The Collectible Shift: Investing in Baseball Cards Amid Tariff Uncertainty

Hi Friends,

   Recently, we've seen a trend with a lot of interest in collectibles coming from some new buyers who would not usually purchase Baseball Cards and Pokémon Cards, so it led us to do a little bit of digging.

   What we found was quite interesting, and definitely makes a lot of sense, given the current market conditions, and the trepidation over the ultimate level of tariffs that we will be seeing over the next several months.

   Of course, Baseball Cards and other collectibles are a great investment, however, they are not a guaranteed way of increasing your wealth. This is important to put out there before we go further.

   There are a lot of great reasons to buy and invest in collectibles:

     * They are a great way to diversify your investments, to go along with any stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. that you may already own.

     * They are a "reach out and touch" investment (a tangible item) - a great investment for people who want to invest in a physical item.

     * Collectibles bring a lot of enjoyment outside of being just a potential investment. 

   It's important, though, to keep in mind that when you are looking to sell a collectible, there is the potential for you to sit with that item for a while before it sells. Of course, that depends on the item and the demand, but also, on the condition, and whether it has been authenticated and/or graded, if applicable.

   Furthermore, you need to consider any potential tax implications based on how long you have held the collectible before selling, so it is important to check with your tax professional regarding any of those considerations.

   Jumping back to where we began, several non-conventional buyers have began to jump into the market, turning collectibles into viable assets.

   A recent article in the New York Post ("Tariffs are driving investors to Pokémon and Mickey Mantle as trading cards gain credibility as domestic assets"), says that "Collectibles have emerged as a legitimate asset class: a $600 billion+ global industry, with trading cards alone valued at more than $15 billion as of 2024.".

   The article goes on to say, "As tariffs begin driving up the cost of imported goods, consumers are increasingly turning toward domestic assets already here — resale markets, collectibles and trading cards are seeing a surge in demand as investors seek out alternatives beyond the traditional mix of stocks and bonds".

   This is certainly the case with what we are seeing, and upon speaking with some of our newer "non-conventional" buyers, this is exactly what they have told us about why they are jumping into what is a new class of assets for their portfolios, and diversifying their portfolios with rookie cards, autos, graded cards, and more.

   The overall market will always re-invent itself, and morph, based on changing market conditions, and this is certainly what seems to be happening right now. Another exciting era in the hobby begins!

   Stay Tuned as things seem like they will be evolving over these next several months.


Thank you, and have a great week! 

Rob
CardboardandCoins.com


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Collecting Baseball Cards In The 1980s...3 Fond Memories, Part 2 Of 2

Hi Folks,

   I'm glad to have you back with me, and I am excited about telling you a little more about collecting baseball cards during the primitive 1980s, along with 3 fond memories, for me, from that period of time.

    In part 1 of this story, "Collecting Baseball Cards In The 1980s...A Whole New World, Part 1 Of 2" (You can read Part 1 here: http://blog.cardboardandcoins.com/2021/12/collecting-baseball-cards-in-1980s.html), we left off with me looking like a deer in headlights when I read about the most incredible thing ever...that there were such events called "Baseball Card Shows", which were like a convention of baseball card sellers in one huge open space, such as a hotel conference center, or a convention center. In my case, it was the Adria 2 Conference Center and Motel in Bayside, Queens, as well as the Golden Gate Inn in Brooklyn (as well as another show in Hempstead, Long Island). These were all places nearby, where people would gather to buy and sell their cards!

   I questioned myself..."Do such events truly exist??"

   There was one card show coming up the following weekend, just a few short miles from my home, and I begged and pleaded with my parents to take me, which they did, luckily!

   The crowds were dense, and it was like walking on air! Cards everywhere. As far as the eye could see.

   There were many tables with rows and rows of cards that folks were thumbing through with little pieces of paper. I asked someone what was on their paper, and they said it was a list of cards they needed to complete their 1975 Topps set! That thought stuck with me, and I planned on making the same type of lists for my sets when I got home, before the next card show.

