Tag Archives: NYINC

FUN Wrap Up and Coins Weekly

9 Jan

While the weather gods weren’t smiling upon us benevolently with our famous Florida warm winter weather, the temperature was blistering inside the Florida United Numismatists (aka FUN) 2018 winter show in Tampa. We had brisk sales and collected consignments for our next Sedwick Treasure, World, U.S. Coin and Paper Money Auction #23 on May 15-16, 2018. It looks like buyers and collectors are optimistic. We are too!

2018 FUN Show

Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC booth at the 2018 FUN show in Tampa 

At the show, I was fortunate enough to renew my acquaintance with Ursula Kampmann, founder of CoinsWeekly, a popular online newsletter for the trade. Aside from that newsletter, she is launching companion newsletter called AuctionsWeekly which will list every Friday ”all auctions that will take place during the following week as well as just published fixed price lists.” What a great way to keep up with all the auctions that take place around the world, especially during very busy auction times! You can subscribe here: https://www.coinsweekly.com/en/Subscribe-to-CoinsWeekly-Newsletter/37. You’ll see us listed as time gets closer to our next auction.

Cori and Uschi at January 2018 FUN Show

Cori Downing, left, with Ursula Kampmann, right

By the way, if you’re in the New York City area, find us at our table at the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC) January 11-14 now held in the Empire State Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt, located at 109 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10022, between Park and Lexington Avenues. We hope to see you there!

nyinc-logo

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Happy Holidays and New Year’s Resolutions 2017

21 Dec

by Cori Sedwick Downing

With a very successful Sedwick Treasure, World, U.S. Coin and Paper Money Auction #22 in the history books and consignments for #23 starting to trickle in, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on our hobby and tell you trends we see for 2018.

First, let’s start with a homily that was often repeated by my father, Frank Sedwick, during his years as a coin dealer: “If you want to sell, the time to sell is when you have a willing buyer.” That seems like good advice, but more often than not, we twist that tidbit of wisdom to read, “If you want to sell and someone wants to buy, perhaps you’re not asking enough.” Frank would counter with, “There is always a willing buyer when the price is right.” So, what’s the right price? Mostly it’s a matter of demand. The right price depends on who wants/needs something at that moment. The right price could also depend on the price of silver or gold, and we all know how that fluctuates.

As a hobbyist, your New Year’s resolutions should include spending some time with your hard-earned collection to determine which coins you need to upgrade and which you’ve got duplicates of. Consider putting your duplicates at auction or private sale and hope to make enough money to afford any upgrades that might be available.

What does our crystal ball say?

We’ve seen a fair amount of what we call “grade inflation” among encapsulated coins. crystalball_coinThere’s more “mint state” material circulating than we’ve seen in the past. The old AU 58 becomes the new MS 61. This happens in many fields—not just coins—and eventually the market adjusts. The take-home lesson is to look at the COIN and not the SLAB.

Another trend that we’ve noted is that more and more collectors of US coins are transitioning to collecting world coins. By comparison, world coins are a bargain! The material is also fresh to them as opposed to the same old retread US coins. There’s no reason to believe that this influx of buyers won’t continue. This is not only valid for the Latin American market, where we see the trend auction after auction but also for mainland Spanish coins that finally seem to have found their way into the US collectors field.

A continuing trend is that quality trumps rarity. Even when a coin is unique or very rare, if its quality or grading is low, it may fetch less at auction than a coin of lesser rarity but higher quality.

One more comment regarding the market for 2018 (at least in our field): we have noticed a big interest in Latin American military decorations, medals and tokens. They are now eligible for grading and better understood thanks to several works published in recent years. Their price has made them affordable in the past but the feeding frenzy has begun and they may not be so affordable in the future.

In the end, a wise collector learns as much as he or she can and applies good sense to investing. Don’t buy something for the sake of having it; buy it because you like it. That way you can always examine your coin collection with a smile and most likely you will hold it for a longer time increasing the chances of eventually the value also going up.

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones from the team at Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC—Daniel, Augi, Cori, Connor, and Michelle.

You can find us in the New Year at these shows:

          (Consignment deadline for Auction 23, February 25 )

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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.

tccc-show-2016

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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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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