Observations on the current state of the hobby from a show this weekend

[LVDan]

Alls I know is when the listing says invest, that’s exactly what I do.
Sorry no local show vibes to report. But safe to say they are busy and dealers are starting to come down a scosh now.
Yes, there are less 10k +cash deals between dealers and less people paying way too much for base RC10s across all sports. All of these to me are good things. We’re evolving and settling now into a still speculative but less old west traveling snake oil salesman level of ridiculousness IMO.

[vintg]

Originally Posted by Bunny Hop

Went to another Sunday-only show on the Southwest side of Chicago (further west than the last one -- Orland Park this time). This show wasn't for me. It was billed as 80 tables (compared to the 50 at the other show) and the room and corridors were tight without much room to browse or navigate beginning at the 9:00 hour. Nothing was easy to check out and many vendors felt unapproachable. I left feeling like I wanted to spend more money but I wasn't seeing anything for me and I felt like the space wasn't comfortable.

funny enough, the orland show is one of the LONGEST running card shows in the area, at least 30+ years.

i was there at the same exact times you were, i never miss this show, and you are correct in that it's cramped, crowded, and dealers can be a bit "unapproachable", yet it really is a great show. i collect vintage, and their is
always 5-7 pretty decent vintage dealers at this show.

a little bit for everybody. this show is actually a pretty good barometer of the
"health" of the hobby. if this show slows down, it would be a bad sign, for sure.

i've been trying to get in as a dealer for over a year, no such luck.

[djolley86]

I went to the show in Hickory this past weekend (about an hour+ from Charlotte and Winston-Salem/Greensboro), and it was packed. One of the best run shows I have seen in terms of space to move around and vendors with an awesome variety. There was a toy/collectibles show going on in one of the smaller rooms as well.

There were tons of the 18-30 crowd who were there with their little Pelican cases trying to trade their base graded cards to the dealers. Most dealers were middle-aged and you could see the annoyance on their faces.

The prices on lower-end stuff and sealed wax was surprisingly good. Anything higher-end was priced sky high and I didn't see much of that move throughout the day. Dealers - if your prices are double/triple recent eBay sold prices, that is a non-conversation starter for me (and I'd imagine others).

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by djolley86

I went to the show in Hickory this past weekend (about an hour+ from Charlotte and Winston-Salem/Greensboro), and it was packed. One of the best run shows I have seen in terms of space to move around and vendors with an awesome variety. There was a toy/collectibles show going on in one of the smaller rooms as well.

There were tons of the 18-30 crowd who were there with their little Pelican cases trying to trade their base graded cards to the dealers. Most dealers were middle-aged and you could see the annoyance on their faces.

The prices on lower-end stuff and sealed wax was surprisingly good. Anything higher-end was priced sky high and I didn't see much of that move throughout the day. Dealers - if your prices are double/triple recent eBay sold prices, that is a non-conversation starter for me (and I'd imagine others).

Pretty sure those guys aren’t even interested in selling. They just want to something to decorate their booth with… and maybe catch a whale or two. I’m pretty sure those guys set up just to buy inventory for their brick and mortar/online store. They’re looking to catch the Pelibois who are ready to cash out and take 30%-40% of comps.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

Pretty sure those guys aren’t even interested in selling. They just want to something to decorate their booth with… and maybe catch a whale or two. I’m pretty sure those guys set up just to buy inventory for their brick and mortar/online store. They’re looking to catch the Pelibois who are ready to cash out and take 30%-40% of comps.

They also can’t take a loss, bro.

[bravesfan#1]

Originally Posted by djolley86

I went to the show in Hickory this past weekend (about an hour+ from Charlotte and Winston-Salem/Greensboro), and it was packed. One of the best run shows I have seen in terms of space to move around and vendors with an awesome variety. There was a toy/collectibles show going on in one of the smaller rooms as well.

There were tons of the 18-30 crowd who were there with their little Pelican cases trying to trade their base graded cards to the dealers. Most dealers were middle-aged and you could see the annoyance on their faces.

The prices on lower-end stuff and sealed wax was surprisingly good. Anything higher-end was priced sky high and I didn't see much of that move throughout the day. Dealers - if your prices are double/triple recent eBay sold prices, that is a non-conversation starter for me (and I'd imagine others).

I was at Hickory too and agree with your observations. I usually setup but newborn baby duties call!

