National Sports Collectors Convention

JWBlue

I would possibly like to go one year. Is it worth getting on a plane for?

There are a few cards from the 1980's I am looking for that I can not find online.

Am I likely to find cards at the convention that I can not find online?

How long would it take to visit every table at the convention?

Outside of buying cards is it worth going to?

charrigan

You'd be better off doing a search for "The National". Lots of previous threads that discuss this in depth.

RyanAdmirer

Depending on what those items are I doubt you'll find them there. I don't remember seeing anything there from the 80's that I couldn't find on ebay. What you would see from the 80's would be some top of the line items...Gem Jordans, Marinos, Elways, Gwynns, etc.

Stooge

<< <i>I would possibly like to go one year. Is it worth getting on a plane for?

There are a few cards from the 1980's I am looking for that I can not find online.

Am I likely to find cards at the convention that I can not find online?

How long would it take to visit every table at the convention?

Outside of buying cards is it worth going to? >>

Are you seriously asking those questions about a National card show??? Come to the National in Chicago in 2015 around the end of July/start of August, and You my friend will leave there with no regrets. You will find everything you are looking for including Darryl Strawberry's Rookie Crack Pipe!

Best week of you life!!!

Gemyanks10

<< I would possibly like to go one year. Is it worth getting on a plane for?

There are a few cards from the 1980's I am looking for that I can not find online.



<< <i>Am I likely to find cards at the convention that I can not find online?

How long would it take to visit every table at the convention?

Outside of buying cards is it worth going to? >>

Are you seriously asking those questions about a National card show??? Come to the National in Chicago in 2015 around the end of July/start of August, and You my friend will leave there with no regrets. You will find everything you are looking for including Darryl Strawberry's Rookie Crack Pipe!

Best week of you life!!! >>



This makes me want to go even more Paul thanks for the heads up! LOL.

As you know, I've yet to go to The National myself and have read all the threads in the past, and with each passing year, and reading all the threads with people's pickups etc, it makes me want to go more and more.

AC000000

<< <i>I would possibly like to go one year. Is it worth getting on a plane for? >>



It depends on the cards you are looking for. There are some ways to reduce the costs of the trip, but any flight out of either airport would probably be $300 minimum, unless you get a super duper early bird flight on line with Southwest. Probably looking at a sunk expense of $500-1000 with airfare, stay, food, etc. Is the card worth adding that much on to the purchase price to make it worth the trip?

There are lots of other reasons to go. Most dealers bring their "A" Game material. Just walking up and down the aisles you'll see more and better memorabilia than at the BB HOF. And some display it as such. There is everything there in cards and memorabilia, supplies, autographs, displays. And you'll see a HOF line up of autograph guests. There are various "meet ups" of CU board members, the PSA luncheon, the Net 54 Din Din, the Grading Card Companies, Card Companies, etc.

You can visit all the tables in maybe 4-5 hours depending on what you are looking for and how closely you look at each table, if you just take a cursory glance at each table to see you has what. If you are going to be digging in at each table at every card you'll need two weeks. But the National web site should have a list of the dealers setting up, so you could contact them and see if they have what you are looking for and decide if it is worth the trip.

And there is also Chicago to see and do. Tour the two BB fields, see a game, see the city. There are ways to make the trip on the cheap, but the airfare is the main thing.

alnavman

A number of years ago I went to the National in chicago, pluses from what I see is that there are hotels across the street from where the show was taking place....rosemont I beleive was name of place where the convention took place and I went for three days. don't know if you have any young kids but my son and I really enjoyed it. He was about ten at the time. buy the multiday pass and go as many days as you can. just my random thoughts on a day that is predicting much rain for us here in the cleveland area.

al

cardcountry

A no doubt must do!!

Jeff

cardcountry

Ugh. Sorry double post!!

Jeff

bounce

if you've never been, you should go

chicago is a great city for it as there are many other things to do than just the show, as if that isn't enough

whether you find the cards you're looking for or not, it's definitely worth it - you can't see all that any place else

i was planning for cleveland, but decided late to wait for chicago - i will definitely be there next year no matter what

ThoseBackPages

It really is like nothing else. to try to describe it to someone that's never been, really is not possible.

if you just "like" cards, its the mecca