Gemmint's National Report
thegemmintman
Posts: 3,101 ✭✭
Wow what a fun time I had meeting everyone who attended this year's National! I don't even want to discuss something as trivial as the show itself. Rather I want to acknowledge the fantastic people I met:
First I had the great pleasure of meeting the KING...KING KELLOGG himself
. I can't say enough nice things about him. Larry is very personable and instantly likeable. We met at the Trump Plaza for drinks and gambling, and it was a blast. After we decided on how Kellogg's Kollectors will ultimately take over the planet he showed me this awesome roulette strategy (which I never got to play because the tables were too packed dammit), and I taught him Kraps in 17 easy minutes, LOL. When the KING hit his first point at Kraps (a six I believe) it was quite a moment to be sure. A really fun time! The next day he shows up at the Registry Luncheon with an actual Krown on his head, LMAO. It was great. I stuck a '70 Kellogg's Banks in his Krown because I felt that due to his royalty status he should be adorned with K-Jewels at all times. Thanks for the laughs Larry and for introducing me around to the Registry gang on Friday.
The luncheon was so much fun and really made the trip. I highly recommend to all here that if you have a chance to attend a National, if nothing else go just to meet everyone. I met some truly great people there, and I know this is going to sound hard to believe, but without exception EVERYONE was exactly as I thought they would be (that's a compliment by the way, LOL)...
Some people I was fortunate enough to spend some time with:
Dude is Mr. Class himself. There is nothing else to say. He's a true gentlemen and you can tell how dedicated he is to this hobby. I was really happy to finally meet him. Don't ask me how, but as soon as I saw him I knew it was Dude. The hobby needs more people like Dan.
Aconte is such an incredibly high energy enthusiastic collector! He knows his sets cold, and knows what he wants. It was a thrill to meet my first true Ebay nemesis, LOL. Hmm Tony, you know the way you talk about the Red Man sets I think I should have a go at it
. P.S. Better warn your wife that the nightmares might start up again.
Steve Wolfe is another very fine gentlemen that I met. I'm surprised we never crossed paths before since he is a Kellogg's collector too. Steve, if you ever become President one day (Steve will be running for Congress soon) please support a constitutional amendment requiring that baseball card collecting be taught in the schools with special emphasis on K Kollecting.
Riccaboni - what a very friendly fella we have here! He's a good looking young kid (a soon to be lady killer to be sure) with a winning personality all the way. Just one thing though Ian - having mom around isn't exactly a babe magnet!
Other famous celebrities I met briefly and wish I had more time to get to know were FB, Acowa, Wayne, Wolfbear, Buckwheat, RayBShotz Ron Hobbs, Ejguru, Schmidty, Neil, Playball, theBobS. Oh man there are more, but I'm having trouble remembering everyone's name so please accept my apologies.
On the PSA side I met BJ, Carol, Chris Porter, and Joe Orlando. They're great people and you can see how much they love working for PSA and how committed they are to making it better.
Awesome time! Thanks everybody!!
First I had the great pleasure of meeting the KING...KING KELLOGG himself
. I can't say enough nice things about him. Larry is very personable and instantly likeable. We met at the Trump Plaza for drinks and gambling, and it was a blast. After we decided on how Kellogg's Kollectors will ultimately take over the planet he showed me this awesome roulette strategy (which I never got to play because the tables were too packed dammit), and I taught him Kraps in 17 easy minutes, LOL. When the KING hit his first point at Kraps (a six I believe) it was quite a moment to be sure. A really fun time! The next day he shows up at the Registry Luncheon with an actual Krown on his head, LMAO. It was great. I stuck a '70 Kellogg's Banks in his Krown because I felt that due to his royalty status he should be adorned with K-Jewels at all times. Thanks for the laughs Larry and for introducing me around to the Registry gang on Friday.The luncheon was so much fun and really made the trip. I highly recommend to all here that if you have a chance to attend a National, if nothing else go just to meet everyone. I met some truly great people there, and I know this is going to sound hard to believe, but without exception EVERYONE was exactly as I thought they would be (that's a compliment by the way, LOL)...
Some people I was fortunate enough to spend some time with:
Dude is Mr. Class himself. There is nothing else to say. He's a true gentlemen and you can tell how dedicated he is to this hobby. I was really happy to finally meet him. Don't ask me how, but as soon as I saw him I knew it was Dude. The hobby needs more people like Dan.
