I recently returned from a week long trip to Miami where I attended the Art Basel art fair. I went primarily to look at art and to purchase some pieces for my collection but I also went to closely observe what has become the most significant art fair(s) in the world. For a person like myself, who attends many coin shows each year and who had never been to Art Basel, I found the contrast to be both educational and totally fascinating.   
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Just like that (cue snapping fingers and whooshing sound) the 2010 FUN show came and went. For me, FUN is always productive and this year was no exception. I had a very good show and instead of the usual tedious (and self-serving) show report, I’d rather share a few random observations about the convention. *I looked at oodles and oodles of coins at the show and what I didn’t see is, to me, every bit as interesting as what I did see.   
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Amazingly, the 2010 FUN is a scant two weeks away. If you have decided to attend the show (and I strongly suggest that if you go to just one show all year that this you consider this one) here is a short list of things to consider. 1. Bring a good lamp. Viewing conditions at the FUN show are not optimal and a good coin viewing lamp is essential.   
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As I stated in my last Market Report (and you have no doubt read on many other numismatic websites) the 2009 FUN show promised to provide interesting insights into the State of the Coin Market in 2009. What happened and what numistidbits did I glean from my week in Orlando? I decided to arrive a day and a half earlier than usual this year for two reasons.   
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I think this year’s FUN show will reveal alot about the direction of the market for the year. On Wall Street, it’s a known fact that if January is strong, the rest of the year is as well. I can’t state this with total certainty as far as coins go but my experience is that a strong FUN generally means the rest of the year will be good as well. Early reports from the pre-FUN show (which I am not attending) are interersting.   
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After the dust settles from a major coin show and a major auction, there are always a number of things that can be learned. I learned a lot from the 2008 FUN show and, more specifically, from the Heritage FUN auction. 1. If someone is wealthy and they really want a coin, price no longer appears to be an object. Case in point: the 1805 quarter that was sold as Lot 2775 in the Platinum Night 2008 session.   
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