by Ursula Kampmann
translated by Teresa Teklic
January 28, 2016 – It is a major event in the calendar of many European coin dealers who specialise in ancient coins and a fixed date for all American coin dealers who deal with “World Coins” and Antiquity: the New York International Numismatic Convention. The waiting list for a booth in the Waldorf-Astoria is long, the clientele international. Apart from 80 dealers from the United States and Canada, coin dealers and auction houses arrive from Austria, Australia, France and Monaco, Germany, Great Britain and Ireland, Hong Kong, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and Hungary. The majority of this mixed bunch are British and Swiss dealers, followed by auction houses from Germany and Spain. All in all there are 115 dealers.
A look into the show room.
Even though the event does not, like in previous years, attract hundreds of the most important collectors worldwide, there are still the ANS gala dinner, traditionally held on Thursday night, and even more the large auctions bringing many visitors to New York. And if they have no luck at the auctions – which, considering the current hammer prices, is not unusual – visitors do like to leave their money with the dealers in the show rooms.
Dmitry Markov, co-organiser of the New York Sale, on the left.
But the New York International Numismatic Convention is more than just a commercial event. Nowhere else do you feel more strongly that the coin trade has created a numismatic community. The first hours are filled with hellos, greeting old friends and acquaintances. After all, the many hours spent together at the convention in all those years have seen more than one pleasant conversation that went far beyond the topic of numismatics. Most of the participants have been regularly attending the event for more than 20 years.
Sincona from Zurich: for the first time in the large Starlight Room, the most sought-after location at the New York International
Here are a few visual impressions from the convention, which ended with content faces everywhere. Especially the sales had created a positive atmosphere among colleagues. That most exhibitors will return to the New York International next year should be understood. At the end of this year’s show, Kevin Foley, who has been organising the event for many years, already took registrations for next year.
Two patriarchs in the American coin trade with ancient coins: Harlan J. Berk from Chicago (left) and Frank Kovacs from San Francisco (right).
Always surrounded by a flock of people: Alexandra Elflein from Künker. No wonder: She does not only speak German and English, but also French and Italian. A blessing for all French and Italians who are not quite fluent in English…
Such as the lovely representatives from Maison Palombo at the opposite stall. The Geneva auction house has branches in Geneva, Marseille, and Toulon.
The Italian manufactur Abafil with its elegant solutions for coin keeping was in New York for the first time, represented by Annalisa Garretto. Her large booth had significantly emptied after the three days of the convention.
Philipp Skingley from Spink, on the other hand, has been a regular for years. And just as regularly, visitors at his booth are confronted with the problem whether their suitcase will go into excess weight with this book at a sensationally low exhibition price in it or not.
Peggy and Jim Elmen – you cannot even remember on how many New York Internationals you have had a chat with them…
The same goes for Stephen Harvey.
Sitting opposite him is Catherina Bullowa (r.): Always healthy, always in a good mood, and always up to have some fun. Her daughter Joy Moore now runs the business.
If you want to know more about Catherine, check out the interview that David Lisot conducted with her for the Professional Numismatic Guild.
Here is the interview.
He has been around for almost just as long: Lucien Birkler from M & M Numismatics, partner of the New York sale.
An unusual sight: CNG in its own show room and without the crowds of collectors that normally surround the tables.
If you want to know more about the New York International Numismatic Convention:
Here is the website of the New York International Numismatic Convention.
The dates for the next conventions are already set until 2021. In 2017, the convention will take place from January 12 to January 15, but careful, auctions will already begin several days earlier.
Of course, the major auction houses have already published reviews of the auction sales in CoinsWeekly. Here are the reviews of CNG, the New York Sale and Stacks.
Ursula Kampmann received the Burnett Anderson Award at the ANS Gala. Find a short report on this occasion here.