How I Got Into the Sold-Out FUN Show Bourse (And You Can Too): A Complete Step-by-Step Strategy

I Ran Headfirst Into the FUN Show Bourse Wall – Here’s How I Broke Through

My stomach dropped when I read those four awful words: “ALL BOURSE TABLES SOLD OUT.” The FUN Show isn’t just any coin show – it’s where I make nearly a third of my yearly income. For days, I lived on cold coffee and adrenaline, digging through contacts and hunting for solutions. What I discovered surprised me: “sold out” doesn’t always mean what you think. Here’s exactly how I cracked the code to get into the 2026 show.

What “Sold Out” Really Means at FUN

The Numbers Behind the Madness

Armed with the FUN Show’s own documents and floor plans, I uncovered their table math:

• 575+ dealers listed in their public spreadsheet
• 700+ physical tables spread across the convention center
• 500+ unique sellers – meaning lots of shared spaces

That gap between dealers and tables? That became my golden ticket.

The Hidden World of Table Sharing

After calling every dealer I knew, I learned the real FUN Show secret:

“Veterans like King Dennis always share Table 413. Grading companies leave space for favorites. Collector clubs hold permanent spots.”

Suddenly, that “sold out” sign looked more like a “get creative” challenge.

My 5-Step Game Plan That Actually Worked

Step 1: Stalking Cancellations (My First Win)

I built this simple tracker to watch the FUN site:

import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
import time

def check_availability():
url = 'https://www.funshow.com/bourse-registration'
while True:
response = requests.get(url)
soup = BeautifulSoup(response.text, 'html.parser')
status = soup.find('div', class_='registration-status').text

if 'sold out' not in status.lower():
send_alert('TABLE AVAILABLE!')
time.sleep(3600) # Check hourly

The tech helped, but my real breakthrough came from good old-fashioned networking…

Step 2: The Art of the Table Share Deal

I found three ways to grab table space:

• Official Shares: Pay $500 extra directly to FUN
• Private Deals: Get table space for 60-70% of full cost
• Last-Minute Spots: Cash handshakes for partial days

My winning pitch to a grading company?

“Let me handle your walk-up authentications – I’ll save your staff hours in exchange for three feet of table.”

Step 3: The Club Membership Secret

Did you know 27 coin clubs have permanent FUN tables? A few big ones:

• John Reich Collectors Society (Tables 300/302)
• Error Coin Institute
• Colonial Coin Collectors Club

My $45 Florida United Numismatists associate membership became my backdoor pass.

Backup Plans That Saved My Show

The “No Table Needed” Trick

FUN lets you do business without a table if you:

• Book meetings in the business lounge
• Use their dealer matchmaking system
• Work the dealer-only hours strategically

I scheduled 17 pre-show meetings that covered my entire trip cost.

The Disney Side Hustle

A clever dealer shared this gem:

“We turn FUN into a family vacation by hitting Disney after show hours. Suddenly it’s all tax-deductible.”

I upgraded this by booking client meetings at Disney resorts – no table required!

Working a Sold-Out Show Like a Pro

Finding the Sweet Spots

After studying the massive floor plan, I targeted:

• Hot Zones: Aisles 100-200 (grading company traffic)
• Money Rows: Sections 5B-7C (serious collectors)
• Hidden Gems: Perimeter tables (hungry new dealers)

Your 6-Month Pre-Show Checklist

What worked for me:

• Being active daily in FUN forums
• Connecting with past exhibitors weekly
• Showing face at smaller regional shows

What I Learned the Hard Way

My key FUN Show takeaways:

• “Sold out” usually means “get creative”
• Table shares cost more but pay for themselves
• Chatting up FUN board members matters
• Combining business with family makes trips easier

While I’m locked in for 2026, I’m already using these tricks for 2027 – currently sitting at #12 on the waitlist thanks to connections I made. The FUN Show’s “sold out” sign isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning of smarter coin dealing.

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