How Was The Fort Washington Show for Buyers and Sellers

norty

I had to miss it due to family obligations but was interested in how it went. I have typically only set up at the March and September shows. How did this show compare?

Rocco67

I think the show was a little on the mellow side. Given that the National is right around the corner in July and so close to Philly this year, I think people are holding back, both spending money and dealers are reserving top quality material for then.

The other thing about the Ft. Wash show that I notice every time I go, are some of the dealers prices are way out of line with what the market will tolerate. The problem for dealers is that I can find 70% of the graded stuff offered at shows, on e-bay for less. That is not to say all dealers are like this. I have had great experiences with Wayne Varner, Shoeless Joes, and also some raw stuff I've bought from Mike Wheat.

As an example of overpricing, I must have seen 3 dealers with Cobb Red Portrait T206's in PSA 3 asking anywhere between $850.00 to $1200.00...mind you the Red portratit, not the green one! SMR and e-bay would not see that card go above $450 to at the most $600.
It leads one to think that they can buy their supply from e-bay for reasonable prices, set up a table at a show, and then mark stuff up %100 or more. That may work some of the time, but surely not for the long haul career dealers.

I may eventually stop attending this show.

mrc32

I went a year or two ago when I lived in DC. It was the first show I had been to in years. But I noticed the same thing on vintage material. Dealers were way out of the ball park in thier pricing (ie what ebay, a true marketplace, will bring). It is thier right to price a card a whatever they want and hold cards for years hoping to get someone dumb enough or needy enough to plunk down huge prices for cards they could get for a lot less on ebay.

But I too will be interested in what people have to say about the Fort. I just hope I can make the National. I just hope if I make the national the prices won't be through the roof (but I'm sure they will be).

1420sports

Rocco67 - I know what you are talking about. THere are dealers at the Fort (possibly elsewhere too) that have the same cards EVERY SINGLE SHOW at the same price. That is probably the reason the cards are still in their possession. Shoeless Joes always has a good table, and the cards are priced to move with a profit.

There are three cards that I have the "greenlight" to buy at any time (500 to 1000 is what I can pay), all three are ALWAYS there and all three will most likely always be there unless the dealer realizes that no one is going to pay that price for that condition.

Basilone

<< <i>The problem for dealers is that I can find 70% of the graded stuff offered at shows, on e-bay for less. >>



That is so true...

John

PlayBall

<< <i>I think the show was a little on the mellow side. Given that the National is right around the corner in July and so close to Philly this year, I think people are holding back, both spending money and dealers are reserving top quality material for then. >>



This is exactly what I was told by dealers. Funny thing is, I took the most money to this show than any before, and this was the first time I walked away with nothing (except the free Craig Paquette card at the door). The Skerbe's and Kyle's Cards both had cards I wanted, but not at 3X market value.

Slabbed

I attended the show on friday night and saturday morning. This is the first show that I did not purchase a card. The dealers all sit around for that golden goose to come in with vintage raw material so they can buy it at 20 to 30 percent beckett and go to psa with the buy get it graded and make a killing. Guess what dealers wake up and smell the hobby this does not work anymore the collecters have become more educated and have thier own collections graded themselves. Also the prices the dealers wanted for the material was way over priced nobody buying those cards at those prices, When you can go to E-bay and buy it close to guide.

Wabittwax

I don't set up at shows much anymore but when I did, I would always check EBay the night before a show to make my prices for the cards. I would usually take the average EBay price for something and sell it at the show for 10%-20% higher (to cover table costs), but not 2x or 3x higher. That's asking to not make any sales. When I would get something nice (1950's PSA 8 for example), dealers would come over to my table and buy it. I always wondered how they could make a profit on it, when I'm asking good money on something. I guess that's why they think they can charge 2x SMR for a card. You can really only charge super high prices on super rare cards, but to charge 2x SMR on most of your inventory is stupid and bad business. I avoid those dealers.

The53Kid

Wow! Am I the only one who enjoyed the show?

I was there from 5-9pm and still had people to visit. Granted, I did think the overall mood of the show was slow. Not as many people and not as many binders of raw material to look through. But I did find some great stuff and got leads on several other items. I was paying SMR or slightly above, but I would pay that on EBAY for 53 Topps 8's. And on the opposite side of the coin, I did see plenty of items listed at 150% of SMR, and I'm sure I will still continue to see those items in the future until the prices get reduced.

The best part was meeting some of the dealers I have won or bought things from in the past. A big thumbs up for Andy Madec, Brian Drent and Bill Goodwin.

Another great site for me was the gentlemen that was setup with Brian Drent, don't recall his name. He had a freshly graded 53T Jim Greengrass PSA 10, only the 6th 10 ever for that issue. It was nice to see an example of a 10 in person. He also have several other 53's graded by GAI and all were either 9 or 9.5. Just beautiful cards, but I didn't bother to even ask the price. I just had fun looking.

Time to start saving again for the National...that's gonna be a blast...

FB

I would have to say that I enjoyed the show as well...

Didn't have quite as much cash in my pockect as usual, but was able to find around 100 nice raw cards to fill in holes in sets from 63 through 72. Found some nice material with T & S Sportscards, was able to harass Matt McGinnis at the PSA table a little bit and ran into Keith (andyhaley), Steve (sjjs28), Steve (bauerfan) and Brian (dogofwinter - 74 set).

Not a "home run" show, but a nice slap single!

sjjs28

Nice Show ....
Traditionally, May's show is the "slowest" or least crowded show of the 4 -
Got done everything I needed to do at the show - left with empty pockets - and saw some fellow registry collectors at the same time.
Left with a short stack of 1967's, an even shorter stack of 1965's and some blazer 71's .... about 60 cards in all.

Dropped off 100 vintage; 30 economy and 4 crossovers at the PSA Table - Now all I have to do is WAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIITTTT! for the results.


Next stop --- My first National.
Plan to arrive around 8:00 on Thursday (2 hr drive) - have breakfast - play some card (blackjack) until the show opens -
and hopefully take several bites out of the remaining 100 or so 1967's I need for my set.
Driving home the same day.