Remember when flea markets were fun?

JTB

I had nothing else to do last weekend, so I set up a booth at a pretty big flea market. First time in years. The only people making money were the ones selling pork rinds to the other 400-pound vendors. My favorite "customer" was the "full time" card dealer at this flea market who spent 30 minutes going through my 25cent box looking up every card in Beckett. He pulled out $3 worth and then asked for a discount since he's a fellow dealer.

I also had 3 different 60+ gentlemen with cards to sell. Every conversation went just like this:

Him: I've got some cards I want to sell you.
Me: Are they old ones or new ones?
Him: Old
Me: How old?
Him: At least 20 years old. Including a Barry Bonds rookie.
Me: The other dealer here has a lot more money than I do for buying.

JT

lsutigers1973

Our local weekend flea market has one booth with a ton of cards (modern and vintage) and the seller is always willing to make a deal. My last trip to see him I spent $42 and left with 2 Rickey Henderson rookies in EXMT+ condition, a 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan (now in a PSA 7 holder), a 1983 Topps Ripken (now in PSA 10 holder and sold for $75) and a handful of Bowman Chrome rookies.

Our flea market may be the exception.

jivan

Those pork rinds were real fresh..oh, and that other 400 pound guy was my wife.

Nathaniel1960

Flea Markets....the card stores that time forgot. Sorry I can't shell out $15 for that EX-MT 87 Donruss Glenn Braggs RC. I know he was all the rage in the summer of 88, but not so much lately.

gemint

I used to go to a flea market in the early 80s during summer months. I remember seeing a '52 Mantle for $800 in 1981. I would estimate is was in VG condition. That was a lot of money back then, even for that card. I did buy lots of nice cards from one dealer. They stayed in my collection and eventually ended up in PSA 8 holders. Three that I remember were:

1967 Ernie Banks
1965 Harmon Killebrew
1966 Catfish Hunter

There were probably others that came from that seller. Fernando and Kirk Gibson rookies were all the rage that summer.

DiamondDave

I got my first T 206's at flea markets in the 70's and 80's for a few dollars each.

I also picked up half a dozen 55 All Americans including Grange, 4 Horsemen, Hutson for a couple bucks apiece.

Then circa 1990 I decided the money was in rookie cards and traded the All Americans for Cory Snyder/Eric Davis and
Todd Worrell rookies.

Nathaniel1960

First rule of collecting, never trade vintage for modern. Second rule of collecting, don't look back.

jeffcbay

<< <i>I got my first T 206's at flea markets in the 70's and 80's for a few dollars each.

I also picked up half a dozen 55 All Americans including Grange, 4 Horsemen, Hutson for a couple bucks apiece.

Then circa 1990 I decided the money was in rookie cards and traded the All Americans for Cory Snyder/Eric Davis and
Todd Worrell rookies. >>



That was a great 1st post, welcome!

nam812

<< <i>That was a great 1st post........... >>



Took him over 2 years to get it out.

italianstallionyankees

<< <i>Flea Markets....the card stores that time forgot. Sorry I can't shell out $15 for that EX-MT 87 Donruss Glenn Braggs RC. I know he was all the rage in the summer of 88, but not so much lately. >>



lol or a Ron Gant for $10!

italianstallionyankees

<< <i>I got my first T 206's at flea markets in the 70's and 80's for a few dollars each.

I also picked up half a dozen 55 All Americans including Grange, 4 Horsemen, Hutson for a couple bucks apiece.

Then circa 1990 I decided the money was in rookie cards and traded the All Americans for Cory Snyder/Eric Davis and
Todd Worrell rookies. >>




Hi , How ya doin! Ouch! All of us have made some pretty goofy deals before but we learn from them.

hammered

My best-ever flea market purchase was an 82 Topps Traded set for $20. Bought in 1991 at a flea market in Ft. Collins, CO. The Rikpen was mint, and I still have it today

vladguerrero

funny story, i also think quality flea markets are a thing of the past...

bassnbud8

<< <i>Flea Markets....the card stores that time forgot. Sorry I can't shell out $15 for that EX-MT 87 Donruss Glenn Braggs RC. I know he was all the rage in the summer of 88, but not so much lately. >>



dont forget to mention that the card is faded from the sun, has a nice curve to it, has its own grade from the dealer and the price is on a little orange rectangle price sticker!


