Thanks Gary, but why is there an entire section of people doing this? It looks like it must be a big moneymaker. And why is gambling encouraged at the National? Can I rent a table and set up a black jack and roulette concession? Look pretty creepy to me.

They do this a lot over at Beckett. They do 'live' breaks. The person would buy a 'case' and most likely keeps the treasure card(s) that usually comes with a case and sell the packs.
This is on the new stuff of course. I watched in on a few. People can buy teams or conferences and when 'break' they get all the ones correlated to their teams.

Nice! ^

New SGC flip looks great! Old school style with new school security. I'll be sending SGC a shipment shortly.

SGC label is perfect!!!

LOL, looks like the cabinet has slipped out of the gasket.

SGC flip looks nice. Are the words in green also? Thought it might be better in black, but should be fine.

To hell with the flip...lets see that Big Ed!

Very exciting indeed.

Any Cali or AZ collectors out there, or did they stay home?

Maybe nex year .... I really want to meet a handful of them.

California collector here but did not go to the National. Have a conference in San Diego starting Monday

I'm in LA...heading out tonight on the red eye!

Neal, Let Them Stay home. :D

Breakers Pavilion
 

At the national today, I was also shocked by the size of the Breakers Pavilion. Guess it is just my lack of understanding of how these work. To the best of my knowledge, you can now buy 'shares' into a box break that they will stream over the internet.

ripkings.com is an example

Probably 8-10 small booths, all streaming box breaks and one main radio/tv announcing the box break. They announce every card... I have pictures on my phone that I'll try to post.

Rich

Los Angeles collector here. I'll be there tomorrow.

Los Angeles based collector here also. Decided to go, to Las Vegas for first weekend of college football instead of Cleveland this year. LOVE THIS THREAD'

LOL

I hear the place hasn't gotten any better, Peter, and those who I have spoken with said it is worse then ever before and now very much divided ....

Spent most of yesterday paying for shiny new stuff (brought my nephew and that's what he is into). Did pick-up 3 more T205s from fellow board member Ed Hahn (Stanage Sovereign, Phelps Cycle, & Crandall crossed T American Beauty), probably going back for more. I bought my 1st T205 from Ed and it was a Crandall crossed T Cycle back, glad to add the American Beauty back from him also. Got to see Leon's museum display. Signed up for a year at PSA, got a set of their new version of Diamond Stars "Cards that Never Were", have no idea what I'm going to do with those. Hopefully will get time today to look for stuff I'm interested in.

Can't wait to get there tomorrow. Anyone see many t210's floating around? Or anyone know of anything fun going on Saturday night? Going solo and don't feel like sitting around the hotel all evening.

I have been disappointed by the T210 selection. So far I think I've seen around 30 total.

ugh, I was hoping there would be a few more than that. Odds aren't good that there are any of my series 4's to be had then.:mad:

Barry....
 

I was confused about that also:confused::)


GREAT POSTS! I FEEL Like I'm THERE:)

Just got back from my first ever National. Son and I drove out from Michigan for the day.

There is one overall impression I just can't shake. I happen to be a deer hunter and a once-a-month guys-night-out poker player, and as I walked around with serious cash (for me) in hand ready to spend, I realized that for many of these guys, this is their deer hunting trip/poker night!!!

The purpose for these dealers isn't to sell anything, it's to chat with each other and tell stories! It was actually pretty funny after a while. Of course, some guys were great and would immediately say hi and ask if you needed a price (which was a rare thing to see indeed!) But I suspect that most of these guys would show up once a year and set up their booths regardless of the number of customers. In fact, I suspect some of these guys would just prefer the customers weren't even there! And I can't really blame them - I'd probably be the same way!

And the prices!! Admittedly, there was so much vintage stuff that there could have been great deals and I wouldn't have known, but I was looking to buy Diamond Stars, 34 Goudeys, and finish my '69 Topps set.

One dealer tried to tell me that his '69 Reggie psa 7 was worth $200 more than the going rate for a psa 7. Okay, maybe...but it wasn't, it was off-centered a little just like all the rest. Another wanted $50 for a raw vg '52 George Kell - readily available for around $15. And the few raw Diamond Stars I saw were averaging about double the price on ebay. Graded ones were also about double. I bought exactly 1.

I got the distinct impression that the dealers assumed average customers like me had no clue about prices and so everything, for the most part, was over-priced compared to card target or ebay sold data.

We had fun and saw some amazing stuff, but I came back with way more money than I intended. I think the Sunday afternoon theory might be the best bet for me next time.

And thanks to David Cycleback who literally crawled under a table with a black light to examine an old Babe Ruth photo of mine just to verify its authenticity. Best $10 I spent all day! Super nice guy as well.

Had to take a picture of this little gem:
http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps519d3e98.jpg

[QUOTE=SAllen2556;1304882

We had fun and saw some amazing stuff, but I came back with way more money than I intended. I think the Sunday afternoon theory might be the best bet for me next time. [\QUOTE]


I am curious about your Sunday afternoon theory. I have been to the last two Chicago Nationals. Both times on Sunday. I have been able to negotiate with some things, but you also run into dealers packing their merchandise around 1pm.

What booth had the Wagner? I missed that

High point: Meeting all the genuine, friendly collectors and hobbyists out there, including the Net54 board members. Lots of nice people and good conversations.

Low point: The food choices in the exhibition center. In other words, having to eat a hot dog for breakfast.

A lot of the industry/money aspects of the hobby are a turn off to me, but there are a lot of good old fashioned collectors out there.