   I met some great folks at these shows, "vendors", and over time, I began to know them by name, and vice versa. One really nice older gentleman had a gumball-machine type of baseball card dispenser, and for 25 cents a turn on the machine, I was pulling out cards from the 1950s! Remember, this was 1980s, before the prices really spiked! Each time I got another card, he asked me if I wanted a "Gosinta"? He found it quite funny! He said it to everyone. Why? Because they would ask what a “Gosinta” is, and he would reply, "it holds the card...your card ‘GOES INTA’ the holder!". I guess that was part of his joy in the game! He was there every week, and I got so many incredible cards from him, and a stack of “Gosintas”!

   Being a newbie to card shows, I did make some "Silly Rookie Mistakes". One specific time stands out for me, and a vendor had a really good laugh. I had asked him how much his 1963 Topps Pete Rose rookie was, and he said “Two Fifty”. I took out two dollars and two quarters and went to give him $2.50 for the card, and he said, no, so, $250! Yikes! I turned beet red!

   Amidst the chaos of these shows (and aside from my confusion with the multiple Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, and George Brett versions in that pesky 1981 Fleer Set), I had a blast. After going to several shows, I figured I would try and bring some cards with me to sell, but when the vendors looked them over, I learned a valuable lesson in this era before grading companies existed; condition matters, and the price of the card depends on the condition of the card! How could I find out the prices for cards across different conditions? The Beckett Baseball Card price guide, of course!

   With that said, this now brings me to my first memory of those times:

 

#1 "BECKETT WAS BIG!":

   The Beckett Baseball Card price guide was better known as the "Bible" of baseball card collecting in the 1980s. This incredibly comprehensive book had almost every card ever produced listed within its covers, along with conditions and pricing.

   What is my take-away...my memory here? Well, this huge book was only produced once a year, so I remember waiting, waiting, waiting for the next issue to be released to see if the prices of my cards had gone up in value. It was absolute torture! In between issues, it was all a big guess! It was a very primitive time! Have I mentioned that yet?

   Fortunately, with the price guide, I was able to price my cards a little better, and my first venture into selling cards came by placing an Ad in Baseball Card Magazine as "Bob's Cards". This yielded another true "sign of the times"; people would send me $1 and a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) to receive my list of cards that I was selling! I made a few sales, but the process was really tough, unless you were selling at card shows.

   The lesson here; you should really appreciate the fact that with a few simple keystrokes, you can check card prices and sell your cards vs. the ancient way of waiting, waiting, waiting, and then doing some more waiting!

 

#2 "LUCITE TOPLOADERS WERE LIKE WEAPONS!":

   Keeping your cards safe from damage was a new concept in the 1980s, and the sleeves were these rigid pieces of plastic with sharp edges on them. Top Loaders? Well, that is my second very fond memory:

   The Toploaders (or "Top Loaders") that you know from the present day, got their start in the 80s. These huge, thick, Lucite plastic card holders were thick, heavy, and could protect a baseball card from an atomic bomb!

   If you were walking along with that gorgeous red and yellow bordered 1975 Topps Pete Rose that you bought at a show, and someone tried to take it from you..."CLUNK"...it also served as a weapon (Not that I clunked anyone with one of these prehistoric toploaders...however, in Brooklyn & Queens in 1980s NYC, you never know!!).

   The point is, these were mammoth-sized holders, which really make you appreciate the slimmed-down, yet, just as durable toploaders of today.

   I even included a few photos in my post to give you an idea of just how big these toploaders were from back then at the dawn of time!

 

#3 "BLUE BOXES, BLUE BOXES EVERYWHERE!":

   Aside from purchasing complete card sets, I found out later on in my collecting ventures (in the 1990s) that there were such things as "Vending Boxes", which are basically a small carton of about 500 random Topps Baseball Cards from the current year, direct from the factory. These boxes were loaded with mint condition cards, and a boatload of rookies from the set from the particular year that was printed on the box.

   With that, comes my third memory from those times (a memory that is more of like “the one that got away”); I saw these blue boxes all over the place at baseball card shows, but I never thought to ask what they were. Why did I never even look INTO vending boxes? I never heard of them. So, the true take-away here is...don't be a fool! Open your eyes to what's out there, and never take anything for granted!

