The Long Beach Expo. Courtesy Stack’s Bowers Galleries.

Since 1964, the Long Beach Expo has been a must-visit event for West Coast currency collectors and sellers. “If you were anybody that was anyone in numismatics, you were at the Long Beach show,” explains Executive Vice President for Stack’s Bowers Galleries Christine Karstedt.

Although it is a convention with a historic legacy, the over 60-year-old show has recently had a shot of youth with the recent transition of ownership to Stack’s Bowers Galleries this year. The auction house is in its second running of the event; the first occurred on February 18–20, and it is taking place at the Long Beach Convention Center––Hall C from now until September 11. But as Karstedt assures, “We have a great deal of enthusiasm for bringing this show back to the public and to the collectors and dealers…The research, enthusiasm, and camaraderie are all still there.”

 Stack’s strategy to maintain and grow the public’s interest in the Expo is to have it serve as a one-stop shopping event for all. Among the offerings are recent releases at the U.S. Mint’s booth available for sale to the public, and a PCGS on-site grading service for visitors, which is offering a special $15 deal for coins submitted for PCGS holders that do not cross over. Also not to be forgotten are the numismatic dealers, whose tables make up most of the show’s space. “Anybody who wants to buy, sell, trade, sign…all of the aspects of the hobby will be available.” 

Christine Karstedt. Courtesy Stack’s Bowers Galleries.

On display at the Stack’s booth (740) are items from its upcoming September 2026 Premier World Collectors Choice Auction (occurring from September 14–16) of world and ancient coins and paper money. Highlights from other upcoming auctions taking place later in the year are also on view. 

As well at the Stack’s booth are well-known experts on hand to help with valuation and related questions. “My suggestion would be if you have (old currency), have somebody professionally look at it so that they can find that rare die variety or rare mintmark combination that someone who is not an expert would never find.”

Karstedt also advises, “You can go directly to the table, and once you make that connection, you don’t need to necessarily be in-person on a go-forward basis…You can pick up the phone, call, text, e-mail. Once you build the connection, it gives you more avenues for communication and access to expertise.”

And for those visiting the Expo for the first time who are new to collecting, Karstedt encourages to walk around the floor and take the opportunity to learn about what they like. “If you find yourself looking at the same type of coin from table to table, that’s a clue. Maybe you love Morgan dollars, but you really don’t care about Washington quarters. That’s what collecting is all about.”

An interactive floor plan of the show is available on the Expo’s website (longbeachexpo.com/exhibitor/booth/) to help ease the experience of navigating the bourse floor. “A map will come up and tell you where you can go.” 

More information about the Long Beach Expo can be found at longbeachexpo.com. The next Long Beach Expo will take place on March 10–14, 2027. “We have big things on the horizon as we grow the venue,” explains Karstedt.  “We look forward to having a very dynamic event in the future.”