May 16, 2013 – The 2013 Singapore International Coin Fair proved to be an unqualified success. The 3-day coin event (March 29-31) attracted over 10,000 visitors, with long lines forming before the doors opened. Business was strong for all involved, and carried on past the scheduled closing times – hours were extended to allow the crush of people to complete their business.
Over 40 different dealers and mints attended, representing 21 different countries. SICF 2013 was organized by Panda America for the 3rd straight year, and took place at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center, a first-class facility in downtown Singapore.
Dealers and mints were unanimous in their praise of the show. Many dealers remarked that they had covered their entire expenses for the trip within the first hour of the show opening – with many dealers remarking that next year they will have to bring even more staff to handle the large crowds and overwhelming demand. Attendees brought with them a feverish demand for all things involving coins, with many scooping up brochures and anything they could find to learn more about the coin industry. Some dealers reported that they sold-out of all of the inventory that had brought to Singapore.
Although there were many dealers with bourse tables, there were also Chinese coin dealers who instead of having tables decided to spend the weekend roaming the fair, actively buying modern Chinese coins. In particular there was overwhelming demand for the gold and silver Chinese Panda coins. The Panda coin market is extremely hot, and by the final day of the show, supplies of Panda coins were limited, as everyone was coveting the gold and silver Panda coins from China.
SICF 2013 also allowed for numerous private meetings between dealers and mints, old and new friends – and over 240 participants gathered for a banquet on Friday night at Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant. Hosted by Peter Yeung, President of Panda America, the gathering enjoyed a wonderful selection of authentic Mediterranean style food and drink, lasting until the wee hours of the morning.
Don’t wait to confirm your attendance at SICF 2014 scheduled for March 28-30, 2014. Feedback from this year’s participants has been great, with the majority already expressing their interest in returning to Singapore next year.
Additional interested dealers and mints are invited to contact Sim at Panda America in Singapore, by emailing or by visiting the official fair website.