   Growing up in the 80s was amazing, but collecting baseball cards in the 80s was epic, especially during the earlier part of the decade, before over-production began, and when finding names like Cal Ripken Jr, Wade Boggs ("Wade"..that name still makes me giggle, lol!), Tony Gwynn, Ryne Sandberg, Don Mattingly, Darryl Strawberry, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, and Kirby Puckett in your Wax Pack gave you that feeling of excitement, and that feeling that you struck some type of gold...but at the time, you didn't realize just what type of gold it was...not yet, at least!

   Thank you for taking this journey with me, and I hope that it brought back some great memories for you, as it certainly has for me.

.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all!

Thanks, be safe, be healthy, and be well!

   

Many thanks and Regards,

Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com


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Collecting Baseball Cards In The 1980s ...A Whole New World, Part 1 Of 2

Hi Folks, 

   

   I hope everyone has been keeping safe during the pandemic. Our best thoughts and prayers are with everyone that have been affected and impacted by this difficult time. 

   Today, I hope to put a little bit of levity and perhaps a bit of laughter into your day, even if some of that laughter is directed at me, during my journey back into time to give you a glimpse of what it was like when the Earth was just dinosaurs...and Baseball Cards! 

   Yes, the 1980s. For those of us in the 40ish range, we remember that decade as a magical time, for the most part, but looking back, there was pain, waiting, confusion, and all that stuff, but wow, there were deals! In the days before professional grading existed, it was a Wild-West out there, but if you were at the right card shows, you were golden! 

   For the purpose of this article, I will tell you that when I started collecting in the early 1980s, I was in my pre-teens, so it gives you an idea of the mindset that I approached the hobby with at that time. Prior to taking an interest in collecting, my previous memories of baseball cards was a 1976 Topps Glenn Abbott baseball card that reminded me of the Wicked Witch in the "Wizard of Oz", which is why I probably put Elmer’s Glue on the card, somewhere around the time I was 5 or 6. Also, I was quite puzzled by the 1976 Topps Ty Cobb card, which said, "Ty Cobb OF" on the front, and I was always confused..."OF" what? What did "OF" mean? ("OF" meant Outfield, I found out a few years later, of course!). I still have these cards, because these are what sparked it all. 

   Fast-forward to around 1982, when "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, was blasting from every Camaro in Queens, New York (NYC), and after seeing my hapless New York Mets in person at Shea Stadium for the first time, something put me into a complete baseball card trance! I found a lot of the old cards I had, and they looked like they took a tumble in the wash, which they actually might have, and then I decided I needed to go to the candy store and get some cards. 

   Wax Packs and Rack-Packs were the flavors of the day, and I opened pack after pack, putting the cards in team order, and still not realizing the importance of condition. 

   Fast-forward to around 1983 (when "Karma Chameleon" was now the tune blasting throughout my borough in NYC)! After ripping open some 1983 Topps Wax packs, a friend and I had a good laugh about the name of one of the players..."Wade"...how could a great player be named, "Wade"? Well, it was Wade Boggs, and boy, were we ever wrong! 

   At the same candy store where we bought cards, they also sold magazines, and they had a magazine specifically called, "Baseball Cards". I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming, but I wasn't. I bought this magazine, and read it cover to cover on my walk back home. What I found out and read about made my head tilt side-ways in the same way that a dog does when you ask them if they want to go for a walk! 

   What was it that left me with a completely dumbfounded look on my face? What made time stand still for me?

   Let's talk about that in Part 2, "Collecting Baseball Cards In The 1980s...3 Fond Memories, Part 2 Of 2", which you can read here: http://blog.cardboardandcoins.com/2021/12/collecting-baseball-cards-in-1980s-part-2-of-2.html

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all!

Thanks, be safe, be healthy, and be well!

   

Many thanks and Regards,

Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com


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The Many Baseball Stars We Have Lost So Far In 2020

Hi Friends,

   I hope everyone has been keeping as safe as can possibly be during this absolutely crazy year of 2020.

   Between the Coronavirus/Covid-19, the economy, and the social/racial justice movements going on all over our great Nation this year, sometimes, you wake up wondering, "what will this day hold?"!

