URSULA KAMPMANN: VISITING THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL

American coin fairs really do not have much in common with the fairs we get to attend in Europe. American coin fairs are never just about buying and selling but about providing various attractions for collectors and dealers. There are plenty of things to do for you at an American fair: talks, society get-togethers, auctions and exhibitions. What’s more, the New York International has developed into the most luxurious edition of all the fairs in the past decades – and not only since the event has been moved to the Waldorf Astoria.

The lobby truly is the heart of the house, especially because of the Wi-Fi which saves you the exorbitant price you would otherwise pay for internet access in your room. So visitors of the New York International make themselves at home in the lobby’s comfortable chairs from morning to night to check their emails. If you forgot to make plans for dinner at the fair, you would simply come downstairs shortly before 7pm. That’s when everybody meets in the lobby – and with a little patience you would always find someone or other you knew.

The Starlight Roof is the room where most of the action takes place; “starlight” because years ago, the glass roof which covered the hall offered a view of the night sky. By now, electric light has eclipsed the starlight and the Waldorf Astoria’s former glass roof has been substituted by a ceiling when another five stories were added to the building. Despite all that, the hall has kept some of the splendour from its heyday. Since the 50s, the sons and daughters of the rich and famous celebrate themselves at the debutant ball which is held in this room. Daughters of presidents, of the Rockefellers’ and Vanderbilts’, of the House of Habsburg and Bismarck come out here for the first time.

The exhibitors were very international. Apart from the American companies, which – unsurprisingly – made up more than half of the participants, the most active and renowned coin dealers from all over the world were present.

At the New York International, six major international auction houses hold their auctions: Heritage, CNG, Stacks-Bowers-Ponterio, Gemini and Kolbe & Fanning, not to forget the New York Sale organized by Baldwin, Dmitry Markov and M&M Numismatics. Every year yields new record prives. I won’t go into detail here as you can read all about it in the follow-up reports on the auctions.

The viewing room of the Kolbe & Fanning auction

I recommend a visit to anyone who is interested in ancient and world coins. You are going to discover a whole new world of numismatics. A world which even provides chairs at the dealers’ tables so that dealers and collectors can have long conversations. A world, where famous collectors, whose collections have been published as standard works, mingle with completely “ordinary” collectors. A world of glitz and glamour, humour and numismatic friendship. A world that brings visitors from all over the world again and again to New York every year.

The next New York International will be taking place from January 8 to 11, 2015.

To read the complete article, see: Visiting the New York International (www.coinsweekly.com/en/News/4?&id=2562)

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