ATLANTA—The Whitman Coin & Collectibles Philadelphia Expo will return to The City of Brotherly Love in 2013, General Manager David Crenshaw announced today.
The 2012 Expo, originally scheduled for September, will not be held, due to a conflict with the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money, scheduled for the same convention center in August, Mr. Crenshaw said.
“Our goal with every Whitman Expo is to provide an environment in which dealers can be successful. We have serious reservations about whether the industry can sustain two shows in the same hall within roughly a month of each another,” Mr. Crenshaw said.
Crenshaw said Whitman is also supportive of the ANA and wants to see its show succeed.
“Even though we pioneered Philadelphia as a major Expo market, in 2009, we respect and support the ANA and, like everyone in our industry, we want the ANA to succeed,” he said.
The World’s Fair of Money is scheduled for August 7-11, and the Whitman Philly Expo had been slated for September 20-22, barely one month later in the very same city and convention center.
Whitman President Mary Counts said the company made registered dealers aware of the change earlier this week.
“We are most grateful for the confidence dealers showed in Whitman by registering in advance for the 2012 Philadelphia Expo. We remain convinced that Philly can be a great market for us. We believe, however, that in light of the conflict, it is in the best interest of the dealer community for us to postpone next year’s Expo to 2013, when the ANA will return to Chicago,” Ms. Counts said.
Whitman is the leading producer of coin and collectibles expos in North America, with three shows next year in Baltimore.
The next Whitman Expo will be held March 22-25 at the Baltimore Convention Center near the historic Inner Harbor.
Among the featured items will be a special exhibit and educational presentation by The War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.
The special commemorative celebrating the Battle of Baltimore and the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner will be on sale, as well.
For the latest information on Whitman Expos, visit the new Whitman.com.
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