12 Things to Do at the 2017 National Sports Collectors Convention This Weekend

As the 2017 National Sports Collectors Convention heads into the weekend, there’s still plenty of time left. That means more treasures to be found, more people to meet and more fun to be had.

So if you’re heading to the show on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, here are 11 things to consider doing to keep you busy.

12 Things to Do at the 2017 National Sports Collectors Convention

Get an Autograph

Dozens of stars, past and present, are making their way through the Tristar Autograph Pavilion. Most may have certified autograph cards out there that might even be cheaper than the signature at the show. But there’s something to actually meeting your hero. You get that moment with them and the signature becomes the symbol of the encounter.

Dig Through a Dime/Quarter/Dollar Box

Treasure comes in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. You’re going to find plenty of rare, pricey pieces. But there are also tons of great cards that won’t break your budget. So pull up a seat, get comfortable and start diving into those dime boxes, quarter boxes and dollar boxes.

Be Social

Some of the greatest National memories you can make are connecting with other collectors. That may mean meeting up with old friends, putting a face to that Twitter handle or shaking the hand of folks from the online breaking community. Just remember that time can go by quickly over the course of a day, so set a time and place to meet up. On the flip side, being social can drift outside the show’s hours as well, so dinner and the evening that follows can be a great way to keep the show going.

Get a Box of Cheap Wax

Need a nostalgia kick? There’s plenty of affordable boxes throughout the show floor from the late 1980s and early ’90s. Even if they’re not particularly valuable, it can be a cheap trip to the past–both the players you might have grown up with and the cards you chased. This seems to be a growing movement with more dealers bringing in these types of boxes as an answer to some of the bigger prices for more recent products.

Pack and Box Wars

Both Topps and Panini have interactive group elements to busting packs and boxes at their booths. Things get a little rowdy and some noise is made, but it’s all in the name of fun. Prizes certainly add to that as well.

Beckett Scavenger Hunt

If you’re at the National, you’re ready to walk. The Beckett scavenger hunt is an easy way to seek out specific booths and land some exclusive promos in the process. If you do gather all ten, there’s more exclusives available with the metal redemption set. A piece of advice, though: each day has a limited number of metal sets. If you’re finished, you may need to return the following day and line up as soon as possible.

Look for Something Out of the Ordinary

So many cards. If you are a player or team collector, there are likely some tough cards on your lists that don’t show up very often online or in local shops. But with dealers coming from all over and covering many eras, it’s near impossible not to find things you haven’t seen before. Maybe you didn’t even know it existed. Try to make an effort to seek these out. And if you do, add to the fun by trying to investigate the story and history of this newly discovered treasure.

Take Pictures

Like any special event, the memories of the National will live on forever. But pictures certainly help. There’s a lot to see and take in. You see a lot of people. Keep your phone out and ready and snap lots of pictures of cool items, interesting sights and encounters with friends new and old. If you’re on Twitter, there are plenty of people following along with the National from home with the hashtag #NSCC17.

Wrapper Redemptions

Panini, Upper Deck, Topps and Leaf all have some exclusive cards available at the National that won’t be available anywhere else outside of the secondary market. If you’re planning on buying some boxes or packs anyway, take advantage. Many of the dealers will be able to help direct you to the appropriate products. Quantities of wrapper redemption packs are limited and lineups can sometimes take a bit, so it’s a good idea to get on these early if possible.

Raffle-Mania

Who doesn’t like to win free stuff, or at least have a chance at extra cards and memorabilia for buying the things you were going to in the first place? Many dealers have raffles in place for customers and attendees. One that’s particularly noticeable happens at the Blowout Cards booth. In fact, the large crowds at their booth come prize time have become something of a National tradition.

Take in a Break

The Breaker Pavilion is a relatively new addition to the National. And as commonplace as the concept of group breaks may be to some collectors, it’s still new to many in the hobby. Check out the section of the show floor to see how breaks work, get in on some or meet some of the familiar faces you normally see online.

Look

You don’t have to spend money to have a good time at the National. Or maybe you lucked out and found what you wanted at a good price early in the day. The show floor has enough stuff to look at to keep even the most advanced collectors occupied for days. And let’s be honest, not everyone has the budget to drop thousands or even tens of thousands on sports cards. But you can see many of these gems on display at the National. At least two T206 Honus Wagners are out on display this year, not to mention an original Norman Rockwell painting.

Learn

No matter what you collect or how long you have been in the hobby, there’s always more to learn. The National might be the best place to do it. You’ve got miles of cards to look at and hundreds of dealers and fellow collectors to draw from and ask questions. Perhaps a tidbit of information or the discovery of a card you didn’t know existed could lead your collection in a whole new direction.

Comments? Questions? Contact Ryan Cracknell on Twitter @tradercracks.