Your Favorite Local Shows, Past and Present.

[Huck]

The monthly Tuff-Stuff shows at Tysons Corner, Virginia. Usually, a member of the HOF signing each month. The first show I attended was in 1993 and the autograph guest Willie Stargell for $9. The winter and summer Tuff-Stuff shows at the Richmond fairgrounds were something else. Since 1997, it has been the CSA show (miss Marco Rol) in Chantilly, VA. The new owners are football heavy, but they manage to throw the baseball crew a nice bone every now and then. It was good for the collection to live close to Richmond and the CSA show.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Yoda

I think Ft. Washington, PA was a worthy successor to Willow Grove.

Indeed. All the good dealers and collectors on the East Coast, and Bob Schmierer knew how to run a great show. Lost a lot when it moved to Reading, then Valley Forge, and almost died after Hunt's bought it. Nice to see it come back to life lately, even if it's on the coattails of a boom in the shiny stuff.

[BobC]

The old Strongsville, OH Holiday Inn show. It is no longer a Holiday Inn, it is now a Best Western, but the location is the same, and the predominantly vintage and pre-war focus is still in place, as it has been since 1979, despite various different backers/sponsors/promoters putting on the show over the decades. And aside from the two years the show was suspended due to the pandemic, it is still to my knowledge, the longest running major sports card show of all time, and that includes being around longer than even The National.

They now currently call it the Strongsville Sports Collectors Convention.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Yoda

I think Ft. Washington, PA was a worthy successor to Willow Grove.

I remember going to a Ft. Washington show and thinking it was just as good as a National with all the east coast dealers. TIK - now he was a show by himself. Wow, incredible amount of quality material.

[obcbobd]

The Shriner's show, just north of Boston has been running for 30+ years. Last few years have seen an increase in UV, but still plenty of vintage.

I've been going to the Cranston R.I. show for 25 years, but it seems to be getting smaller. Last time was disappointing. Unsure about going this year.

[bbcard1]

Moeller is the best local show I attend. Doesn't really matter where the show is. I always just end up buying off William Chapel anyway.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Huck

The monthly Tuff-Stuff shows at Tysons Corner, Virginia. Usually, a member of the HOF signing each month. The first show I attended was in 1993 and the autograph guest Willie Stargell for $9. The winter and summer Tuff-Stuff shows at the Richmond fairgrounds were something else. Since 1997, it has been the CSA show (miss Marco Rol) in Chantilly, VA. The new owners are football heavy, but they manage to throw the baseball crew a nice bone every now and then. It was good for the collection to live close to Richmond and the CSA show.

Marco and CSA were consistently great at Tuff Stuff, Chantilly, Oaks, and Edison. The new CSA guys seem to have taken their cue from him in running good shows, but the hobby is a long way from its glory days for vintage collectors and dealers, at least until those terms take on new meaning.

[Leon]

The first show I went to as an adult was at the, now defunct and torn down, Garden Ridge Mall in Plano, TX. That's where I met smilin' Dave and it all started.
.

[Bigdaddy]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Marco and CSA were consistently great at Tuff Stuff, Chantilly, Oaks, and Edison. The new CSA guys seem to have taken their cue from him in running good shows, but the hobby is a long way from its glory days for vintage collectors and dealers, at least until those terms take on new meaning.

+1 on the Tuff Stuff shows in Richmond. Always quality guests and goods on the floor.

A bit closer to home, the old Holiday Inn Lake Wright shows in Norfolk were a good time.

And then there was (still is, under new ownership) the Tenth Inning card shop in Hampton, VA. Their saying was 'It's a card show everyday.'

[isiahfan]

Originally Posted by Fred

San Diego used to have a monthly card show at the Scottish Rite Center. It was a pretty good show for San Diego. There was plenty of everything - Frank and Viv Barning would set up with T206 cards and there'd be other dealers with older cards. There'd be dealers from Los Angeles and other areas every once in a while. Then it shut down sometime in the 90s. Then there was a smaller show but not much vintage. I'm not sure if San Diego has any shows anymore.

It's been a LONG time since there was a west coast national. I've been to a few Nationals since the last west coast national, but it's just a pain to have to travel to them. I'd hang out with an old collecting buddy at the nationals but he passed away a while ago so it's not as fun anymore.

Edited to add - no, those Scottish Rite shows were nothing like a good non-National east coast show like Ft. Washington and other nice east coast shows.

I moved to SD in 2006 (Same year as the last West Coast National in Anaheim)...still went to a few Scottish Rite shows...decent but nothing else really to compare it to out here. They had the King's Inn shows every Friday for a long time but they were junk. Now there are a couple monthly shows about 98% new stuff....sad thing is they don't even advertise them for crap. There is a new show that goes on monthly and then twice a year at Del Mar Fairgrounds...but havent been yet...gets good reviews. There is also a big show coming in April? to Pechanga...we will see.

Other than the Gibraltar shows in Detroit...and shows hosted by Jim Hawkins (not a fan of his but the shows were good), the Plymouth/Livonia Snnday shows....always have good vintage and local stuff...small but excellent!

[Natswin2019]

My local show growing up was the chantilly show. I only learned in the last couple yeas that its actually a major show and not every card show is like that hah. Now that I live in richmond, VA weve got some good local shows to go to in and around the area. Plus a great shop for mostly vintage too!