The semi-annual Sport Card and Memorabilia Expo in Toronto is taking place Thurs.-Sun. April 24-27.
While the show had to pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the Canadian government as well as border closures, concerns were that this spring’s show would have an entirely different set of issues to work around.
The tariff war started by US President Donald Trump has impacted the hobby in a number of ways. The tariffs on Canada have led to job losses in several industries on both sides of the border.
The big question leading up to the show is will the issues at border crossings have an effect on the show’s attendance and corporate involvement.
The answer is a hard no.
“There has been some back and forth to be sure,” said Expo owner and promotor Steve Menzie.
The show is the largest in Canada and among the biggest on the continent. Although the show has sports cards, memorabilia and autograph guests from all sports, the Expo is known as the world’s largest hockey collectibles show.
Many of the shows exhibitors, as well as a substantial number of attendees are from the United States.
“With everything going on, we only have one U.S. cancellation,” Menzie said. “It was just too difficult for them to navigate everything.”
Menzie said that Fanatics would be set up at the Expo for the first time, though only after some back and forth discussions regarding the border.
“They called me up about three weeks ago and said they would like to come up,” Menzie said.
Fanatics sent an agency person to Toronto from Las Vegas for a site visit. Menzie said they were pleased with the venue, and they signed a contract.
“A few days later they said that with these tariffs, they weren’t coming,” Menzie said. “Literally the next day, they called back and said ‘oops, Trump’s put a hold on the tariffs’, so they are coming.”
While Fanatics is there for the first time, one of the companies they purchased, PWCC, has been there in the past.
“Any of the companies that do submissions were already strong with the post-COVID boom,” Menzie said. “Even now, it’s that much more so now because of all the uncertainty in shipping items across the border.”
When the tariffs were announced, PSA was among the first companies to announce that they would not be accepting Canadian submissions. They directed all their Canadian collectors to their PSA Canada website.
Despite that, PSA will once again have a major presence at the show.
“I reached out to PSA a couple weeks ago because I had not heard anything from them regarding their specials and promotions for the show,” Menzie said. “They said they weren’t doing any specials because they did not need to. They have already pre-booked more than they took in at the last show. For those submissions, PSA is going to take care of any tariffs and paperwork. That’s a huge weight off a lot of collectors.”
PSA is not grading onsite, but Menzie said they are taking on the responsibility and liability for bringing all the cards back.
Beckett, meanwhile, will be grading onsite as they have done at the last several spring and fall editions of the Expo.
Since President Trump announced the tariffs, there has been a vast sea of confusion from industry to industry as tariffs have been announced, delayed, announced and delayed again, and then modified.
For collectors coming to the show from the United States, there are a few things to know.
First and foremost, the United States Government de minimus is still in place.
Also, an item that is produced and manufactured in the United States and then exported to Canada, and then sold to an American, can re-enter the country duty free. An American product can re-enter the United States at no fee. This would mean that wax boxes from U.S.-based manufacturers can be brought back into the United States at no cost. As long as the U.S. customs agent agrees that the cards were printed and manufactured in the United States, there should be no problem.
From a volume standpoint, there are more Upper Deck Tim Hortons hockey cards brought back to the United States from the Toronto Expo and the weekend than any other types of hockey cards. This is for the simple reason that the cards are not available in the United States. Packs of the new Upper Deck Tim Hortons Rookies cards are now available at the quick service restaurants across Canada.
Graded cards, however, do not fall into a defined category.
Complicating things is that the slabs are manufactured in China. A company like PSA or Beckett would have to pay duty if they import slabs from China. But them the slabs are shipped to Canada for the show and then re-enter the United States. While duty was already paid on the slabs the first time they entered the United States, they should not be taxed coming back in from Canada.
The trick is to get a customs agent at the border who is familiar with the hobby and with grading. It’s a game of border roulette.
“No one seems to be 100 per cent certain on it,” Menzie said. “People are erring on the side of being safe.”
Menzie said a lot of the collectors from the U.S. at the show are there to buy.
“They have a big impact on the room,” Menzie said of the American collectors. “A lot of dealers look forward to seeing their U.S. clients. Those clients like coming up to the show because there are so many unique items. They also get a 40 per cent premium on their dollar after the exchange.”
Americans going to Toronto for the show are urged to keep all receipts and complete details on what they purchased and for how much for their re-entry into the United States at the border crossing.
Travel advisory
One issue that has not had any impact at all on the show is a travel advisory issued by the New York State Department of Health warning its residents not to go to Ontario. The NYSDH identified Ontario as a measles hotspot. They are urging anyone travelling to Ontario to check their vaccination status.
The advisory reads, “Measles is only a car ride away! Measles is a highly contagious virus. Around 90% of people who are exposed to a person with measles will become infected if they are not vaccinated. Because measles is so contagious, it easily crosses borders.”
Menzie said the travel advisory had had “zero impact” on plans for Americans to head to Toronto, the capital of Ontario, for the show. He said most Americans take that warning with a grain of salt, or depending on the appropriate metaphor, with a box of penicillin.
Canada had declared measles eradicated in the country in 1998. However, after the COVID vaccine controversy, many people stopped vaccinating their children. All of the cases of measles in Ontario involve people who are not vaccinated against the disease.
According to the travel warning, measles outbreaks are happening in several parts of the U.S. and abroad, but Ontario is being highlighted due to a significant and unusual increase in cases.
Battle of Ontario
One thing that Menzie expects to stimulate activity on the show floor is the first round of the NHL playoffs, in particular the Battle of Ontario featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Ottawa Senators.
The bitter rivals last faced each other in the playoffs in 2004.
“It makes a difference,” Menzie said. “We have had some Expos where the Leafs were eliminated on the Saturday night of the show. But with this series going on, along with the number of different Leafs captains that will be signing, it is really going to add to the excitement of the show.”
Confirmed autograph guests for the Expo are:
Friday, April 25: RJ Barrett, Phil Kessel, Dennis Hextall, Mike Vernon, Billy Harris, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Eric Lindros, John Anderson, Mike Walton.
Saturday, April 26: Vincent Damphousse, Dominik Hasek, Mike Richter, Bernie Parent, Allan Bester, Paul Henderson, Ray Bourque, Tiger Williams, David Keon, Kelly Gruber, Darryl Sittler, Rick Vaive, Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark.
Sunday, April 27: Antonio Davis, Natalie Spooner, Mike Foligno, Andy Van Hellemond, Fergie Jenkins, Mark Giordano, Gerry Cheevers, Gilles Gratton, Ron Low, Ron Tugnutt, Jeff Frye, Larry Murphy, Angela Ruggerio.
“We have a great line-up of autograph guests this year,” Menzie said. “With everything going on at the border, the only cancellation we had was Damon Stoudamire.”
