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Good sales, buyer buzz at FUN Show

10 Jan

There was a notable buzz at the recent Florida United Numismatists (FUN) coin show held Jan. 5-8 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

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A young collector, Jacquelyn Proctor, reviews our selection of shipwreck coins.

The show was busy, especially on Thursday, where sales and purchases were made all the way up to closing time, said Daniel Sedwick.

“We experienced a large volume of sales despite the incident at the Fort Lauderdale Airport on Friday,” he said. “We bought and sold well across all world coin sectors and paper money.”

Other dealers commented on the increase in motivated buyers, saying collector confidence in the economy and the numismatics market was on the rise.

The show’s timing also mattered, said Augi Garcia.

“The fact that the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC) and the FUN show are not conflicting for the first time in several years gave a new air to the show,” he said. “Overseas dealers that only go to NYINC were at FUN this time and making purchases.”

Areas of particular collector interest include shipwreck coins. Coins recovered from the 1715 Plate Fleet did well due to the historical connection between Florida and the Fleet. Our friends with the 1715 Fleet Society were in attendance and hosted a group dinner which we attended on Thursday night.

Gold cobs were hot but new supplies from Europe allowed us to refill our inventory. Expect to see them on our online store soon.

A number of bank notes sold, and we purchased many more at the show. A number of Latin American reverse proofs from the American Bank Note Company are new additions to our inventory.

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Ben Costello, the 1715 Fleet Society director, spoke at the group’s dinner.

Many interesting consignments came in during the show for our Treasure, World, U.S. Coin and Paper Money Auction #21. We obtained many fascinating shipwreck coins and artifacts during the show, but can always use more. If you’d like to consign to the next auction, please email us at office@sedwickcoins.com or call us at 407-975-3325.

In a closing note, our thoughts go out to all those affected by the shooting incident at the Fort Lauderdale Airport. Special thanks to the Broward County Police and Sheriff’s Departments for providing security and presence in the area.

Our next trip will take us to the NYINC show on Jan. 12-15 in New York, followed by the Treasure Coast Coin Show on Jan. 14-15 in Vero Beach, Fla., and the Long Beach Expo on Feb. 16-18 in Long Beach, Calif. We hope to see you there!

Gallery

Notes from the 2016 U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona

12 Oct

hurricane-imageLast week Dan, Connor Falk (our new employee) and I traveled to Arizona ahead of Hurricane Matthew to show auction lots for our upcoming Auction #20 (more to follow on that tomorrow!) and give some presentations. We were a little unsure about leaving with a potentially dangerous storm bearing down on us, but when the going gets tough, the tough leave town. As it turned out, Matthew took an eastward jog and spared most of the central Florida area.

The U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association convention in Scottsdale is always a great time to reconnect with friends and colleagues. Connor and I got to meet Don and Lois Bailey, Mexican numismatic legends. All three of us enjoyed spending time with Ute Wartenberg Kagan, the longtime executive director of the American Numismatic Society who brought

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Connor Falk with Don Bailey

important Mexican coins from the vast collection at the Society. She will also attend our Auction #20, so if you’re attending it as well, you’ll want to meet and talk with her.

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Ute Wartenberg Kagan and Cori Downing

Augi, who stayed in Florida to make sure the hurricane didn’t blow away our office, won an award at the convention for his well-received book, The “Tumbaga” Saga, Treasure of the ConquistadorsWe’re fortunate to have a very cool “Tumbaga” bar (Lot 210) in the Auction. Dan took an award for his participation in the Counterfeit Forum last year and did so again this year. The presentation was extremely well received. I spoke on the Charles and Joanna coinage from the Mexico City mint, sharing some new research I’ve undertaken.

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All in all, it was a quick respite from the desk and chair. If you’re a collector of Mexican coins, you should become a member of the U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association and attend next year’s convention.

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Here’s the Hat Trick – Numismatic News

15 Jan

Just a quick note to remind everyone of our upcoming shows. Dan is heading to Vero Beach today for the annual Treasure Coast Coin Club show. He’s loaded with new purchases from the FUN and NYINC shows, so please go by and see him! He’s also taking consignments for our upcoming Sedwick Treasure, World and US Coin Auction #19. We’re always pleased to receive consignments of significant collections of cobs and choice Latin American coins. High-quality artifacts are always welcome as well.

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At the end of the month, Dan and Augi will be traveling to Long Beach, CA, for the Long Beach Expo from February 4-6. They will again be happy to take consignments AND buy or sell you something. It’s a busy time of year for us, but we’re getting excited about our next auction and hope you will join the fun. Auction dates are May 18 and 19, so mark your calendar now.

OK, now for a cool hat trick.

Goal #1: Purchase a 1704 8 reales Potosi cob (not hard to do).

Lot 1431, TA #14, 8R cob

Lot 1431, Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC – Treasure Auction #14

Goal #2: Purchase a 1704 8 reales Potosi royal (a little harder to do but not out of the question).

Lot 707, TA #14, 8R royal

Lot 707, Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC – Treasure Auction #14

And Goal #3: Purchase a 1704 8 reales Potosi heart (you have a better chance with the lottery than getting this!).

Lot 720, TA #18, 8R Heart

Lot 720, Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC- Treasure Auction #18

Pretty nifty hat trick, no? What I like about looking at all three of these coins is that we can study the details that are missing on our cob. This can go a long way in identifying coins.