I scored a '64 clemente for $15 that graded a 8 oc, sold it for $130!!!!!

JohnnyD

I have found some decent older tobacco cards in the "old paper" boxes at our local flea market. One guy I look at with disgust and pass right by is the guy I saw washing a card with a wet washcloth to clean off wax or dirt or whatever grime he transferred to it, and then placing the card under his armpit to dry it.

mtcards

The decent flea market buys are from NON-Full Time Flea Market Dealers. The full-timers sold their good stuff LOOOONNNGGGG ago.


I had two different people come into the store this week to sell cards for "Christmas cash".

Seller #1-Three folders filled with ex-mt cards from the early 90's

Seller #2- Two folders filled with ex-mt cards from the early 90's

Its amazing how much of this garbage is out there and how "collectors" failed to even keep it in good condition.

Indy78

In the early fall of '79, my two older older cousins told me about a card dealer at a flea market about an hour or so south of Gary, Indiana that I should see to fill out my 1979 topps baseball set. They said the guy that runs the shop has everything, but watch out, as he's a cranky old man with a temper. Anyway, the next Sunday afternoon when my family went to the flea market, I sought the guy out, and found his stand inside the main building of the flea market. Essentially, he had his own store/space in the building. As I walked in the door, there was a 6 or 7 year old kid in there with his parents flexing a '79 topps Munson card and saying how the card would be worth something some day because of Munson's early death. The guy shot back gruffly about how the kid was ruining the card by flexing it and saying it would be worthless the way the kid was treating it. His parents promptly grabbed the kid and left. I then went over and found his 79's. He had them in old library file drawers at about 800 to a drawer. I was looking for the last card to complete the set - Tom Grieve - and pulled out the drawer containing his card number. As I was looking for the Grieve, the drawer slipped from my hands, and all 800 or so cards spilled out all over the floor. Boy was he angry! His words were something like, "Beautiful, just beautiful. I suppose your going to just run out of here and leave me to clean up that mess." With shaky knees, I said no, I will help clean it up. He then screamed at me to get out of his place. I was one scared 10 year old. I quickly did an about face, and ran out with him shouting out at me to never come back. There were a couple of 70 year old guys sitting on a bench having a smoke right outside the shop. They saw the whole thing, and were busting a gut as I passed by. I told my cousins about it later, and they too were busting a gut laughing about it. I have mixed feelings about that first experience with a card dealer.

italianstallionyankees

<< <i>The decent flea market buys are from NON-Full Time Flea Market Dealers. The full-timers sold their good stuff LOOOONNNGGGG ago.


I had two different people come into the store this week to sell cards for "Christmas cash".

Seller #1-Three folders filled with ex-mt cards from the early 90's

Seller #2- Two folders filled with ex-mt cards from the early 90's

Its amazing how much of this garbage is out there and how "collectors" failed to even keep it in good condition. >>



Funny thing you mentioned this. A buddy of mine sets up at two or three shows a month and told me that every single person that have brought him cards to sell have been bringing him late 80's early 90's cards . One guy wanted to sell him 20,000 cards of vg 90's cards in 4 large monster boxes he paid the guy $10 for the monster boxes, because he wouldn't go away and right in front of him dumped all the cards out in a trash bag and taped a free sign near his booth lol The guy at first wanted at least $100 lol True story

Xtrainningscards

I sell modern cards at a flea market, and the market I go to has several dealers that do the same, and attract some buyers. Only problem I have is the market is down for selling cards, so I added video games. All I can say is I would rather pay $10 for 6 hours of selling, then $100+ for a mall show, and 30+ hours of selling. I did over $1000 in sales in 1 day at the market, and have had buddies do as well. This is in Pennsylvania, and I also ran into one near Clearwater Florida, and got some good buys, and saw some nice current cards. My best flea market buy was a 1994 ARod collectors choice gold sig parallel for $1, this was before he got real hot, and sold for $209.

otwcards

I made the mistake of setting up at a local church show about 2 years ago at the request (begging - he gave me the table for $10 vs $25) of the promoter. I had gone once or twice previously and spent more money on a hot dog, soda and admission than cards. Anyway, I figured I'd kill an afternoon and maybe find something to buy while I set up.

