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The Wrapper - Non-Sports magazine
1420sports
Posts: 3,473 ✭✭✭
As a kid, I bought Star Wars, Wacky Packs, Battlestar Galactica, Kiss and Jaws cards. Trying to recoupe some of my youth as I get older, I started thinking of buying these cards raw (and with the intention of keeping them raw), then our good friend Jay told me about "The Wrapper". I emailed the publisher and just received a complementary copy. Pretty basic but also very informative - at least to me as I do not know much about the market. Man, there is a lot of stuff out there.
Special thanks to Jay for giving me info on how to get into yet another costly venture
The Wrapper (630)443-9690
LesWrap@cs.com
thewrappermagazine.com
Special thanks to Jay for giving me info on how to get into yet another costly venture
The Wrapper (630)443-9690
LesWrap@cs.com
thewrappermagazine.com
collecting various PSA and SGC cards
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I just found a web-site for the upcoming NS show I mentioned to you the other day.
Phill Non-sport card show next weekend
edited to ask: Anybody ever go to these and care to share ?
But I was down in the Philly area for about 6 years (95 - 00) and attended the non-sport show as often as I could. Let me share some of my (less than expert) thoughts!
Non-sports is certainly less of an arena than the sports world. I always hoped to go to a non-sports show much like the Philly Sports Expo...but alas no such luck in my area. The Philly non-sports show is the NEXT BEST thing. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in spirit and quality. Several quality dealers set up there to show their stuff.
It is a first rate long-running show, that is definitely a classy affair. Good dealers, card company representatives, and several promos to get excited about. (Topps actually issued a Mars Attacks promo there that was a precursor to their archive set release, but it doesn't reference the archive at all...also done in the smaller card size. If I collected MA...I would get it graded and show it with my set!!!)
Whether you collect vintage or current, there are enough dealears to satisfy most non-sports collectors. I think it runs Friday and Sat and most people that are serious get there early Friday to get a good run at the tables.
I was not doing any grading at the time, so I can't speak to any volume of graded non-sports, but I was collecting 1966 Lost In Space cards at the time. I know that there were at least 6 or 7 dealears with those at the show (huge when you are hunting a full set!!!), and the price for a single card ranged from $5 to $20. I was not willing to spend $20 for the nicest cards (Anyone got a time machine?), but found really nice well centered examples. When I got around to grading them in 2002, I found I had a lot of 6's, a good crop of 7,s and even a couple of 8's in the group. Not bad for "mid" priced cards. This speaks to the quality of the dealers. The prices were pretty accurate for someone who knew little about how important card condition should be. To this day, I rarely see raw cards this good on EBAY.
Plus I spent hours talking to all the dealers about how to finish my set, what the short prints were, etc. And they all were VERY helpful. Again, I knew very little at the time...embarassingly so!!! Again I think it speaks to the dealers reputations. First rate all the way...novice or expert.
I also think they have some real finds there. I bought a 1977 Star Wars blue card uncut sheet there. (Reasonably priced...or so I told my wife!!!). I have yet to see another one since (please don't tell me that they are a dime a dozen...I'll be crushed!!!) But for non-sport people that love such things, the opportunity to purchase face to face is few and far between.
Just my two cents...let me know if you go..you can hunt my wantlist down!!!
Live long, and prosper.
Always looking for 1957 Topps BB in PSA 9!
I even won the contest last month, all I did was eMail Les and I was entered, I won a bunch of non sport cards and a
$50 certificate to be used w/ any dealer. I ended up getting 2 T206 cards w/ my winnings...jay
Website: http://www.qualitycards.com
thanx for the recommendation.
I too find the non-sport dealers interesting to talk to, seemingly more passion than i've grown used to in the sportscard world. Maybe it's because it's new ground for me to cover, mybe it's just the nature of NS still being more hobby than.....well, whatever sportscards has turned into.
Non-sports is a little easier to get your arms around.
Have you made a decision to go to the show, or still just thinking about it?
PS - I apologize for (continuing) to stray in this thread....The Wrapper is a great source for non-sport collectors...I certainly reccommend it.
Live long, and prosper.
-Mike
What are considered the most valuable cards in the nonsports hobby?
Mars Attacks checklists?
Horrors of War Hitler cards?
topic
The Wrapper is a great magazine. I read the editorial and I think that nonsport collectors' attitudes about grading are similar to those of sportscards collectors in the early 1990s.
Koby-
As far as modern era size cards, ie 2 1/2 x 3 1/2. The mars attacks checklist along with the wacky packages die cuts cracked animals and ratz crackers are the most valuable that come to mind. Issues from the 30's, there are quite a few that would comand 1,000+ in higher graded. the hitler cards as you stated, as well as the high series from the lone ranger and superman to state just a few.
on topic:
koby-
I think you may be right on this, i'm sure people will come around, i did.
-Mike