I attended the PNNA (Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association) Fall Coin Show on Saturday, October 4th, and spent around three hours there. The show ran from October 3–5, but Saturday was the only day I could make it — and I’m so glad I went.

I woke up at 6:30 a.m. to drive down from my hotel in Seattle, and the traffic through downtown was horrendous. Between the construction zones and weekend congestion, it felt like every stoplight was red. Once I finally got down to the show, though, the energy made up for it immediately. The parking lot was absolutely packed, which was a great sign — clearly a strong turnout. You could tell right away that this show draws serious collectors, dealers, and families alike.

This was my first-ever coin show, and it completely lived up to expectations. The PNNA put on a very well-organized and professional event — friendly dealers, a wide range of material from ancient coins to modern bullion, and a welcoming atmosphere for collectors at all levels.

I started off with the scavenger hunt, which was a great way to walk the entire floor and strike up conversations with different dealers. Here’s what I ended up with:

Washington tax token – aluminum, about the size of a quarter, with a hole in the center.
Washington Centennial commemorative coin
Illinois tax token – square-shaped aluminum type.
Missouri tax token – the red plastic version.
Elongated cent
Bahamas star cent
Sample slab with a 2009-D Lincoln cent (Formative Years reverse)
For purchases, I brought home a nice variety of coins that really caught my eye:

1924 Buffalo nickel – VF-35 (approx.): great strike and natural color.
1915-D Barber quarter – G: tougher date, nice honest wear.
1856 Seated Liberty quarter – AG: heavily circulated but full of character.
1863 Indian Head cent – F: solid mid-grade piece from the Civil War era.
1902-O Barber half dollar – G: attractive old silver toning.
1901 Barber quarter – G: smooth, original surfaces.
1946-S Lincoln cent – MS-63 BN: clean example with nice luster.
And wow — some of the coins on display were incredible. I saw an 1897 Morgan dollar in Proof 68 CAM, an 1895 Proof Morgan in PF-63, several proof gold coins, and tons of Carson City material. There was also a 1796 quarter in F-12, four 1916 Standing Liberty quarters, a number of early Draped Bust dollars, and even some 1793 large cents. Unfortunately, photos weren’t allowed on the bourse floor, but those coins were absolutely breathtaking in person.

Overall, the show was fantastic — a great first experience. The PNNA really did a wonderful job running things smoothly, and there was a strong buzz of activity the whole time I was there. I met a lot of friendly dealers, dug through a ton of cool coins, and learned a lot along the way. I’m already looking forward to going to more shows in the future and continuing to grow my collection.

(Attached photo shows my pickups, scavenger hunt finds, and the PNNA show bag!)

I've just acquired this 1997-P Roosevelt Dime PCGS MS-62.

I've just acquired this 1892-O Morgan Silver Dollar PCGS MS-63+ (CAC Green).

I've just acquired this 1962 Franklin Half Dollar PCGS Proof-66.

I've just acquired this 1939 Washington Quarter PCGS Proof-67 (CAC Green).

Is this coin a white label? It starts with 108XXXX but it looks green.

I've just acquired this 1964 Jefferson Nickel PCGS Proof-67.

I've just acquired this 1964 Washington Quarter PCGS Proof-68.

I've just acquired this 1917-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar Reverse Mintmark PCGS F-12.

I've just acquired this 1857 Silver Three-Cent Piece PCGS F-12.

I've just acquired this 1875 Twenty-Cent Piece PCGS VF-35 (CAC Green).

I've just acquired this 1911-S Lincoln Cent PCGS VG-8 BN.

I've just acquired this 2006 $5 Tenth-Ounce Gold American Eagle PCGS MS-70.

I've just acquired this 1836 Capped Bust Half Dime Small 5C PCGS F-15.

I've just acquired this 1860 Seated Liberty Quarter PCGS VF-20.