psychologically prepare myself for an onslaught any time she steps away from the table.

Somewhere during all that we had an especially interesting transaction where another dealer showed me a cool, early coin that I instantly recognized as one that he and I had discussed 15 years ago at a Baltimore show. Back then we had determined it was worth about 25% less than the seller wanted, and so we passed. But here at this show it was finally buyable at the right level, we agreed to split it, and then literally 3 minutes later my dealer partner sold it and just handed me my share of the profit. So I guess that was a lightning fast deal, or maybe it was one that took a decade and a half to congeal.

With almost non-stop action continuing until late in the day when it was time to pack up and head out to dinner with some long time collector friends at an excellent restaurant nearby called Eleven. Honestly, you could tell it was going to be good just based on the number of other dealers we saw there, since this industry is filled with foodies who always scout out the best places in every city.

And we pretty much closed the place down, getting back to the hotel late and once again turning in early so we could be rested and ready for, we hope, some equally head-spinning action on Wednesday.

August 24th: Dealer Day

Monday would begin in fine fashion, as Team CRO was up and out early, enjoyed an excellent breakfast in the hotel restaurant surrounded by dozens of other dealers, and then eventually migrated over to the convention center for the exciting kick off to the week with the 9 AM start of Dealer Day.

One small matter to handle first though, as we’d need to swing by the registration desk, scan the handy ANA QR codes they emailed us last week and quickly print out our shiny new show badges.

So of course we were surprised to encounter some massive lines there with hundreds of dealers just standing there. And not moving. Without any other choice, we joined in and ended up in said queue for 2 $@#&!%$# hours. Eventually reaching the front where we never scanned anything, and a helpful attendant handed us our badges in a process that literally should have taken 45 seconds.

But of course the ANA staff explained what the problem was and apologized profusely for the looooong delay is what I wish I could be writing here. The reality is no one said anything, and there was never any explanation of any kind. So not exactly a well oiled machine here, and even worse marks for customer service.  I’m just surprised none of our dealer brethren truly wigged out and started yelling since this isn’t always the most level headed group.

Eventually we made it inside though, quickly set up our wares and were ready to do business at 11.

And then proceeded to buy and sell like crazy for the rest of the day, in all categories, from small to XXL, US and world, soup to nuts, etc.

So by the 5:30 ending, we were exhausted and ready to have a drink in the Westin bar before heading to dinner at a place a few blocks away with some dealer and collector friends.

Then walking back to the hotel and turning in early so we could be ready for the first official day of the show where we sincerely hope that the registration snafus will have been resolved and getting into the show is a smooth and easy process. I would not bet on that though.

EOM

Prologue:

After weeks of sorting new collections, verifying die varieties, getting coins ready for grading, and CACing, and photography, Team CRO is finally ready for the ANA show. Yay!

As confirmed by the fact that we are already here in Pittsburgh, comfortably resting in our hotel room which so far has been great except for the part where we could not get our door open despite the fact that the key seemed to work, and your author threw his shoulder into it multiple times like in a 1970s police procedural.

But all was eventually resolved, we are ready for action and that is a good thing, since Dealer Day starts in a matter of hours and CRO will be right in the middle of it (literally), setting up at Table #1308 where we will remain for the entire week ready to buy, sell, trade, grade and of course schmooze all day, every day.

So if you are in the area, we hope you will stop by and see us.

But even if you can’t, you can still follow along with all the action in our RRs to be posted here every morning (like this one, for example).