I was set up at a small show in Bordentown N.J. today.

nam812 · November 1, 2009 11:19AM

It was only the 3rd time I ever set up to sell at a show (first time at this venue), and although I didn't even have an ok selling day, I may do it more often because I really like interacting with the show crowd. I tried to be the opposite of all the sellers I've encountered at shows in the past (the over-seller type, the desperate type, the bath-needing type, etc....), and found that most people wanted to talk a little sports as the perused (unfortunately most only perused).

One bright side was that there was a fair amount of kids at the show, and they were riffling through some of the modern dealers dime, quarter, and fifty cent boxes, and finding 10, 20, 30 cards for just a few bucks. Also stationed in front of these modern value boxes were older collectors (like 40s ,50s, and up) which I found odd, but with the lack of experience I have selling at shows, this may actually be the norm. I'd have thought most collectors in that age group would be there for vintage cards.

As for my table, it consisted of about 700 raw cards (mostly stars and hall of famers) between 1952 and 1975 individually holdered and clearly priced, and two bargain bins (at least I thought so) of vintage cards (1958 to 1975) starting at $1.50 each or $2.50 each (depending on which bin you went through) and discounting from there based on quantity purchased (ie - $1.50 each, 10 for $14, 20 for $25, $30 for $30).

While I dont think I was too high on the pricing of the raw cards, I am going to give them a closer look before the next show (which I committed to already), and try to make the pricing a little more attractive without giving them away. Hopefully that, combined with the show regulars seeing me there on a regular basis, will inspire some better sales.

If you took the time to read all that, thanks for letting me share.

CDsNuts · November 1, 2009 11:22AM

I've met you- you are definitely the bath-needing type.

milbroco · November 1, 2009 11:25AM

If I knew there was a show today I may have gone. I am not far from there. Sometime you can get a few good deals at smaller shows. Let me know if you do it again, maybe I can get there. Hope you had a good time at least.............
Bob

Dboneesq · November 1, 2009 11:26AM

Nam ... when I used to set up at small shows back in the 80s, half the fun was talking to the collectors and watching the kids find "bargains" for a couple of bucks. Hope that your next show will be more profitable.

SidePocket · November 1, 2009 11:30AM

Reading this makes me really miss going to shows. There just aren't any around here that I know of and I'm in Southern Cal.

DrJ · November 1, 2009 11:31AM

What type of display cases did you use? I went the local Mall Show this afternoon and it was just plain annoying. All the guys with vintage had it behind cases and not easily searchable. I had to ask for a specific player and specific year then they pulled out a stack of beaters.

Guys that seem to get a lot of traffic are 70s and 80s stars for a buck a piece sorted by year or sport

Guys who get no attention have a monster boxes in no order of all sports frustrating people before they even get a chance to look.

Guys selling supplies also do well as there is only 1 or two of them. I would think this would be a good supplement to selling cards to help recoup show fees. If you become known as the supply guy, you will always have repeat customers coming to your table.

Indy78 · November 1, 2009 11:34AM

Sounds like a great time. Thanks for sharing! I've noticed the same thing at a local monthly show: age 50+ guys gathered around tables of modern stuff, opening heritage baseball boxes, trading modern cards, etc. Pretty cool. In fact, for this one show that comes to mind, I've commonly seen the age 50+ crowd out numbering all other age groups at the modern tables, and mostly the 30 and 40-somethings at the vintage tables.

swartz1 · November 1, 2009 11:43AM

If that was the firehouse on route 206, I hope you ate one of the hotdogs...that would have made my day...

seriously,

grew up in Mount Holly - decent show...

sounds like you had a good time...

Nathaniel1960 · November 1, 2009 11:49AM

Anyone selling anything interesting?

nam812 · November 1, 2009 11:52AM

<< What type of display cases did you use?....... >>

No cases. About 120 cards on the table (6 rows of 20 across), and the other 600 cards stacked and separated by year.

nam812 · November 1, 2009 11:54AM

<< If that was the firehouse on route 206.......... >>

It was a Ramada Inn.

swartz1 · November 1, 2009 11:57AM

I guess that hot dog would have been a walk then...

I hope you at least stopped at Columbus for some deals...

