Coins lure the curious to gathering at Rochester Museum & Science Center
Arizona Coin Collector
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20081103/NEWS01/811030325/1002/RSS01
Democrat and Chronicl.com - Rochester, New York
Coins lure the curious to gathering at Rochester Museum & Science Center
Ashwin Verghese
Staff writer
November 3, 2008
There was more than just chump change available this
weekend at the Rochester Numismatic Association's
36th Annual Coin Show and Sale, where ancient
coins, foreign currency and rare antiques could be
admired, appraised and bought.
"Anybody who's interested in buying or selling coins
can come," said Bill Coe, chairman of the coin show
committee, which organized the event. "We also try
to have an educational aspect to it."
The event was held at the Rochester Museum & Science
Center's Eisenhart Auditorium. About 40 tables of
vendors filled up the showroom floor, where buyers
and sellers walked about and took stock of the
valuable items.
For visitors who weren't so familiar with
numismatics - the study of coins and metals - there
were three videos running that explained the basics
of coin collection.
This year, a few outside factors have sparked
greater interest in the collecting game. For one,
the Hawaii quarter - the last of the 50 state
quarters - will be released by the United States
Mint on Nov. 10.
"I'm excited...because it's the only one I don't
have on my map," said Ed Cain, 59, a collector
from Rochester.
Additionally, with the economy slumping, some
people are looking to invest in coins, which
can increase in value by hundreds and thousands
of dollars.
"The advance in value of precious metals is
similar to the stock market," Coe said.
Many of the vendors at this weekend's show were
from out of the area, but Gary W. Alt Sr., of
Ransomville, Niagara County, said the Rochester
show "is always one of my best shows."
One of the most attention-grabbing items in Alt's
collection was a Roman doctor's toolkit from
400 C.E.
The full-time dealer also had several Roman,
Greek and Byzantine coins.
David Pease of Almond, Allegany County, had
everything from pennies from the 1820s to $20
gold pieces from the 1920s in his collection.
A dealer for 35 years, Pease said he constantly
buys and sells coins and other antique items.
"Whatever I have currently you could consider
my collection," Pease said with a laugh.
Many of the people who came to the show said
they were able to learn a lot.
Greg Farish, in fact, first got interested in
coin collecting after attending the show five
years ago.
"Basically, I came here and kind of got into it
from there," said Farish, 40, of Rochester, who
now has a small collection of about three or four
ancient coins, 10 U.S. coins and 10 foreign coins.
Natalia Byrd, 35, of Rochester found out about
the coin show after seeing signs posted for the
event outside the museum.
Byrd bought Indian pennies for her two children,
Victoria, 10, and Samuel, 3.
A native of Russia, Byrd said she tries to hold
onto foreign currency.
"Whatever's unusual, I try to keep."
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