“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry” is the best way to describe my attempt to go to the Baltimore Coin Convention. Rather than go on Saturday and see the bustling three hall show, I arrived at two o’clock on Sunday afternoon to a mostly empty Baltimore Convention Center.
While I made a few purchases, I found more interesting numismatic items outside off the bourse floor. First, before traveling to Baltimore, I stopped at my bank’s ATM where I withdrew a few new, consecutively numbered $10 bills. It appears my bank filled the cash machine with the new bills for the weekend. I was a bit taken aback by the new color. Even when combined with the new $20 bills, the $10 bill looks more yellow than green. When I spent the bills on the bourse floor, nearly everyone referred to these notes as Monopoly® money. I have to agree with that assessment.
On my way out of the convention center, I purchased a soda for my trip back to the DC-area. When I examined my change later that night, I found a 1962 silver FDR dime and a 1970-D Washington Quarter that is rotated about 10-percent and broadstruck where the obverse is struck over the “bottom” of the rim.
The dealers I spoke with said that it was a good weekend. Judging by the number of tables, it must have been incredible to see. I hope to make it for the next show. In the mean time, I cannot make the National Money Show™ in Atlanta but I hope to make the World’s Fair of Money® in Denver this August.