VitoCo1972 · November 1, 2009 12:03PM

Any graded stuff there Nick? I continue to think that the grading game has only taken hold of like 20% of collectors, if not less.

hammered · November 1, 2009 12:10PM

Looks like you had a good setup, though
Last time I set up at a show was during the heyday of '90 Leaf and I made exactly $40 over two days. I blamed it on the fact they stuck me in the back corner.

Just got done glancing through your Champions set - really nice looking 5's and 6's
Real interesting subjects, but I gotta go with the roller skater with 27 medals as the best of the set

nam812 · November 1, 2009 12:10PM

<< Any graded stuff there Nick?....... >>

The room of about 30 tables was 80/20 in favor of modern cards over vintage. The raw cards, whether they were modern or vintage, outnumbered the graded cards by about the same margin.

CDsNuts · November 1, 2009 12:26PM

Seriously, take a shower.

DrJ · November 1, 2009 12:28PM

<< Any graded stuff there Nick? I continue to think that the grading game has only taken hold of like 20% of collectors, if not less. >>

I have seen the same results at local shows (not the big ones obviosuly). Too many dealers still want to use Beckett High Book as the basis of discounting a card that looks like it lived half its life in the spokes of a bicycle. In reality even for the stars from the 50s and 60s, grading will end up causing a loss in re-sale value unless the card is very high end. Raw cards which would grade as PSA 6s are regularly sold at NM-MT prices. Without grading, the dealers also have an easier time suckering the unknowing into a sale.

One dealer today tried to sell me a 1957 Ernie Banks for $100 that had paper loss and 4 dull corners throwing it into PSA 3 land. A second dealer tried to tell me today he was giving me a great deal on a 1951 Robin Roberts by throwing in for free a 1967 Jim Bunning I was also looking at. Bunning would have graded a 5 or 6 and Robin Roberts would have scored probably a 3. He wanted $130 for the Roberts which was more than I would have paid by grabbing a BIN in PSA 6 for both cards right now off of eBay.

I usually just end up buying supplies as the slight markup is usually better than paying shipping on mail order items.

Boopotts · November 1, 2009 12:29PM

<< 

<< Any graded stuff there Nick?....... >>

The room of about 30 tables was 80/20 in favor of modern cards over vintage. The raw cards, whether they were modern or vintage, outnumbered the graded cards by about the same margin. >>

Sounds like our local shows. We usually have tables that fall into one of two 'types'-- either guys with EX-MT vintage, which they're trying to sell at 70% of full book, or addicted box busters who are trying to recoup 20% of their busting fees by selling the GU, autos, etc. If you want an EX- 1961 Mays, you're in luck. If you want a 2002 card signed by Steve Yzerman, you are in luck. If you want to find any card with a limited print run that came out between 1993-2000, or anything MT that was issued pre-1981, you are going to go home with dough in your pocket.

I also second those who have seen a lot of older guys in the modern $.50 boxes. We have a bunch of those two, guys with UM hats and spectacles who park it in a chair at a table with the card numbers they need written on their legal/stenographer pads. I think most of them are just looking for a reason-- any reason--- to get out of the house for a day, and building $75 sets ultimately proves to be a hell of a lot cheaper than building $1250 (or more) sets.

lawnmowerman · November 1, 2009 2:09PM

<< 

<< What type of display cases did you use?....... >>

No cases. About 120 cards on the table (6 rows of 20 across), and the other 600 cards stacked and separated by year.

>>

nam812 · November 1, 2009 10:00PM

<< ........I also second those who have seen a lot of older guys in the modern $.50 boxes. We have a bunch of those two, guys with UM hats and spectacles who park it in a chair at a table with the card numbers they need written on their legal/stenographer pads. I think most of them are just looking for a reason-- any reason--- to get out of the house for a day, and building $75 sets ultimately proves to be a hell of a lot cheaper than building $1250 (or more) sets. >>

Guy, from the chair to the steno pad (if you change the UM hat to a Yankee or Phillie hat) you absolutely nailed it.

TheHun · November 1, 2009 10:54PM

Nam -

You reminded me (and all of us) why the experience of going to a show can be fun.

