Question about The National

[Donscards]

I set up at the National and shows on the East Coast---I only take Cash, Paypal and checks from people I know or with Good references. I do lose some sales, but the same card will sell at a later date. I do have many high priced cards and trust me, buyers do bring a lot of cash. Many dealers will take up to 50K in cash . I do get stopped at the airport, not for the cash, but for the encapsulated cards that cause an alert for some reason. I then have to explain what I have and that I am selling them at a show. Cash is still King and I don't know of any guys that have been robbed at the National due to cash (other than cards being stolen from showcases)

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by Donscards

I set up at the National and shows on the East Coast---I only take Cash, Paypal and checks from people I know or with Good references. I do lose some sales, but the same card will sell at a later date. I do have many high priced cards and trust me, buyers do bring a lot of cash. Many dealers will take up to 50K in cash . I do get stopped at the airport, not for the cash, but for the encapsulated cards that cause an alert for some reason. I then have to explain what I have and that I am selling them at a show. Cash is still King and I don't know of any guys that have been robbed at the National due to cash (other than cards being stolen from showcases)

Don, you are the reason I take cash to shows now! A few years back, Don had a great card I wanted but I didn’t have the cash and he didn’t know me to accept a check (plus I didn’t have a check on me). I didn’t get the card. At the National a few months later, I rolled in and bought a pretty 51 bowman mays from Don, all cash. There have been other times I have missed out on cards from other dealers bc I didn’t have cash, or I had to leave a cash deposit and send a check later, which sucks. Cash is king. You get better deals with cash and everyone accepts it.

[vintagerookies51]

Don’t they have an ATM right outside the show? I think I remember leaving the show last year, and saw a must-have on the way out that I missed earlier, went to the ATM and snagged it

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by vintagerookies51

Don’t they have an ATM right outside the show? I think I remember leaving the show last year, and saw a must-have on the way out that I missed earlier, went to the ATM and snagged it

Don't know about anyone else but my Bank only allows me to take out $400 a day, so ATM's are of questionable usefulness.

[CurtisFlood]

As a vendor I accept checks from people that I know well or cash. I just don't have time to play with credit devices as there are usually 3 to 8 people at my booth buying or working on lists. I don't have enough eyes to be distracted in that manner. I lost a major theft to someone when I turned my back momentarily to run a credit card. Never again.

[that T206 Guy]

Originally Posted by CurtisFlood

As a vendor I accept checks from people that I know well or cash. I just don't have time to play with credit devices as there are usually 3 to 8 people at my booth buying or working on lists. I don't have enough eyes to be distracted in that manner. I lost a major theft to someone when I turned my back momentarily to run a credit card. Never again.

You can do it on your Phone Now.

No Need to Turn Your Back.

[Leon]

When I was in buying mode, first time around, I think I would bring upwards of 10k in cash. Nowadays when i go it is somewhere between 3k and 5k. I never worried about it. When I set up I will take almost anything except a CC as I don't have a personal merchant account. Folks can still pay on CC through Paypal though, which is how i earn 2% cash back when I use PP. I have also borrowed numerous wads of 100s, from friends at the National, to make cash purchases when I ran out of said cash. Where there is a will there's a way.
.

[CurtisFlood]

Originally Posted by that T206 Guy

You can do it on your Phone Now.

No Need to Turn Your Back.

You can, I can't. I have a smart phone, but do not use internet. Good suggestion though. I'm an old dog and have trouble learning new tricks!

[jfkheat]

Originally Posted by vintagerookies51

Don’t they have an ATM right outside the show? I think I remember leaving the show last year, and saw a must-have on the way out that I missed earlier, went to the ATM and snagged it

Last year in Chicago the ATMs at the convention center ran out of money Saturday. As has been mentioned, banks limit how much can be withdrawn each day. My bank limits it to $600 per day.
James

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Don't know about anyone else but my Bank only allows me to take out $400 a day, so ATM's are of questionable usefulness.

Originally Posted by jfkheat

Last year in Chicago the ATMs at the convention center ran out of money Saturday. As has been mentioned, banks limit how much can be withdrawn each day. My bank limits it to $600 per day.
James

All you have to do is call the bank and change your daily limit to anything you want. I do it all the time when going on vacations/traveling.

Cash is king because not everyone reports it.

[Donscards]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Don, you are the reason I take cash to shows now! A few years back, Don had a great card I wanted but I didn’t have the cash and he didn’t know me to accept a check (plus I didn’t have a check on me). I didn’t get the card. At the National a few months later, I rolled in and bought a pretty 51 bowman mays from Don, all cash. There have been other times I have missed out on cards from other dealers bc I didn’t have cash, or I had to leave a cash deposit and send a check later, which sucks. Cash is king. You get better deals with cash and everyone accepts it.

It gives me a chuckle when reading this, I remember you well at the Chantilly show, I usually don't go that far south to do a show so I didn't know you. You were quite upset since you didn't understand why I only took cash. But we did meet at the National and Yes, you did have cash this time.--Hope to see you again in Cleveland, take care and have a great 4th.

[Arazi4442]

Thanks to all of you for your information. Guess I need to decide if I'm willing to lose a purchase.

Happy 4th of July to everyone!!

[pokerplyr80]

Assuming you bank with a major bank just uber to the nearest branch, pull out the cash you need, then uber back to the show. If you put a small deposit down any dealer should be willing to hold a card until you return with the rest of the cash.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

Assuming you bank with a major bank just uber to the nearest branch, pull out the cash you need, then uber back to the show. If you put a small deposit down any dealer should be willing to hold a card until you return with the rest of the cash.

This. If you offer a reasonable non refundable deposit (not $20 on a $2k card) to hold the card for the day most dealers will gladly give you time to get to a bank. And Cleveland is a major city, sort of: they probably have all the major commercial banks.

[jfkheat]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

This. If you offer a reasonable non refundable deposit (not $20 on a $2k card) to hold the card for the day most dealers will gladly give you time to get to a bank. And Cleveland is a major city, sort of: they probably have all the major commercial banks.

This is fine if you bank with one of the major banks. I don't.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Arazi4442

Thanks to all of you for your information. Guess I need to decide if I'm willing to lose a purchase.

I carry no more than 2K with me to the National. However, I don't expect to ever lose a purchase due to a cash shortage. It helps that I have been collecting for a long time, and many/most of the dealers I'm likely to buy from recognize me and will accept my check. Some dealers will accept credit cards and/or PayPal. There usually is an ATM around. In the past, I've had a dealer who knew me well vouch for me to convince a dealer who didn't know me to accept my check. Another time, a dealer who knew me cashed my check, so I could pay cash to a dealer who didn't know me. The point is, "where there's a will, there's a way." When all else fails, I've yet to meet a dealer who wouldn't accept my check and ship me my card after my check cleared, as I'm ok with leaving the show without my newly-purchased card in my hand.

[Beastmode]

If your carrying more than $2K in cash on that convention floor you better be carrying something else that requires a permit. IMO, just asking for trouble carrying that much cash. It's 2018, if a dealer is only taking cash than I'm sorry, that's plain bad business, and frankly, would give me cause for concern.

Square and CC's are fine for 98% of all the dealers there. If you really want a card and it's all cash, work out the 2% surcharge. Buy what you like, at the price you like, with the method you like, it's your money.