The following announcement is a message on May 5, 2020 from Brett Charville, President of Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com).
The numismatic hobby, like seemingly every other part of our lives, finds itself at a crossroads. How and when will it be safe to go back to everyday normal life? Is what we consider “normal” going to be normal at all? The world is on edge, and it’s no different in the world of numismatics. How will the events of the last few months shape numismatics for years to come? We all know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but at this moment we simply don’t know what the future holds, and our hobby is currently held hostage by the uncertainty of the ongoing crisis.
While many people think of numismatics as simply a hobby, it’s also a segment of the collectibles industry that employs tens of thousands of people in small- and medium-sized businesses around the US. To those who are employed in the numismatic industry or use rare coins to store wealth or invest for the future, it’s much more than just a pastime. Unfortunately, many of these businesses and individuals are largely dependent on in-person interactions to conduct business. The loss of coin shows for the remainder of 2020 would leave a vacancy in the numismatic community resulting in a ripple of further uncertainty. Thankfully, numismatics has proven to be historically resilient, and we at PCGS will be doing our part to ensure our hobby continues to grow and thrive.
In response to this uncertainty, PCGS is announcing the potential addition of three “substitute” PCGS Members Only Shows to the 2020 numismatic show calendar in the event major numismatic trade shows are not able to occur as originally planned. If the August ANA World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, the September Long Beach Expo, and/or the November Whitman Winter Expo in Baltimore are cancelled, PCGS will plan to host smaller, substitute PCGS Members Only Shows during their originally scheduled dates. These shows would likely occur in either Las Vegas, Nevada, or Southern California, depending on local and federal safety restrictions and guidelines in place at that time. Our longstanding relationships with venues in these locations puts PCGS in the unique position of hosting fit-to-scale trade shows on short notice.
For those who have not had a chance to attend, PCGS Members Only Shows are opportunities for coin hobbyists to meet and trade in a smaller, laid-back, casual show environment. Attendance at these shows is included as a free benefit to PCGS Collectors Club members and Authorized Dealers. Since 2009, PCGS has hosted six Members Only Shows per year, with half typically occurring at a major casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the remainder occurring across various venues throughout the United States.
Should these much smaller “substitute” shows occur, PCGS is committed to strictly following state and CDC guidelines to ensure the health and safety of all attendees. Whatever guidelines we need to follow, temperature checks at the door from a licensed professional, social distancing, greater space between tables, limited numbers of people on the bourse floor at one time – we will make it happen. We’ll build an event that safely fits within guidelines laid out by the respective venue as well as state and federal government regulations.
We truly hope that our back-up Members Only Shows will not be necessary and that all existing shows occur as originally scheduled, but PCGS stands ready. Our hobby has always been one of face-to-face interactions and transactions. It is massively important to the numismatic community that in-person events resume safely, whether large or small, to keep the spirit of our hobby strong.
Fondly,
Brett Charville
President, PCGS