We now have two kinds of modern collectors - those who have never been to a show and those who remember shows. The former, who are used to ebay - the impersonal way of buying - the complains about not getting what they bought - will beef about the dealers and their overpriced cards. The latter, who have seen the dealers that almost ruined the hobby - by price booking cards to death - the ebay scammers who sell for the gutter prices -

but the great part about show purchases is the immediate gratification of getting your card (after seeing it) and at least 5 or 10 minutes of good card collecting conversation. (If you don't like that, what are you doing here on the message board ?)

Keep up the good spirit of collecting, NAM !

cheers

zep33 · November 1, 2009 11:12PM

I would have bought all your Yankees cards Nick, had I been there

itzagoner · November 1, 2009 11:12PM

wow, what a relief.....i was worried about you Nick.

weird thoughts permeate my brain when i hear about someone being set up in Jersey, glad it was only a card show.

saucywombat · November 2, 2009 2:14AM

<< Sounds like our local shows. We usually have tables that fall into one of two 'types'-- either guys with EX-MT vintage, which they're trying to sell at 70% of full book, or addicted box busters who are trying to recoup 20% of their busting fees by selling the GU, autos, etc. If you want an EX- 1961 Mays, you're in luck. If you want a 2002 card signed by Steve Yzerman, you are in luck. If you want to find any card with a limited print run that came out between 1993-2000, or anything MT that was issued pre-1981, you are going to go home with dough in your pocket. >>

That about sums it up.

I usually spend $20 on junk just to say "Hey an A for effort"

SidePocket · November 2, 2009 2:24AM

< ........I also second those who have seen a lot of older guys in the modern $.50 boxes. We have a bunch of those two, guys with UM hats and spectacles who park it in a chair at a table with the card numbers they need written on their legal/stenographer pads. I think most of them are just looking for a reason-- any reason--- to get out of the house for a day, and building $75 sets ultimately proves to be a hell of a lot cheaper than building $1250 (or more) sets. >>

Pretty insulting comment. Too bad these guys don't look like whatever it is you think a collector's supposed to look like.

Boopotts · November 2, 2009 2:32AM

<< 

<< Sounds like our local shows. We usually have tables that fall into one of two 'types'-- either guys with EX-MT vintage, which they're trying to sell at 70% of full book, or addicted box busters who are trying to recoup 20% of their busting fees by selling the GU, autos, etc. If you want an EX- 1961 Mays, you're in luck. If you want a 2002 card signed by Steve Yzerman, you are in luck. If you want to find any card with a limited print run that came out between 1993-2000, or anything MT that was issued pre-1981, you are going to go home with dough in your pocket. >>

That about sums it up.

I usually spend $20 on junk just to say "Hey an A for effort" >>

Ha! Indeed, I can usually find something (other than a calzone at the food stand) to go home with. But it is strange, though, how little diversity there is among dealers.

nightcrawler · November 2, 2009 2:57AM

I like the sound of a fair amount of young people being there. That's great to hear.

I haven't been to a card show in 14 years. I'm not sure I could even find one near me.

I did make to a comic show last year, there was lots of sports card sellers there.

CDsNuts · November 2, 2009 3:22AM

at least 5 or 10 minutes of good card collecting conversation. (If you don't like that, what are you doing here on the message board ?)

I honestly don't know why I'm here.

Morgoth · November 2, 2009 4:37AM

I set up once a month sometimes more and its pretty comical for me. I carry the only graded vintage in the room normally and almost always the only older FB in the room. Some shows I make under 100 bucks some over 2K it just depends on who shows up. I have about 10 guys who buy regularly, don't like ebay and use things such as "real" auctions to buy so my pricing for the quality seems really good.

Johnnny Adams shows up about every other month and we normally do some deals.

Morgoth · November 2, 2009 4:40AM

Nam you didn't mention any card hustlers at your show. The guys walking around bragging about their pulls or how they got something off ebay for 10% of what they sold it for the next day or bought something from you and sold it on ebay for 200X what you sold it to them for.

Same guys who will find a card they like at your table and keep offering junk for it trying to wear you down to the point of punching them or giving it to them just so they leave you alone.

CDsNuts · November 2, 2009 5:09AM

I don't have it in me to set up at shows. I would just end up drinking all day and insulting people. So pretty much like any other day except I'd be stuck behind a table all day.

