After posting the entry about my day at the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention nothing that there used to be a small, regular coin show in New Carrollton, Maryland, I started thinking about what it would take to put together a show like that in this area.
I know I would be asked why I would do this. First, it looks like fun. Although I love going to the Baltimore show, I really have a good time at smaller shows. The crowds are cozier, the dealers seem more talkative, and it feels like a more fun atmosphere. To me, it seems as if the hobbyists and collectors are the ones who dominate the attendance at the smaller shows where the larger shows attract the investors and those with more “high-priced” collections. While there is a place for everyone in numismatics, and I love going to the Baltimore show, it would be nice to see a smaller show come back to the DC area, accessible to an area that seems to have a higher concentration of hobbyists and collectors, on the east side of the Beltway. Maybe one downtown would be a nice draw!
So what would it take to put on a show, aside from a venue? Finding a place would be relatively easy. It could be scheduled enough in advance to attract dealers and provide publicity. There would probably have to be security, too. But what else? Does anyone have any thoughts?