The Whitman Philadelphia Expo is unquestionably the most anticipated show in the last several months.  Everyone is expecting a great show.

Several factors explain this.  First, Philadelphia is a great town - lots of great food, good location, large population base, nice hotels, and very interesting historically.

Another factor is that the last time the ANA convention was held in the city it was a huge success.  Everyone who attended has great memories.

Finally, everyone agrees that Whitman knows how to run a great coin show.  The Baltimore convention has become one of the most important venues on the circuit, and many hope that Philadelphia have the same success.

With gold holding above $1,000 it is certain that US gold coins will hotly pursued.  In the first few hours all of the usual suspects will be scouring the floor for fresh gold coins.  Other numismatic items will require a bit more patience to sell.  Right now if there is collector demand for a series or a particular item, a quick sale can be expected.  Otherwise, it will require discounting to ensure a new home for a lot of numismatic items.

All in all, however, the market is vibrant and quite active.  Many other areas of the economy cannot make this statement.  Last week the largest race horse auction in the world was held in Lexington, Kentucky.  Prices were off by an average of around 50%.

We all are indeed very lucky!