Collecting "regions" in the US

[skelly]

I guess I always wondered, so why not ask. I know America is America, etc... but do anyone think that certain regions of the country are stronger, weaker when it comes to collecting, interest in the hobby, etc. Just curious.

[rainier2004]

I always felt that the east coast and Midwest were the strongest regions based on ebay purchases and the number of shows that I have been made aware of. Southern Cal seems to also be strong...then there's TX which is a world of its own (I find it interesting their state constitution outlines plans to split from the union) and seems to also be strong. The south and mountain TZ seem to lack the same passion for cards IMO. All that said, collectors are everywhere.

[t206blogcom]

No scientific data to back this up, but I've always felt PA, NY and MA were strong for baseball and card collecting.

[Ladder7]

No scientific data to back this up, but I've always felt PA, NY and MA were strong for baseball and card collecting.

Add Fla to the list. Cuz that's where those geezers go when the end is nearing.

[Writehooks]

I live in western Canada, but over the past 25 years probably 80% of my dealings (purchases, sales, trades) are with Americans. I'd like to give a shout out to the beautiful Pacific Northwest — especially the Seattle and Portland areas — for being particularly friendly for collectors of boxing and hockey memorabilia. Now if Seattle could just land an NHL franchise ...

[btkpath]

Hey Murr,

I am somewhat partial to the PNW, as well. Right now Seattle is working on regaining our professional basketball team, but I wouldn't mind a NHL hockey team in our future either.

There is still a strong cohort of collectors in the Seattle/Portland area. In fact, I believe the longest continuously running baseball card show in the country is held in the Seattle area (39 years and counting)!

[cobblove]

New york, CA, and Florida seem to have a lot of collectors

[kmac32]

I always felt that the east coast and Midwest were the strongest regions based on ebay purchases and the number of shows that I have been made aware of. Southern Cal seems to also be strong...then there's TX which is a world of its own (I find it interesting their state constitution outlines plans to split from the union) and seems to also be strong. The south and mountain TZ seem to lack the same passion for cards IMO. All that said, collectors are everywhere.

Agreed, but even SoCal doesn't have that much and what it has as a persentage of total population is small

[philliesphan]

I can certainly attest to a regionally-biased collecting tint for all things PCL, something I rarely heard about in my first ~30+ years on the East Coast.

[Bocabirdman]

I think a that two or three generations ago there may have been some regional "hot spots", perhaps driven by cities with Major League teams. There was still that "I was born in this valley. I live in this valley. I will die in this valley." mentality, hanging on from even earlier. However, these days people go where their career takes them. Internet availability for almost all cards makes it possible from anywhere in the world. I think the collector population is well-dispersed. Just look at the addresses of the people you buy from or sell to..:)

[ynnek4]

Pretty much eight times out of ten I have sold on eBay (that is baseball card related) the buyer is from PA.

[MacDice]

Hey Murr,

I am somewhat partial to the PNW, as well. Right now Seattle is working on regaining our professional basketball team, but I wouldn't mind a NHL hockey team in our future either.

There is still a strong cohort of collectors in the Seattle/Portland area. In fact, I believe the longest continuously running baseball card show in the country is held in the Seattle area (39 years and counting)!

There is a lot of good junior hockey in the Seattle area. Ryan Murray who was the second overall pick is still playing in Everett thanks to the NHL strike

[Danny Smith]

Ive lived in the mid-atlantic, the south, and now the midwest. The midwest area is very strong compared to where i lived previously based on local shows and quality shops.

The focus here is very heavy on the cardinals, cubs, etc from the 30s to 70s and the prices are strong, which is fine with me as i collect pre war t and e cards but it is cool to be in such a strong collecting area.

[williamcohon]

I would like to chime in with the others who mentioned the Pacific Northwest. I live in Shoreline (just to the north of Seattle), which is the home of the Washington State Sports Collectors Association card shows. I'm sure there are other regions with more activity, but the WSSCA shows are very special. There is a solid core of vintage collectors, and it's a really friendly bunch of people.

The next show is fast approaching - Nov. 3 & 4 at the Meridian Park School.

[glynparson]

I live in the Reading Area and usually have one or more shows within an hour hour and a half drive each weekend. Many times I still have 2-3 to choose from. In the 1900's-early 200's I would sometimes have 10 or more shows to choose from in a weekend.

[wonkaticket]

Glyn, I live in PA you've been going to card shows since the 1900's? Wow what were the prices like? Were Levi and Ted set up in 1900? :)

[glynparson]

obviously meant 1990's i have been going since the 1980's but have been going obsessively since the 1990's. I actually set up with Levi for about 5 years in the late 1990's.

[Exhibitman]

Metro L.A. [L.A., Ventura, Orange counties] is a bastion of regional Dodgers baseball card collecting esp. Morrell, Bell, Mothers Cookies, and the oil/gas issues from the PCL era, and very strong as well for team and local issue Dodgers stuff. I probably see more of that material from L.A. based collectors than anywhere else. Some of the members here have fantastic Los Angeles-related baseball collections.

NoCal is the overall hotbed of general PCL collecting.

I've run into more ex-Brooklyn Dodgers fans from Florida than anywhere else, which is not surprising given their ages. Buncha snowbirds.

I'd say the Midwest and Northeast are the best overall collector regions just based on the number of regional shows and support for them. We can't even get a decent show to sustain in SoCal.