High-end stuff was untouchable at this show, all well above comps and a bunch of those cards were proudly displayed in eBay authenticity jackets. I bought out one dealer and bought some mid-end stuff throughout the day. Usually less than I buy but still got solid deals to make it a good trip.

My favorite deal of the weekend was with a guy that had a sleeve of 25 20-21 NT RPA patch autos. He said take the whole sleeve for $300, “I just want rid of them.” They were all scrubs at this point, but was crazy buying that brand of RPAs for $12 each. His old comp prices from 1-2 years ago were still on the back and they totaled to over $5k. That summed up the entire boom/bust for me!

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

They also can’t take a loss, bro.

That too.

Yet prices are still coming down. My theory is that it’s the Pelibois who are being forced to take that loss while the dealers still make modest margins even in a declining market.

[Bunny Hop]

Originally Posted by vintg

funny enough, the orland show is one of the LONGEST running card shows in the area, at least 30+ years.

i was there at the same exact times you were, i never miss this show, and you are correct in that it's cramped, crowded, and dealers can be a bit "unapproachable", yet it really is a great show. i collect vintage, and their is
always 5-7 pretty decent vintage dealers at this show.

a little bit for everybody. this show is actually a pretty good barometer of the
"health" of the hobby. if this show slows down, it would be a bad sign, for sure.

Good to know! Thanks for the info. I'll make a plan to at least check it out again, if not regularly. Besides, it's nice to get up and out early on a Sunday. And the more I see, the more confident I become spotting what I'm interested in and making room for myself at the table.

I'm still googling and checking calendars but if you know of any other regular shows in the area LMK!

If I had more vintage I'd chirp up about trading, too, but all I have is a small scattershot smattering I've yet to wrangle and organize.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

Pretty sure those guys aren’t even interested in selling. They just want to something to decorate their booth with… and maybe catch a whale or two. I’m pretty sure those guys set up just to buy inventory for their brick and mortar/online store. They’re looking to catch the Pelibois who are ready to cash out and take 30%-40% of comps.

It's almost like many of the dealers at card shows are in many ways no different than the buyers/sellers who attend. They're looking for good deals and have no need to sell.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

It's almost like many of the dealers at card shows are in many ways no different than the buyers/sellers who attend. They're looking for good deals and have no need to sell.

Yeah, I think that’s true for a large portion of them. We see it a lot here. I see posts of guys saying, “Setting up at a show this weekend just to have fun, talk to friends, and see if any great deals come my way.”

[solt0131]

Did anyone hit any shows this weekend? If so, what kind of reports? Feels like there is more of a buzz now coming back around in the hobby.

[pewe]

Originally Posted by solt0131

Did anyone hit any shows this weekend? If so, what kind of reports? Feels like there is more of a buzz now coming back around in the hobby.

Spring training getting closer! Can’t wait!


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[theshowandme]

Originally Posted by pewe

Spring training getting closer! Can’t wait!


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Maybe the World Baseball Classic generates some additional buzz too! United States and the Dominican Republic teams are stacked!


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[87toppsproject]

Originally Posted by solt0131

Did anyone hit any shows this weekend? If so, what kind of reports? Feels like there is more of a buzz now coming back around in the hobby.

I’m heading to a local show here in NJ this morning. I haven’t been to one in a few years. I’ll report this afternoon. Just going to find some singles.

[bravesfan#1]

There were 3 shows throughout NC this weekend, I would love to hear reports from them since I couldn’t go to any.

Greensboro show looked packed from the pics I saw. I usually setup at this one, hoping he runs another show at the Grasshoppers stadium this summer.

Salisbury show looked packed but wow it looks like the tables were super spaced out compared to the other show held at the same venue. This is the promoter that booked the SAME venue that another promoter has been running out of for about 3 years. Yikes, how cringe he couldn’t put in the work to find his own venue.

Have not seen a single picture from the Waynesville show. I’m not even sure 1/2 of North Carolinians know where Waynesville is.

[Furchy]

Originally Posted by bravesfan#1

There were 3 shows throughout NC this weekend, I would love to hear reports from them since I couldn’t go to any.

Greensboro show looked packed from the pics I saw. I usually setup at this one, hoping he runs another show at the Grasshoppers stadium this summer.

Salisbury show looked packed but wow it looks like the tables were super spaced out compared to the other show held at the same venue. This is the promoter that booked the SAME venue that another promoter has been running out of for about 3 years. Yikes, how cringe he couldn’t put in the work to find his own venue.

Have not seen a single picture from the Waynesville show. I’m not even sure 1/2 of North Carolinians know where Waynesville is.