   The world of Sports is a fantastic diversion that many of us enjoy watching, debating with other fans, and cheering for our on-field favorites! However, even the sports world has had a very difficult year, with some very untimely losses, such as that of NBA Superstar Kobe Bryant back in January, which almost feels like it was 2 years ago!

 
  The world of baseball was not immune to losses, and I started to realize after waking up today and find out that HOF Superstar Joe Morgan has passed away! Just this weekend, HOF Yankee pitching Ace Whitey Ford passed away. A week before that, both HOF Ace Bob Gibson and Ron Perranoski passed away. During the summer, we lost one of my personal favorites, HOF New York Mets pitching Ace, Tom Seaver, and a week before Seaver, it was Lou Brock!

   The year began...on January 1st... with the passing of Don Larsen, the pitcher who threw a perfect World Series game for the Yankees! Then, on through the Spring, it was Tony Fernandez, Jimmy Wynn, Al Kaline, and Bob Watson! Is this year for real?

   All of the losses are huge for the sport of baseball, and of course, the families of these players, to whom we send our most sincere condolences. However, as I mentioned, growing up in Queens, New York, as a lifetime New York Mets fan, I can identify with and feel the loss of Tom Seaver, "Tom Terrific", for several reasons, beyond the most obvious ones.

   When I was born (1971), I had missed out on the Miracle Mets of 1969, and was not "conscious" of the Mets until the late 1970's, when I began attending games at Shea Stadium, and by that time, Seaver was traded away and most of his "hey days" were behind him. However, when he pitched for the Mets on Opening Day in 1983, I was there with my best friend at the time, as well as my Dad. Ironically, Tom Seaver passed away from Dementia, which is the same illness that my Dad passed from, just last year!

   We can all just imagine these great players, assembled on a big field in the sky, striking each other out and battling it out every day from now on until the end of time! All we can do is hope that the remainder of 2020 is a little more merciful to the rest of us, and to leave our favorite sports stars with us just a little bit longer!

Thanks, be safe, be healthy, and be well!

   

Many thanks and Regards,

Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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RE-POSTED BY DEMAND: The Essential Card-Seller's Guide - The Top 10 Critical Things You Need When Selling at a Baseball Card Show

Hi Folks,

   As the Baseball Card/Sports Card season enters the busiest segment of the year, I have had more than 20 requests (I stopped counting at 20), to re-run a post I did last year that apparently was quite helpful to our fellow brethren in the Hobby. Here, at your request , is the Essential Card-Seller's Guide - The Top 10 Critical Things You Need When Selling at a Baseball Card Show:


   I don't know about you, but I still get those first date jitters the night before selling at a card show. The thought of all of the people, and seeing some great friends and talking sports and cashing out a little, all shares the same headspace with the thought of all of those hours and being cut off from anything outside of my little table-zone. And then the stomach rumbling starts just from the thought of hunger!

   So, in order to combat this psychosis of mine, I made a list of the top 10 things you need to have in place and with you when selling at a Baseball Card show (or Sports card show of any kind, Coin shows, or even Comic Book Shows). These items are not listed in any particular order, with each one being quite an important part of a successful day at the show, but they fall into 4 categories: Technology, Human Beings, Goods, and Last Minute.

Technology:
1.   Internet Access; The worst thing you can do is find yourself at a card show and you have no pants on. The next worst thing is to find yourself at a card show with no access to your online price guides, eBay, your website, your home network, etc. Bad move. Make sure and verify that the venue has Internet access or WiFi. If not, I'll present an idea shortly in another item in this list. If they do have access, make sure you have all of your passwords, as well as your tablet, smart phone, laptop, and ALL power cables and chargers. Again; ALL power cables and chargers. Hint: Bring an extension cord in case the outlet locations are not convenient.

2.   Security; Look, for the most part, people are honest. But the few bad apples out there really screw things up for everyone else. Of course, you should cover the front of your table with an overlapping thick tablecloth, with your boxes weighting the edges of it down to avoid anyone from sticking their hands in for freebies. Your table should be set up with the high risk of theft items in the middle. I learned my lesson years ago when I had a 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie stolen right off my table. It was so busy at the show that I never even realized until re-inventorying that evening. That was pre-tech age, and now I suggest, if you have a little bit of tech savvy in you, to pick up a mini PC USB Camera that you can have record to your laptop or tablet, with ample hard drive space. At least you'll have footage to show to the venue and the police. Hint: Stay alert and stay present in the moment! Watch out for "distracters".....they usually come in pairs and one asks you nonsense question after question, while his accomplice swipes things from your table or underneath when your attention is being overloaded.