Well, finished day 3, and didn't pick up much. Spent most of the day looking for a 1962 Fleer football Billy Shaw, found 5 but 4 were the typical way off center and the 5th was pretty beat. I did pick up an E135-type blank back for a good price.

Went to the PSA awards luncheon, and met a few NET54 members there. Nice luncheon and nice gifts. Big news there is that PSA will start giving true numeric grades to the freaks, ghosts, 2 names, etc. that are all the rage now days.

I've got to agree with others, I'm not sure how many of the dealers really want to make sales. It's tough to tear them away from their discussions with each other to show you cards in their cases. I also can't see how some of these guys expect to make any money either. Lots of 80s/90s junk boxes everywhere. Quite a few dealers I haven't seen anyone visit them.

Also agree about the food. First thing in the morning and the coffee stand isn't even open. Actually, it's never been open. Good thing is they have Labatt Blue Light on tap, anyone looking for me there's the possibility I'm taking my break there.

Bruce, what were the gifts this year? I'm assuming their "cards that never were" set?

My experience with the National is that it's a great place to sell...I have made several significant sales there. As for buying, you can do pretty well bottom fishing...picking up $3 cards for a dime...but otherwise, be prepared to pay retail. That said, it is well worth going anytime you can.

I collect E121-80 yankees and Giants so my "National" was about 3 weeks ago when there were massive numbers of E121-80 cards in Ebay. I picked up 5 cards and seriously doubt if I could have done better at the Cleveland National. Spent about as much as I would have before even stepping in the door at Cleveland without the travel. Been to 3 Nationals before and enjoyed each of them but never had the success that I did on the 3 days on eBay.

They did give out 1 random "Cards that Never Were", and one of their plastic boxes to store graded cards in, and a shoulder bag. Decent lunch too, better than $6 hamburgers and $4 bottles of water. Not bad for free.

Did well at the last National on the west coast, which was many, many years ago for some reason. Hint, Hint...

Well said, agree 100%.

Would be nice to have a "National" on the West Coast. Anaheim or San Diego would be nice. If people wanted Cheap hotels, they could stay in Tiajuana. LOL

YES!!

San Diego would be the perfect venue. Great convention center, right next to Petco Park and the Gaslamp District (with limitless resaturant choices and bars within easy walking distance). Not to mention Seaport Village, the Zoo, Balboa Park, Museums and Downtown all within 10 minutes- for family members who prefer to stray.

Plus, it's 6 minutes from the airport, with the waterfront and over 30 nice hotels in easy walking distance. And yes- even Tijuana is close by. I just don't understand why these shows must exclusively reside east of the Mississippi. :mad: :confused:

Because the huge majority of the dealers live east of the Mississippi.
And they would rather drive a few hours w/ their inventory then drive 2 days.
If a western destination would be offered, I suspect it would be voted down.
I too would like a different show site out west, but I have no vote nor say.
Vegas would be high on my list.

Edited for spelling error!

When I started reading your post, I saw the phrase "hot dog for breakfast" and thought that was going to be listed under your "high point" :)

Re: West Coast National
 

This topic always hits a nerve with me. In the last 14 years we've had one
National on the west coast (2006). So there's a lot of dealer on the east coast,
great. But guess what, there's a lot of collectors/consumers on the west coast
too!

While I think Vegas is not the ideal venue for a National (National always takes
place during the summer, which happens to be the worse time of the year for
Vegas, usually 100-115 degrees and lack of family attractions), I would love to
have another NATION-al here on the west side.

I think San Diego would be a superb choice. As previously stated, San Diego has
a host of family attractions and they're all centrally located. Additionally, the
weather is a tad cooler in SD then it is in LA/OC.

The National locations are already predesignated through 2019, so we've got to
wait at least another SIX years before we get a chance on a west coast National.

ErikV

Re: Live National Report Thread....
 

Just got these pics from Al/LOTG booth at the National. He said these cards
were being consigned for his fall auction. I see an Old Judge King Kelly,
Exhibit Lou Gehrig, Toleteros Gibson, Famous-Barr Jim Thorpe, T206 Magie
error to name just a few.

Thanks for the pics, Al.

ErikV

PSA Awards Event and Panini VIP event questions....
 

I saw that somebody had gone to the PSA Awards event. FREE?? Can anyone just line up and go in? Do you have to be a PSA member?

Also, my buddy who could not make it was invited to the Panini VIP event. Did anyone on here go to that and could you let me know if it was good time or not? Any freebies?

Thanks! mike

The PSA luncheon is free for Set Registry members. I think to get into the Panini VIP event you have to buy some ridiculous amount of their product at the show.

great posts.....
 

want to thank all the collectors and posters who called me/ posted on the board....I felt like I was almost there....

keep 'em coming....

PSA lunch
 

Thanks Daryl !! mike

What's the biggest theme so far?
 

I know that there's still over a full day to go, but for those attending, what is the big item/story/trend at the National this year (i.e. the Old Mill Blue Back in 2012, etc...)? Thanks for all the reports!

Doug Allen smiling was the most unnerving thing I saw

Prices
 

Went to the National today with a pocket full of cash ready to spend. Came back home with a pocket full of cash. I don't mind paying a 10% premium or so for the convenience of buying in person, but most cards I got cash prices on were more like 30-60% over market value, some up to 100%. It's still worth the $20 entry fee and the time to check things out, but I'll do my card shopping elsewhere.

I've never been and may just go next year, but this does seem to be the general theme. I guess if I do go, I'll just plan on browsing and meeting people from here and do my buying elsewhere.

The ultimate in irony! :D