One of the casualties of the recession could be the softening of the autograph market. While some of the guests at the National Sports Collectors Convention come with hefty price tags, a walk around the convention floor shows prices have dropped.
One dealer is offering Pete Rose autographed Adirondack bats for $59. You're almost paying more for the bat than the autograph of the all-time hits leader. Rose is an autograph factory, but it's still a little shocking. Nolan Ryan balls for $79. Rose baseballs for $39. Gigantic Ryan-Ventura fight photos, signed at around $100. Namath a little more. Rose 3 for $100. We're talking sports bar sized color glossies. Other autograph specialists' tables seemed pretty quiet.
I'm still surprised at how few dealers take credit cards. I know there are costs involved but it seems to me if you're doing even six or seven shows per year and selling online that you're probably leaving more money on the table by turning down willing buyers who come with plastic. Or, like me, who come with cash but prefer to come home with enough money to tip the shuttle bus driver.
How much does it cost for a booth at the National? Most average sized spaces go for around $1000, but you might have to factor in display case rental, electricity and other amenities. At least hotel rooms in Cleveland aren't expensive.
There wasn't any fighting to gain space at dealer tables. No word of any gigantic, historic walk-in item. Still, the 2009 National Sports Collectors Convention seemed to get off to a good start on its first full day.
A fairly steady crowd showed up late in the morning and continued until the 6 PM close. More than one person, however, wondered if the National is doing all it can to bring casual collectors or would-be collectors in the door. We aren't aware of any online advertising pushes made over the last few months, despite the fact that much of the hobby's attention is now focused in cyberspace. The National is a show that folks will drive hours to get to--or even fly to--so it would make sense to have a presence outside the metro area.
Vintage cards again seemed to be good sellers, as is always the case in the Midwest. Unopened vintage packs and boxes were flying off the tables at Baseball Card Exchange. Collectors ripped cello packs of 1955 Topps All-American football on Wednesday night and we saw the sale of an unopened 1977 Topps baseball vendor box. Looking at vintage wax boxes, offered in the thousands of dollars, is worth the price of admission.
Auction houses and dealers in vintage memorabilia save their best stuff for the National, knowing some of the serious collectors also save their big buys for this annual five-day meet.
The newly sold SGC 40 graded T206 Wagner drew crowds at Memory Lane's booth. The company is also passing out 100th anniversary T206 computer mouse pads free of charge, which is a nice touch. PSA was giving away free T206 posters and the chairs at their grading booth were full much of the day. Legendary Auctions, which will run the sale featuring Bob Gibson's collection Friday night in downtown Cleveland, is set up in the middle of the room.
We saw lines at Donruss/Panini as collectors responded to freebie offers and redemptions. The same for Upper Deck. Both, by the way, have increased their online presence on social networks. Topps does not have a corporate booth which seems strange.
We asked, but did not see evidence of the FBI roaming the aisles. Doesn't mean they weren't there, but it's a question many were asking after they showed up and began asking questions last year. We surmise that since the investigation continues into illegal practices in some quarters of the hobby that when it's done, the news will be big. We hear the Bureau will have a presence this weekend.
When the National was in Cleveland in 2007, the corporate booth area marked the middle of the show, but this year's event is decidedly smaller. The corporate booths are now the edge of the show (see photo below). Dealers hope that means a better take for those who invest thousands of dollars to set up at this annual event.
The National Sports Collectors Convention begins Wednesday afternoon at the I-X Center in Cleveland.
This will be the 30th year for the National, it's roots pre-dating even the arrival of Upper Deck, Donruss and Fleer. Not many shows can say that. It's a tribute to the group that's run the event since its inception and the dealers who have been committed to making it a success.
The show is enormous and it's one that hard-core collectors make every effort to attend. I think a lot more could be done to make the show more meaningful for the hobby's long-term future, though.
I seem to remember that in the early days, there were discussions and seminars, an auction and even a guest speaker or two. Most industry "national conventions" are more than just selling events. I'm sure there would be fights among the auction houses to land the contract to be the official National auctioneer but I'm wondering if they couldn't each do something split up among the five days--maybe after the show is over for the day to not take away from the dealers who are there trying to make a buck. A couple of the auctions should be $50 minimum bid sales to attract the average Joes.
The industry surely needs more frank discussion and less endless autograph lines. Still, the National is always a phenomenal place to see the best sports cards and memorabilia in one room. It's mind-blowing, really...a sensation that you can't get online.
Sports Collectors Daily will be there again--offering fresh stories during the show--and bringing back more content for the days to come. If you'd like to say hi or want to chat in Cleveland, drop an email through the Contact form on the left. Hope to see you there.
A little snippet from the Akron Beacon-Journal is heartening...and disheartening... for autograph collectors.
Indians' pitcher Carl Pavano does answer his TTM autograph requests which makes him a decent enough guy, but he's also a collector on some level and sometimes takes a "tip" for his efforts. It seems he also believes there's a big market for his signed cards (and doesn't think collectors actually trade with each other).
Read on...
On one side of the locker room sits Indians right-hander Carl Pavano, dressed in street clothes on a day he's not scheduled to pitch.
With time on his hands before a recent game, Pavano, 33, sorts through letters from fans — most of whom request he sign the enclosed baseball cards and return them in the accompanied self-addressed envelopes.
Before signing, Pavano thumbs through the cards, curious about what stages of his career they represent.
On the rare occasion that he comes across one he doesn't have in his personal collection, he'll keep it and instead sign a bunch of others and include a note of explanation to the sender.
''Sometimes people will send a bunch of the same card they want signed,'' Pavano said. ''I'll sign a couple, but I know what they're doing with them.''
Upper Deck issued a press release Tuesday, offering free packs if the National League could beat the A.L. in the All-Star Game.
In February, inside its 2009 Series One Baseball product, the company released a nine-card insert set entitled: “Historic Firsts Predictors.” One of nine predictions was the NL breaking a 13-year drought in the All-Star Game. Upper Deck promised to “do something big” if it happened, but fans saw yet another American League win.
Upper Deck didn't get specific as to how it would distribute those free packs--or what they were--but we don't have to worry about that, now do we?
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Topps' internet comedy series "Back on Topps", featuring the Sklar brothers as heirs to the Topps trading card company, will return for another season. The show did well enough to attract a decent audience last year --and benefitted from some guest appearances by current and former players.
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A fan latched onto the 300th career home run ball off the bat of David Ortiz last weekend. The girl and her family were invited to meet Big Papi and turned the milestone ball over in exchange for some autographs.
Editor's Blog
There wasn't any fighting to gain space at dealer tables. No word of any gigantic, historic walk-in item. Still, the 2009 National Sports Collectors Convention seemed to get off to a good start on its first full day.
