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| Big crowd lined up to enter the hall |
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| The Topps Booth |
So I can check this off of my list of things to do. I've been to the National.
I don't need to go back.
Mrs. WW and I went on Friday. We did find a nice way to park for free instead of paying $20 at the garage. There is a Cook County forest preserve across the Des Plaines River from the convention center. We had our bikes with us, so we parked at the preserve and rode our bikes about a half-mile through the woods and over the river on a pedestrian bridge to the show.
The show opened at 10 a.m. and we got there around 9:45 a.m. You had to go to a large room upstairs to get your ticket scanned and receive a wrist band. Then we went to the line by the door and waited for it to open.
Once we got in we went back downstairs to the where the show was on the main level. It was overwhelming. The place was already crowded and abuzz.
I like to avoid the crowds, so we went to the back of the first room and then worked our way towards the front.
I had my most wanted list with me, but it wasn't really necessary. What I was looking for was very oddball and rare. As I got to a booth I looked to see if they had mostly new or old stuff. If it was modern, I walked past. I would slow down if they had vintage and then look a little closer. Then it was on to the next booth.
When we finished the first room I thought I was done. But there were more rooms towards the back. In fact it seemed like at the end of a room was another with even more booths. It was a bit overwhelming. And as the day went on it got more crowded. Some of the areas have pretty narrow aisles between the tables and it was not easy to get through.
My list of needs includes five different MSA discs from the 70's and 80's. I found just one seller with discs, but nothing from the years I was looking for. I need two Walmart black cards from 2009 Topps. I saw none. Same with the cards I need from the various Jewish Major Leaguer sets.
We left tired and empty-handed, our heads spinning from the vast amount of stuff we saw. I wasn't optimistic that I would find any of the cards I needed, so I wasn't all that disappointed.
If you are looking for modern shiny cards, the National is for you. Need graded cards, then you'd be set at the National too. If you are putting together any Topps flagship sets, you should be able to do that at the National.
But if you are looking for old oddballs that you can't find on eBay, more than likely you won't find them at the National either.
I talked to a friend who went to The National twice before Covid and then this past Friday. He said, in his opinion, it has changed. He was awestruck by the number of briefcases which were being carried around. The focus has apparently transitioned over the years from vintage, to autographs, to modern graded cards. If that's the case, then I'm not surprised you came away empty handed.
ReplyDeleteJust for my own curiosity, did you see many dime boxes? Give me a small local hotel show, with a patient dealer who has a dime box and I'm set for a good hour or two. LOL
I saw a few dealers with dime boxes, but they were definitely the exception.
DeleteI was surprised (and a bit saddened) to see so many kids with briefcases.
DeleteGreat Post Great Info - Never went to the National (have not gone to a card show since I discovered ebay) but I was thinking of going next year in Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteI tried to find you both to show you places to find great things but I guess you weren't able to find me
ReplyDeleteYes, sorry about that. I do appreciate you offer, though.
DeleteKinda sad to hear the National lacked old oddballs. I was always under the impression that it has everything you can think of in regards to cards. The way you described it... made it sound like it's like the shows in my area (with a lot of newer stuff)... just on a much, much, much larger scale.
ReplyDeleteYes, that was disappointing.
DeleteI sometimes help a friend at card shows in the TX/LA area. I used to do a lot of shows with him. He was usually one of maybe two or three dealers who had vintage stuff. Most dealers want the newest stuff with the newest cards so they can flip autos, rookies and such as fast as possible for the "hot" current price. Older collectors are more interested in completing sets. As older collectors quick going to shows, there are less and less vintage card dealers unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI can’t imagine spending more than one day there with the crowds it attracts. I marvel at those who spend 2-3 days. I’m guessing for them it becomes more of a social event than a card show.
ReplyDeleteI took the boys on the last day of one in Chicago pre-covid. Didn't pay the parking since The Wife dropped us off to go to a friend's house, and since it was the middle of the day on the last day, they didn't charge us for entry. True many dealers were starting to pack up, but there was plenty to see and the boys enjoyed themselves. Sorry it didn't work out for you,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that I would say the National didn't have odd ball as I found some but my issue was it was way too crowded. Often time there were too many people shoulder to shoulder at a booth or the isle was too narrow to comfortably stop at take a look. So many tables I would have liked to stop at were just too busy.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest grip was the heat which led to way too many bad smells. Several times I had to leave a table because a person with body order would stop at the same table.
It sounds like you were able to avoid most of the upfront costs that most people incur when traveling to the show, so given how much of a disappointment it was for you, I guess that could be considered a blessing.
ReplyDelete