Interview with the organisers
More than 1,000 exhibitors from 67 countries regularly gather in October across 50,000 square metres of exhibition space in five exhibition halls to offer the almost 50,000 visitors a unique selection of items. For the first time, there will also be a dedicated numismatic section. We asked Christoph Keilmann a few questions about this. Under his leadership, the Munich Mineral Days have developed into an international event.
History of the event
MW: Mr Keilmann, first of all, the all-important question: do you collect yourself? Or did you become a trade fair organiser through the trade in minerals? Is that why you find it so easy to empathise with what a collecting visitor and an exhibiting exhibitor want?
Christoph Keilmann: Actually, I grew up with the Mineral Days, as they used to be called. My father, a mineral collector and dealer, founded the fair in 1964 and developed it over the decades. I learnt a great deal from him about the spirit of collectors, but also about the needs of dealers. He also began early on to attract new target groups and spark their interest in the subject through special exhibitions, children’s activities and other interactive experiences. Since I took over the management around 20 years ago, we have successfully continued along this path, integrating new product ranges and developing the Munich Show into a major event highlight. I get to experience my own personal ‘collector’s moment’ anew every year when it comes to curating the special exhibition, and we make the selection of the items together with collectors and museums from all over the world. That is always a quite special task and one of my highlights.
Organisation of the Munich Show
MW: Collecting is, of course, linked to passion. Nevertheless, anyone who rents 50,000 square metres of exhibition space every year has to calculate carefully. Can you give us an idea of just how big the event is? How many people, for example, are involved in creating the perfect experience?
Christoph Keilmann: The scale is certainly enormous for our small business. Our team alone swells to around 120 staff in the four weeks before and after the fair. Added to this are the many trades involved, such as electricians, carpet fitters, wall and stand builders, graphic designers, decorators, security, logistics and, of course, catering. That adds up to certainly around a thousand people who contribute directly or indirectly to the ‘Munich Show’ experience.
MW: You announced the decision to integrate a numismatic section into The Munich Show at NUMISMATA. How are things going – have you received any registrations yet? What has been the reaction from the specialist community?
Christoph Keilmann: Over the past few years, we have repeatedly discussed the possibility of integrating a numismatic section into The Munich Show with various representatives from the numismatic sector, but the actual decision was only finalised at the start of this year. The response has been extremely positive and we are delighted that many well-known companies have already confirmed their participation.
These include well-known auction houses such as Emporium Hamburg, Heritage, Künker, Gorny & Mosch and Rhenumis, as well as specialist dealers from Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Greece and South-Eastern Europe. CIT will be coming from Liechtenstein; and service providers such as PCGS, CIT and SAFE will be taking part. There will also be many other exhibitors. Visitors can already look forward to a wide and attractive range of offerings!
MW: What are you doing to create the best possible environment for dealers? I’m thinking primarily of organisation and security.
Christoph Keilmann: Unlike most collectors’ fairs, the Munich Show takes place at a proper exhibition centre. Whilst this presents us, as organisers, with challenges in terms of cost management, it makes things much easier for both visitors and exhibitors when it comes to travel, on-site logistics and, indeed, security. We can draw on the full infrastructure of Messe München, including its security concept, and have all service providers directly on site. In practical terms, this means 24-hour surveillance of the halls and the grounds, a BRINKS overnight storage service for exhibitors, and access to all specialist services such as stand construction, display case hire and similar services. The exhibition grounds are also easily accessible by underground from Munich Central Station in around 20 minutes, are situated directly on the A94 motorway, and there are ample parking spaces available on site. Two years ago, we celebrated 50 years of collaboration with Messe München. This makes The Munich Show the longest-serving guest organiser, and we consequently have extensive experience with the venue as well as well-established contacts with all the service providers involved.
Special Exhibitions
MW: The Munich Show is famous in the Munich media for its fantastic special exhibitions. Do you already know what visitors can expect in October 2026?
Christoph Keilmann: The overarching theme of this year’s special exhibitions is ‘Pioneers & Legends’. We’ll be exploring this theme comprehensively in the special minerals exhibition, covering everything from innovative collectors to the development of the trade, the specialist media and scientific research, right through to pioneers in the use of digital media and opportunities for mineralogy. In the field of palaeontology, we’ll be focusing on the British palaeontologist Mary Anning, who, as a woman at the start of the 19th century, was virtually excluded from any formal education, but who, through self-study and sheer passion, made groundbreaking discoveries that continue to shape fossil research to this day. The cultural-historical special exhibition, which we have deliberately placed in the numismatics section, focuses on the life of Ludwig II, the ‘Fairy-Tale King’ of Bavaria. We are quite delighted, however, that the Bavarian Numismatic Society is creating a highlight for the numismatics section with its own special exhibition, ‘Through a Collector’s Eyes – The Fine Medal!’.
