(So Called) Card Show Recap

I have been very fortunate this year to have attended a number of card shows.  I believe I have made it to 2 in the St. Louis area and 1 in Indianapolis.  I don't mind the 2 or 2.5 hour drive if I know there is former/current Cardinals players signing autographs.  I have been lucky on 2 occasions to be in a city for one of my daughter's many activities on a weekend where a show was also taking place.  Nothing better than killing 2 birds with 1 stone. 

This past Saturday was another show in St. Louis.  My main reason for attending was 2 members of the Cardinals 2011 World Series team were signing autos.  Good thing they were, because the show was a dud.  Most of the time this promoter advertises 100 tables at his shows.  He also held a show on the Sunday before, so maybe some of the dealers did not show up on Saturday.  I counted 7 different dealers there: 1 had unopend wax  boxes and supplies, 1 had Topps Heritage from various years, 1 had nothing but vintage from the 50s and 60s, another had a mix of vintage and current cards, another had over priced card displays, and 2 different dealers had various things like stadium give aways and other promotional items. 

The only table I spent more than a couple of minutes at was the Topps Heritage dealer.  He had Cardinals team sets, sps from various years, commons from Heritage Minors and Heritage, and some autos.  I picked out 4 Hertiage Minors cards to be used for some in person autos priced at 50 cents each.  I was hoping to get a better deal, so I also found a couple of Cardinals autos.

2015 Topps Heritage Real One auto Art Mahaffey

2015 Topps Heritage Real One auto Tracy Stallard

I have seen these on EBAY going for $15-20, so his price of $15 each was not too bad.  I offered $30 for the 2 autos and the 4 commons, he countered with $31.  I thought about walking away, but could not over $1.  I would guess I was one of his biggest customers of the day.  While standing in line for autos for about 20 minutes, I noticed very few people stopping at his table.

The autographing signings went much better.  I think I was in line for maybe a total of 20 minutes for both autographs.

Skip Schumaker #55

 

Octavio Dotel #28

So far I have 15 signatures on the bat.  Hoping to get the other 10 players on the 2011 World Series roster.  Unsure if I will try for LaRussa and the other coaches.  Pujols, Freese, and Berkman are going to be expensive enough.  

Best part of the entire show was nothing cost me a dime.  My inlaws bought me a prepaid Visa gift card last Christmas that I used during a 30% of sale to buy a bunch of gift certificates.