One last note: the ANA (for American Numismatic Association) has just launched a digital archive of 127 years’ worth of The Numismatist magazine. Both Dan and my father, Frank Sedwick, have written articles for the magazine! Check out the story here: http://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/2015/12/ANA-launches-digital-archive-of-The-Numismatist-magazine.html

 

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Long Beach Show January 2015

5 Feb

Dan and Augi recently returned from a successful show in Long Beach, California, the Long Beach Expo, brimming with consignments for Treasure Auction #17. While the show was mostly wholesale with sparse attendance by the general public, it didn’t hamper them from transacting business to ensure a successful upcoming auction. Was the low attendance due to the massive winter snowstorm on the east coast that hindered dealers from flying to the west coast? Maybe, maybe not. Still, you see the ripple effects of bad weather everywhere you look.

Long Beach, CA Coin Show

Long Beach, CA Coin Show

Dan at the table at the Long Beach show

Dan at the table at the Long Beach show

Thinking of bad weather, how many shipwrecks would never have happened had those ships sailed at a different time and not Augibecome ensnared in a hurricane? If hurricanes weren’t a part of life in the Caribbean, would we ever know as much as we know about coins and artifacts from colonial Spanish America? Something to think about.

Back to Long Beach: despite a lower public turnout, Dan and Augi made good use of their time there by sampling the great variety and quality of restaurants! Since Augi is Argentinian, he especially enjoyed a place called the Gaucho Grill (what a clever name!) at 200 North Pine Avenue in Long Beach. [Gaucho Grill is the most traditional Argentine restaurant in Long Beach. They serve the best Argentinian favorites in generous dishes balanced with the best Californian cuisine.]

Dan and Augi with some dealer friends at Gaucho Grill

Dan and Augi (taking pic) with Mexican Coin Company Staff (Max, Cory and Eric), at Gaucho Grill

Their fav foods were Lomo Argentino (filet mignon), Asado de Costillas (ribeye), and Bife de Chorizo (NY steak). And who knew that in California you can bring your own wine to dinner with you? What meal isn’t complete without Fernet, a digestif? Google it. Wikipedia says that people describe it as a “black licorice-flavored Listerine.” That’s about right.

And finally, even if you have a bad show, you can go back to your hotel and relax at the end of the day. Sometimes, you even have a world-class view. Sometimes you don’t!

Long Beach Table January 2015

Long Beach “Hotel View” January 2015

First coin shows of 2015: FUN and NYINC

20 Jan

Cori Downing SedwickHello!  My name is Cori Sedwick Downing, and I’ve started this blog because I enjoy writing about Spanish colonial coins and shipwreck coins and artifacts. My specialty is researching so-called Charles and Joanna coins from the first mint in the New World at Mexico City from roughly 1536 to 1572, but my interests are wide ranging so I’ll cover much more than those coins. I have been working for my brother, Dan, at Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC for about six years.  Before that, I have had as many lives as a cat (of which, by the way, I do have one).  I’ve been a high school teacher, a real estate agent, a photographer, and a travel agent. In my spare time I am obsessed with genealogy, DNA research and playing sports, mainly running and cycling. Now that I’m closer to 60 than 50, most people don’t know that I used to be a pretty good runner in my 20s. I took up cycling in my 40s due to an injury that sidelined me from running and once set the state time trial record in my age group at the Florida State Games (50-54 age group). I also won the duathlon national championship in my age group one year.

Enough about me! I’d love to hear from YOU. Is there anything you’d like me to cover or do you have anything to contribute? Please feel free to subscribe.

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As for the first coin shows of 2015, if overflowing parking lots and garages at the Orange County (Florida) Convention Center for the FUN (Florida United Numismatists) show in January 8-11, 2015 are any indication of a healthy economy, we’re in for a banner year.  Although the concurrent Surf Expo was the source of much of the parking snafu, there was still a steady stream of visitors to our table by old friends and new acquaintances who bought, sold or consigned coins and artifacts. As a result we already have some interesting auction items lined up and I’ll tell you about some of them in future posts.

Augi Garcia Barneche helping a customer at FUN 2015

Augi Garcia-Barneche at FUN 2015

The FUN show is one of the largest coin shows in the US for good reason: there’s something for everyone. Your children can pan for gold in a working sluice box, the treasurer of the United States is on hand to sign bills purchased from the BEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing) booth, and this year the State of Florida presented an interesting display of coins and artifacts from their holdings specifically related to the 1715 Fleet discoveries off the coast of Florida. Don’t forget that this year is the 300th anniversary of that Fleet and we will feature coins and artifacts from the wreck in our Treasure Auction #17 in April 2015. There’s even a 1715 Fleet Society to help raise awareness of and promote ongoing research about the Fleet.

The NYINC (New York International Numismatic Convention) is the largest US coin show featuring ancient and world coins exclusively, and we always have a table there. Unfortunately it is also concurrent with the FUN show. While it is a much more subdued atmosphere, it’s a good place for our northern clientele to visit us. The temperature differential this year between NY and FL was about 80 degrees.

Stardust Room at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC

Stardust Room at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC

The show is always held in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, a grand old lady who makes you want to stand up a little straighter and put on your best manners when you walk in the door. Where else can you spend a night in the Marilyn Monroe suite? While we’re crammed in like sardines in a tin, we love the atmosphere and excitement of New York!

Back in Florida now, we’re looking forward to a few more shows before January ends. You can find us at the Vero Beach, Florida Treasure Coast Coin and Currency Show on January 24-25 and at the Long Beach (California) Expo on January 29-31. We hope to see you at one of these shows!

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