National: Any Seller's perspectives?

[timber63401]

We like to kind of look down on and say that a lot of the kids are just looking at all this as a money making venture but there are several posters and long time posters on this board that look at pre-war exactly the same way. Id say if 1% of the current under 18 crowd in this hobby turn to vintage and pre-war then its a win.

[CJinPA]

Originally Posted by timber63401

We like to kind of look down on and say that a lot of the kids are just looking at all this as a money making venture but there are several posters and long time posters on this board that look at pre-war exactly the same way. Id say if 1% of the current under 18 crowd in this hobby turn to vintage and pre-war then its a win.

+100 to this! The 18 and under crowd these days is far more advanced than my generation of collectors in the 80's and '90's.... yes, I'm a product of the junk wax era but had an uncle who only bought 50'-70's era so had me always thinking about the relative rarity of the mid-century cards.

I'd suggest that more than 1% eventually take the leap - but that's just a feeling...

[Michael Peich]

Guy at the table selection area told me "we would rather you not sign up for two; there are hundreds of people who still need tables". I told him to save that story for the next corporate booth that wants to buy in.

I concur with Chris. We both told the selection guy that corporate is squeezing out the little guys like us.

Our booth (Chris, Tim Newcomb, and I) was totally hidden by a huge 20 foot high wall of some corporate entity. No one looking at that monstrosity would have known there were small dealers behind it.

If Joe D., Jimmy Ryan and their partner are reading these posts they need to consider a few changes.
1. Move corporate to an area all its own, one that will not hide the small guys like us.
2. Put booth numbers at each booth.
3. Insure that air conditioning works. It was brutally hot the first three days.

I did sell a fair amount despite being hidden, but felt we all might have sold more if people had known we were there.

The corporate part of Chicago is out of control, but I suspect the Broggi cabal didn't give a damn since it appears that they wanted to go out with a financial windfall.

Cheers,
Mike

[Snapolit1]

Separating the modern era corporate sideshows blasting music from the dealers with one or two small tables of vintage seems like such a ridiculous no-brainer and in everyone's best interests.. Hell, have a "Vintage Pavillion" or some demarcation like that steering people towards what they are coming for.

Originally Posted by Michael Peich

I concur with Chris. We both told the selection guy that corporate is squeezing out the little guys like us.

Our booth (Chris, Tim Newcomb, and I) was totally hidden by a huge 20 foot high wall of some corporate entity. No one looking at that monstrosity would have known there were small dealers behind it.

If Joe D., Jimmy Ryan and their partner are reading these posts they need to consider a few changes.
1. Move corporate to an area all its own, one that will not hide the small guys like us.
2. Put booth numbers at each booth.
3. Insure that air conditioning works. It was brutally hot the first three days.

I did sell a fair amount despite being hidden, but felt we all might have sold more if people had known we were there.

The corporate part of Chicago is out of control, but I suspect the Broggi cabal didn't give a damn since it appears that they wanted to go out with a financial windfall.

Cheers,
Mike

[Jewish-collector]

This new National committee will need to figure out what they actually want the show to be going forward (ie more fan experience, more corporate, more dealers, trade nights, etc,...)

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

This new National committee will need to figure out what they actually want the show to be going forward (ie more fan experience, more corporate, more dealers, trade nights, etc,...)

It's going to be interesting to see how they compete with the new Fanatics National Show, that inevitably gets set up/

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

have a "Vintage Pavillion" or some demarcation like that steering people towards what they are coming for.

Ding ding ding! Wonderful idea. Keep all that corporate and modern nonsense far away from me.

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Ding ding ding! Wonderful idea. Keep all that corporate and modern nonsense far away from me.

That would be great it is better laid out with like things together and shouted out better
Overall These experiences are driving in more new Money and Youth into the hobby.
And Social Media they use and do Live events etc on helps get the message out about the Hobby

[The Detroit Collector]

I heard Clemente was one of the best sellers this year

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I only deal in autographs. If I was setting up at a National, if there were separate sections for vintage cards and autographs/memorabilia, I'd rather have my autograph booth in the vintage card section. There obviously wouldn't be call for separate vintage and modern autographs/memorabilia sections, so I'd rather be found among the prewar cards! Not to mention it's just a nicer feeling being around that side of the hobby.

Perhaps to expand on Steve's Vintage Pavilion idea, how about having it for ALL things vintage, not just cards?

How great would it be if everything was segregated by category? A "Supply Corner" would be awesome, too. One time in Cleveland, I chanced upon a great dealer of supplies, The Baseball Card King out of Chicagoland. I bought some much-needed top loaders and soft sleeves for index cards--the kind that are a snug fit as opposed to having too much extra room. Both of these supplies are really difficult to come by. The next day, I decided that I should stock up more than I did, but do you think I could find the booth again? I'm not sure what happened, as I knew exactly where they were. Having a dedicated hobby supplies area would have avoided this.

[Mrc32]

My 16 year old is one of those that has a bullet proof case and loves to haggle with older dealers. Yes he sells, and he buys. He loves to trade.

I collected as a kid in the late 80s and I don't remember a month going by where I didn't get the new Beckett magazine to see which of my cards had the little arrow pointing up next to it. I also remember selling 11 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey RCs for like $15 each to a dealer at a show - as a 14 year old I WAS RICH! It is a story I have recounted to my son many times.

These kids deal in much higher values than we did at the time. But for me I think its great. My son has learned so much about cost basis, profit margin, negotiation, buying low and selling high. I love it when i see him go toe to toe with some adult.

So while everyone loves to smack around kids who who walk around with those cases - look at the bigger picture. It really is a great thing for the hobby.