Big crowds.
Eager and motivated buyers.
Big-money deals going down practically around every corner.
That’s how it looks like the National Sports Collectors Convention will play out next week in suburban Chicago.
Two East Coast collector-dealers don’t see much change in that for the upcoming five-day event at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
“It’s the ultimate show,” Brett Lowman of Play OK Antiques in East Granby, CT says. “It’s in the central part of the country, so a lot of people can attend. There’s a lot of energy and excitement. Even more so, now they’ve expanded the show floor quite a bit. “I’m expecting massive amounts of people coming in.”
Dealer Howard Chasser of A Few of My Favorite Things agrees.
“I think it’s going to be an incredible show. I think we’re going to have record foot traffic. Every show that I’ve done gets bigger and bigger.”
Chasser is based in Island Park, New York. He specializes in vintage from 1900 to the 1980 with many premier pre-war cards. He also as a special emphasis on cards from the 1950s and 1960s. By his estimate, that’s about 70 percent of his inventory. The rest, and it is a lot, includes non-sport cards, oddball, food, and test issue cards. He especially loves obscure memorabilia such as ticket stubs from historic moments. He’s setting up in booth 1034.
Chasser will operate out of booth #1034. He’s pumped for the National, but also a bit cautious.
“I’m curious to see what the spending is going look like. What I’m seeing in the marketplace is a little bit of a split for what I call the high-demand, low-supply stuff. Those pieces are maintaining their price or increasing. For the higher supply stuff, whether it’s high-demand or low-demand, there’s some softening. But there’s still a lot of cards trading hands.”
There is a basic rule for selling: “If your inventory is priced right, you’ll be selling a lot of cards. I like to think I’m pricing my inventory right.”
Lowman also deals in hard-to-find items. He specializes in historic bats, gloves, athletic equipment, trophies, and some photos. He’s operating from both 209 and 211.
He’s been a part of the National since the 2010 event in Baltimore. It has been a hot market for his offerings
“I don’t see that changing. People want quality items – things that are well made and have a good look to them. That trend has been popular forever, and that will continue,” Lowman remarked.
The National is the one show that attracts a big audience–maybe 100,000 or more over the show’s five-day run–because it’s about the only place where you can find one-of-a-kind items all under one roof. Dealers often save their best and rarest items for the National because of the rapt attention they’ll receive from collectors who come ready to spend. It’s especially true on the vintage memorabilia side.
“It’s not like trying to find a 1933 or 1934 Goudey Babe Ruth,” Lowman said. “You can go to four or five booths and decide which one you like best. But if you want a Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb glove you may only see one on the floor. So you have to decide if that’s the one you want.”
Again, the sticker price is extremely important. Not every piece of the items that fall under the broad “memorabilia” category are expensive.
“I think my price points are fairly reasonable,” Lowman remarked. “Everything in my booth is in the $20 to $300 range. It’s affordable.”
As different as the Lowman’s and Chasser’s booths are, the reactions they get are similar. One of their prime motivations for selling at the National is the people they meet.
Almost everyone is looking for a nostalgic moment. Lowman’s equipment is a time machine. It connects people to another era.
“You put a glove on and you can imagine the games people played with it. Each glove has a different quality.
Chasser loves connecting collectors with unique pieces. “That’s my sweet spot. I love someone saying ‘I have never seen one of these or ‘Where can I get one?’’
Even if he does not have what they want on hand, tracking it down is very satisfying. He spends plenty of time on the phone, hunting for things his customers are looking for.
“I know where to find a lot of this stuff. Sometimes I am finding it just to see the look on their face. It’s awesome. It is like the thrill of victory.”
That multiplies when he comes across what he calls “crazy, crazy, rare things.”
He knows first-hand. He’s got a few of those items in his collection. One of his favorites is Roberto Clemente’s driver’s permit which he won through an auction of items that belonged to the Pittsburgh great.
Lowman loves telling stories, and educating people about his collectibles.
“I can see the smiles on their faces. That is cool. We have a lot of people who pick up items and put them in their hands.”
He still finds items that surprise him.
Lowman had a needle-in-a-haystack moment about 15 years ago, stumbling upon a bat at a local flea market. As he dug into it, he learned it was used by Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford. He later sold it for about $2,500. That collector got Ford to sign it and ultimately tripled the price.
There’s no jealousy. Lowman says there’s a big enough pie for everyone to get it piece of it. “I can make some money from it, and then someone else can make more. Good for them.”
The National also keeps both Lowman and Chasser coming back.
“It’s my good friends in the hobby that I enjoy seeing, especially at the National – there is a sense of camaraderie,” Lowman admits.
That’s also what keeps Chasser coming back. “It’s a heck of a lot of fun, for starters. But it’s a lot of work, but the adrenaline gets going. I love this hobby. Sure, it’s a business, but I’m a collector first.
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