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Posted By: Jonathan Perry

THIS WAS MY FIRST NATIONAL, AND OVERALL I CAN SAY I WAS NOT THAT IMPRESSED WITH THE CHOICE OF VINTAGE MATERIAL OUT THERE. I GOT THERE AT 11AM ON WEDNESDAY SO I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS ALL SNATCHED UP BEFORE I GOT THERE ON WEDNESDAY BY OTHER DEALERS. I WILL ADMIT THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE A TON OF OLD JUDGE AND MAYO'S FOR SALE. HOWEVER, THERE WERE HARDLY ANY RAW T CARDS FOR SALE THAT COULD RECEIVE DECENT GRADES. NOT MANY GOUDEY, DIAMOND STARS, PLAYBALL OR GUM CARDS AVAILIBLE FOR GRADING EITHER. I WAS EXPECTING A TON OF VINTAGE MATERIAL, BUT THERE WAS JUST NOTHING OUT THERE. MY GUESS, LIKE OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED IS THE LACK OF CARDS IS DUE TO THE POOR ECONOMY. MOST PRE WAR GRADED CARDS IN PSA 8 HOLDERS WERE PRICED ANYWHERE FROM 125%-150% OF SMR VALUE. WHICH I FOUND TO BE A FAIR PRICE BUT THEY JUST WERE NOT SELLING AT THOSE LEVELS. I THINK SOME DEALERS JUST ENJOY SHOWING WHAT THEY HAVE AMASSED OVER THE YEARS AND HAULING IT FROM ONE STATE TO THE NEXT. I WAS FORTUNATE TO MEET SCOTT B. FROM THE BOARD. HE HAS SOME REALLY NICE AND HARD TO FIND MATERIAL.

I ALSO FOUND IT STRANGE THAT SO MANY DEALERS SEEM TO HAVE 1963-1969 MICKEY MANTLE CARDS IN PSA 8 HOLDERS, ALL AT OR ABOVE BOOK. WHERE ARE ALL THE PSA 4-7 MANTLES. I SAW ONLY A HANDFULL. A PSA 7 MANTLE IS A GREAT CARD AND I DON'T KNOW WHY DEALERS DO NOT HAVE MORE OF THEM FOR SALE.

LASTLY, AND I AM CURIOUS IF ANYONE ON THE BOARD AGREES WITH ME ON THIS ONE, I BELIEVE MANY DEALERS OVER GRADE THEIR RAW CARDS AND ON TOP OF THAT CHARGE TOO MUCH. MAYBE IT IS ME BUT I AM TIRED OF GOING TO SHOW AFTER SHOW AND SEEING THE SAME DEALERS WITH THE SAME STUFF CHARGING THE SAME PRICE. IF YOU HAVE A RAW CARD THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN AT 10+ SHOWS IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD AND IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN SOLD, WHY CAN'T SOME OF THESE DEALERS REALIZE EITHER GRADE THE CARD OR LOWER THE PRICE.

I LOOK FOWARD TO READING SOME FEEDBACK, AND GUESS I WILL HAVE TO LOOK FOWARD TO FT. WASHINGTON.