Feedback from the 2015 National

[rats60]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

Wish I was there, sounds like a blast!

Anyone notice or talk about the price difference/demand between SGC and PSA for major and semi-major cards?

I bought t205s from 2 dealers. One only sold PSA except for 1 card which was priced as a PSA. The other only brought his PSA and said he sold SGC for a little less. Nothing like the 1 grade difference that people were saying. The second guy also took my SCG cards at a fair price in trade, although I did spend quite a bit with him and have bought from him off Ebay. The registry must be a powerful drug.

I also graded some cards. I ended up going with SCG and their grading was very strict, but for the most part fair. A couple cards were .5 to 1 low IMO. I also did a few modern cards with BGS and found the same (I got the min grades that the cards were) although the subs seemed a little low. I don't know if it was just the show or the TPGCs are all tightening up their grading because of threads like the one on here.

[1952boyntoncollector]

I arrived on Saturday at around noon...bought tickets..there was zero line.....looked around for a bit.....card prices for 1954 topps big guys much higher than ebay...ended up doing a small deal for a duke snider card for 100 less in exact same condition as dealer one table over who wouldn't bude on the price.....took about 2 mins..one table down

the dealer I bought the card actually said 'well if I were to sell it on ebay I would net just about the same and you paying cash'

not sure why when paying cash dealers want more on some cards then they sell on ebay.....unless super super example of the same grade perhaps...

anyway, was fun ....

[1952boyntoncollector]

[QUOTE=rats60;1437244]I bought t205s from 2 dealers. One only sold PSA except for 1 card which was priced as a PSA. The other only brought his PSA and said he sold SGC for a little less. Nothing like the 1 grade difference that people were saying. The second guy also took my SCG cards at a fair price in trade, although I did spend quite a bit with him and have bought from him off Ebay. The registry must be a powerful drug.


The registry will only be non-important when you see the big auction houses not quoting POP counts for commons and not breaking sets and showing the registry ranking for the sets......let me know when that happens and I wont worry about psa grades...

[mattsey9]

On the way out of the show, I was passing a few last tables when my son started getting a little tired. A lady behind the table offered him a mint Oreo. He thanked her and started eating while I looked one more time at her case. There was a stack of 34 Goudeys!

I found one I didn't have, Larry French I believe, and snapped it up. Never would have seen it if it hadn't been for her generosity.

So to Genie and Marty Pritchard of Old Vintage Baseball Cards, thanks for the card and the snack!

[rats60]

[QUOTE=1952boyntoncollector;1437266]

Originally Posted by rats60

I bought t205s from 2 dealers. One only sold PSA except for 1 card which was priced as a PSA. The other only brought his PSA and said he sold SGC for a little less. Nothing like the 1 grade difference that people were saying. The second guy also took my SCG cards at a fair price in trade, although I did spend quite a bit with him and have bought from him off Ebay. The registry must be a powerful drug.


The registry will only be non-important when you see the big auction houses not quoting POP counts for commons and not breaking sets and showing the registry ranking for the sets......let me know when that happens and I wont worry about psa grades...

Some of us are actually collectors and not investors looking to put a set together and then sell through an AH. We can buy what we want and then let the AH strong arm PSA to cross them at the same level if we ever decide to sell. The key is to not buy over graded cards. I only see the registry as an ego trip.

[1952boyntoncollector]

[QUOTE=rats60;1437272]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

Some of us are actually collectors and not investors looking to put a set together and then sell through an AH. We can buy what we want and then let the AH strong arm PSA to cross them at the same level if we ever decide to sell. The key is to not buy over graded cards. I only see the registry as an ego trip.

right I agree....but the OP was inquiring about the drug effect of the PSA registry..i just pointing out its real and here to stay...drugs are typically bad for you and offer a fake state of euphoria...and not real..implying the PSA desirability isn't based on any fact or real..... plus good luck trying to strong arm PSA into cross grading ......I just pointing out things that would happen for the PSA desirability to fall off....not talking about if as a collector you have to choose one or the other...

Most collectors do sell cards eventually.....and several sellers have different price opinions with buyers....some of these price opinions differ between SGC and PSA graded cards....just pointing out PSAs desirability over SGC in the selling market if a collector ever decides to sell.......but collectors are free to collect whatever they wish...that's the fun of the hobby.......

[DeanH3]

Thanks for the write ups guys. What about caramels? Where there a lot of E95's, 93's, 92's (Croft's Candy or Cocoa's) or 98's? In general, caramels seem to have been pretty flat some since their peak. Curious if there seems to be any type of comeback. I'm hoping not so I can still get some of the one I want before a spike comes around again.

[Edwolf1963]

Originally Posted by DeanH3

Thanks for the write ups guys. What about caramels? Where there a lot of E95's, 93's, 92's (Croft's Candy or Cocoa's) or 98's?

Some, but not a lot, Dean .. at least in comparison to the T206s. I concur with the previous posters, seemed like every table had them. More of those than I have ever seen at any show - even tougher backs. On the caramels, I picked up a few E94's at some reasonable prices. Saw some E93s, but prices seemed more in-line with where they were during the last bubble. Noticed some E98s, E95s and E92s as well, but you had to hunt around some and ask.

Some other observations: More AH's now than I could ever keep track of! Seems like everyone has an AH now - signs up on several tables about buying or consigning with them.

Busy Thurs and Fri - every vendor I talked to said traffic and sales were quite good heading into the weekend.

707 had a big spread (as usual), but the few times I passed by (both Thurs and Fri) I didn't see anyone at their tables.

And to think up until this show I always thought "Panini" was a grilled sandwich

[bravesfan22]

I went on Saturday with my Brother and Nephew. This was my 2nd national. I had a good time. Bought a couple t206s for my HOF t206 collection. Most dealers I spoke with were very nice and helpful and always willing to negotiate. All in all from my personal standpoint it was a worthwhile trip.

As others have stated I did feel like it's as much as a place for auction houses to promote their next auction as much as it is a place for dealers to sell cards but hey that's part of the hobby as well and honestly I like looking at some of that stuff because 99.9% of it I'll never own so it's cool to atleast see it in person.

One thing I noticed that I didn't notice the last national in Chicago and I think is a positive thing for the hobby is the amount of kids and teenagers I seen buying cards, busting wax at the panini and topps booths and what not. Even seen some kids helping out running dealer booths. Seen plenty of parents both moms and dads helping their kids pick out cards or educating them on the hobby and I think that's great. There's always a lot of chatter about the hobby dying because kids can't afford to be involved or baseball cards don't interest them like they did us when we were kids but I think there's still a healthy amount of kids into the hobby. Sure most of them are more into the autograph cards and busting packs and stuff but hey gotta start somewhere.

[DeanH3]

[QUOTE=Edwolf1963;1437405]Some, but not a lot, Dean .. at least in comparison to the T206s. I concur with the previous posters, seemed like every table had them. More of those than I have ever seen at any show - even tougher backs. On the caramels, I picked up a few E94's at some reasonable prices. Saw some E93s, but prices seemed more in-line with where they were during the last bubble. Noticed some E98s, E95s and E92s as well, but you had to hunt around some and ask.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.