[marcmandel]

I've been to only three prior Nationals, (2021-2023) so I am a relative National noob. Still, as a buyer/collector, it's a highlight in my collecting journey and I look forward to it all year. My planning for next year seems to start on my flight home from this year's show. That's how excited I get.

I buy a split of prewar and early '50s postwar products with my fair share of Ruth, Cobb, Gehrig, Wagner, WaJo, etc., and some huge early 50s like my beloved 52T Mantle that I bought last year in Chicago.

Here is the rub - most of these cards are generally available, mid-pop, mid-grade cards that I buy, and while on one hand, they seem readily accessible at the National in more than one case/table, there seems to be a prevailing "bubble" that casts a bit of a pricing gloom that same week. Cards that might be $10K each 50 weeks of the year become $14K at The National largely because of the show hype and buzz in the room. At least that's where they're stickered. Having bought cards as a bit of an emotional buyer there in past years I got pulled into a card or two at what is likely a 20% premium that I should have worked harder to negotiate back out of the asking price. That said, I paid for it.

So yes, the National is like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory coupled with Santa's toy shop coupled with a clubhouse filled with my favorite people and as such an amazing time - and filled with true treasures - the buzz and excitement tends to enable some predatory pricing and dealmaking if not careful.

That, however, doesn't detract from the magic of the week IMO.