The headline-making 100-ounce gold nugget recently discovered in Northern California’s Gold Rush country will make its first public appearance in Southern California at the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo (www.LongBeachExpo.com), February 3 – 5, 2011.
Open to the public, the show will be held in the Long Beach Convention Center, 100 S. Pine Ave.
"It weighs just under 100 ounces — about nine pounds, and is the largest California gold nugget now in existence. It’s nicknamed the ‘The Washington Nugget’ because it was discovered near the famous Mother Lode Gold Rush mining camp near Washington, California in Nevada County last March," said Ronald J. Gillio, Expo General Chairman.
It will be publicly exhibited at the three-day collector’s show for the first time anywhere in Southern California courtesy of Fred Holabird and Don Kagin of Holabird-Kagin Americana of Reno, Nevada. They estimate the collector value of the nugget at $250,000 to $400,000.
During the Long Beach Expo more than 1,000 dealers will be buying and selling rare coins, paper money, stamps, postcards, historic documents, antiques, estate jewelry and other collectibles. Some dealers will provide free, informal appraisals for visitors.
There will be a new section on the bourse floor for additional dealers’ tables at the February Long Beach Expo.
"To provide additional convenience for some dealers who need flexibility in their show attendance schedules, we’ve set up a new area, Section F on the convention center floor, where dealers can take tables for only one or two days or for the entire three-day Long Beach Expo," said Gillio. "The limited number of tables in the new section will be available on a first-come, first-served basis."
A free gold coin door prize will be awarded each day to a lucky visitor, and a children’s treasure hunt will be held on Saturday, February 5. Nearly a dozen educational programs and collectors’ club meetings will be conducted in conjunction with the February Long Beach Expo.
Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, New York and Beverly Hills (www.HA.com), the world’s largest collectibles auction house and official auctioneer of the Long Beach Expo, will hold a public auction of U.S. coins during the show. Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) will mark its silver 25th anniversary in conjunction with the show.
The public hours are Thursday and Friday, February 3 and 4, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, February 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
General admission is $8 (good for all three days); $6 for members of any coin or stamp club who display a valid membership card; and $4 for seniors 65 and older and for children ages 8 to 16. Free admission for children ages 7 and younger. Discount coupons are available online at www.LongBeachExpo.com.
For additional information, call Expos Unlimited at (805) 962-9939 or during the show dates call the Long Beach Convention Center at (562) 436-3636.
The Long Beach Expo is a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT).
