The cards I will be looking for at the National are not rare. Somewhat desirable, but not rare, especially in the condition that I'm searching for. I'm talking several of the star cards from the 1955 Topps baseball set, in VG-EX condition. Cards like Williams and Banks. If I can find dealers willing to sell me cards a tad bit lower than the usual auction price, I will be happy. Why? Because I will likely be able to choose from probably 10-20 of these cards in the condition/price range I am looking for. Also, the dealer avoids paying a consignment fee, and I avoid paying a buyer's premium if it was to be sold/bought at auction. In most cases I'd predict that the dealer would still make over 25% of what he/she paid for the card, and probably pockets $50-$100 per card. I get a good deal, and I also feel good that I'm helping to do my part to offset expenses, having just been on the other side of the table. With fair pricing, and the recognition of fair pricing, everyone wins.
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