The National will be interesting

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by byrone

I would very much like to attend the National, except the math doesn’t work well for Canadians.

$1 US = $1.40 Canadian

Yep, and the CBSA will tax you at the border (unless you want to try to smuggle your purchased items in and risk getting caught!)

Add to that over-priced items at the show, hotel, airfare, food, etc. All in US dollars ... screw that!!

[Gradedcardman]

This is a very similar conversation every year. Is the market up, is it down is it even. Did PWCC screw things up, is Probstein not good for the industry. Regardless, the show the last few years has been an eye opener for me. Watching the younger crowd sell the shiny and then run to buy the vintage. People buying to complete sets or player sets. Some like me looking for the Whales. I would love to find a few for the collection but watching others is almost as fun for me.

Hope to see some of you their.

[Jewish-collector]

See you in Cleveland, Adam. beer chug.gifbeer chug.gifbeer chug.gif

[Leon]

Originally Posted by conor912

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m kinda fried on buying right now. Still a couple cards I’m actively looking for (anyone have a T3 Lord?), but the browsing has come to a grinding hault.

The Natty, as always, will be fun for those there to see cool things and socialize, but will also break some hearts and send a lot of guys home with cash still in hand.

Most of us can really never afford the really great stuff. But it's fun to look at. And "great" is in the eye of the beholder. Know your boundaries!

This came from my good friend, Tim N. (hi Tim) at the 2023 National...and his company LUTFA..best company ever.

[JackR]

My son and I have been going to the National since he was 8 and I was 50. He’s now 32, and, remarkably, I’m still 50. That’s the beauty of the National, or, as we call it, The Big One.

[JackR]

P.S. wouldn’t “The Big One” make a lot better slogan than “It’s Cool to Collect?”

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by JackR

P.S. wouldn’t “The Big One” make a lot better slogan than “It’s Cool to Collect?”

Maybe, maybe not -

[bigfish]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Should be interesting to see how the National plays out this year. Seems like the entire hobby is in a down mode. Modern stuff has fallen off the proverbial cliff and hurt a lot of people. A lot of vintage feels to me to be in the doldrums. Most vintage stuff down a bit and lot of people seem to be on the sidelines or taking a breather. eBay seems dead. Even our BST doesn’t seem like what it was. Not in the hysterical period any more.

Even on this board the buzz seems awfully low.

I think it’s going to be a great show. Always fun to see friends from all over and look at great cards. Just like most things in life in you go in with a miserable attitude and a negative outlook you probably will have a miserable time. It’s great to stay away from those people.

Have fun everyone !

[Steve_NY]

Well said -- if you go in with a positive attitude, you will have a positive show. If you go there expecting a negative experience, you will find a way to make it negative.

My mom always said, "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all."

But for the most part, the negative posters are not going to the National anyway. Will we miss them, not really as there will always be many more to replace them. I just wish they would keep their opinions to themselves.

In fact, when I have nice things to say, I do that. But when I have negative things to say, I typically keep them mostly to myself, unless I feel that my opinion will help others.

Let's all have a great show with lots of fun and friends. Yes, for the booth holders like me, we want to make money, but we also want to see friends who we only see once a year -- sometimes once every two years. See you in 2 weeks+.

Steve_NY

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by raulus

I'll second that notion.

In my case, rather than spend a king's ransom on 2-3 pieces of cardboard on my upgrade list, I chose to spend it on a non-cardboard item that brings me more joy than the cardboard upgrades would have delivered.

stop it...DOn't tell me I need a list for upgrades too??? I already have a "regenerating" want list. Thankfully, I've scraped it after a couple of spenderific quarters this year

If I did the "upgrade list" I'd be in trouble and probably eat cat food in my old age.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by JackR

My son and I have been going to the National since he was 8 and I was 50. He’s now 32, and, remarkably, I’m still 50. That’s the beauty of the National, or, as we call it, The Big One.

So you're stuck at 50...That's a nice place. I'm stuck in 1976.... 15

[bleeckerstreetcards]

has anyone gotten off the wait list for being a dealer? heard the new enforcement of the "no subletting" rule would open up spots but have only heard of one person getting off the wait list. hopeful there will still be some good vintage inventory

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Myself and at least one other I know were Priority Level 2 and on the wait list and have gotten spots. I would guess if you are a priority level one or zero, you're not going to make it.

[bleeckerstreetcards]

that's good to hear, thanks Scott. anyone else?

[marcmandel]

I've been to only three prior Nationals, (2021-2023) so I am a relative National noob. Still, as a buyer/collector, it's a highlight in my collecting journey and I look forward to it all year. My planning for next year seems to start on my flight home from this year's show. That's how excited I get.

I buy a split of prewar and early '50s postwar products with my fair share of Ruth, Cobb, Gehrig, Wagner, WaJo, etc., and some huge early 50s like my beloved 52T Mantle that I bought last year in Chicago.

Here is the rub - most of these cards are generally available, mid-pop, mid-grade cards that I buy, and while on one hand, they seem readily accessible at the National in more than one case/table, there seems to be a prevailing "bubble" that casts a bit of a pricing gloom that same week. Cards that might be $10K each 50 weeks of the year become $14K at The National largely because of the show hype and buzz in the room. At least that's where they're stickered. Having bought cards as a bit of an emotional buyer there in past years I got pulled into a card or two at what is likely a 20% premium that I should have worked harder to negotiate back out of the asking price. That said, I paid for it.

So yes, the National is like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory coupled with Santa's toy shop coupled with a clubhouse filled with my favorite people and as such an amazing time - and filled with true treasures - the buzz and excitement tends to enable some predatory pricing and dealmaking if not careful.

That, however, doesn't detract from the magic of the week IMO.