Albany Coin Club set to present annual coin show this month

ALBANY — Between 20 and 30 coin dealers are expected to be available at an upcoming coin show later this month at the Knights of Columbus facility.

The 11th annual coin show is set for March 16-17, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m, at the 2009 Gillionville Road facility. The dozens of coin dealers are coming from all over the southeastern United States and the show, the Albany Coin Club’s president said, has been growing in recent years.

“(The) dealers are doing better and better every year,” Club President Terry Pippins said.

The club took on the show three years ago, and Pippins said that while it is not as big as some similar shows in the state, there has been good participation in the past. He said he hopes that trend continues for participants willing to pay the $1 admission.

“The dealers are in paper money, tokens, arrowheads, rocks,” he said. “It’s a diverse membership. Everyone does a little bit of everything.”

Opportunities will be available to buy and sell, and Mike Ellis, from the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors and a previous ANACS professional grader, will be on hand to help people with authentication and grade. Free appraisals will be available from the dealers in attendance.

Visitors will also have a chance to learn about the club, will be allowed to park for free, can enjoy a snack bar, and take a chance on winning 12-15 gifts — including gold and silver coins — to be raffled off. Also available are gifts including Buffalo nickels and Indian head pennies for young children. Twenty-four-hour security is provided.

The purpose of the show is to generate interest in the hobby of coin collecting and to draw attention to how much precious metals are worth. Since gold and silver are excellent for backing portfolios with, that may be useful knowledge for investors.

“Some coins are very, very rare and very expensive,” Pippins said. “We would like to educate as many people as we can not to give something away. (We want to) share the knowledge with future generations.”

When the statehood quarters were first released in 1999, Pippins said coin collection “exploded” as a hobby.

“It doesn’t have to be a real expensive hobby,” he said.

The club president said more than 1,000 individuals came to last year’s coin show over the two-day period.

“We are hoping to do at least a 50 percent increase (this year),” he said. “The better the turnout we have, the more dealers will show up.

“Sixty percent of visitors are repeats, and some are there every year.”

Pippins said that if the product an individual is looking for is not there, the dealers should know where to get it due to their accessibility to products the average person does not have.

More information can be found on the “Albany Coins and Currency” Facebook page.

Jennifer Parks