What was your best deal at the National??

glossycrazy

Howdy!
Seems like every year many of our fine board members make some great deals at the National.. Would anyone like to share their good fortune with the rest of us??
Paul

Griffins

I found a bunch of packs I'd been looking for for some time.
'54 Redman pack with Gilliam showing
'67 Pirates Sticker pack
'69 mini sticker pack
'70 Baseball story books pack
'74 Cartoon pack

Also picked up a '34 Goudey Knot Hole league patch, some E91b's, and a '34 Goudey patent card of Mickey Cochrane.
Not a single item I set out looking for, but all very cool. I"m pretty happy overall.

NickM

1973-74 Topps ABA Scoring Leaders PSA 8 (Erving and Issel) for $4 (SMR $25)
1969 Topps Clendenon Expos (VG or VG/EX) for $0.10
10 unopened boxes of 2003-04 In the Game Toronto Star at 3 for $10
3 2003-04 UD PlayMakers LeBron James bobbleheads (MIB) for $10.

I have a monster box that cost me about a penny a card to go through.

I also bought close to 200 graded cards, with the vast majority being at less than $5 from DSL (who dropped to $3.25 apiece for what they had left this afternoon if you were buying in quantity).

Arguably my best deal was buying the VIP admission, which got me manufacturer freebies, 12 free autograph tickets, and other free autographs on Wednesday.

Nick

marz

free room at the Sheraton
free pass for all days
free sushi dinner on Thursday night

and free HBO whereby I watched "40 year old virgin" and laughed until I dropped.

oh yeah and a raw N-28 Clarkson for $400 that instantly graded an 8 I sold two hours later for $3500

that worked!

jayhawke

<< <i>oh yeah and a raw N-28 Clarkson for $400 that instantly graded an 8 I sold two hours later for $3500 >>


I can't belive someone would sell that card raw unless they thought it was trim, etc. They are set up at the biggest show of the year, they know if they graded it it would bring 5-10 more money. They see tons of graded cards. Nice find and a nice way to pay for your trip and pick up some more cards for free. What else did they have at their table?

blue227

I scored a nice '64 Meadow Gold Dairy uncut panel of Mantle, Mays, Koufax & Mazeroski! It was a holy grail that i never thought i'd find.

NickM

Sometimes the best pickups at the National aren't about the "deal". Marz and I both answered with buys at a fraction of normal prices (although marz's is a lot more impressive than mine), while Griffins and blue both mentioned really cool items. In that vein, my coolest pickup was a 1970 Action Cartridges Willie Davis, still in its full original blister pack box, for $25. Willie signed it the same day.

Nick

flatfoot816

Griffins--I would love to see a scan of the Pirates pack and the '69 Mini pack. What a score! I recently picked up a wrapper form the '69 mini and considered that a score. What did you pay for those 2 packs and who did you get them from?

mariner

I picked up a number of items but the best is a 1962 Topps Clemente PSA 8 that was just freshly graded at the show and it looks like a 9. Plus, I got it for less than SMR when other Clementes in the show were marked well above SMR.

80sJunkie

I left my bank with steve hart at the show

1985 donruss wax case 1500
1987 fleer wax case 1200
1985 topps wax case 1800
1972 opeechee box 1000
1975 topps mini box 3 x 1100
1985 leaf wax case 1000
plus lots of single vintage wax packs and psa graded balls.
I would say i didi alot better than expected. But as usual i waited till sunday on alot of the wax cases and got good deals

Griffins

Manny-
Got them from Steve Hart (who else?) and they immediately went to PSA for grading. I bought 4 packs from him for about 1300, the Redman pack came from someone else for about 900. Considering what the last Redman pack went for in Goodwin I thought I got a good deal. Tried to get it graded by neither PSA nor GAI will grade them anymore, due to size.
I did pass on a '64 Standup nickel pack from Steve- tought to find, but the eye appeal wasn't as strong as I would've liked. It had Drysdale showing, and ended up selling sometime on Friday.

Mantlefan

Hey Nick M......selling any of your pickups this year????

HammeringHank

Good question, in fact one that I was going ask...

This turned out to be one of the best Nationals for me...I had a great time...and made some fabulous finds...

First, I bought two PSA 9's 1961/62 Fleers Baseball cards from a vendor...each for $60 (both commons)...one was a pop 1 the other a pop 4!!! I figure that they were worth at least 3 times that...

Next, I bought the #1 card in the set (another 9)...only 2 exists...where the other is who knows...it's not on the registry!!!...virtually an impossible card to find in this state...

Last, I bought a ungraded #48 Ban Johnson for $35...graded it...and it came back as a PSA 9! (one of 4 now)...

Maybe my best story is that I finally graded some of my 1963 Topps that I opened as a boy...graded 15 cards...8 came back as PSA 8's and 3 came back as PSA 9's...I figure I paid about a half cent for each card in 1963...the 9's were all low pop cards...SMR $130 each...probably get more like twice that if I sold them...so yes...Virginia there is a Santa Claus...

thesplendidsplinter

I found 7 original artworks (the cartoon drawings on the backs of the cards) from the 1967 Baseball set that were from the '89 Topps Auction. Four of them I purchased already & will purchase the other 3 this week. The ones that came home with me were # 385 Jim Fregosi, # 406 Lee Elia, HOF # 456 Phil Niekro AND the piece de resistance................ # 430 Mr Pete Rose!!!! Talk about the perfect addition to my 67 set!! Will get all of them matted & framed with 2 cards (front & back) to go along with them. Had to buy 2 raw Rose cards for the display that set me back another $125 but I cannot freaking wait!! Could not be happier!

Stone, I think you may have one, correct? Imagine my thrill of getting the Niekro & the Rose! Talk about 1 of 1's!!

When I get them framed, I will post a pic.

marz

<< <i>

<< <i>oh yeah and a raw N-28 Clarkson for $400 that instantly graded an 8 I sold two hours later for $3500 >>


I can't belive someone would sell that card raw unless they thought it was trim, etc. They are set up at the biggest show of the year, they know if they graded it it would bring 5-10 more money. They see tons of graded cards. Nice find and a nice way to pay for your trip and pick up some more cards for free. What else did they have at their table? >>



the guy had four other N-28s for me to buy but I was out of spending cash and needed to drive home!

marz

<< <i>I found a bunch of packs I'd been looking for for some time.
'54 Redman pack with Gilliam showing
'67 Pirates Sticker pack
'69 mini sticker pack
'70 Baseball story books pack
'74 Cartoon pack

Also picked up a '34 Goudey Knot Hole league patch, some E91b's, and a '34 Goudey patent card of Mickey Cochrane.
Not a single item I set out looking for, but all very cool. I"m pretty happy overall. >>



No way! your best deal was meeting ME and you know it!

GOODLIEU

I was searching for obscure Basketball Hall of Fame player autographs on mainstream cards and was lucky enough to find a 1957 Topps George Yardley card signed and in nice shape. PSA/DNA authenticated it and gave it a PSA 6 on the grade and I have entered it into my HOF auto registry. For me a great find. What really made me happy was a Wilt Chamberlain Inkredible auto that I purchased on EBAY for about $300 when they first came out and it came back a PSA 10 at the on-site grading. Very Happy.