SDavid · November 2, 2009 5:44AM

<< I don't have it in me to set up at shows. I would just end up drinking all day and insulting people. So pretty much like any other day except I'd be stuck behind a table all day. >>

I couldn't go that long without scratching myself. Maybe if they made the tables higher...

I always figured a lot of the older guys rummaging through 50 cent boxes were looking for low poppish cards to submit. Where else do people get those cards?

Morgoth · November 2, 2009 7:16AM

No they are looking for cards to finish their 1999 Bowman Chrome sets (sorry Russ)

.

Seriously I have sold tons of 90s and early 2000s inserts and reg cards to people just looking at finishing their sets. I get requests all the time to bring in 2002 topps commons or 1987 Fleer its kinda insane.

Boopotts · November 2, 2009 7:18AM

<< 

<< I don't have it in me to set up at shows. I would just end up drinking all day and insulting people. So pretty much like any other day except I'd be stuck behind a table all day. >>

I couldn't go that long without scratching myself. Maybe if they made the tables higher...

I always figured a lot of the older guys rummaging through 50 cent boxes were looking for low poppish cards to submit. Where else do people get those cards? >>

I don't think so-- in fact, I'm not sure I've ever seen a guy looking through modern cards that was looking for submittable cards. From what I can tell they're all set collectors.

SDavid · November 2, 2009 7:19AM

So what do you sell '87 fleer baseball commons for? Wouldn't half book be something like a penny and half?

Morgoth · November 2, 2009 7:39AM

Generally if they buy something else I give the commons away. If they only want 10 or so and are nice I give em away. If they are beligerent and act angry I didn't think to bring my 92 Fleer Ultra commons its a nickle a piece baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

detroitfan2 · November 2, 2009 11:22AM

<< 

<< ........I also second those who have seen a lot of older guys in the modern $.50 boxes. We have a bunch of those two, guys with UM hats and spectacles who park it in a chair at a table with the card numbers they need written on their legal/stenographer pads. I think most of them are just looking for a reason-- any reason--- to get out of the house for a day, and building $75 sets ultimately proves to be a hell of a lot cheaper than building $1250 (or more) sets. >>

Guy, from the chair to the steno pad (if you change the UM hat to a Yankee or Phillie hat) you absolutely nailed it. >>

Actually, if you change the UM hat to a Yankee or Phillie hat, you've changed a lot more (for the better) than just a hat. Trust me on that one. Would you not agree, Boo?

gumbyfan · November 2, 2009 11:33AM

<< any card with a limited print run that came out between 1993-2000 >>

FACT: If you have these cards for sale at your table, you will recover your table fees and go home with extra cash in your pocket.

I enjoy setting up at shows so I can buy from or trade with other folks or just talk sports.

I haven't set up in ages, but I'm thinking about setting up at the end of the month at a local show.

benderbroeth · November 2, 2009 3:03PM

what is this thing you call a "card show"????

Boopotts · November 2, 2009 11:20PM

<< 

<< 

<< ........I also second those who have seen a lot of older guys in the modern $.50 boxes. We have a bunch of those two, guys with UM hats and spectacles who park it in a chair at a table with the card numbers they need written on their legal/stenographer pads. I think most of them are just looking for a reason-- any reason--- to get out of the house for a day, and building $75 sets ultimately proves to be a hell of a lot cheaper than building $1250 (or more) sets. >>

Guy, from the chair to the steno pad (if you change the UM hat to a Yankee or Phillie hat) you absolutely nailed it. >>

Actually, if you change the UM hat to a Yankee or Phillie hat, you've changed a lot more (for the better) than just a hat. Trust me on that one. Would you not agree, Boo? >>

Ha! I would indeed agree. Three cheers for the Fightin' Illini!

RipublicaninMass · November 2, 2009 11:56PM

<< what is this thing you call a "card show"???? >>

It is now referred to as "ebay live"

RonBurgundy · November 3, 2009 12:15AM

Interesting stuff. The interaction you speak of is what makes shows fun.

swartz1 · November 3, 2009 7:02AM

You set up at a card show...

Showed us a graphic of your table layout...

Had some interactions with some peoples...

Kids were involved...

This happens all the time...

Why was a thread needed?

WinPitcher · November 3, 2009 8:04AM

So trolls could reply?

Steve

I was set up at a small show in Bordentown N.J. today.

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