The National

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I've been to 13 or 14 Nationals [this year will be my 11th in a row]. It depends on what you want. If you are looking for postwar mainstream cards the show is a great opportunity to score great deals. It just requires spending all of the allotted time on the floor prospecting. If you think Levi Bleam is going to drop his prices 50% for PSA cards in his showcases, though, you are dreaming. The key to having a good show is flexibility--take the deals as they pop up. I have a giant want list I take covering baseball, boxing, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, tennis, surfing, track and field, and nonsport, so I can react to whatever I come across. I usually come home with a stack of cards that I didn't necessarily want but that were such good deals I could not pass them up. One other thing: if you see something great the first day, buy it! I haven't always followed that rule and I have regretted it every time.

I hear ya on Levi. Don't believe I will spend much time at 707's booth. You did hit on something I have thought about: buying on the first day. My thinking has been that if I saw something day #1 at the price I could live with, I would buy it. My list will include: just about any Ted Williams card or stars from '53 Bowman Color or a '41 Play Ball Joe D. Thanks for the info. I have been trying to picture what it is going to be like.