Human Beings:
3.   Never underestimate the power of having good table neighbor's when it comes time for that bathroom run. I suggest if you have friends who are vendors, make sure you have your tables all together in one spot so you can all repay the favor. I don't want to hear you had no friends, so you just brought an empty whiskey jug. Weirdo! If you don't have friends, make some with your new table neighbors and gauge your level of trust with them. Chances are, they'll approach you first for the favor!! The power of friends can also help with the WiFi issue, as you can invest in a WiFi Signal booster, have a chat with the Venue Security, and plug it in closer to the WiFi location, ideally half-way between you and the WiFi Source. Then, you guys will be online in no time. Hint: If you do this, please don't put up a sign that says, "Vendor Web Access, $39.95 one-time fee". It's enterprising and straight-up honest hustling, but just not cool to do! I'm such a tech-geek!

4.  You need a "Runner"; Check the availability of a "runner", such as your teenage kid, wife, husband, uncle's brother’s nephew's roommate, anyone who can run over that 1971 Seaver you have someone ready to give you 5x book value for. Anyone at all. Do you have a pet seal? Pay him with fresh fish after the show. Seriously, I've been stranded before. Plan ahead.

Goods:
5.   One Binder full of cards of the player or players signing autographs that day. Their popularity spikes on those days, and even mediocre players rise to superstars the day they sign autographs. You will sell a lot of these; Every one either needs one for signing, or wants to have one to be a part of the action.

6.   A notebook to track everything you sell. Just as I described earlier, it gets crazy, and sometimes you have 5-7 people looking at your cards, while 3 others are trying to hand you money. Remember I mentioned to stay alert? This will help you truly weigh out your Gross Sales, and also, it will help you document where each card went vs. wondering where it went.

7.   Top Loaders/Penny Sleeves/Bags/Business cards; Customer Service is key. I always say their 1st purchase is not the most important, but their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. Build a relationship in a field we all love. Rules of thumb; Every card they buy under $10 gets a sleeve. Every card over $10 gets a Sleeve and a Top Loader. Sleeves are a penny each, Top Loaders are 30c a piece. It's a worthy investment. On multiple card purchases, offer them a bag. And every single person that buys from you or stops to look at your cards gets one of your business cards!

Last Minute Essentials:
8.   Change or Cash for Parking, etc; Scout out the venue and see if the parking is free, if there are meters, a garage, etc. Can you pay via Credit card or Cash? Do you pay for your table on show day? Make sure you have your credit cards you use for Shows and Cash +10, which I call Cash + 10% extra (If you need $100, bring $110).

9.   Snacks and Water; Trying to talk to someone while your stomach is grumbling is tough and even embarrassing, but even more importantly, it leaves you talking without any nutrition in you, and that can lead to "dumb-mouth". It sounds funny, but it can compromise your virtue; You might give an incorrect price or forget something. If I don't eat, my blood sugar tanks, and I kind of wander around until I realize, "Oh yeah, I skipped breakfast and now it's 3PM". Not a good image to set around your peers or potential customers. So I suggest that you bring with you enough snacks and water with you to hold you over during the show. Proteins like nuts and sugars like chocolate will suffice, or even better, pack some nice mini sandwiches you can chomp fast. This isn't a culinary dining experience. Also, it will get hot when the room is loaded with people, so hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water. Of course, you will have your group of table buddies we discussed earlier, but bringing snacks and water with you keeps you behind the table, and the less you have to leave the fort, the more sales you can make.

10. Hygiene: Nobody else will stand up and say this, but I've been at shows with sweaty vendors that needed to refresh. Folks, these places get crowded and very hot. for the sake of all things holy, use underarm deodorant, and it's fine to wear a hat, but there is nothing wrong with using some hair gel and styling it up. Remember, brush those fangs nice and white, because you want to flash those pearly whites a lot.

