Let's Talk About Card Shows For A Minute

[jingram058]

When I got back into card collecting as an adult, I would estimate that somewhere around 65 to 70 percent of the old cards I have came from card shows. The rest were given to me by folks (relatives) leaving the hobby, and the rest I bought elsewhere or traded for (which is what I do for the most part these days).

The last card show I attended was at the Coral Square Mall, in Coral Springs, Florida some time before we got transferred to Pearl Harbor in 2000. I attended many of them before that, all around Fort Lauderdale, Charleston, Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois and Memphis.

The shows were where you got really good deals. Is that still the case?

[brianclat11]

I was at a show in Raleigh a few weeks ago and some prices seemed rather inflated. There were some good deals to be had, but you really had to do your homework and check recent sales(eBay). My plan for the National is to really scope out the scene and do my diligence before buying. A few months ago, prices seemed to go up every day, but things have been settling lately. I certainly plan to enjoy the shows, but you do really have to be price conscious so that you don't pay more than you should. It really stinks to buy something for a price and then find that same thing cheaper a few tables over. Good luck to you as you reenter the scene..

[Johnny630]

Off Shape Beaters You Will Find Deals, why no upside. People that buy beat cards will always be cheap.

Nice Shape Higher Grade Cards Expect High Prices, they will bring up past sales Jan-March 2021….and the potential for Upside in the future.

[sportscardpete]

I haven’t been to a card show since I was 10. A lot of the recent vlogs describing what card shows are like now makes me just want to continue to stay in my introverted, online collection life.

[jefferyepayne]

You can still find stuff at card shows but the reality is that the real 'show' is on-line these days. I got to card shows to catch up with friends, leaf through binders, chat with dealers, and occasionally find something I need. Auctions are much more like to turn up interesting things... particularly pre-war that shows are these days IMHO.

jeff

[JollyElm]

Just being in the musty environs of a card show always makes it worth it. Just a feast for the eyes and soul, whether or not you walk away with great deals or not. Inhaling the cardboard aroma at someone's table stacked with a wide variety of cool old stuff (what I call The Cardboard Menagerie) reduces stress and adds years to your life. If there's a show taking place near you, go.

[BCauley]

I haven't been to a show in about 8 years. Every time I see a show I want to attend I forget about it until a few days after it's already happened. I thought they were great for working on and building my sets that I worked on and got lots of good deals in that regard. Never really bought any big cards at shows.

One thing I did enjoy greatly about card shows was actually seeing some of those bigger cards in person as opposed to a computer screen or magazine. That, and I always see a few things that I'd never known about before and would likely have never known about unless I saw it at the show.