I've been to 2 Nationals, Chicago 08 and Cleveland 09.
As for deals, maybe yes maybe no.
But as others have said, the experience is worth it, you can see thousands of cards and buy what you want and stick it in your pocket that day.
A few tips - I carry a "Man Purse" to put stuff in, like a camera bag.
Peruse the whole thing on day 1, buy on day 2 if you have a limited budget.
Take notes where stuff is, or you might not find it again.
But if your whole motivation for going is to buy cheaper than E Bay you might be disapointed, although my experience in the stuff I collect is that prices are reasonable enough.
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