My view of the National from 30,000 feet.
It was quite a bit smaller than last year. It was very good not great from a figural/trophy perspective (No Spaldings). A lot of nodders/ceramic figures. It was probably the best year for bats I have ever seen. Poor for pennants. Poor for gloves overall. Ok for advertising. Lousy for pinbacks. Good for vintage unis. Excellent for vintage photos. A lot of nice football helmets.
Prices were terrific. A lot of the pieces (including my trophy) were with the same dealers last year. In fact, many of the photos you will see on Carlton's site will look veeeery similar to 2008.
The net54 dinner was a lot of fun and quite entertaining.
I was done buying by 8:10 a.m. Thursday and spent the rest of my time sitting in booths and visiting collectors and dealers. It was a real pleasure to sit back and relax, watch the deals being made, ask questions, offer oppinions, and learn more about our great hobby. I made a few new friends, and some excellent contacts for the things I love. It was well worth the trip and everyone I spoke with found a few new additions. So overall, it wasn't a WOW from a memorabilia perspective, but it I had a great time. If you want more specifics, let me know.
Mark...the Testi's were in Hunts and I believe priced the same as last year (check the O8 pics on Carlton's site for the exact amount).
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