National Question
 

Seen so many references to bloated prices at the National. Is it
Possible to get high value cards at decent prices, or is it just about impossible? Assume like most shows it may be easier to get deals as people are shutting down and loading the car up. Anyone get a high end card last year at a fair price?

2 years ago in Chicago, I bought a t206 Magie at a good price.

I have had some success. Mostly in Chicago, got a very fair deal on a T227 Cobb. But I mostly go for the experience with my kids. We have a truly awesome time. I just like to see all the stuff in person. So much better than looking at it all on the computer. My kids and I got a picture taken with a T206 Wagner and with Babe Ruth's bat. Great experiences that are priceless. But good deals can be tough to find.

Yes you can get decent prices but you will have to haggle some

Ignore the marked prices, the dealers mostly know what the going rates are and you can always pull out your phone with Vcp or eBay

Most are going to be 10-20% over expecting some negotiations, and you'll figure out pretty quickly who is there to sell versus just show

I would NOT wait until late in the show, there's a lot of dealer to dealer sales before the show even starts, and some guys make their show that way and so don't have any really incentive to make deals

Just be ready to offer a lot and be willing to walk away if necessary - there's plenty of buying opportunity, but it can sometimes be a grind

If you see something you've never seen before...buy it


If you come across something, and want to see if it's there later...buy it


You'll be kicking yourself if you dont!

True! If you don't take a stab on it first time around don't count on it being there the next time. There are so many things I have seen at the national that I simply haven't seen elsewhere. It's worth it just for that. And who knows how many more nationals there will be the way things are trending.

How do dealer to dealer deals work? Dealers sell to other dealers at a price where everyone makes money?

Yeah, I lost out on great T206 Johnson portrait one time because I didn't pull the trigger right away. :(

Was that the Wagner that Richard Masson was selling? I have a picture of myself holding that card as well. :D

If memory serves me correct, it was at Leon's table. Good memories!

Most dealers have clients they are in the hunt for. Trades or bulk sales happen before the doors open because the acquired cards are presold for usually top dollar.
I have a few friends that are dealers that are on the look out for a few deals for me. A dealer will be willing to make less on an item when they know it's already sold. That's how I acquired my Hank Aaron rookie last spring.
Drew

A big +1 to all of that, with one addition--do your homework first (preferably on vintagecardprices.com), payiing the most attention to recent sales, so you actually know what a card you're looking for has gone for in any particular grade.

Best of luck,

Larry

Agreed. If it's high on your want list and quite rare, snap it up. Otherwise it might be quite awhile before you see another, and then likely at a higher price.

Best of luck to you there,

Larry