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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
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Location: MA
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Posted: Jul 31, 2017 22:16 Post subject: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show |
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You never know who you'll meet. The exhibitors are Paula and Les Presmyk. West Springfield, MA., August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show.
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alfredo
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Posted: Jul 31, 2017 22:30 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Am looking forward to it. I'll be there this year.
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Jordi Fabre
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 01:59 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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The poster of the Show
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 02:53 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Looking at the picture of Peter, that is one man I would not like to meet on the battle field!
_________________ Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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John Betts
Joined: 07 Jun 2012
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 06:40 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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After years of enduring shoplifters and abuse to my minerals, I decided to stop selling at this show. This is my first August in 27 years that I do not have to spend preparing for, and selling at the Springfield show.
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James Catmur
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 06:43 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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John, I am sorry to hear that you have had so many problems at the show. It is a real pain when things are damaged or stolen.
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John Betts
Joined: 07 Jun 2012
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 06:56 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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The booths are very long (40 feet?) and I am there alone. If I was at one end of the booth, there was no way to guard the opposite end.
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Pierre Joubert
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 07:49 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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John Betts wrote: | The booths are very long (40 feet?) and I am there alone. If I was at one end of the booth, there was no way to guard the opposite end. |
Security cameras (which are easy to install) are a great deterrent, but if you have to guard your specimens the whole time, it is not worth it. Sad that some grow their mineral collections by stealing :-(
_________________ Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Peter Megaw
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Location: Tucson, Arizona
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 08:38 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Pierre Joubert wrote: | Looking at the picture of Peter, that is one man I would not like to meet on the battle field! |
Pierre, unless you're reaching for a rock I want, you're safe.
John, if we follow Pierres logic you should have hired me for security. Unfortunately as minerals have gotten more valuable the theft rate has increased dramatically as has the impact of a single theft
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Jordi Fabre
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 09:06 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Peter Megaw wrote: | Pierre Joubert wrote: | Looking at the picture of Peter, that is one man I would not like to meet on the battle field! |
Pierre, unless you're reaching for a rock I want, you're safe... |
Are you sure?
💀💀💀💀💀
😁😁😁😁😁
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 09:16 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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What do you suppose is the difference between a hotel show like the Inn Suites, Tucson and an arena show, like the East Coast in terms of theft? The intimate nature of the hotel room seems like it would make a difference. John's point about 40' to cover and pay attention to customers is spot on. Good help is hard to find. Small digital camera systems would be a deterrent and help identify perpetrators, possibly.
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There are plenty of opportunities. |
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lluis
Joined: 17 Nov 2006
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 09:56 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Good afternoon, All
My condolences to John.
It is really annoying to have anything stolen....
But seems that is normal in all fairs... Thieves are in all places, and even in Barcelona fair in November, that is relatively small compared with what you are talking about, thieves are there....(or so said me sellers... I am just a buyer/collector...)
Sad.
With best wishes
Lluís
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Bob Harman
Joined: 06 Nov 2015
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 10:08 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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A couple of pointers.
First, look at the very front and center of the above picture. At least some of the specimens....the better ones??.....are under glass. Lesson to be learned is that each dealer should consider putting his/her better specimens in some type of case or cabinet or behind them on shelves in their booth or table. Any truly interested customer will never be put off by a better quality specimen just a bit out of the main traffic flow.
Also, some dealers that I know ask customer friends to assist them as part time volunteers watching their merchandise on the tables for several hours during the day. Or they partner with another dealer friend to set up adjacent to one another and watch each others merchandise. BOB
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Pierre Joubert
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 11:39 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Jordi Fabre wrote: | Peter Megaw wrote: | Pierre Joubert wrote: | Looking at the picture of Peter, that is one man I would not like to meet on the battle field! |
Pierre, unless you're reaching for a rock I want, you're safe... |
Are you sure?
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😁😁😁😁😁 |
I was wondering why John (Betts) don't hire Peter to help him with his shows. All Peter needs to do is stand around; no one will steal (anything) :-)
_________________ Pierre Joubert
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lluis
Joined: 17 Nov 2006
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 12:05 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Hi, Pierre
You do not know what thieves do in Barcelona...
Just they do it well.... (do bad things well sounds odd to my ears.... :-()
It is not a question of force. They could stole your underpants while you wear your pants... Without you feeling the fact... until too late...
Good for magicians, bad persons...
With best wishes
Lluís
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alfredo
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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 13:25 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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In my experience there is less theft at Springfield than at hotel shows. I'm convinced that having to pay an entrance fee discourages some of the lowest class of thieves. At hotel shows, with free entrance even for people who are sleeping in their cars, there is a lot more theft than at Springfield. Of course there are "high end" thieves too, for whom a $10 entrance charge is no discouragement, and those folk are of course more likely to target John Betts' fine crystals than my ugly rare species. (Should I feel insulted that so few people want to steal ugly rare species?)
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 07:35 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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alfredo wrote: | ...and those folk are of course more likely to target John Betts' fine crystals than my ugly rare species. (Should I feel insulted that so few people want to steal ugly rare species?) |
We don't want you to feel insulted Alfredo. Shall we send someone over to make you feel better? :-)
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Jordi Fabre
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 07:47 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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vic rzonca wrote: | alfredo wrote: | ...and those folk are of course more likely to target John Betts' fine crystals than my ugly rare species. (Should I feel insulted that so few people want to steal ugly rare species?) |
We don't want you to feel insulted Alfredo. Shall we send someone over to make you feel better? :-) |
Vic, if finally Alfredo agrees, then please send to me these specimens stolen to him. Thank you 😜😜😜
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vic rzonca
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 08:46 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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Jordi, they're going to be awfully ugly. Not only that, but really, really rare and impossible to pronounce their names. Alfredo, is that flyspeck or a mineral?
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Peter Megaw
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 09:12 Post subject: Re: West Springfield, MA. August 11 - 13, 2017, The East Coast Gem, Mineral and Fossil Sho |
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alfredo wrote: | In my experience there is less theft at Springfield than at hotel shows. I'm convinced that having to pay an entrance fee discourages some of the lowest class of thieves. At hotel shows, with free entrance even for people who are sleeping in their cars, there is a lot more theft than at Springfield. Of course there are "high end" thieves too, for whom a $10 entrance charge is no discouragement, and those folk are of course more likely to target John Betts' fine crystals than my ugly rare species. (Should I feel insulted that so few people want to steal ugly rare species?) |
You've got your thief characterization backwards Alfredo...it would take an educated and knowledgeable thief to steal profitably from you...any idiot can swipe a colorful tourmaline.
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