Summer has finally arrived...
and with it, comes the somewhat slower pace of the numismatic market. Some observers have lately professed gloom and doom, but we are not seeing that, nor do we expect it. We've discussed the reasons many times over the past 18 or so months. Great coins continue to sell very well. The summer Baltimore show was much more active than I had envisioned, and the serious collector market appears very much alive and well. But it is always true that attention turns to outdoor activities and family vacations this time of year, and coins tend to take a back seat for a couple of months. That is, until the ANA's World's Fair of Money rolls around in August, and then, all heck breaks loose! The WFoM is an immersive, nearly week-long numismatic extravaganza that we highly recommend you participate in. If you travel to a coin show only once per year, then flip a coin and alternate between winter FUN and summer ANA. Winter FUN is a fabulous experience, a gigantic show and a heck of a lot of...sorry...fun. But summer ANA has a completely different vibe. There are more club meetings, more informative presentations, more opportunities to meet, interact and socialize with like-minded collectors, and dealers tend to save inventory and special coins for the show. The "summer doldrums" really help to make the WFoM special - since dealers are somewhat less actively selling during the summer, they tend to arrive at ANA loaded for bear.