What to expect at “The National”

[JMANOS]

Its awesome...Chicago's a joke will not happen u can barely go to a baseball game outside in Chicago.

[perezfan]

Count on October if you're lucky, and don't expect many deals.

[packs]

Expect nothing to be priced reasonably and to rage buy a card for more than you'd like to pay before you leave.

[oldjudge]

Expect crickets. My guess is that the National will be cancelled.

[notfast]

Unless you are expecting madness, dont think any predictions made for a National in this market will be correct.

The market is insane. We’ve never seen anything like it. A National will be unlike anything any of us have seen.

[JollyElm]

Couldn't even approach the door and get in to a small local show out here last week due to room capacity/social distancing requirements. Hundreds and hundreds of people stuck in line and going nowhere for the entire day. I can't even imagine what kind of Rip Van Winkle nightmare The National would be.

[Steve_NY]

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.

[the-illini]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Expect crickets. My guess is that the National will be cancelled.

I can see it being moved to October, but another cancellation would surprise me. Illinois is opening up.

That is always subject to change, but it is trending well here.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by the-illini

I can see it being moved to October, but another cancellation would surprise me. Illinois is opening up.

That is always subject to change, but it is trending well here.

I saw they gave the OK for the Chicago Auto Show July 15-19 in downtown Chicago. That is a good sign for the National to go off as planned.

[Rich Klein]

Here's the release referred to. No guarantees but a great sign!

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/dept...kpLxrwJ1occtQk

[Santo10Fan]

Originally Posted by JMANOS

Its awesome...Chicago's a joke will not happen u can barely go to a baseball game outside in Chicago.

Nope. Chicago will be fully and safely reopened by July 4. I've been to four Cubs games this season and everything has been smooth as silk. The tickets are reasonable and, as in the past, cheap in the colder days early in the season. The cap is 10,340. I had the pleasure of eating inside a restaurant ahead of yesterday's game and the capacity in eateries will continue to be expanded. We're going to get our tourism economy back up to snuff this summer-despite naysayers-and prove large outdoor events can be conducted safely.

Originally Posted by Santo10Fan

Nope. Chicago will be fully and safely reopened by July 4. I've been to four Cubs games this season and everything has been smooth as silk. The tickets are reasonable and, as in the past, cheap in the colder days early in the season. The cap is 10,340. I had the pleasure of eating inside a restaurant ahead of yesterday's game and the capacity in eateries will continue to be expanded. We're going to get our tourism economy back up to snuff this summer-despite naysayers-and prove large outdoor events can be conducted safely.

Positivity. So refreshing these days. Love it.