Weekend Card Show Review

I took Isaac to the monthly St. Louis Sports Collector’s show on Sunday as we haven’t gone in a few months. I thought I’d blog a few random observations on the show but will focus on one event that serves as a microcosm of the hobby, good and bad.

We were looking through the 10 cent boxes (great stuff in there: 06/07 Turkey Red Ad backs, Isaac found a bunch of Sizemore & Braun cards, 08 Heritage, etc…) when a dealer on the backside of the table noticed Isaac and offered him this card: a die-cut UD X Longoria Rookie card. He gave it to Isaac out right even after I asked him if he was sure. That’s the good part.

The bad? He had it priced at $12.95!!! I imagine the thought process went something like this:

- Before the show: Longoria is hot. Let’s price these high and wait for the $$$ to roll in.

- Half way through the show: Man, it doesn’t look like this is going to sell… I’ll offer it at half off to anyone who touches it.

- Hour left in the show: Hey, check that little kid out, haven’t seen a kid that young around here in months. I’ll just give it to him… just a piece of worthless cardboard anyway.

The better? Isaac thanked him (without prompting) and immediately said he wanted to send it to Dave at Fielders along with a stack of Rays Cracker Jack mini’s & stickers he pulled out of the box (Dave, I hope you need them ‘cause they’re on the way). Turns out Dave already has this one so he put it in his favorite player binder… in the back with a Pedroia of all things.

Overall, the show was a good time (except for the eerie encounter with a 36 year old collector, still living with his parents, telling us how great the big Turkey Red & Allen & Ginter cards looked taped to the walls of his room… uh, look Isaac! THAT booth across the room has Cardinals stuff. Let’s go… quickly). There were actually quite a few dealers who gave Isaac freebies when he walked up including Cardinal Heritage dupes, free packs, and stacks of random cards. The best part of the day was opening five packs of 2009 Topps over our lunch at Steak ‘n’ Shake.