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Anyone go to the White Plains show this weekend??

Missed this show again. Would love to hear a show report from anyone who attended
Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion

Comments

  • MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    My guess would be that there was a bunch of raw vintage cards overgraded and priced like it was already graded, slabbed cards priced at about 1.5 to 2X ebay prices and some good deals on GAI cards.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
  • I was curious to see what the size of the show was. How many dealers? Raw vs. graded. Was there an increase in the number of dealers selling unopened material (new and vintage).
    Also, wanted hear about any experiences with the autograph guests.
    Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    I have not been to that show since Gloria ran it into the ground.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • I have not been to that show since Gloria ran it into the ground.

    Steve, I went to the show religiously. I would always find something to buy and would drop 1-2K every time I went. I understand Glorias son/children were running the show the last few years before the sold out to JP. He's been trying to improve the show with free and low cost autograph guests. He really needs to either bring in some fresh dealers, or designate an area of the show for just collectors to sell or swap. Offer them a 1/2 size collector/swap table for free or full size for a discount. After 2-3 shows, you than have the choice to move onto the dealers floor or downsize to just the collector/swap table.
    The biggest hurdle to a collector wanting to become a dealer is the table cost. This would allow a newbie dealer to get a taste of the biz without laying out to much expense. It would also bring in some fresh material to the show and allow collectors to establish some trading partners.
    It's just sad how over the last few years the NY show market went from 2-4 shows every weekend in the Tri-state area, to 1 show every other month
    Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion
  • why would you offer tables free when there are dealers paying around $400 a booth? Where is the fairness in that? I started doing shows when i was 17 and started with the smaller shows, where i paid $30 for a table and worked my way up. That is what someone who is interested in learning the business should do.
    www.sportsnutcards.com
    Specializing in Certified Autograph Cards, Rookies, Rare Inserts and other quality modern cards! Over 8000 Cards in stock now! Come visit our physical store located at 1210 Main St. Belmar ,NJ
  • why would you offer tables free when there are dealers paying around $400 a booth? Where is the fairness in that? I started doing shows when i was 17 and started with the smaller shows, where i paid $30 for a table and worked my way up. That is what someone who is interested in learning the business should do.

    Because the times have changed. There are no small shows any longer. There are hardly any big shows. Read the post and you'll see I state "Offer them a 1/2 size collector/swap table for free or full size for a discount."
    The show is stagnating because it's the SAME 50 dealers, with the SAME merchandise.
    I also state "designate an area of the show for just collectors to sell or swap". I should have been a little more explicit by pointing out that this area should be separate from the dealer area. I shouldn't have assumed.
    Since there are no smaller shows and this is 1 of 2 tri-state area big shows (I'll assume you are not from the tri-state area. This area encompasses the boros of NYC, middle to northern NJ, lower Westchester and upward towards Yorktown Heights and CT out to Stamford. This geographic location has an approximate population of over 20 Million residents...roughly), it's virtually impossible to start at a small show and work your way up.
    My suggestion wasn't about fairness, it was about trying to find a creative way to re-invigorate the White Plains show. My suggestion was a way of addressing the problem on 3 fronts. #1 Trying to incubate new dealers/collectors #2 which would bring a varying degree of different inventory and selection to the show #3 re-new interest and increase show attendance.
    Finally, by making the collector/swap table a 1 or 2 time offering, a person can determine quickly if it's worth upgrading to full dealer status.
    Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion
  • i agree frank good post
  • MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    Having a collectors area is a great idea but the dealers would never allow it. They would boycott if you had an area where a collector might trade with someone other than them. The show is designed usually to funnel the collectors to the big dealers first (the Mr. Mint in your face right when you walk in syndrome) and the the newbie dealers in the very back. They want to have first pick of all the stuff coming and don't want collectors walking away with good stuff for sale to the collector's area.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
  • gaspipe26gaspipe26 Posts: 1,614 ✭✭✭
    Remember years ago when it was upstairs and packed! Its been a long time.
  • if there was a collectors area for trading, you know mr mint would have his grubby hands all over that, looking to steal away some great cards from unsuspecting people...
  • MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    Mr Mint was totally in my face
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
  • you should have told him to get some dental work, he has some of the worst crowns i have ever seen!
  • Having a collectors area is a great idea but the dealers would never allow it. They would boycott if you had an area where a collector might trade with someone other than them.

    You might be right on this point, but again, this is 1990 thinking. Show attendance is down. Way down. Why are these dealers always bringing the same material to these shows? It's because they are not buying fresh collections. Why are they not buying fresh collections? Because most collectors are selling their dupes or other material on Ebay.
    There is a new business paradigm and if card shows are to survive, promoters and dealers need to experiment and try different things to bring back the collectors.
    What is the biggest complaint we hear about Ebay? Rising fees.
    Show promoters can use this to their advantage as I illustrated in my earlier post.
    As for dealers boycotting a show because a non-dealer might get a smaller discounted or free table in the back somewhere? I say, let them. It's the dealer that attends who will be able to get access to this new material. Whether it be by trade or not.
    My suggestions were just a way of getting attendance up at shows and getting people back into the hobby on a face-to-face basis.
    Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion
  • gosteelersgosteelers Posts: 2,668 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Remember years ago when it was upstairs and packed! Its been a long time. >>