Aconte is such an incredibly high energy enthusiastic collector! He knows his sets cold, and knows what he wants. It was a thrill to meet my first true Ebay nemesis, LOL. Hmm Tony, you know the way you talk about the Red Man sets I think I should have a go at it
. P.S. Better warn your wife that the nightmares might start up again.Steve Wolfe is another very fine gentlemen that I met. I'm surprised we never crossed paths before since he is a Kellogg's collector too. Steve, if you ever become President one day (Steve will be running for Congress soon) please support a constitutional amendment requiring that baseball card collecting be taught in the schools with special emphasis on K Kollecting.
Riccaboni - what a very friendly fella we have here! He's a good looking young kid (a soon to be lady killer to be sure) with a winning personality all the way. Just one thing though Ian - having mom around isn't exactly a babe magnet!
Other famous celebrities I met briefly and wish I had more time to get to know were FB, Acowa, Wayne, Wolfbear, Buckwheat, RayBShotz Ron Hobbs, Ejguru, Schmidty, Neil, Playball, theBobS. Oh man there are more, but I'm having trouble remembering everyone's name so please accept my apologies.
On the PSA side I met BJ, Carol, Chris Porter, and Joe Orlando. They're great people and you can see how much they love working for PSA and how committed they are to making it better.
Awesome time! Thanks everybody!!
0
Comments
You forgot to mention the baseball cards part of your report!
LOL
Glad everyone had a wonderful time.
Priceless is all I can say. As much as I have my debates with psa I can say this
they have 100% made the card collecting a better thing.
Through these boards I have met some rare true friends. Few of them I talk
to daily though dont tell the lady of the house. I was at sportsfest a month
ago with my fellow companions and at one point I actually got a little choked
up!! Why, because if I needed something they would be their bottom line.
Now lets not say we dont have our squabbles sp? because we all collect the
same era. But I put it at a brother thing for we seem to act like it at times me
being the #1 example.
So hopefully next year I get to meet you gem, ej, gas, king, schmitty, conte, playball
for I know your all head of the class!
now i have a face to put with the name. i wanted to make it, but as i explaining to jay that owning a hotel in florida in the summer time takes all my time. i had the option of spending money to go to a.c. or stay here and make money (god love vacationers)
glad everyone had a great time ,a great show and we will meet one day. i still owe jay dinner.
..fab4.......
i will send some chocolate packing materials your way
Fab4- Where in Florida do you own a hotel? I go to Florida/Alabama three of four times a year for vacation, mostly Panama City, Destin or Gulf Shores but i have stayed all over Florida. I have already been twice this year and we are talking about a trip in early october. Ahhhhhh.......the beach and a cold beer i can picture it now.
Paul.
....fab4.............
Hey I'm looking for a place to stay. I'm looking to further myself in the
golf profession (HOOTERS TOUR) wondering if you could maybe give
me some sweet rates. SPONSOR somthin!!!!!!!! All up in the air.
Email GATOR05@charter.net.
Lmk if you can help..
........fab4............
Thanks man, I'm not sure just chasin options I have found it that I can play
in my later yrs. Yet due to my closest friend someday wife things are starting
to get complicated. I thought I was all set with some friends in FL yet the recently
move back here so I'm stuck on the debate if to gamble 4g's on Q school or settle
my limits with hooters.
So all the boys wonderin why I'm sellin my 81's and other prizes this is why I'm
making a move! Lookin for what I was born to do besides scouring cards and
fishing pro! I know tough life yet I'm a grinder one you can root for! So who
knows until I reach 50 nothings a lock and I cant wait another 20 yrs.
As for the heading!!!
What did you pick up gem, sorry to jump offbase!!!!!!!
Gator
Thank you for your very kind words. You too are a great asset to this hobby and a collecting legend with your '64 Giants and '70 Kelloggs sets. It was a real treat to meet you in person. You and I go back quite aways. You were one of the first people I connected with on the old PSA Board and I'm truly honored to have a friend like you.
The luncheon was a blast. It seemed like it broke up too fast and I missed out meeting Ian and a few others who sat on the other side of the room. All the collectors I met at the luncheon as well as at the show were tremendous. All have a great passion for what they collect and that's what makes this hobby so fun.
One value of a large show is what I like to call the "surprise factor" - the anticipation of finding something you just can't live without once you found it. Although I achieved my goal of filling out my 1933 Goudey set, the one item that made the entire show for me was the autographed Willie Stargell game used bat from 1973-1975 I bought Friday (gamers are my major baseball love outside of cards). I also picked up the bat Rafael Palmeiro hit his 491st HR with this year.
