Here’s some notes from the National………
I should have updated on a daily basis but just didn’t get ‘er done……….
Big highlight for me was getting Dan’s 1932 U.S. Caramel Presidents Cancelled set with McKinley graded by SGC. The grading companies have gone to a system where they’re getting more and more of the pie on higher dollar cards. Although it takes just a little longer for review probably, grading a $20,000 card, now costs $1500 at the show. A $100 value card cost $35 to get graded. Kind of crazy. With the punches, the McKinley graded a SGC20 or “1”. The rest of the cards graded SGC30 or “2” with the backstamps
Stayed at the Hyatt next door. Nice in that it’s walking distance and didn’t have to get the car out and drive to the $30/day parking area…..
The show was at the Donald Stephens Convention Center…..home to a number of Nationals over the last 20 years……….
The Chicago location is one of our favorites because right across the street is Gibson’s steak house and you can scoot over there for lunch and for $14 get a great burger and fries or (3) Filet Mignon sliders and fries. A crappy hot dog, chips and coke in the show is about $12.00. So a no brainer.
The show seems to offer less and less to collectors of nonsports. There are fewer and fewer dealers with nonsports cards and what the bulk of them have is mostly 1950’s and 1960’s Topps, Bowman and other cards. A few dealers had older stuff including Steve Sabow:
Terry Knouse
Some cool wax packs at one guys table:
Wax was VERY popular around for sports and nonsports……..BBCE is the ‘authenticator’ of wax and they had a ton of Garbage Pail and Star Wars wax……..
BREAKING wax is now a HUGE HUGE thing. They have a separate pavillion where people do group breaks and vlog (like a written blog but it’s video……for those who didn’t know what VLOG was…..like I didn’t really) the results. People buy into a group break and buy a team or some piece of the action in some capacity.
Some sports notes too……….
This guy, Tim Carroll does artwork creating cards FROM cards………this picture of the 1953 Topps Satchell Paige card was created from other cards that he cuts and uses to craft the original card. Taking a view from farther out, it looks like neat artwork but closer up, you can see how the cards are cut to make the final product. Incredibly cool stuff.
Some Great graded sports packs (and a HOW Pack at Leland’s)
An incredible Ruth and Gehrig Exhibit collection to be sold at Hunts…………
Great T206 album with cards glued in…………..
All in all it was a good National Convention. Got to see a number of message board participants including Marty Krim and his amazing wife Debby, Tom Ryan, Daniel Hollandbeck and others I’m probably missing. Next year’s National is in Atlantic City. Should be interesting………