[jhyde77]

Have any of you attended a card show this year? If so, what was it like? What did you pick up?

I live in a city that isn’t much of a sports card town, but we have a show coming up next week. It will be the first real show in our area since the 90s.

[RattPoison2]

Attended one in Salisbury NC. Great show. Another one in November at same mall

[benner73]

Went to the Tristar show in Houston in June. Was a good show. Lots of great cards.

[jhyde77]

I just attended one in Daphne, Alabama. It was an 80+ table show. This is the first one For me sine the late 90s. I was happy to see alot of people there. There were were always people at every table. I saw more collectors selling and trading than at previous shows. I was looking for an ungraded ‘92 Bowman Rivera without flaws. The dealer I got it from didn't have it displayed, but found one for me. I highly recommend having a want list. If I didn’t go with a want list, J wouldn’t have bought much. I was kind of surprised that very few tables had any packs. I got a pack of 89 Fleer and a blaster of 2015 Panini Alabama. I was a little disappointed in the blaster. Every pack had stars. I got doubles and triplets. I got an Amari Cooper jersey and it seemed like a cheap card. I would go again and try to have more of a want list. Hoping they make it an annual show.

[kerryandbeth]

 I was happy to see alot of people there.

25% pickpockets, 25% outright thieves, 25% flippers, and 25% hobbyists.  

[jhyde77]

25% pickpockets, 25% outright thieves, 25% flippers, and 25% hobbyists.  

No security at the show. It was in a low crime area and there was a $5 admission fee.

[kerryandbeth]

Awesome!

[Phillies_Joe]

 I saw more collectors selling and trading than at previous shows. 

 I was kind of surprised that very few tables had any packs.

Trading / Selling has morphed into a huge portion of what takes place at shows.  Win/Win for hobbyist and dealers.  Hobbyist get rid of cards they no longer want and dealers are able to turn over their inventory.  Everyone really needs to brush up on their negotiation skills!  Plus, trading is more fun than just buying stuff.

Loose packs / boxes - easier to sell on ebay with a longer reach to the general public, so I assume that unless a large vendor is at a show, probably not much in the way of sealed wax.

Glad you could make it to a show after about 25 or so years. A lot has changed - an overall positive to/for the hobby.

[jhyde77]

Trading / Selling has morphed into a huge portion of what takes place at shows.  Win/Win for hobbyist and dealers.  Hobbyist get rid of cards they no longer want and dealers are able to turn over their inventory.  Everyone really needs to brush up on their negotiation skills!  Plus, trading is more fun than just buying stuff.

Loose packs / boxes - easier to sell on ebay with a longer reach to the general public, so I assume that unless a large vendor is at a show, probably not much in the way of sealed wax.

Glad you could make it to a show after about 25 or so years. A lot has changed - an overall positive to/for the hobby.

Hopefully, the success of the show will encourage more shows in our area. I saw trading back in the 90s and did some trading. It was just different to see so many collectors carrying metal cases. I had a wax box that I brought for trade if I saw other boxes or singles I wanted, but I didn't really see anything I wanted in trade. Packs were one of the things I enjoyed about shows. I usually don't remember my pack purchases, but I remember them at the shows of the '90s. Mainly, it was because there was so much buzz around new sets. I enjoyed buying packs when I didn't see any singles. During '91, Stadium Club football had just released and I remember looking for Emmett Smith. No one had one, so I bought a pack of Stadium Club and was able to pull it. That never happens to me. Overall, happy to see people wanting shows and I hope they are here to stay.

[yankee98]

3 shows, the Philly Show which was awesome, 100's of tables, fair prices, plenty of vintage. 2 shows in Northern California- one that had to violate fire codes and another full of overpriced cards. Stuff I bought for 10c at the Philly Show they wanted $5 for. Lots of basketball and Pokeman cards which don't interest me in the least. I mean, I suppose they were selling their overpriced cards but I wasn't buying them. And hardly any vintage, unless you consider 1986 Topps vintage. Definitely a different collecting scene than I'm used to.