Nightmares at the National

Jewish-collector · #1 07-24-2016, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeanTown

I don't Know if this would be considered a nightmare... But it seems every year when walking around the floor you run Into an item you gotta have! The price may be a little high and the seller might not be flexible so you walk away. Then after looking around your mind keeps coming back to that item you walked away from. You say what the heck, I'll buy it and you walk back and it's been sold! Then, you get back home to only discover its be auctioned off and the price it realized is way more than the asking price from the National.

Jay - That happens all the time. But don't say what the heck, say WTF.

njdunkin1 · #2 07-24-2016, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

Jay - That happens all the time. But don't say what the heck, say WTF.

That's starting to get repetitive, friend. Would you mind?

No card show nightmares for me. Haven't even been to the National yet, I hope to go next time one is in Chicago. Occasionally I find a card I really want, but it seems that many dealers way overprice their cards!
NJ Dunkin

RCMcKenzie · #3 07-24-2016, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njdunkin1

That's starting to get repetitive, friend. Would you mind?

He's quoting the 1983 movie, Risky Business.

buymycards · #4 07-24-2016, 05:54 PM

Hi Andrew, he isn't on the dealer list at this time.

I wish I could remember the name of another dealer. This dealers tables were being run by a good looking woman with kind of a low cut blouse. Being the sexist pig that I am, I paid more than I should have for a T213-2 Bender.

Rick

rdwyer · #5 07-24-2016, 06:11 PM

My thought is that all high dollar items should be locked up in a display case. With the inventory most dealers have, it's a wonder how they know they got ripped off. I believe the thieves take advantage of that. WiFi security cameras help, but still don't stop thieves. (You may catch them on camera, buy it no one knows who it is you're outta luck) Might wanna consider paying someone to be your security while you're busy with other customers.

RCMcKenzie · #6 07-24-2016, 06:21 PM

Morrie,
The only year I've attended the National was 1985 at the Disneyland Hotel. I was there on vacation with my brother, sister and parents.

I've told the story on here before about my brother and I finding a 1975 Topps Brett in a bargain bin box for $3. My recollection is that he bought it. I reminded him of the story a few months ago and he said, "No, we just left it there."

cardcountry · #7 07-24-2016, 07:03 PM

I had a 52 mantle Psa 4 stolen at the Chicago national a few years back. It was the first one I ever owned.

Jeff

ValKehl · #8 07-24-2016, 07:07 PM

Dr. Frank, could the reason John Stockton never showed while you were waiting at McDonalds for 2 hours be that the National was never held in Salt Lake City?

unamuzd1 · #9 07-24-2016, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

He's quoting the 1983 movie, Risky Business.

In what seems a family-friendly way, all things considered.

Speaking of 1983, I wasn't at the national that year. I did, however, attend the one in 1986. I guess I was 13 at the time, if my maths still work. I haven't been to one since, though I'm eyeing next year.

In terms of nightmares, mine's minor. The last thing I bought at the 1986 National, from a dealer near the door, was an unopened pack of 1976 Topps. I don't remember what I paid, but it wasn't too much, and I got a Brooks Robinson out of it. Which was awesome, because Robby was a favorite player (I grew up in Arkansas, so he's a hometown boy), but less awesome because it had a surface wrinkle. I just figured, these things happen sometimes.

Then a few days later I was looking at the wrapper and saw that it had a mail-in offer on it that expired in 1974.

Realizing that there were jerks who would sell a kid a re-sealed pack is probably one of the reasons I've never prioritized going back to the National.

EldoEsq · #10 07-24-2016, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unamuzd1

In what seems a family-friendly way, all things considered.

Speaking of 1983, I wasn't at the national that year. I did, however, attend the one in 1986. I guess I was 13 at the time, if my maths still work. I haven't been to one since, though I'm eyeing next year.

In terms of nightmares, mine's minor. The last thing I bought at the 1986 National, from a dealer near the door, was an unopened pack of 1976 Topps. I don't remember what I paid, but it wasn't too much, and I got a Brooks Robinson out of it. Which was awesome, because Robby was a favorite player (I grew up in Arkansas, so he's a hometown boy), but less awesome because it had a surface wrinkle. I just figured, these things happen sometimes.

Then a few days later I was looking at the wrapper and saw that it had a mail-in offer on it that expired in 1974.

Realizing that there were jerks who would sell a kid a re-sealed pack is probably one of the reasons I've never prioritized going back to the National.

Have you since learned that Topps used a lot of 1974 wrappers in 1976, and that pack was most likely legitimate?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Aquarian Sports Cards · #11 07-24-2016, 08:03 PM

You just destroyed 30 years of perfectly good grudge carrying, and cutting off one's nose to spite one's face in one sentence. Kudos!

unamuzd1 · #12 07-24-2016, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EldoEsq

Have you since learned that Topps used a lot of 1974 wrappers in 1976, and that pack was most likely legitimate?

Not unless I'm learning it right now. But given that you're framing it as a question, whether or not I've learned something is ambiguous. If that's true, then thanks. I now know something I didn't.

One of my take-aways was "Don't buy old wax", which generalized to "anything I'm not sure about". As such, while I've kept buying things that I'm comfortable I know about, and learning about things that interest me, I've not taken the time to educate myself on things that folks who specialize in the wax area may take for granted. There wasn't an easy way to learn it (if it's true) in '86, and the feeling that I'd been taken was such that I had no real motivation to go into that area of the hobby. It's a big enough hobby that there was still plenty to have fun with.

savedfrommyspokes · #13 07-25-2016, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unamuzd1

Not unless I'm learning it right now. But given that you're framing it as a question, whether or not I've learned something is ambiguous. If that's true, then thanks. I now know something I didn't.

One of my take-aways was "Don't buy old wax", which generalized to "anything I'm not sure about". As such, while I've kept buying things that I'm comfortable I know about, and learning about things that interest me, I've not taken the time to educate myself on things that folks who specialize in the wax area may take for granted. There wasn't an easy way to learn it (if it's true) in '86, and the feeling that I'd been taken was such that I had no real motivation to go into that area of the hobby. It's a big enough hobby that there was still plenty to have fun with.

Here is a recent discussion on the subject:

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=221895

Steve_NY · #14 07-24-2016, 03:23 PM

No, I never lost a '52 Mantle but others have. At almost every National there are incidents. I have lost $300 - $500 items, but I relate every loss to what that item actually cost me, and what it will cost to replace.

By the way, I thought of another couple of ways to protect against thefts:

7-- Never give anyone, including other sellers, the permission to look through your showcases. They often say that they have an interest in lots of items in one specific showcase. Guess what happens? You wouldn't even know you are missing an expensive card -- they are that good.

8 -- The same goes for boxes that you have under the table. They want to see everything, and you will never even know that you have lost some valuable cards.

9 -- Don't help more than 2 customers personally at the same time; only one if they are on different sides of your display;. It's a common tactic to split you up on purpose.
If a customer really wants what you have on display, they will stick around or come back. If not, such is life. I would rather lose a sale than a stack of T205s or worse.

As you can see, I practice what I preach, but would sure love to hear what others do to protect themselves.

Steve

Jewish-collector · #15 07-24-2016, 03:28 PM

I would suggest always keeping the showcases locked. As I understand, a card was stolen from the corner of a showcase when the dealer was busy helping someone at the other end of his display.

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