Visitors can look forward to extraordinary and diverse exhibits in all the special exhibitions. To this end, we are already in contact once again with many renowned museums and collectors from all over the world.
On average, around 100 institutions and individuals take part in the special exhibitions each year as lenders.
Press relations
MW: Many believe that The Munich Show can raise the profile of numismatics thanks to its significant media presence. Could you tell us a little about how your press relations work and where you promote the event?
Christoph Keilmann: From the very beginning, it was important to my father to invite not only the numismatic community but also the general public to the event, to create interactive areas and to make our subject accessible. The special exhibition themes and exhibits are crucial for our press relations, and we are confident that, with King Ludwig II and the correspondingly spectacular exhibits, we are offering the media a compelling topic from which the field of numismatics also benefits. In addition, however, every year from September onwards – at the start of the school year – we run a major campaign in Munich and Upper Bavaria featuring radio adverts, large-scale billboards, newspaper inserts, traditional adverts and, of course, social media. Through our channels, we regularly reach around 50,000 followers here and send out our newsletter to over 30,000 recipients every month. Added to this are mailings to schools and the distribution of leaflets to educational institutions and family-friendly venues.
Numismatics is given a prominent place in these, particularly in our magazine, which is distributed in and around Munich with a circulation of around 150,000 specimens.
MW: You operate on a very international scale. You were a co-founder of the HardRock Summit in Denver. How does this international activity enrich the Munich event?
Christoph Keilmann: Denver has long been an established venue for the mineral trade in the US during the autumn. Following the pandemic, an opportunity arose here for a new event, which we seized in collaboration with an American partner. With around 300 exhibitors, the HardRock Summit is only about a quarter the size of the Munich event, but it focuses on high-quality specimens. However, we launched the Denver project not so much to expand internationally, but rather to preserve and stabilise this platform – which was facing major problems at the time – for our exhibitors. Both events now complement each other very well, and the HardRock Summit is also developing very positively. That said, I am constantly fascinated – despite the relatively small world of minerals – by just how differently dynamic the European and American markets are, and how things that work well here simply don’t work there, and vice versa.
MW: Now for the practical side. How much does a collector pay for admission, and where can they buy their ticket? Is there any advice you’d like to give a visitor?
Christoph Keilmann: First of all: the numismatic section of the Munich Show doesn’t open until Friday, 23 October, whilst the other sections start as early as Thursday. Thursday and Friday are trade visitor days, which means that a dealer’s certificate is also required for the numismatic section on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the event is then open to all collectors and the general public.
Tickets are now available from our online shop. Until 15 August, there’s an early-bird discount available there, saving you 2.00 EUR on the ticket price. Day tickets for the trade visitors’ day on Friday cost 30 EUR, and 20.00 EUR each for Saturday and Sunday. A three-day ticket (Fri–Sun) costs 50 EUR, whilst a two-day ticket for Saturday and Sunday costs 30 EUR. Discounted tickets for children up to the age of 14, as well as pensioners and other eligible individuals, are available at the box office for 14 EUR upon presentation of the relevant ID.
My advice is always to buy your ticket online in advance to avoid queues at the box offices. Trade visitor registration, including the upload of relevant supporting documents, can also be done online. What’s more, our exhibition centre is very easily accessible by public transport, so I always advise people to avoid parking charges and traffic jams by taking the U2 to Messestadt WEST; from there, it’s only about 200 metres to the entrance of the Munich Show.
MW: Now for the other side: what about the dealers? How can they get in touch with you? Are there still tables available?
Christoph Keilmann: We are still in the allocation phase for the numismatic section and can still accept registrations. If you’re interested, I’d also recommend registering as an exhibitor via our website. All the registration documents will then be available to download there. Furthermore, our team is always happy to answer any questions regarding participation, either online or by telephone on 089/6134711.
MW: Let’s wrap up. My final three questions. Please answer each one in a single sentence: What sets you apart from other coin shows?
Christoph Keilmann: In Munich, the passion for the objects and the joy of collecting are evident across all themes and are contagiously visible to outsiders.
MW: Why should a dealer come to the Munich Show?
Christoph Keilmann: The Munich Show generates attention and interaction within the community. Anyone with an exhibition here is sure to make their mark.
MW: Why should a collector come to the Munich Show?
Christoph Keilmann: For our visitors, the Munich Show is an event they look forward to throughout the year. Here, they can see the world’s finest objects from their field of interest in person, discover treasures for themselves, meet friends and acquaintances, exchange ideas and be inspired. For anyone interested in minerals and fossils, the Munich Show is a celebration, and I’d be delighted if we could make it the same for numismatics too.
MW: Thank you for the interview. I look forward to seeing you in Munich in October.
Text and images: Ursula Kampmann
