A guy walks into a card show...

[SAllen2556]

I live near Detroit and there are 2 monthly shows in the area that have been around a long time. I try to hit each one once or twice a year. Each show has at least 50 tables. Of the 50 tables I'm lucky to find 2 with anything pre-war, and even then it ain't much. The dealers at these shows are not young men, yet when I ask about Goudey or tobacco/caramel cards they look at me like I'm from another planet. 1960 Topps, no problem.

Is this is common in other parts of the country? Is the demand for really old stuff so low that it just isn't worth it for these dealers? Does the pre-war crowd just not stoop so low as to attend or set up at a show anymore?!

I just find it hard to believe in Detroit (once the hotbed of card shows in the whole country) that you can't walk into a show and find anything with Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg or Ty Cobb. Or maybe the pre-war collectors are all in wheel chairs and don't get around so well anymore. I dunno.

I like card shows; you can see what you're buying and negotiate face to face. With all the "investors" out there it just seems like there'd be more old stuff at shows.

[Griffins]

We haven't had a dedicated card show in SoCal in years- a few friends and I did 3 small ones a few years ago, but costs were way way too high, and the Long Beach coin show has a few tables of cards, but other than that nothing since '08 when the Hollywood Park show folded up.
I guess I'd be happy for any show, vintage or not. Ebay is a 24/7 show that is tough to compete with.

[aad0906]

The show in Chantilly (VA) had a few dealers with E and T cards, picked up 2 nice E-98 cards for a decent price.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by SAllen2556

I live near Detroit and there are 2 monthly shows in the area that have been around a long time. I try to hit each one once or twice a year. Each show has at least 50 tables. Of the 50 tables I'm lucky to find 2 with anything pre-war........Is this is common in other parts of the country? Is the demand for really old stuff so low that it just isn't worth it for these dealers? Does the pre-war crowd just not stoop so low as to attend or set up at a show anymore?!

I just find it hard to believe in Detroit (once the hotbed of card shows in the whole country) that you can't walk into a show and find anything with Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg or Ty Cobb.

Agreed kind of sad that the metro Detroit area went from having quite a few shows to not many. I have found that the larger card shows tend to attract the main stream modern collectors looking for the 1 of 1's. However, at the shows at the malls - the smaller dealers come out and bring vintage since they don't have as much inventory of the shiny new stuff. That being said I buy most of my vintage online via auction or other sites due to availability and pricing.

Z

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Zach Wheat

Agreed kind of sad that the metro Detroit area went from having quite a few shows to not many. I have found that the larger card shows tend to attract the main stream modern collectors looking for the 1 of 1's. However, at the shows at the malls - the smaller dealers come out and bring vintage since they don't have as much inventory of the shiny new stuff. That being said I buy most of my vintage online via auction or other sites due to availability and pricing.

Z

fyi I copied this thread to the main board this morning and we are discussing it there too.. I think your thoughts are echoed by quite a few collectors...thanks