White Plains show was dead.
 

I have been going to the White Plains show for several years now (missed years between 2012-2017) but I had NEVER seen it as slow as it was today. Was pretty shocking considering this is one of the more popular shows in the area, but the aisles were barren. Anyone else go to the show?

whiteplains show
 

Thanks ebay

There were a lot of great college games on today and it was a long holiday weekend, people may have gone away. Both those factors could have impacted attendance.

You got that right. If the vendors at shows continue to have out-of-whack 'museum pricing,' there's no hope to have great shows anymore, because you can whip out your phone and immediately buy the same card for half the price they're asking. (But I'll still go just to smell the redolent cardboard-ey air.)

I didn't even know there was a show this weekend. Not sure how that happened.

I went to the last show and it seemed comparable to previous ones I had been to.

White Plains
 

Was at the show today. Picked up some great cards.
T205 Cobb 1948 Leaf DiMaggio T206 Klienow missing color pass.
Picked up a few 1956 Topps to finish my set. All dealers that I dealt with were very fair with prices.

Great show.

Show
 

I went on Friday and found some cards to buy. Good show.

I went yesterday and thought there was zero energy, zero buzz, zero anything. Was nice to catch up with Al and a few others but didn't buy one card. Seems the balance is shifting quickly towards modern and away from Vintage. Were there three dealers in the room selling Exhibits or vintage photos? Maybe. I walked out thinking it would be a while before I drove nearly three hours round trip to hit that show.
Probably more a product of what I am interested in than anything. And rarely at a show do I see anything higher end that is not laughably priced.

Everyone was at New York comic con :D

I agree the show was dead on Saturday. Not sure what impact it had, but some notable tables were not there this show including PSA, Beckett, Huggins, and Baggers. I'm guessing the PSA/Beckett absence probably had least some impact.

I no longer go to shows expecting to buy anything. If I am able to find something, great, but otherwise, I've grown to just appreciate meeting and interacting with other collectors and dealers. I believe there should be more to this hobby than just acquiring stuff. I ended up spending most of Saturday sitting with Al and had a great time just talking. Steve, it was nice to actually meet you.

DJ

81 Topps Cello Montana
 

Found a mint Rookie of Joe Montana cello pack. Any Offers? sold

I have come to also have this sentiment.

Must be the new security measures

One Q ?
 

..How's the centering ? Most pre-war baseball cellos with the Montana rookie showing are dreadful . Scans??

..

Fantastic Show!!!!
 

October has always been a slower show with fewer dealers and less inventory. And smaller crowds.

But I was there all three days and had a fantastic show!

1) I purchased one of my last Holy Grails: a signed Seaver rookie from Joe T. at Memory Lane who had a dupe after buying the best one in the hobby (PSA 9/9). He wrote me a sweet note to display with it. He also showed me his run of 58 signed Seaver cards, also the best in the hobby. I had been cultivating this deal for months because Joe knows how much I love Seaver.

2) I got essential, inexpensive hobby supplies from Dan who sets up against the wall.

3) I bought two Mickey Mantle books for $10 for research and a rare religious pamphlet at the end of his life for research I'm doing. I would never have found that last piece on eBay because I didn't know it existed.

4) I reported a story on the new security system installed after big thefts from the last show and worked on two other stories. Another about a dealer who put only Mantle cards in his bike spokes in the early 60s and the other about Stan Loch who completed his run of 200 Mantles after 30 years. He just got a PSA 2.5 '52 Topps Mantle.

5) I spoke for hours about the hobby to two of the really good guys, Portland, ME dealer Don Hontz and Al Crisafulli of Love of the Game. They gave me some all-time great hobby stories, some involving Net54 contributors. Every dealer at these shows is super friendly and helpful.

6) On Sunday, I helped broker a deal for a 1948 Bowman Musial SG 7 between Jon Celona of Champion Sports Cards and a super new collector Jason Epstein. It's become a hot card and Jason's favorite.

7) I met and spoke to Tom Lasorda for a minute and got snapped at by his nasty body guard who Lasorda yelled at for being mean to me.

8) I saw a very cool vintage Mickey Mantle ad display piece, one of a kind.

Etc. Etc.

The biggest White Plain shows are August, January, and March. But they are all good. Jimmy and Brian do a great job and deserve credit and support to keep these going.

How can you replicate these live experiences? It's mostly about the wonderful friendships; like the National, except on a smaller scale.

David Seideman (Senior Contributor, Forbes)

David---Very nice follow up to the White Plains show. You are always a pleasure to chat with--and I always love your Forbes stories.---Yes, the show was slow (as others stated, the Oct. show is the slowest)--I sold some nice items, T205 Cobb, T206 Cobb, A encapsuled Cobb Cut (I guess Cobb is hot), 1940 Play Ball DiMaggio, Signed Mantle card and a few others. I bought a nice T206 Collection with 5 Cobb's and a 1952 Topps Mays. Back home now in Portland and getting organized. The show has great Dealers and Collectors and always nice to talk with all. Now looking forward to the Boston show next month.

It always amuses me when people bitch about museum pricing on ebay, and then turn around and complain that cards at live shows are over priced. Is there anywhere those people do feel the price is good?

David is great. I enjoy reading his stuff in Forbes. I met him at the Chicago Nat'l a few years back. He was near me as I worked to buy of some 1968s that a dealer had just purchased from a walk-in seller. After I had bought an Aaron and Ryan Milton Bradley card lot, David pulled me aside and asked me about the buy. We ended up talking about MBs for a while. I didn't know that he was interviewing me until he asked my name and for my permission to use our conversation in his upcoming story. Since then I have been reading David's entries. Check him out when you get a minute.

Thanks Very Much
 

Yes, I remember those MB cards. You taught me a lot. Thanks for the kind words.

David

It was nice meeting you. I think I still have your business card inserted inside the toploader in which I have that MB Ryan. I like to note where/when/$$ I acquired each card. :)
Keep up the great work David!

Always a pleasure to see you, David.

Yes, the show was slow, but any opportunity I have to hang out and chit chat with collectors is fun.

We picked up some great last-minute consignments including a full Goodwin Round Album and a couple of magnificent T206 print freaks. I got to see a bunch of show regulars, which is always a blast. I wrestled with the idea of spending money to stand in line and meet 17 members of the team that helped me discover baseball, the 1978 Yankees (ultimately I decided it was better to keep them where they are, which is on my childhood television and in the pages of "The Bronx Zoo"). I got a crash course on shiny basketball cards from Carlo Cella, which was insane - the shiny card hobby is amazing.

There aren't that many small, community shows left in the country. I've got to think the White Plains show is one of the best.

-Al

Thanks, Don
 

Thanks, Don. First for instructing me how to navigate Net54 so I can be part of these conversation. It sounds like you had a really good show, too. What year was your signed Mantle? I've made arrangements to go to Boston. I can't wait to see what you have. And, yes, Cobb is very, very hot. David

The Mantle was a newer card, a 1991 Score, they came out of packs, Mickey had a contract with Score for a few years--the cards go $400-500---a 7 card autographed set---see you in Boston and nice to see you on net54.