We’ve returned from one of the largest coin expositions in the country held in Long Beach known as the “Long Beach Coin Expo”. Here at Premier Precious Metals, we regularly attend large trade shows to keep up with the latest trends in the coins and collector market. Long Beach also gives us a chance to sell material that we’ve purchased here in Santa Fe, and also to find treasures for the store. It is also interesting to get a read on the broader economy from dealers who sell into markets all over the country.
The overall coin market remains depressed with middle range collectors stepping away from big purchases. It seems that high end auction results remain strong, but the casual collector with a few hundred dollars to spend at a coin show is elusive, even in California. This is a trend that has been ongoing since 2008.
We had a good show with wholesale business and picked up a few unique items that will soon make an appearance on our website. Friday was literally a wash with the strong winds and rains in California. All afternoon flights were cancelled out of LAX and the roof of the convention hall sprung a number of leaks. Many streets flooded and trees went down around the metro area.
As always, we are happy to be home in sunny Santa Fe and look forward to a busy spring in the Southwest.