Put out mostly inexpensive stuff (under $100 items) that I had and put a couple of nicer Yankees, Devils and Giants items in another showcase. Didn't sell anything to the public, got scolded for my asking prices (mostly the same as they go for on eBay or a little less) and had to field purchase offers on beat up Jeter cards every time someone asked the price on the PSA Jeter SP. The one guy that did some sales had cards strewn on his table and had sections priced 10/$.25, 10/$1, 5/$1 and $1 each. He "cleaned up" (his own words) and cleared almost $100 for the afternoon. Pretty impressive, I must say!

Needless to say, I haven't bothered to set up at anything other than a major show since. At small shows like this, too much of the public doesn't have a clue about the market and its too tiring to try to explain it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again when you're not doing any sales. It just makes a dreary day drearier...

VintageCardLover

Before i used to set up at the local flea market I shopped there on occasion. One day i pulled 3 Willie McCovey WL variations out of his "star" box. Dealer clearly had no idea about the variations, I dont think I paid more than $1 each. Kept the nicest one (Ex-minty) and sold the other two over the years.

DrLou

I was shopping for a fishing rod and other gadgets at a flea market this summer and made the mistake of looking mildly interested at one vendor's junk wax box of 86 topps if i remember correctly. Before i said anything this "kid rock" looking guy offered me the full box for $20. Before I could blink the price was $15. As I attempted to mouth out "no thanks" the price dropped to $10...you get the drift. Alot of junk wax and starting lineups too. There was one guy who sold vintage cards (and gutter elbows) but his cards were a bit too beat up for me.

Morgoth

Local shows are a great way to get away from the wife and kids for an afternoon but if you are looking to make a supplemental income you might be disappointed. I have made over 2K in one day and less than 30 so I go in hoping to make my table and then enough money for lunch. After that everything is gravy.

stevek

I don't go nearly as often as i used to...but i don't think much has changed with the flea markets i go to over the past 10 or 20 years - same old junk and new junk. LOL

Of course ya always think there's that chance of finding that first time naive seller or that hidden gem from even an established seller....hasn't happened for me yet. LOL

eyebone

4:00 AM....cannot sleep, so, naturally, here I am.

For the past decade or so I have set-up at a sporadically run "flea market show" (usually held once or twice a year, occasionally three times, and sometimes it is not held at all). I can say with confidence that it attracts fewer collector types with each passing year. I remember doing quite well when I first began and the stream of collectors was reasonably steady. There were always guys with checklists trying to fill vintage sets and a day in excess of 1k in sales was commonplace. In the past couple of years, however, it has become more of a burden that anything, and sales to fellow "dealers" outnumber those to attendees.

Eyebone

mtcards

Another reason I think flea markets arent doing as well card wise is the internet. People would rather sit at home and buy what they want than to go out and walk aroudn a little. I see this in my business as well. People go online to buy plaques and trophies (The most assinine thing in the world by the way) instead of coming into the store and checking out prices. We beat the average online price and quality by quite a bit. I have been told by people who get burned buying an online plaque that they just didnt have time to come in...come on!!! 10 minutes and you only live 5 minutes from the store.. People have realllllly gotten lazy lately.

Guru

A couple of years ago I was setting up shop at the Slugger Museum in Louisville when they would have Saturday shows. All the guys there knew each other and wouldn't really trade or buy/sell with newbies. Even after going a couple of times I couldn't get my foot in the door. Plus these guys had money. I mean serious bank, because they were dropping like $200 on one pack of cards. At that time I didn't know that those things existed, but it was a lesson learned.
I thought about setting up shop at a flea market or even a mall show or two, but it's just not worth it anymore. With ebay out there everyone seems to have become an expert in pricing. No one is ever willing to negotiate and buyers become super offended if you don't offer them full book value for their crappy cards.
The greatest thing that came out of doing that is that I met some new people, found some buddies that I still trade with, and learned a lot about the card market.

scashaggy

I bought a lot of cards at flea markets in the past, not so much any more.

SoonerCowboy

<< <i>Those pork rinds were real fresh..oh, and that other 400 pound guy was my wife. >>



Fresh pork rinds are awesome. There was a butcher shop in TN when I was stationed there that made fresh pork rinds and you would get a small bottle of their hot sauce. Pretty good but you could feel your arteries closing. I would all most go back there just to get a couple of bags.