   One bonus piece of advice is confidence. Bring it. Nobody put a gun to your head to sell at the show. You chose this! It's your hobby, your business, and you know it backwards and forward. Be an authority, and make some friends and remember that the folks across the table from you are there for some of the same reasons. We have our own lingo and swagger, and think of it as a huge club meeting of like-minded folks.

   I wish you BOOMY Sales and much success!!

   Please also see my Essential Guide with the top items needed when you're attending a card show, which is located here: "The Top 10 Things You Must Have When Visiting Your Next Baseball Card Show".


Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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A Message; Collectors of Baseball Cards, Pokémon Cards, Coins & Comics

Hi Folks,
   The Holiday season is right upon us, and I hope you've been enjoying yourselves, or at the very minimum, coping well with the crowds on the roads and in the malls.

   This is a special message for each collector of Baseball Cards/Sports Cards, Pokémon Cards, Coins, and Comic Books.

   To our friends who collect Baseball Cards and Sports Cards, hello my people! May your 2017 be bright, may the paint on your cards be glossy and shiny. May your Chrome cards be void of finger-prints. May all 4 of your corners be sharp, May 2017 be centered, with solid borders all around. May all of your grades contain the word "Mint". Just "Mint", with perhaps a Gem included, as well. May you stock up on the right prospect rookie card, but most of all, may your year be full of Joy!

   To the Pokémon Card collecting segment of our customers, who adore those glistening Ex Cards. I hope 2017 brings you nothing but Rare and Uncommon success, possibly even Ultra Rare. May your booster packs bring you many a Charizard, and may your decks be full of Secret Rares! Most importantly, I wish you a 2017 filled with Happiness!

  Are you one of our Coin collecting customers? Then I hope 2017 brings you pockets full of wonders, with shiny new undiscovered errors, and silver Washington Quarters. May the joy of Doubled-die errors fill your collection, and may you come across a 1914-d Lincoln Wheat Cent and a 1922 with truly no "d"! May you continue your numismatic ventures in 2017, and may it always bring a smile to your face.

   For those of you who are Comic Book collecting customers of ours, then I wish 2017 brings you only 1st Print issues in Mint condition, loads of vintage Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Superman, and other such great titles you so desire. May you have a close encounter with Action Comics #1, one that allows you to display it as your own! I hope that 2017 brings you crisp white pages, a glossy cover, and a wealthy story Stan Lee would be proud of!

   We love all of our customers and we thank you for making 2016 special. I am glad to hear from many of you regarding the quality of the items you received, and we aim to top that (somehow!) in 2017. I've said it before and I'll say it again; when you are visiting CardboardandCoins.com, we welcome you to relax and just be yourself. You're family, and you're always at home with Cardboard and Coins.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year 2017 to all of you!
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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The Top 10 Critical Things You Need When Selling at a Baseball Card Show; The Essential Guide

Hi Folks,

   I hope everyone is having a fantastic week, and for baseball fans, I hope that your favorite team is where you want them to be, EXCEPT if they are in the same division as my New York Mets! Is there any more hair to pull out of this head of mine? Let's not go down that ugly road. It's so ugly, we'll call it fugly (umm, RTFM, lol!)

   I don't know about you, but I still get those first date jitters the night before selling at a card show. The thought of all of the people, and seeing some great friends and talking sports and cashing out a little, all shares the same headspace with the thought of all of those hours and being cut off from anything outside of my little table-zone. And then the stomach rumbling starts just from the thought of hunger!

   So, in order to combat this psychosis of mine, I made a list of the top 10 things you need to have in place and with you when selling at a Baseball Card show (or Sports card show of any kind, Coin shows, or even Comic Book Shows). These items are not listed in any particular order, with each one being quite an important part of a successful day at the show, but they fall into 4 categories: Technology, Human Beings, Goods, and Last Minute.

Technology:
1.   Internet Access; The worst thing you can do is find yourself at a card show and you have no pants on. The next worst thing is to find yourself at a card show with no access to your online price guides, eBay, your website, your home network, etc. Bad move. Make sure and verify that the venue has Internet access or WiFi. If not, I'll present an idea shortly in another item in this list. If they do have access, make sure you have all of your passwords, as well as your tablet, smart phone, laptop, and ALL power cables and chargers. Again; ALL power cables and chargers. Hint: Bring an extension cord in case the outlet locations are not convenient.

