6 Months After My 2025 Rosemont Chicago Great American Coin Show Experience: What I Learned About Scaling a Niche Business

Let me tell you something: six months ago, I was exhausted. The rare coin trade had me running in circles—buying, selling, shipping, negotiating—yet I wasn’t making real progress. Then came the **2025 Rosemont/Chicago Great American Coin Show**. That show didn’t just change my business. It rewired how I think about it.

After managing rare coins for years—attending shows, juggling inventory, building client relationships—I finally saw the path forward clearly. If you’re in a niche market like mine—whether it’s vintage watches, antique jewelry, or high-end collectibles—what I learned at Rosemont could save you years of trial and error.

The Setup: Why This Show Was Different

I’d skipped the ANA show in Oklahoma City (a rare miss after 10+ years). I felt the momentum slipping. So when I landed at O’Hare from Orange County, I wasn’t just carrying suitcases full of coins. I was carrying a new mindset:

This wasn’t just a sales trip. It was a systems test. Could I turn a high-touch event like a coin show into a scalable, repeatable business engine?

Logistics as a Growth Lever (Yes, Really)

Most dealers see shows as places to trade. I now see them as **logistics operations**. Every detail matters. Here’s how I turned logistics into a profit booster:

• Pre-show tagging: I built a simple Google Sheets + QR code system to track every coin. Each item got a unique ID, client notes, and flexible pricing. Example:
  ="QR:"&A2&":"&B2&":"&C2
  That’s all it took to generate a scannable code for instant price checks on my phone.
• Dealer day mastery: On Day 1, I don’t sell. I buy—and I buy fast. While others are setting up, I’m hunting fresh inventory. At Rosemont, I found 12 excellent Indian and Lincoln cents. The best? A 1914-D Lincoln cent (PCGS MS64+ RB) I flipped for 4x my cost after confirming grade.
• Location, location, location: I booked a Hyatt room with a direct view of the convention center. Saved 20 minutes each way—that’s 2 extra hours on the bourse floor over four days. In coin trading, time is money.

The Big Lesson: Stop Buying for You. Start Buying for Them

I used to buy coins I loved. Beautiful, yes. But not always profitable. The real shift? I started buying what my clients wanted—not what I wanted to own.

How I Track Client Demand (Before the Show)

I keep a live **client interest matrix**. It’s not fancy—just a spreadsheet—but it’s everything. Before Rosemont, I checked it and found:

• 5 collectors hunting high-grade Lincoln cents (MS63+)
• 3 chasing key-date Flying Eagles

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• 2 obsessed with toned Morgans

So I went to Dealer Day laser-focused. Result?

• Secured an 1856 Flying Eagle cent (PCGS AU55)—sold it the same day to a waiting client.
• Found a 1955/55 Double Die Lincoln (PCGS AU58) with stunning rainbow toning—sold for a 60% premium.
• Snagged 3 PCGS MS63+ Lincolns—now in active negotiations.

The takeaway? Buy with a buyer in mind. Every coin I acquired with a client tagged sold within 48 hours of the show opening.

People > Product: The Hidden Network Effect

In a niche like rare coins, who you know matters as much as what you own. At Rosemont, I stopped treating connections as side benefits. I made them the core strategy.

Relationships That Actually Pay Off

I didn’t just exchange business cards. I built real bonds. Here’s what worked:

• Private dinner at Gibson’s: Invited 12 top-tier dealers. Shared Rombauer Zinfandel and Penfolds Cab. The result? 3 new consignment deals—and access to a private network of high-end inventory no one else sees.
• Co-hosted dinner at Carlucci’s: Joined Justin Waddell and James Sego. We didn’t just talk coins—we discussed trends, market shifts, and collector psychology. Walked away with 3 new leads and a sharper sense of Morgan dollar premiums.
• Grading services aren’t just for submissions: Spent time at PCGS, ANACS, and CAC tables. Asked about 2025 tech upgrades. Now I know their Q3 turnaround times will drop—critical for my shipping calendar.

“You can buy a rare coin anywhere. But you can only access the right relationships if you invest in them consistently.”

The Counterfeit Challenge: Turn Frustration into Trust

Every year, someone shows up with a “1943 copper cent.” Almost always fake. For years, I’d explain why—only to get argued with.

At Rosemont, I changed tactics. Now I use a simple four-step system:

1. Listen first: “Tell me about this coin.” (People buy trust before they buy facts.)
2. Check the basics: Magnet test, weight, edge reeding.
3. Show, don’t tell: Pull out my “Counterfeit Coin Red Flags” handout—printed from a trusted numismatic source. Lets the facts speak.
4. Refer with care: “I’m not a copper expert, but Andy at Angel Dees is. Want me to call him for a second opinion?”

One guy brought a coin PCGS had flagged as counterfeit—he thought they’d switched it. Instead of arguing, I showed him the handout, explained PCGS’s authentication layers, and offered the referral. He left grateful. No argument. No ego.

Lesson: In high-stakes niches, process beats persuasion. Have tools ready to educate—not debate.

The Long-Term Perspective: Post-Show Momentum

I landed back in Orange County with $28K in sales. But the real win started after I unpacked.

30-Day Post-Show Playbook (Copy This)

Week 1:

• Follow up with every buyer—send photos of their new coins, thank them, ask for feedback.
• Send personalized thank-you notes to dealers I bought from—included a bottle of Oregon Pinot (same as at dinner).
• Update CRM with new client notes and inventory status.

Week 2-3:

• Analyze sales: Which coins sold fastest? What price points worked? Found toned coins in AU55-AU58 sold 30% faster than MS60+.
• Reach out to 3 collectors who weren’t ready to buy—sent curated lists based on their interests.
• Started writing for Coin World (thanks to Larry Jewett)—framed it as a “2025 Market Trends Report” to build authority.

Week 4:

• Placed bids on 5 new coins at upcoming auctions—all had direct client matches.
• Booked flights and hotel for next year’s Rosemont show—Sept 30-Oct 3, 2026. Saved 20% with early booking.

Real Results: The 6-Month Scorecard

Six months later, the numbers don’t lie:

• Client retention: 85% of Rosemont buyers made a second purchase (up from 60%).
• Average sale value: Jumped from $750 to $1,200—better inventory targeting, better margins.
• New dealer network: 5 new consignment sources—30% more inventory access.
• Online presence: The Coin World article brought 1,200 new leads to my site.

What I Wish I’d Known Sooner

1. Shows aren’t sales events—they’re relationship accelerators. Focus on quality time, not quick deals.
2. Your inventory should reflect your client database. Buy with purpose, not just passion.
3. Logistics aren’t overhead—they’re leverage. Save time, save money, gain access.
4. Post-show momentum is where the real ROI lives. The 30-day follow-up can double your returns.
5. Build systems for the hard stuff. Counterfeits, haggling, delays—they’re inevitable. Your response doesn’t have to be.

The Rosemont show taught me this: in a niche business, scale isn’t about volume. It’s about precision. It’s knowing exactly what to buy, who to sell it to, and how to keep them coming back. It’s turning every interaction—over a steak at Gibson’s, a bottle of wine on the bourse floor—into a chance to build something lasting.

Six months later, I’m not just a coin dealer. I’m a curator, strategist, and network builder—and my business is finally scaling the way it should.

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