Report from the Washington State Sports Collectors Association annual show....

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Just thought people might like to hear my impressions about the state of the hobby based upon my observations at this show.

This show had a whopping 45 tables, which tells you quite a bit about the state of the hobby considering that it is the largest show in the state of Washington each year. There were somewhere between 20-25 dealers in total, from as far away as Portland, OR and Vancouver, BC. Only two of them are full-time dealers and have retail stores. Several older part-timers specializing in stuff of local interest (Washington Huskies, Seahawks/Sonics/Pilots/Mariners).

Graded cards were non-existent....saw less than fifty the entire show.

Younger collectors were also non-existent....saw a total of four kids in the three hours I was there.

Hi-grade raw was also non-existent. I've recently started working on the 1955 Bowman FB and 1956 Topps FB sets, as well as the 1961 Fleer BKB set, and although I was able to purchase 5-10 EX-MT to NM quality cards for each set at the show, did not find a single card that would definitely grade above a 7....

All in all it was a fun, but somewhat depressing (because of the lack of kids), afternoon.....

Matt

Bosox1976

Good update, probably pretty telling (regarding the lack of kids).

DrJ

Cards have not been a Kids game for quite sometime. The 80/90s card boom resulted in high end packs, artificial Short Prints and rare inserts which effectively placed many cards out of a kids price range. Since we are a capitalistic society, kids realized that if they could not afford the higher end packs, there was no reason to buy the affordable packs which were not "worth" anything.

As the market came crashing down on itself the availability of cards locally also decreased. Card shops closed, shows decreased and conveinience stores and news agencies no lo longer carried the goods. Now the only place you will find cards it Target/Wal-Mart, a local card shop if one still exists, or the internet. All of these locations involve parental involvement to take their kids to the locations and physically buy the cards on input their credit card number.

Mass produced cards had little long term value but they were plentiful and readily available in many locations allowing kids to participate in the hobby at a low cost.

mcolney1

I went to the show today around noon. Just a few kids there and from what I could observe they were some of the dealers kids. Picked up some nice raw NM or better 69, 70, 71, 72, 73 and 76 basketball, but I really had to dig. Got a whopping four 75 mini baseball commons in NM - had to thumb through about 1000 to do so. Picked up some 73 baseball commons for fifty cents each, but they were EX-NM at best. Just needed them to fill some holes. Picked up a stack of 66 philly football for a good deal and the dealer promised more at the November show.

I had a great time. I've been going to this show since 1975 and the magic is certainly gone. Can't believe the Gasoline Alley guy is still alive and kicking? But it was great to seem him there and he's one of the few that's held on to his retail store, though ebay is keeping him afloat.

Best find of the show a 1961 Nu Card Mel Melon (WSU Cougar QB) in Mint for a buck!

wolfbear

Thanks for the report.
Wish I would have heard about it. May have made the drive of just over an hour.

Went to a couple of shows at the Tacoma Dome and they really weren't worth the trip since it's further away.

The National is my only can't miss show every year these days ...