Basic questions / advice for National
 

So I have the good fortune of being able to attend National this year (my first one) on Saturday and Sunday. I'm pretty excited, as this is the first time I've traveled to a major show in about 10 years.

Would anybody like to chime in and offer some advice for a first time attendee? Any methods for making the most of the two days I have?

My first basic question is how do people go about paying for most transactions? I assume that most transactions are done in cash, and I have the expectation that I'll make a couple larger transactions. Should I bring enough cash to cover them? I haven't written a check in a long time (people still write checks?!), and I doubt that dealers enjoy taking American Express...

Enjoy the weekend,
Steve

As Samuel Chase once said: Cash is king.

Nice new avatar! Salmon?

King salmon.

"It's Salman, you idiot, not salmon!"

Steve --as you can see it is sometimes hard for this group to focus. Good Luck. :rolleyes:

Sal Bass

Thanks Barry, we've been lacking in the Seinfeld references lately!


Steve, cash is key. Comfortable shoes help, as every booth you'll want to see are on concrete. If you're short on time bring snacks, the food is typically crap. Bring a small notepad, and note the booth number of anything you would remotely consider in coming back to- or chances are you'll never find it. Pick up business cards, if available, and note anything in the booth you are interested in on the back. You'll probably wish you'd picked something up you missed, and it might still be available weeks later.
Saturday is usually nuts, so get there as early as possible. Sunday is getaway day and dealers will be packing up early if they are even still there, so get there early as well and move quickly.
Wear your backpack or whatever you're carrying, or put it between your feet if you stop. I've known 3 people that have had theirs disappear at the show, and that just sucks.
Lastly, have a clear idea of what you're looking for (and your wantlist) but be prepared to find something you weren't looking for- that is the best part of the show.

Carbo-load the night before.

The National starts at 3:30 on Weds; is it busy on the floor then or does it take a while longer before all the dealers have their cards out?

Assuming one eats the food that is served in the convention center does anyone have any idea when the lines might be the shortest?

I've heard anecdotally that the burger and hot dog lines are very long at the show but the tofu and salad lines are a breeze.

Jeff is there a particular brand of shoe or sneaker you recommend for walking the floor?

 

How much time should I set aside for stretching before the show opens?

Statute, not statue.

Oh, I really think you're wrong.

(Steve, your question was fine. Just bad timing. Looks like tonight Net54 has a substitute teacher in the classroom, and some of the usual suspects -- myself included -- are taking advantage. Just an FYI, there have been a ton of threads on the best ways to enjoy the National. It might be productive to do a search.)

http://www.net54baseball.com/search.php

It wasn't easy getting rid of the pissant. But it's saved on my desktop.

Thanks, guys...Rob, no worries, please continue to play while the teacher is away...I mainly wanted to know about the payment methods...figured that cash was it, but wanted to make sure.

Btw, someone mentioned shoes. In all seriousness, everybody should check out MBT shoes. I used to have foot problems while training for marathons (which subsequently gave me back problems...)... After feeling broken and only in my 20's, I turned to MBTs. They are ugly shoes, but are the only way to roll when you're on your feet all day.

Now, back to paper airplanes and spit balls. :D

Jeff,

Looking forward to meeting you and others at the National. I don't know about others, but H & S along with most other dealers are setting up on Tuesday. Everything should be up by Wednesday. I will periodically be at the Huggins and Scott booth, but will also be moping around. This is my first National and I hope not to spend my meager allowance by the first day!

James

Steve,

I'll attempt to be serious for a second, but it's really not my strong suit. Cash is the way to get the best deals. Most dealers will figure out a way to do credit cards, but they hate it, for a variety of reasons. One, there's the fee to the bank for credit card usage. Two, there's that nasty paper trail which causes them to collect, and pay, local sales taxes. Three, there's still that nasty paper trail that forces them to declare the sale as "revenue."

I've heard rumors that some dealers are willing to go to great lengths to minimize the "revenue" they receive. Cash isn't always "revenue." Often, it's just "walking around money."

Anyway, they're just rumors.

Here is another general question:
As far as pre-war cards and memorabilia, what percentage of tables/dealers would you say are not eBayers? Will we be pleased to see new material that has not been listed as BIN on eBay for months and months?

So I've noticed. :)

Good point on the paper trail...I'm sure most dealers would like to report zero income every year... Haha

The IRS actually pays informants to snitch on tax cheats. It never ceases to amaze me how arrogant some card dealers and other part-time sellers are; it would take a phone call from one aggrieved customer to the IRS to have the dealer painfully investigated by the IRS for their easily-discovered fraud.

If anybody walks up to you with a Fireside T-208 in 5+ condition duct-taped to their forehead and starts speaking to you in plural, run.

Hey! Isn't that Hal Chase on that $10,000 bill?

Not Hal, but his uncle Samuel.

There is some sage advice buried in this thread; wear comfortable shoes, take notes, plan on spending more than you think and steer clear of the food that is sold there. I have never had trouble writing a check. Of course if you have a wallet full of money orders (all under $10,000 of course) you should do just fine as well.

as far as paying
 

As far as paying for cards at the National, I will echo others' sentiments. I usually bring a wad of greenbacks and then a checkbook for the "just in case" situations. When I sell I will take cash or a check, if the person giving the check has some relevence about them. (that last statement is what I call the "warm fuzzy" factor). I almost always wear a T-shirt, shorts and good sneakers. And the best advice is to not eat too much food at the show. Maybe a hot dog to get you by but I would not eat a whole lot....or you might not have a nice night :( ......regards

What about using numerous small denomination money orders to pay for the cards you buy?

of course
 

Of course if anyone wants to pay in $1 or $5 money orders, those are accepted too. Nothing above a $10 one though, I wouldn't want to alert anyone!! :eek:

John- that's a good question. At past Nationals I noticed lots of dealers with cards which had never found their way to ebay or the BST, but in the past few years, that number seems to be shrinking as 707, Shoebox Cards, MW cards and others have started listing entire pre-war inventories on ebay with BINs. I'd say the two exceptions are: 1) the cards that "wander" in to the National and are purchased by sellers to "flip," most of which have never seen the light of ebay or auction and 2) there are still some dealers who have cards for sale and have never used the internet to try and sell them, although as I said earlier, that number is decreasing.
tbob