I went to the show in Salisbury this weekend as well as the show in Hickory last weekend. I’m relatively new to shows but both seem really packed to me. I enjoyed the Hickory show more than Salisbury. Lot more variety in Hickory than what I saw in Salisbury. Seemed to be way more kids in Salisbury as well. Saw a lot of them trying trade up challenges, etc…

I didn’t know there was shows in Greensboro and Waynesville. I googled and tried to find info on those but didn’t have any luck. Do they have a website or anything that has any info?

[smanzari]

Originally Posted by solt0131

Did anyone hit any shows this weekend? If so, what kind of reports? Feels like there is more of a buzz now coming back around in the hobby.

Our small monthly local was pretty jumping compared to the past few months - I wasn't set up but there was a nice "crowd" (for that show at least) before 10a

[bravesfan#1]

Originally Posted by Furchy

I went to the show in Salisbury this weekend as well as the show in Hickory last weekend. I’m relatively new to shows but both seem really packed to me. I enjoyed the Hickory show more than Salisbury. Lot more variety in Hickory than what I saw in Salisbury. Seemed to be way more kids in Salisbury as well. Saw a lot of them trying trade up challenges, etc…

I didn’t know there was shows in Greensboro and Waynesville. I googled and tried to find info on those but didn’t have any luck. Do they have a website or anything that has any info?

Cards at the Cages is an LCS and runs the show in Greensboro. I unfortunately don’t have any info on the Waynesville show, I’ve got a hunch that it bombed.

[Raleigh504]

Originally Posted by bravesfan#1

Cards at the Cages is an LCS and runs the show in Greensboro. I unfortunately don’t have any info on the Waynesville show, I’ve got a hunch that it bombed.

The Greensboro show (the promoter) posted it was successful and actually have super cheap table fees and free admission to it. May need to set up at their next show (posted they want to have 4 shows a year).

The Waynesville seems to happen quite often so it may have its regulars who show up. Gainesville Promoter Group Is the one that runs it. Had to search for them.

The guy who did the Salisbury one seems to cater to a younger group which could bring the pelican bois that only want to trade.

[Furchy]

Originally Posted by Raleigh504

The Greensboro show (the promoter) posted it was successful and actually have super cheap table fees and free admission to it. May need to set up at their next show (posted they want to have 4 shows a year).

The Waynesville seems to happen quite often so it may have its regulars who show up. Gainesville Promoter Group Is the one that runs it. Had to search for them.

The guy who did the Salisbury one seems to cater to a younger group which could bring the pelican bois that only want to trade.

There were definitely tons of kids at the Salisbury show. Most of them trying to trade. All of them had common base cards. The dealers seemed to handle it pretty well though.

[Furchy]

Originally Posted by bravesfan#1

Cards at the Cages is an LCS and runs the show in Greensboro. I unfortunately don’t have any info on the Waynesville show, I’ve got a hunch that it bombed.

Thanks man! I found the Greensboro show but still can’t find anything about Waynesville (even with the guy above giving the promoters name)

[notfast]

Did a new 50 table show in Jersey. Small venue but it was packed.

We did well. Tons of people digging through value boxes.

[mwash1983]

Originally Posted by solt0131

Did anyone hit any shows this weekend? If so, what kind of reports? Feels like there is more of a buzz now coming back around in the hobby.

Went to the Albany show today, dealers finally starting to cave, saw a lot of 50% off today and did well with that picking up a Gimenez heritage auto for 10, Rodgers Bazooka RC for 10, and a Fried Gallery Auto RC for 10. The one sport people aren’t caving in on yet is basketball. There was a ton of people there, but no dealers were buying at all and I had some decent stuff to sell or trade ie young guns and finest Witt refractor /99. There were a ton of pelican cases of younger people trying to move the shiny garbage.

[Raleigh504]

Originally Posted by Furchy

There were definitely tons of kids at the Salisbury show. Most of them trying to trade. All of them had common base cards. The dealers seemed to handle it pretty well though.

When I am selling I will look but most aren’t even worth anything or they comp them using an junk app thinking a $5 is $500 cause they can’t tell the difference between a base card and one /10. It does get annoying the same kids will constantly come to my table trying to trade or sell the same stuff.

[87toppsproject]

Originally Posted by notfast

Did a new 50 table show in Jersey. Small venue but it was packed.

We did well. Tons of people digging through value boxes.

Bordentown or Mt Laurel by chance?