Burbank Sports Card Convention comments.
Yankees70
Posts: 480 ✭✭✭
I attended the Burbank Card show last Friday. The show took place over four days at the Anaheim Convention Center which is across the street from Disneyland. I'm guessing there was over 700 tables and the place was packed with people. My buddy from Oregon joined me which is the first convention we have gone to together since the early 80's. We were both big collectors back then but both of us sold our collections when we got married in the 90's and were out of the hobby for decades. It worked out well since we both married great ladies.
We had a great time as it brought back a lot of nice memories but we were both disappointed with the quality/quantity of 1970 hall of famers in PSA 8/9 condition. My buddy is building a high grade 1973 Topps baseball set. He's buying the hall of famers in PSA 8 condition and collecting the commons in raw condition (NM-MT or better centered). He has most of the hall of famers and was hoping to find a PSA 8 (centered) Mike Schmidt and Willy Mays. These are the two keys cards he still needs. We went table to table on Friday which took us 6 hours and there was not one 1973 Mays in PSA 8 or 9 for sale. Not one. We did find two 1973 Schmidt rookies in PSA 8 but both were in old slabs and both were off center. Regarding the rest of the 73's there was not one hall of famer for sale in PSA 8 or 9 condition in the entire convention.
The same goes for the rest of the 1970 Hall of Famers in PSA 8/9 condition. There was about 20-30 sellers that had ample vintage cards for sale. One seller was asking 200K for a 1956 Topps Mantle in PSA 9 condition. But 95% of the vintage cards for sale were PSA 4-6. The only 1970 hall of famers that were for sale in PSA 8/9 condition were a handful of 1970 Topps cards and three or four 1975 George Brett cards. That was it. There was not one 1978 Molitor or Murray rookie for sale (PSA 8 or 9). No Ozzie Smith, no Dennis Eckersley or Dave Winfield rookies. Luckily I found a 1970 Munson rookie in PSA 8 which I purchased. I live in Southern California but I was born in New York and my dad raised me to be a huge Yankee fan. Munson is my all time favorite player.
In closing I'm not sure if this convention is an anomaly or a pattern? We both assumed there would be hundreds of 1970 Hall of Famers in PSA 8/9 condition for sale. I was positive going into the show that my buddy was going to get the 73 Schmidt and Mays that he has been looking for. Instead he did not purchase one 1973 card the entire day. Yes I know there's always EBAY but he was hoping to see the cards in person and after looking at ample examples he could get the best one.
Comments
Nice update.
Curious, but what were they asking for those Schmidt rookies? A real bummer there weren't higher grades for the 70s stuff though that Munson sounds nice.
I'm in the area, but couldn't make it down to this one. The last I attended was in Burbank a couple years ago and there was probably even less vintage to buy in the 8-10 range. I did get a 68 Ryan (7) and 69 Jackson (6) there but hardly anything at all from the 70s there.
Just not sure how much luck you'll have at shows looking for that stuff, because it seems very tough.
They were asking $1,350 and $1,400. Both were off center (not an OC on the slab). There was about 5-6 PSA 9 Henderson rookies. The sellers were asking between $1800-$2100.
I posted a photo of the Munson in the August thread. I keep reading/hearing how there's ample 70's out there but when it comes to high grade it appears there's not.
One of the toughest assignments for any dealer is to replace a high value item within a diverse inventory. What you witnessed was quite likely related to the fact that many of them simply can't find quality anymore at a negotiable price to keep on a table at a show.
Enjoy the go.
Makes sense but there was also no star non rookie cards for sale. Example cards like a 78 Carlton or Brock in PSA 9 sell for under $50. There was nothing for sale. Even star cards in PSA 9 condition that sell for under $40 were non existent.
Having seen a few YouTube videos on the show, the Burbank Show is more for the every man. Mid grade. Dollar card bins.
Shows like the National are more for the high end stuff you're looking for.
If you're looking for an Armani suit, you don't go to Walmart.
It was advertised as the largest sports card show in the west coast. There were ample high dollar cards but most were modern cards. This was not a walmart show.
It also cost $30 for admission and $20 to park your car. PSA was there taking submissions as well as many other big companies. This was a large show.
I think folks are holding their high grade (PSA 9's) in the late 70's hoping for a future bump in value. And submitting example cards such as 78 Carlton or Brock doesn't bring a very appealing ROI considering grading fees and the likelihood of getting 7's & 8's vs 8's & 9's.
When card shows advertise how large they are it is generally based on how many tables will be at the show. It has no bearing on what will be at the show.
Generally, East Coast card shows tend to have a larger focus on vintage because there are far more old-school collectors/vendors that have been in the hobby for decades. The West Coast tends to have quite a lot of new collectors/sellers that got into the hobby during the pandemic which is why you see so much ultra modern at shows like Burbank.
If you are on the West Coast your best bet to fill all your vintage set needs is to focus your energy online.
The bigger the shows the bigger the card. Bringing in 1973 psa 8's of carew, munson, gossage, garvey, rose -- etc, just ain't going to be a big money item. If the dealers are paying over $1,000 plus for the tables expect to see lots of higher priced cards. Lots of low serial auto of the newer cards, Mahomes, Allen, Curry, Lebron, Kobe, Judge, Etc.
There is a nice PSA 8 Schmidt rookie on this week's Fanatics/PWCC auction. Noticed it yesterday. Your buddy can check that one and see if it's what he's looking for.
So, $50 just to gain entry sounds like a rather lousy option. Did you at least receive a plastic bag filled with promos and prototype card savers? Sheesh.
Enjoy the go.
There is just less and less unopened out there to rip that makes sense for the wallet. So you have less submissions of your star cards as we go forward, reducing the amount available. There was a run this year of buying high grade vintage so I'd imagine many went into collections. I sent in a few hundred pack fresh 75 Topps and didn't pull very many PSA 9s myself. They just aren't easy to find anymore and people are paying up for centered high grade copies.
He won't buy from PWCC. He had a bad experience with them. I do appreciate you letting me know.
Thanks
We received nothing.
They don't run it anymore. Fanatics owns and runs it. For what that's worth.
Have any of you attended large sports cards conventions this year where there was ample 1970-1979 Topps baseball superstar/hall of famers for sale in PSA 8 and 9 condition?
You will have better luck finding the cards on eBay. There is a nice looking PSA 8 1973 Schmidt list in a true auction now.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/226318372158?_nkw=1973+topps+mike+schmidt+psa+8&epid=27055940551&itmmeta=01J6WK784XW7WGZ8B4D3VS3BCF&hash=item34b1a04d3e:g:EOwAAOSwHD5mzmyp&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx+KZ9MfhVJKmKzsrQL9wIHsMoDXXUygzBvU2pRRkWWQOn7zAUhtIRklUp2yiwQWVYMfoiDN9u4X783b9ZquARYcrK/08qYmknO61El3SQaLfwfzp+oB18TgzeAvTbjCjBSgylOIsWtnX/rOgUK8uNpsE3t1a5n9/CmstCEVmPQGj/VTPTEU2W6W2JyQyrRhOpZSWkCtLX90ENcyORrreA1hF0yLmJG+agDA6vL0RbZim8BokxjhOdCXDfa6tg0Fl1eb594BT1+rZ24icxOQ10aBULDVIFdy0s|tkp:Bk9SR-CCnZO3ZA
The one on Fanatics sold Sunday for just over $1,600 so you can compare.
The one on Fanatics sold Sunday for just over $1,600 so you can compare.
Thank you I will let my buddy know. Card looks nice.