DESERT MOON NEWSLETTER, ISSUE 25, AUGUST 18, 2026

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desertmoonnm.com

desertmoonnm@yahoo.com

Hi Folks,

Here we are a week away from the first day of the American Numismatic Association's Worlds Fair of Money. As you know, this is one of the 2 biggest coin conventions each year, the other one being the FUN Show in January. This time the WFOM will be in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh, PA. Located within the historic and vibrant city center. I won't see much of it though, likely to be coining about 14 hours a day the whole week. My schedule typically will start at 4 am, where I will awaken to write my Show Report for the PCGS Message Boards, and I hope to be able to do one every day. These will be posted on the US Coins page with daily activities at WFOM hot off the press. Then while drinking coffee and having a pastry, I will assess where I am in terms of buying and selling. I like to be prepared, I like to study the numbers and re-study the coins, and be ready to provide as much as possible information on each coin at our table. The doors open each day at 8 am for the table holders, so I'll be there waiting at 7:45 am ready to roll in. My experience of the past 2 WFOMs, things got very intense and stayed that way from 8 am through bourse closure at 6 pm, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, then a bit more relaxed (I had time to drink a sip of water from time to time, LOL), on Friday. So we will see.

David L. Lawrence Convention Center

When the bourse closes, then it is off for some food. I don't eat much all day at a show, as there usually is not enough time so I will be darned hungry by the evening. A group of us have booked a nice steak house for Wednesday, and several of us will experience downtown Pittsburgh cuisine on the other days. So that is how it goes, 4 am to about 9 pm, then back in the hotel room for sleep, for 5 days................

This year I will have help at the table. An advanced collector friend will be helping out, and one of the emergent, best YN's in the buis will be helping as well. Each have their own special knowledge in numismiatics and will add to the vibrant activities of Derest Moon at the WFOM. I will have time to actually get away from the table and go in search of newps on the floor. I will also have time to go auction lot viewing, submitting coins to TPGs, and all the other activities that need to be done but are difficult when being a single person managing the table. We will be at Table 1417:

WFOM Mega Bourse Layout. Close up of circled area below.

This week has been very busy doing pre-show prep work. I am picking up 14 coins at the show and had to make the arrangements and get organized for this. I also have 5 coins set aside for different people, and setting up pre-show meetings with other dealers to go through their inventories to see if there is something for our table. I had to re-evaluate the pricing for all 110 or so coins that we will have at the table. I like to know the coins I am selling and this is about as large an inventory I can handle and 'know' the coins. Each numismatic coin is unique and any examples I have I want to understand as much as possible.

In addition to the offerings on the website, here is a summary of what we will also have at WFOM:

1. Three dozen Draped Bust, Capped Bust, Liberty Seated, Standing Liberty, and Barber silver coins that have not been listed on the website yet. Grades ranging from VG10 to MS65, all but one CACed or CACG. One has a Gold Sticker on its slab........ Some very cool coins for sure.

2. Pre-Civil War Branch Mint Gold. We have a half dozen C, D, and O mint gold dollars to half eagles, all CACed, carefullly hand-picked to bolster the group already posted on the Deset Moon website.

3. 2 very colorful and very uber cool Mexican coins - an 8 Reales and a Silver Peso. Just eye candy to enhance the table presentation but oh how tasty they are!

4. And last but not least, my advanced collector friend who will be helping out is in a re-assessment period for his collection. We will be offering a selection of his amazing examples in mostly MS grades and Proofs of a wide range of US coin types, all CACed. I won't get any more specific than that, but the terms 'dripping in eye appeal', 'flawless', 'vibrant', 'superb' are a few of the superlatives that applies to this set.

In summary, if you are at WFOM, please come by to say hello and enjoy our 3 cases packed with very cool coins. If you have anything to sell, we are buying. We look forward to seeing you there.

Best, DM

PS - and just to illustrate the kinds of coins we are looking to purchase, here are three examples from my own collection (NFS, maybe sometime down the line.....). If you have cool coins, come by and show them to us!