reports from the 2017 National

[LuckyLarry]

National Report Day 5 (copied from the OBC site)

I remember back in 2013, Sunday at the National meant BLOWOUT prices! So I was really looking forward to getting back to the show. I visited with Mike and Doug during the hotel provided free breakfast, then said goodbye to Doug as he had to drive home. Spike, Taylor and I left for a 1/2 day at the National as we had flights to catch at ORD airport.

First purchase dealer had nice stack of ’64 Beatles cards and ’66 Bat Laffs cards marked $1-$3 I offered to buy them all at .50c each so I added 26 cards to my doubles box.

Next purchase dealer had 1961 Fleer Pirates Bold cards in NM condition $3-$4 each I said I’d buy them all at $2 and I bought all 30 cards this is a good deal, only one hit to my list but all these are going to be upgrades.

As I am pretty new to baseball exhibit cards, I texted Taylor for an assist, and I purchased both variations ’47-’66 Mickey Mantle cards (batting waist up) for a decent price I was within $10 of the deal and the seller came down to my offer My kind of “meeting in the middle”. I also bought three other Mantle cards from him to bundle in, 2 cards 1961 Topps “Mantle Blasts 565 FT Home Run’ and also the ’61 Nu Card Scoops “Mantle Hits Longest Homer”.

Picked up 20 to 30 misc hits to my lists, including a 1962 Tops football “bucks” Jim Brown, then found a stack of 1935 Goudy baseball cards I had not seen all week. This was a surprise all morning for me, how do I spend five full days at the National, and on day five I am seeing new cards? I picked up three more big hits too my 1935 Goudey master set including two with more rare backs! I had to come off my wallet a bit for these, but I think I got a fair deal.

Last purchase. All week I have been watching a near set 1971 basketball near set 1971 “Topps Trio” basketball cards. These are the sticker cards, black borders, in three card panels. Only missing one of the short printed ABA Team Logos sheet #24A, other than this one, all others are there. Maravich, Big O, Alcinder, Wilt, Barry, West. A quick price check on eBay shows a few singles selling for $6-$8 many above $10 each. So I thought $5 each would be a good buy for me and I offered $125 dealers lowest price all week was $160. The dealer said his rock bottom price was $140 and I think he said this is what he had in the set. So I bought them for $140 or $5.60 a card. I have been wanting to start this set for awhile anyway.

So by noon we were done, and Taylor dropped us off at ORD. I am VERY happy to report that when I checked in on the American Airlines App, I got the TSA Pre Check, and was through security within ten minutes. I did have to kill five plus hours as my flight home was delayed but between a nice lunch and watching the NASCAR race the time went pretty fast. On the aircraft, I was the only passenger in my row, and looked at baseball cards all the way home!

Larry