    Wait, it's only downstairs now? That show used to be absolutely hopping with activity, both upstairs and downstairs. I haven't been there in about 12 years or so. I used to have to wait in a long line just to get in the place!
  • I haven't been there in about 2 years. I used to be there every show. The last time I went I spent about $20. $13 of it was on admission and parkingimage
    Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion
  • I actually am from NJ, and i attend the white plains show every time. The shows upstairs are usually bigger and better then the ones downstairs, but i have never failed to sepnd all of my money that i bring with me, at the show. I think there is generally a good mix of modern/autographs/vintage and it seems like there are some new faces at every show. I am more a modern card buyer, but i am always able to find deals at the show which i can re-sell for a profit...Also, there are still many small shows in nj that run on a monthly basis. I can name 5 or 6 shows that run every month, as well as mall, shows that run quarterly. its no the early 90's, but i would say nj has one of the largest amounts of monthly shows compared to other states.
    www.sportsnutcards.com
    Specializing in Certified Autograph Cards, Rookies, Rare Inserts and other quality modern cards! Over 8000 Cards in stock now! Come visit our physical store located at 1210 Main St. Belmar ,NJ
  • QUITCRABQUITCRAB Posts: 1,016 ✭✭✭
    Just wanted to chime in-JP has done a wonderful job with his shows-He has kept admission price down, has on site grading sometimes,supplies vendors,free autographs and he makes it kid freindly-my 8 year old loves going...he is always handed something like a free pack, a wheaties box,and there is usally a free raffle going on every hour. He thinks that is so cool.

    Jp has to charge a lot for a table at white plains...it must be a sick amount of money to rent that place.

    I live in long island,and he usually has one to two shows a month at hotels/colleges....I would guess that the table price for those shows are 100 dollars or less...so a collector can do a show on a sat/sunday for a pretty resonable cost.These shows get a fair amount of traffic.Recently at a Hofstra show my little guy points out a 58 WS batting foes card (Aaron/Mantle)..it was marked 99.00 and it looked really nice..."When something is to good to be true it probably is"...I figured the card was trimmed....I took the card over to GAI for a 5 dollar pre grading fee...It measured correctly and was given a 7.5...needless to say I bought it.It is probably a psa 6 maybe a psa 7....You can find some good deals at shows and your not going to find that on ebay too much....cash talks and dealers deal.

    As far as cards go, JP himself has about every topps card from 50s on up to the last 70s..and his prices are great
    If you collect pre war, John Goodman is always there selling a wide variety of cards. And then there is Ricky selling a lot of oddball issues from the 50s to 70s.Granted I see the same cards over and over,but eventually new cards appear.

    Hey at least some one is doing shows and it gets you out of the house...you get to meet other collectors, touch the cards, rummage through bargin bins...
    Scott In Long Island
  • Hey Scott. Where are you from on L.I.? I'm from Huntington.
    Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion
  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭
    The thing that puzzles me about the sportscard market is the enormous disconnect between Ebay prices and show prices. I can see how, and why, Ebay prices would be lower, but the disparity between these two markets is confounding.

    Consider the benefits of setting up a table that are distinct from whatever profits you might make via selling.

    a) You get out of the house for the weekend. I don't know what that's worth to everyone here, but to me that alone is worth at least a hundred bucks.
    b) You give yourself the opportunity to make a decent score if somene walks in with some decent cards that they really want to sell.
    c) At most shows you have a chance to poke around before the doors open and buy anything that appeals you to from other dealers.

    With all this in mind, how much would a guy have to make at a show (net, not gross) in order to make it a worthwhile weekend? $500? $700? If these numbers are at all correct then you should easily be able to make this by just buying some lots on ebay, marking them up 30% and letting it rip. You'll still have the most inexpensive stuff at the show (by far), and you would only need to sell about $2000 gross or so to hit your magic number.

    From what I've seen and heard that $2000 mark would be no problem. We have a guy at our local monthly show at Gibraltar who tripped into a lot of 2,000,0000 cards--all stars--from the four major sports which set him back about $.05 a card, and he sells this stuff all day for a quarter a card. At one show he grossed $600 on Friday alone, and a 'usual' weekend for him sees about $1000 in sales from those quarter boxes. Tack on whatever he sells from the showcase and he has to be making close to a grand a weekend.

    If a guy jmade a decision to spent 4-5 grand on lots of GU, auto and insert cards off of Ebay and sold it all for $2-$5 a card I would think he'd have a great chance to have some very strong results at the average show. But nobody seems to do this, which seems puzzling.
  • You are correct. I know a dealer who buys lots on eBay and resells them in his .25 and $1 boxes. In fact he just purchased 575 basketball cards of Iverson, Jordan, Lebron, Kobe etc. for $39.69 shipping included. He'll buy about 10 lots like this and sell them all day for .25 each. Occasionally he says he finds a $25 card mixed in. He'll have roughly .07 in a card and sell it for .25. All he says is, "people love the quarter and dollar boxes." I hope to do the same when my boys get a little older and can go to shows with me.
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