Nightmares at the National

[RCMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by njdunkin1

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

He's quoting the 1983 movie, Risky Business.

[buymycards]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Donscards]

Originally Posted by cardcountry

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

I remember hearing about that at the show----I believe it was in a stand up showcase===some guy just took it while you were busy with another customer 99 per cent are good guys, just that 1

[ValKehl]

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?

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by ValKehl

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?

Val, I don't think Frank was saying that there was a National in SLC. My guess is that John Stockton was probably scheduled for a local promotion.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

Val, I don't think Frank was saying that there was a National in SLC. My guess is that John Stockton was probably scheduled for a local promotion.

Daryl, I also sensed that this is what Frank was saying, but inasmuch as this thread is supposed to be about the National, per the OP, I just couldn't resist taking a potshot at our dear Dr. Frank! I trust he won't hold this against me!

[unamuzd1]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I really hope that greater than "99% are good guys." Think of 1% of the attendees that don't fall in that statement; that would be 1% of let's say 30,000 attendees. That is 300 and it scares me. Ouch!

[unamuzd1]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Here is a recent discussion on the subject:

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

Thanks!