The pain of looking for vintage while traveling

[Archive]

Posted By: Ed McCollum

I don't go to the most exotic of places, or even the most populace. But almost everywhere I go, I try and call local card shops to see if they have any vintage. This past weekend just reminded me of how discouraging this is...

There were nine card shops listed in the yellow pages. All but three listed Beanies, Pokemon, etc., so I figured they would be out right off the bat. The first shop I called wasn't open on Saturdays or Sundays, the second shop had had the phone disconnected (the phone book in the hotel was only three months old) and the third shop answered.

"Do you have any vintage card in you store, such as tobacco cards?"

"What?"

"Vintage cards, such as tobacco cards?"

"No. Why would I have that? I've got new Topps."

Does anyone ever have any luck with just calling the places in the phone book, or has eBay taken all the vintage market and left the local stores with lots of shiny stuff?

[Archive]

Posted By: Fred C

Ed,

Back in the early 90s there were dozens of card shops to be found in most major metropolitan areas. I mean, a load of them. You could call a dozen shops and they considered 70s material vintage material. Every once in a while you'd find that shop that had good material.

Today, with the down turn in the rookie craze, there aren't many mom and pop shops open. I cherish the ones that actually have a vintage inventory. I stopped looking a few years ago because it was just too difficult to find good shoppes.

A lot of places closed because of the lower demand for inserts, rookie cards, etc. Also, the internet just clobbered a lot of the stores. Why would someone pay full retail for a card that they could easily find cheaper on the internet/ebay.

Good luck with the search. It would be really neat if we could get a link section that listed different stores that carry vintage cards.

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

When I used to travel alot, I used to rip out the baseball card section and map section of the yellow pages from my hotel room and travel around to the different shops...I stopped doing this a few years ago when it became more unreliable and ads started to include Pokemon and Beanie Babies. I still call but often do not find anything.

Joshua

[Archive]

Posted By: Dan Bretta

My local card shop (I think there is only one left in Lincoln) has half a case with "vintage" cards...those are cards from the 70's and older...I think he may have had a few T206 cards at one time. Never have I seen a 19th century card in the shop and I've been going there for 15+ years. The modern card shop is really a gambling parlor for most....who can pull that 1 of 1 out of that $5 pack of cards? I still visit the shop to buy plastic sheets or other supplies...on occasion I will see a youngster buying an Alex Gordon or Joba Chamberlain card, but usually it's someone my age or older buying up packs and opening on the spot trying for the chase cards.

[Archive]

Posted By: David M

I used to look up card shops when I went on travel. I had some luck there and occasionally at antique malls. But I specifically remember one dealer tell me he couldn't afford to give up the space to the old stuff, because it was like a running a museum. People liked to look at them, but there just weren't the necessary customers. Sad but true.

[Archive]

Posted By: peter ullman

I also used to do this routinely...until the 21st century that is...as all of the good shops are long gone! I miss those days!

pete ullman

[Archive]

Posted By: Mike

About every 2-3 years, I get the itch to visit a card shop much like I did every weekend as a youth. About every 2-3 years, I realize why I don't visit the shops anymore. I am perfectly willing to pay a bit more for a card at a shop than the internet because I realize I'm helping to cover some rent and wages for entertainment of B.S.ing about cards on a Saturday afternoon. I'm also willing to put up with limited selection and little or no vintage cards.

However, what I'm not willing to put up with is the "professional" behind the counter with the personality of a spitting llama. Perhaps I was lucky to have a pleasant dealer at my local card shop growing up. But since then, I've lived in many different locations, and nearly every shop owner was a spitting image of the comic book shop character from the Simpsons.

Yes, the internet has put a few shops out of business, but I believe many owners simply need to look in the mirror to see why they are struggling. Card shops generally need the older-than-average collectors to keep them in business. Collecting allowance money from the local kids generally doesn't keep a business afloat.

[Archive]

Posted By: Alan

Also same experience...

When I used to travel alot in the mid-1990's, I used to look in the yellow pages at the hotels for two types of establishments 1) baseball card stores and 2) strip clubs. Both were very satisfying.

Alan

[Archive]

Posted By: Ed McCollum

How come on-line auctions can knock card shops out of business, but internet porn hasn't effected strip clubs?

[Archive]

Posted By: James Feagin

Two years ago while on vacation in Reno, I walked into a modern card shop and asked if he had any vintage that wasn't displayed. He asked me to wait a minute, and he brought out a small box that had a bunch of Goudey's and thee E94's. He sold the whole box to me for $150. Every now and again (more again than now) a find can be had. Another card place in Reno had a nice T213-1 common on sale for $30....

[Archive]

Posted By: leon

"courtesy reach around".....is the answer....

and no, I rearly (pun intended) go to strip clubs....except at bachelor parties...and it's been probably 15 yrs since I went to one....

[Archive]

Posted By: Hank

It is somewhat irresistable to seek out card shops and antique stores while on vacation. While it is unlikely to find a hoard of tobacco and vintage cards I usually ask if anyone in town supplies these items from time to time and if I can get the name or phone number. Every once in a while I get a lead. So fellow dreamers, keep hope alive.

Hank

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

Reno...hotbed of card activity...

About 7 years ago I stopped in Reno for a night...I spent the next morning going to two card shops...I did the same thing James did, I asked for any vintage and any oddball Phillies....the guy goes in back and pulls out a t204, 5 beater t206s, and a handful of strip cards. Bought them all for $75. I asked the guy if anybody else in town had vintage and he directed me to a pawn shop across the street from my hotel. Drove back over there and found buried in a case 11 obaks and a handful of playballs...talked the shop owner down to $65 and was very happy with my side trip to reno.

I always wanted to go back there and search again but have not been to northern nevada since.

Joshua