I bought a lot of cards in 1993. Had the Derek Jeter foil SP RC in PSA 9. But losing the 1994 season and no World Series that year to the strike hurt the hobby. Who can forget watching replacement players cross the lines and play for major league teams? A forgettable black mark on the sport for sure. It took a long time to recover. Then 911 and the sadness that followed.
I went to the Philly show in 2002 or 2003, and I got hooked on the hobby again. Bought many great vintage cards at that show and others. Still have some of them. For me, those large east coast shows, Philly, Chantilly, White Plains, are what kept the hobby alive during some dark times.
My recollection is that by 2004, there were many small card shops around the DC area too and the hobby was alive and well.
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