2.   Security; Look, for the most part, people are honest. But the few bad apples out there really screw things up for everyone else. Of course, you should cover the front of your table with an overlapping thick tablecloth, with your boxes weighting the edges of it down to avoid anyone from sticking their hands in for freebies. Your table should be set up with the high risk of theft items in the middle. I learned my lesson years ago when I had a 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie stolen right off my table. It was so busy at the show that I never even realized until re-inventorying that evening. That was pre-tech age, and now I suggest, if you have a little bit of tech savvy in you, to pick up a mini PC USB Camera that you can have record to your laptop or tablet, with ample hard drive space. At least you'll have footage to show to the venue and the police. Hint: Stay alert and stay present in the moment! Watch out for "distracters".....they usually come in pairs and one asks you nonsense question after question, while his accomplice swipes things from your table or underneath when your attention is being overloaded.

Human Beings:
3.   Never underestimate the power of having good table neighbor's when it comes time for that bathroom run. I suggest if you have friends who are vendors, make sure you have your tables all together in one spot so you can all repay the favor. I don't want to hear you had no friends, so you just brought an empty whiskey jug. Weirdo! If you don't have friends, make some with your new table neighbors and gauge your level of trust with them. Chances are, they'll approach you first for the favor!! The power of friends can also help with the WiFi issue, as you can invest in a WiFi Signal booster, have a chat with the Venue Security, and plug it in closer to the WiFi location, ideally half-way between you and the WiFi Source. Then, you guys will be online in no time. Hint: If you do this, please don't put up a sign that says, "Vendor Web Access, $39.95 one-time fee". It's enterprising and straight-up honest hustling, but just not cool to do! I'm such a tech-geek!

4.  You need a "Runner"; Check the availability of a "runner", such as your teenage kid, wife, husband, uncle's brother’s nephew's roommate, anyone who can run over that 1971 Seaver you have someone ready to give you 5x book value for. Anyone at all. Do you have a pet seal? Pay him with fresh fish after the show. Seriously, I've been stranded before. Plan ahead.

Goods:
5.   One Binder full of cards of the player or players signing autographs that day. Their popularity spikes on those days, and even mediocre players rise to superstars the day they sign autographs. You will sell a lot of these; Every one either needs one for signing, or wants to have one to be a part of the action.

6.   A notebook to track everything you sell. Just as I described earlier, it gets crazy, and sometimes you have 5-7 people looking at your cards, while 3 others are trying to hand you money. Remember I mentioned to stay alert? This will help you truly weigh out your Gross Sales, and also, it will help you document where each card went vs. wondering where it went.

7.   Top Loaders/Penny Sleeves/Bags/Business cards; Customer Service is key. I always say their 1st purchase is not the most important, but their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. Build a relationship in a field we all love. Rules of thumb; Every card they buy under $10 gets a sleeve. Every card over $10 gets a Sleeve and a Top Loader. Sleeves are a penny each, Top Loaders are 30c a piece. It's a worthy investment. On multiple card purchases, offer them a bag. And every single person that buys from you or stops to look at your cards gets one of your business cards!

Last Minute Essentials:
8.   Change or Cash for Parking, etc; Scout out the venue and see if the parking is free, if there are meters, a garage, etc. Can you pay via Credit card or Cash? Do you pay for your table on show day? Make sure you have your credit cards you use for Shows and Cash +10, which I call Cash + 10% extra (If you need $100, bring $110).

9.   Snacks and Water; Trying to talk to someone while your stomach is grumbling is tough and even embarrassing, but even more importantly, it leaves you talking without any nutrition in you, and that can lead to "dumb-mouth". It sounds funny, but it can compromise your virtue; You might give an incorrect price or forget something. If I don't eat, my blood sugar tanks, and I kind of wander around until I realize, "Oh yeah, I skipped breakfast and now it's 3PM". Not a good image to set around your peers or potential customers. So I suggest that you bring with you enough snacks and water with you to hold you over during the show. Proteins like nuts and sugars like chocolate will suffice, or even better, pack some nice mini sandwiches you can chomp fast. This isn't a culinary dining experience. Also, it will get hot when the room is loaded with people, so hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water. Of course, you will have your group of table buddies we discussed earlier, but bringing snacks and water with you keeps you behind the table, and the less you have to leave the fort, the more sales you can make.

