The trend of a busy opening day continued at the February 14 – 16, 2008 Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo. Total attendance for the three-day show, including dealers and the general public, was 5,206, according to Ronald J. Gillio, Expo General Chairman.
“We’ve seen this developing trend the past few years with strong attendance on Thursdays when the show opens to the public. There are serious collectors who apparently don’t want to miss anything,” said Gillio.
Highlights of the February Long Beach Expo included a $25 million auction conducted by Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, Texas, with international news coverage of the $10.7 million portion of the Walter J. Husak collection of early American large cents.
Exhibits included a $5 million display of several rare Type One (1850 to 1886) Double Eagles by Monaco Rare Coin of Newport Beach, California; highlights from the Dice-Hicks Hard Times Tokens Collection displayed by Stack’s of New York City; the number one collection of Flowing Hair and Bust silver dollars, 1794 to 1803, from the Dr. Robert D. Hesselgesser Collection displayed by Professional Coin Grading Service; and competitive exhibits hosted by the Long Beach Coin Club.
Some of the $20 bills recovered from the legendary 1971 “D.B. Cooper” skyjacking were displayed at the show by PCGS Currency for the public to see in person for the first time. Brian Ingram of Arkansas, who was eight years old when he found the bills along the Columbia River near Vancouver, Washington in 1980, attended the opening of the show to see the historic notes on display.
Nearly a dozen educational programs were conducted during the show. The Professional Numismatists Guild launched its recently announced Share the Knowledge consumer education series with a presentation by Jeff C. Garrett and Douglas A. Winter on U.S. gold coins; eBay consultant Troy Thoreson discussed buying and selling on eBay; and Professional Coin Grading Service President Ron Guth conducted a program about the history of coin grading.
About 100 children participated in young numismatists activities on Saturday coordinated by the Full Step Jefferson Nickel Club and by American Numismatic Association Governor Walter A. Ostromecki.
The next Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo will be conducted May 29 – 31, 2008 in the Long Beach, California Convention Center, 100 S. Pine. Ave. For additional information, call (805) 962-9939; or visit online at www.LongBeachExpo.com.
The Long Beach Expo is a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT).
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