Business & Attendance Strong at the 2012 Singapore International Coin Fair (SICF)
Singapore, March 30 - April 1, 2012 - The 2nd Annual Singapore International Coin Fair, taking place at the Marina Bay Sands Resort & Casino, was an amazing success for both dealers and attendees alike. Enjoying the prestige of taking place at Singapore's new landmark that dominates the city's skyline, the fair attracted over 8,000 visitors over the 3 days, with a crush of people attending from the start of the show until the finish at the very end. SICF 2012 was organized by Panda America, and featured official government mint booths from over 10 different countries and dealers from over 20 different countries.
The show featured a world-class bourse, with dealers from 20 different countries and official government mint booths from over 10 different countries displaying millions of dollars of gold and silver coins and banknotes from around the world. Activities included presentations from numismatic experts on coin collection tips, coin investment, and coin grading, and featured talks from veterans of the gold and silver futures market. The opportunity to mint your own coin using ancient techniques was a popular attraction, & a cafeteria on the bourse floor featuring roasted duck was available to those attendees who grew hungry while searching for the perfect coins to buy. In short, there was something for everyone.
The biggest buzz of the show, however, was the release of the first Panda show medals issued by China in over 15 years. Four different gold and silver medals were issued, all featuring the Marina Bay Sands Resort and the Great Wall of China. A separate booth was devoted solely to the medals, which was swarmed with buyers, onlookers and collectors for the duration of the show. The reason for purchasing the fair medals was varied, but many buyers were looking at the potential investment value, as the mintage figures were low and the gold & silver content was 99.9% pure. However, many others were simply looking to add to their Panda collections, as these medals represented a truly unique addition to the Panda series as well as the ultimate commemorative souvenir from an amazing coin fair.
The SICF for 2012 welcomed a number of new table-holders to the bourse floor who hadn't participated with tables at the inaugural 2011 SICF. The addition of new mints and dealers doubled the size of the show from last year, and helped invigorate the show for attendees & dealers. Business was strong and consistent, with many dealers remarking that they weren't able to leave their table because customers kept piling in. Other dealers reported selling out of the entire inventory they brought with them, giving them the desirable task of having to count their money deep into the night.
The Marina Bay Sands was a convenient setting for dealers and mints to conduct private meetings and business, and Singapore's beautiful city was the perfect backdrop for old and new friends to mingle - nearly 200 dealers and mints attended a banquet on Friday night, hosted by Peter Yeung, President of Panda America, that lasted deep into the night.
Nearly all participants have already confirmed their attendance for SICF 2013. Additional interested dealers and mints are invited to email sim@pandaamerica.com and visit www.sgcoinfair.com
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