The American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money Aug. 1 to 5 in Denver is now history.

All of those who attended the convention for one or more days, or the entire show, will likely express different recollections of their experiences. From an expansive bourse, auctions from the two leading numismatic auction firms, specialty club meetings, educational forums, world mints, Young Numismatist activities, and special giveaways, there was something for everybody.

Five days wasn’t enough to take in all that the convention had to offer. In many cases, compromise was needed to accomplish what was possible in the time available.

The fallout from the Enhanced Uncirculated Coin set release: Another column in the August 21 weekly issue of Coin World reveals that while forms of numismatic literature like fixed-price lists were meant to be fleeting, they can actually be quite useful.

Many dealers and collectors reported an active bourse, with reports, of course, depending on whether the collectors coming through the doors of the Colorado Convention Center were seeking the numismatic items the specific dealer had to offer.

The bourse floor was cavernous and observers found it difficult to determine the public attendance just by looking.

2017 attendance figures were not available as of Aug. 10, as many ANA staff members took leave the week immediately after the summer convention.

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One of the hot tickets for several hundred collectors and dealers during the convention was the 2017-S Enhanced Uncirculated Coin set from the U.S. Mint. Some convention attendees stood in line on the bourse floor in front of the Mint’s booth for more than three hours for the chance to buy one or more of the sets at $29.95 for the 10-coin product (a maximum of 500 sets was permitted per person per transaction). The Mint sold more than 24,000 of the sets during the convention, most on the first day of sales Aug. 1. 

For those with a limited or even no budget for buying numismatic items, a number of collectibles didn’t require a capital outlay, as they were available for free.

To mark the return of its Rare Coin Market Report, Professional Coin Grading Service not only offered free copies of the bimonthly pricing guide to convention attendees, but also offered an RCMR Collector set of separately encapsulated coins, pedigreed to the show.  

The set features 2017-P Lincoln cents encapsulated in PCGS holders with labels bearing the show pedigree, some with special signatures. 

One of the labels is an unsigned Rare Coin Market Report label, and four are signed by four PCGS numismatists associated with the RCMR relaunch — David Hall, price guide editor and a PCGS founder; Ron Guth, PCGS CoinFacts president; Michael Sherman, editor-in-chief; and Phil Arnold, numismatic photographer.

The encapsulations with signed labels were limited to an issue of 250, while the unsigned encapsulation had an issue of 1,000.

Paper Money Guaranty Set Registry members and invited guests who attended the PMG Set Registry breakfast Aug. 4 were each given a PMG encapsulated Series 2013 $1 Federal Reserve note.

Thanks to a generous donation to the Industry Council of Tangible Assets, collectors could receive a five-coin 1999 State Quarters Proof set free, while supplies lasted, during an Aug. 2 opportunity to meet and interview former U.S. Mint Director Philip N. Diehl at the ICTA booth on the convention bourse.

Diehl, currently serving as ICTA president, served as the 35th Mint director, from 1994 through 2000, and oversaw the 1999 launch of the 50 State Quarters Program, for which he also co-authored the enabling legislation. 

For those willing to spend a little money on material specifically linked to the convention, a highlight from the world perspective was the sellout of two Panda-themed medals from PandaAmerica.

The California-based American distributor of Chinese Panda coins issued several medals in conjunction with the show. Four versions of the same design were issued, showing a sole panda against some bamboo on the obverse, with the Rocky Mountains on the reverse.

The medals were designed by an unnamed artist working at the Shanghai Mint, where they were struck. A legend on the reverse celebrates the ANA show connection and the ANA’s 126th anniversary.

Two versions were launched before the show — a Proof .999 fine silver medal weighing 30 grams, and a Proof ringed-trimetallic piece composed of copper, brass, and copper-nickel sections — and both had sold out by Thursday afternoon at the show.

Two piedfort versions (double thickness and weight) have not yet been released.

The two standard examples have mintage limits of 888 pieces each, and the piedfort versions are limited to mintages of 100 each.