10. Hygiene: Nobody else will stand up and say this, but I've been at shows with sweaty vendors that needed to refresh. Folks, these places get crowded and very hot. for the sake of all things holy, use underarm deodorant, and it's fine to wear a hat, but there is nothing wrong with using some hair gel and styling it up. Remember, brush those fangs nice and white, because you want to flash those pearly whites a lot.

   One bonus piece of advice is confidence. Bring it. Nobody put a gun to your head to sell at the show. You chose this! It's your hobby, your business, and you know it backwards and forward. Be an authority, and make some friends and remember that the folks across the table from you are there for some of the same reasons. We have our own lingo and swagger, and think of it as a huge club meeting of like-minded folks.

   Please look for my Essential Guide with the top items needed when you're attending a card show, which is planned for in a future post.


Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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Why Card Sleeves contribute to Low Population!!

Hello Everyone,
   Welcome to CardboardandCoins.com, a site that was created to join two great hobbies, Card collecting and Coin collecting.

   I've been in the hobby, or "hobbies" I should say, for close to 30 years. I grew up during a time when Saturday meant cartoons in the morning, bowling with the Cub Scouts, a trip to the arcade, and baseball cards on the way home. Later in the day, it was time to go through the big change bucket from the past week, and to sort through all of the years of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, and to put them in the Whitman folders I was filling for each type of coin. Yes, I was...and I still am...a proud dork!

   As far as baseball cards, I remember laughing at some of the cards from the 1983 Topps baseball set, and in particular, the Wade Boggs card (his rookie). Well, as the title of this post reads, let me explain and use the Boggs rookie as the perfect example.

   Just last week, I decided to remove some old school sleeves off some cards and replace them with the new Penny Sleeves. Simple enough, right? I get to good ole' Wade and the darn penny sleeve lifted up the first layer in the lower left corner of the card! Really? How could these little plastic slips cause such destruction? It makes me wonder that if this happened to me (it does happen from time to time), then think of how many others are having the same issue.

   Perhaps some of you were trying to sleeve a 1977 Don Money card, but then this mishap prevents the card from fetching a 10. The end result is the 1977 Topps card of Don Money (a lifetime .261 hitter) being more valuable than the 1977 Topps card of Rod Carew (a lifetime .328 hitter). Oh, bittersweet population. For those of you who are not aware of population, it means the total amount of a certain card that was graded a "10" for example, by a specific grading company. So when you see a low population of high-grades for a specific card, just blame the Sleeves!

   Now, the alternative would be life without the penny sleeves. Think of all of the cards out there with scuffed up surfaces and greasy finger marks. No thanks. Penny sleeves are very important, and when used properly in a controlled environment with some peer supervision, they can prove to be quite helpful.

   Remember: do NOT top-load your card without putting the card in a sleeve first. It pays to have an extra layer of friction to hold the card in place, or you might have the same incident that happened to me with the 1985 McGwire Rookie (It's too painful; I don't want to get into it, but let's just say cards slide out of top loaders when they're not sleeved). Cards also have a tendency to fall with precision accuracy right onto one of their 4 corners. I know what you are about to ask; Yes, it did happen to me. Learn from that sad incident. Sorry, Mr. McGwire. I know you'd probably pick me up by the throat with one hand. Umm, but please kindly refrain.

   So, with all of that said, welcome to our site. Going forward, you'll probably notice I refer to our hobbies as our "industry". In the coming months, we have a lot of surprises planned for you here, including some Blog posts written by (and also written about) some pretty influential folks in our industry. We are in talks with a few different webstore providers, and our inventory should start appearing on the site within a few weeks. Be sure to bookmark us and check back often!

   In closing, who's going to the National at Hofstra University in Long Island this weekend?

Best Regards,
Rob Eisenstein
www.CardboardandCoins.com



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