Is Your Local Baseball Card Show Booming?

[HolyGrail]

I was amazed how much money people were spending on high-end items at my baseball show this past week. On the East Coast, they're doing really well.

Is The Bull Market Back At Baseball Card And Autograph Shows?   - Forbes

David

[OriolesFan]

I went to a card show in Va. Beach, Va yesterday afternoon. I hadn't been to a local show in 22 months. It was far far far away from "booming". I was there for about two hours, and for me I spent more money in those two hours than I used to spend at five or six shows combined in the past. I didn't pick up much, but I did get a few really nice cards. However, during the two hours I was there, there were no more than five collectors/customers at the show (that includes me). The collectors/customers were out numbered by the dealers. It was so slow that a few dealers packed up & left two hours before the show was going to stop.

[HolyGrail]

Thanks for sharing your experience in Virginia. When collectors outnumber dealers it's not a great sign.

My show was a fairly big one in an upscale county.

I'll be curious to see how the March one holds up.

David

[87hokie]

I haven't been to a card show since the Tuff Stuff show here in Richmond VA left...there haven't even been mall shows around here for years.

The Tuff Stuff show was a fairly large show held annually (they even did 2 shows for a couple of years) at the Richmond Raceway Complex. They had autograph guests and lots of cool stuff...I recall there never being a slow crowd always shoulder to shoulder.

The show was primarily sponsored by Tuff Stuff magazine and had some pull to get some great guests over the years. Including some Hokies

Anyway Tuff Stuff mag was bought by Krause Publications and they sold the show rights to the Collectors' Showcase of America guy, who still does a couple of shows in Northern Va (Chantilly I think) and some other ease coast venues...

Anyway I think his plans were to kill the show off and focus on his other venues - that he did...In less than 5 years after the magazine sold to Krause - the Tuff Stuff Show was no more.

Bummer.

[HolyGrail]

I've heard the Chantilly show is really good. One of the dealers I spoke to this past weekend admitted that you can get better deals on eBay than at shows, which surprised me because I wondered why he made the effort to show up. But these dealers also have to replenish their stock.

Thanks for your response.

David