Baltimore Whitman show??

[Curio Bill]

I have been told that the Baltimore Whitman show is very good for ancient coins due to European dealers coming over to sell. Has anyone been to this show? Any advice on where to stay? Things to do? I have never been to Baltimore . Thanks, Bill

[cmcdon0923]

I was just at the show this past weekend.  It was OK for ancients, but I didn't see an extraordinary number of dealers.  Some of the ones that were there included:  Herakles, Brian Murphey, Tom Cederlind, Ed Waddell, Ephesus, and several others whose names I don't recall at the moment.

As for accommodations, we stayed at the Sheraton Inner Harbor which is attached to the Convention Center, as is I believe The Hilton.  This can be somewhat important as one of the dearlers I know (non ancients) was robbed at knifepoint around 1am Saturday morning as he returned from a restaurant just a few blocks from the hotel when he decided to take a shortcut through an empty sidestreet.  He wasn't hurt but they took his camera, laptop, a little over $1000 in cash and his checkbook.  The good news is that there was a surveilance camera that caught the robbery.  The police "knew" the main suspect on the tape and within a few hours had him in custody.  Most of the cash, the checkbook and the laptop were also recovered.

The Sheraton is "OK", but lacks several ammenities that I usually find at hotels costing MUCH less....like a safe in the room, as well as a fridge and free wi-fi (give me a break...who pays for wi-fi any more?!).  It's also abit expensive at $200 per night.  The Hyatt is right across the street, and there's a Days Inn about two blocks away that is significantly less I believe.

The Inner Harbor area has lots to do....The National Aquarium, the USS Constellation and Ft. McHenry, just to name a few.....all just a few blocks from the hotel.  And if you like seafood....well, you'll be in Heaven (you have to try Phillips) !!!

Check out  http://expo.whitman.com/  for more information.

[Curio Bill]

Thanks for the info, I usually go to shows where there are only 2 or 3 ancients dealers, so that sounds like a wonderful time!!

BTW, a nice hotel charging for wifi is one of my pet peeves too!!

If you were going again, which hotel would you recommend out of the ones you mentioned?? Thanks, Bill

[cmcdon0923]

For the last two years that I've attended the November show, I stayed at the Sheraton....mainly for convenience as it is attached to the Convention Center via an elevated walkway, so you never have to actually be down on the street going to or from the Center.  The Hyatt is across the street from Sheraton and also has an elevated walkway.  The Hilton is at the other end of the Center but from what I saw also has an enclosed walkway connecting it.  So between those three, you technically never have to be down on the street.  The Days Inn is a standalone hotel about a block off the main street that runs in front of the Center (Pratt Street), also at the far end near the Hilton.  I'm not sure what amenities the Hyatt and Hilton offer, but I will probably check into it before next year's show.

I don't mean to belabor the safety issues, because during the day and even into late evenings, the streets around Inner Harbor are very busy with tourists.  In addition, the police presence is VERY obvious.  But like many major cities, unfortunately you will always have scumbags whose intentions are less than honorable, so common sense is necessary....like not walking down an empty side street at 1am in the morning.

Hope this helps.......

[Curio Bill]

Many many thanks!!!!!