Saturday, May 18, 2024, FOP Lodge Michigan City, Michigan City, IN
This was my second time setting up at this show after setting up last summer with my dad. I have been meaning to get back but I just seem to have conflicts every time this show is on.
I kind of stumbled into this one, booking it last minute after Woodstock North High School screwed Curtis by cancelling his show with just one week's notice. Curtis has an August show scheduled and I hope to make that one in Woodstock.
Well, I kind of had a lousy show last time out in Michigan City. I remember that my main seller was Chicago Cubs cards. So this time around I brought out a display case filled with Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins and all sorts of vintage Cubs. I also brought out a box of Cubs commons.
This was my second time setting up at this show after setting up last summer with my dad. I have been meaning to get back but I just seem to have conflicts every time this show is on.
I kind of stumbled into this one, booking it last minute after Woodstock North High School screwed Curtis by cancelling his show with just one week's notice. Curtis has an August show scheduled and I hope to make that one in Woodstock.
Well, I kind of had a lousy show last time out in Michigan City. I remember that my main seller was Chicago Cubs cards. So this time around I brought out a display case filled with Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins and all sorts of vintage Cubs. I also brought out a box of Cubs commons.
It is always a learning process when setting up at an unfamiliar show. As a dealer, you have to learn the crowd. Often, you have to bring in your own crowd, especially to some of these smaller shows. So, I tried to plug it on Facebook in an effort to lure some of my guys to Michigan City.
Unfortunately, none of my guys came out... unless you consider Lowball Lonnie as one of my guys. Of course he was there and he totally destroyed my Cubs box. I have the box sorted by year... not any more with Lonnie going through it! He ended up pulling two hockey cards out of my other discount box. I had the cards priced at $4. He wanted them for $2. I rarely fight people over two bucks but this guy annoys the hell out of me. I would rather not sell him ANY cards, let alone give him half off my sticker price. We settled on a big three bucks. Woot! I'm rich!!
There were a few more sales, not much. Sales were worse than last time. I overheard one dealer state that he does not set up at this show to sell cards, instead, he is there to buy. I have to agree. This is a tough place to sell cards but an excellent place to buy.
Last time, I observed some nice vintage prices on some of the other dealer tables. However, I did not have much money with me last time. So this time around, I made sure I had a few hundred bucks in my pocket. There was even more vintage at this show. Some really good stuff in the room. I was able to pick up a handful of 1967 Topps baseball high numbers for a song along with a cool 1946 Chicago Cardinals program and a 1976 Cincinnati Reds program.
But the coup de grace was a 1935 Goudey Babe Ruth. An older gentleman walked into the show with two of them! Promoter Mike grabbed one and I grabbed the other! Woot! Honestly, I could care less that I hardly sold any cards because I went home with my first ever Babe Ruth! I could not be happier!!
As a result, I will definitely be back to the Michigan City show. Though, next time I am bringing a lot more cash! Woot!
My Michigan City buys are pictured below.
It is always a learning process when setting up at an unfamiliar show. As a dealer, you have to learn the crowd. Often, you have to bring in your own crowd, especially to some of these smaller shows. So, I tried to plug it on Facebook in an effort to lure some of my guys to Michigan City.
Unfortunately, none of my guys came out... unless you consider Lowball Lonnie as one of my guys. Of course he was there and he totally destroyed my Cubs box. I have the box sorted by year... not any more with Lonnie going through it! He ended up pulling two hockey cards out of my other discount box. I had the cards priced at $4. He wanted them for $2. I rarely fight people over two bucks but this guy annoys the hell out of me. I would rather not sell him ANY cards, let alone give him half off my sticker price. We settled on a big three bucks. Woot! I'm rich!!
There were a few more sales, not much. Sales were worse than last time. I overheard one dealer state that he does not set up at this show to sell cards, instead, he is there to buy. I have to agree. This is a tough place to sell cards but an excellent place to buy.
Last time, I observed some nice vintage prices on some of the other dealer tables. However, I did not have much money with me last time. So this time around, I made sure I had a few hundred bucks in my pocket. There was even more vintage at this show. Some really good stuff in the room. I was able to pick up a handful of 1967 Topps baseball high numbers for a song along with a cool 1946 Chicago Cardinals program and a 1976 Cincinnati Reds program.
But the coup de grace was a 1935 Goudey Babe Ruth. An older gentleman walked into the show with two of them! Promoter Mike grabbed one and I grabbed the other! Woot! Honestly, I could care less that I hardly sold any cards because I went home with my first ever Babe Ruth! I could not be happier!!
As a result, I will definitely be back to the Michigan City show. Though, next time I am bringing a lot more cash! Woot!
My Michigan City buys are pictured below.
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