Unfortunately when you ask a serious question like that you will get all kinds of answers. The facts remain that the National is essentially a huge card show where you can find all kinds of card and memorabilia. Will you find everything possible -- NO, but you will find a fantastic selection of sports and non -sports paper and non-paper items.
If you are looking for rare items, then do NOT listen to those that say wait until Sunday for the best bargain. The rarest of the rare will probably be sold on Day 1 or 2. Serious collectors come out on day 1 or 2 or even the set up day if someone close gets them in the door.
If you are looking for common or easy to find collectibles, then it's not necessary to get there early, and some dealers will have bargains on Saturday and Sunday.
After reading the Covid level requirements for conventions, it is quite likely that the National will be delayed until October unless there are some major results in May in Illinois.
I have not set up at a show since August 2019 and look forward to the next National, but if only 1,000 individuals can enter the convention at any one time, and over 500 are dealers set up at the show, it's counter-productive to have the National until Phase 5 is met (when there are no such attendance requirements).
I am planning on getting ready for the National this week so I can be ready with a display that I am happy with.
BTW, I want to correct a misconception that many are making: This is NOT a time that we have never seen in the hobby. I have done card shows for 45 years and the hobby has seen many such explosions of collecting. In particular, the late 1970s and the mid-1980s, they used to throw money at us to get first dibs on an item.
But the hobby has never seen the kind of money that is currently being spent on rookies and limited edition collectibles.
The 2021 National should be interesting.
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