Back in 1848, a man in need of lumber to build his flour mill near present-day Coloma, not far from Sacramento, hired John Marshall to help build a sawmill. Marshall spotted something in the gravel in the river near the mill. It was gold, and the following year would see the Gold Rush of 1849.
The zeal for the metal has anything but diminished. The new record prices are bringing people and coins out of the woodwork to see what they may have. That was the case again in 1999 when the American Numismatic Association National Money Show was held in Sacramento with an estimated 10,000 visitors.
That record may well be eclipsed as the ANA show returns to the Sacramento Convention Center on Thursday through next Saturday with hundreds of dealers, exhibits and opportunities for collectors and treasure seekers alike to stand in awe of what will surely again be a sea of gold, silver and numismatic rarities.
On exhibit will be one of only five known 1913 Liberty nickels, the Brasher gold doubloon – considered the first coin struck for the United States – an ultra-rare 1804 silver dollar, and much more. Those coins may not mean much to noncollectors, even though their combined value could approach $10 million.
What's sure to appeal to everyone will be a display of a recently discovered gold nugget weighing in at over 100 ounces, the largest California nugget in existence. The show offers a fantastic opportunity for those to discover if they have rarities.
Free appraisals will be available, and should any coins prove to be especially valuable, there will be hundreds of dealers eagerly looking for new material. By the way, it's not just gold and silver in demand. Certainly, many copper and nickel coins can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. The same is true for paper money, which many dealers are actively seeking.
It's also something children can enjoy in the "Kid's Zone," designed just for the show. And the show provides opportunities for Boy Scouts to earn their coin collecting merit badge and Girl Scouts can get their patch, as well. Not surprisingly, a major auction conducted by Heritage Auction Galleries will also take place.
There is a $6 admission fee for non-ANA members, but there is a $2 discount coupon on the show's website: http://www.nationalmoneyshow.com/.
ANA NATIONAL MONEY SHOW
Where: Sacramento Convention Center
When: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. March 17-19
Admission: $6 for non-ANA members. Look for a $2 discount coupon on the show's website
Information: www.nationalmoneyshow.com
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Peter Rexford writes for Creators Syndicate. Contact him at P.O. Box 50377, St. Louis, MO 63105.
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