I ended up finding over 200 early 1970's Kellogg's singles in their original unopened envelopes and managed to even save a few for Larry! The two of us managed to hit many of the same tables together and between us both probably wiped out most of the nicer quality K inventory around. Add some GAI graded cello packs (1967 and 1973) and a handful of autographed 1950's and 1960's cards and it meant a pretty productive show for me (now all I have to do is log in all this stuff into my inventory).
Larry and I left the Friday lunch early so we could get Mike Schmidt autos on our bats. Mike was in a good mood for me and game me a very artistic auto, but unfortunately he was in a worse mood for Larry, who got a scrunched up little thing on his bat (I'll leave the rest of that for Larry if he wants to elaborate).
Sorry Wolfbear - Larry and I tried to find you at the seafood buffet at Caeser's but we struck out, so we ended up having dinner at Sabitini's Friday. Sorry I missed the group dinner there on Thursday.
All together it was an "A+" experience, greatly enhanced by the people I met. If I had any complaints, it would be to suggest opening the show for the VIP's at 9am and then open for general admission at 10am, instead of 11am. I would have returned for a couple of hours on Saturday morning, but I wanted to get home at a decent hour and didn't feel like hanging around doing nothing until 11am. That's my only complaint.
Thanks for a great weekend!
I appreciate the comments and compliments
-Ian
<< <i>one good thing about mothers is they have more money than you do. Couple that in to the fact that there was some pretty nice stuff at the show and I hate spending my own money, and for the fact she paid for the hotel, the tickets, and my Schmitty auto, as well as a large assortment of 1974 PSA Topps (8's and 9's) made her an easy pick to bring along. >>
Riccaboni - that settles it then. Next time I bring my mom
I'm glad your in the hobby and got a chance to meet some of the best. It will be
you young guns that keep it going in the future. So spread the word!!!!!!!
Gem,
Did you happen to see any nice 71 greatest moments? I find it true to par from
last year with coming home with most of your wad. Last year I spent a day just
taking everything in. My only purchases were a stack of a 100 1920's-30's baseball
magazines.
Gator
<< <i>Did you happen to see any nice 71 greatest moments? >>
Gator5 - no, not a one, but I wasn't actively seeking them. Maybe someone else can comment on whether there were any at the show.
Heard about that and it sold!! Do you remember what was on the tag??
4 or 5 tables had EX/NM to NM examples.
Steve Wherly had a few to be sure.
SCP has a few more left........PSA 7's, Rose and Yaz (i think)
Peter Lalos has/had a Rose at about 800 (if I recall).
There was a Rose PSA 8 on e-bay last night I believe it brought 675 or so.
Gator- a Bench psa 6 was graded at the show, you may be getting an e-mail on it.
Send me a PM if you have an interest in a '71 GM Kaline PSA-8 NQ.
Steve
Gemmint it was a great to meet you. I hope to post more on my experience next week. I told
my wife I met you. She wanted to know if you were a mean guy! HeeHee.
It was great meeting 'thebobs', 'dude', 'king', 'mikeschmidt', 'wayne', 'tipem', 'mitchocondria',
'playball', '1954', and seeing 'murcerfan' again... about 10 different times too. I know I forgot
others but I'm typing fast because the wife wants to leave.
"Talk" soon!
aconte
I live on Amelia Island,far east coast of Fla,30 minutes above Jax and could put you up if you are ever in my area.Let me know.
Vic
I have quite a few 71 GM cards for sale - both graded and raw. Email me at cmcclelland@kc.rr.com if interested. Thanks.
random notes on my first National :
Thank you PSA for the lunch - it would have been nice if we could have taken turns
introducing ourselves from our tables. There were folks I missed meeting.
Those that I DID meet were all great guys ! Thanks for the beer 1954.
Found SOME gradable raw cards at the show, but if took hours of digging.
Enjoyed meeting and talking with the owners of Mint State, V & J Cards, and others.
Nice to put a face to the people who have been cashing my checks over the years.
Even had an enjoyable chat with my arch nemesis Michael Wentz.
All the folks working at the PSA tables were very busy, helpful, and friendly.
Machodoc and King : slabbed, Larry and I got lost in Caesers - sorry we missed you.
Once we found the buffet, we enjoyed an hour plus of crab munching and card talk.
One final note : why do they call it an EXPRESSway when you're only doing 20 MPH for 60 miles ?
Can't wait till next year !
"How about a little fire Scarecrow ?"